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 Post subject: ruby faceting
PostPosted: Sat Sep 29, 2012 3:02 am 
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hello ' iam a new lapidarist and am trying to facet rubies from east africa . unfortunately they tend to flake . any suggestions


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 Post subject: Re: ruby faceting
PostPosted: Sun Sep 30, 2012 4:01 am 
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It seems you are trying to facet very poor quality ruby. Perhaps there is nothing you can do except have it glass filled or obtain better quality rough.
Duncan


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 Post subject: Re: ruby faceting
PostPosted: Sun Mar 23, 2014 2:49 pm 
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In your post you said that you were new. My recommendation would be to start on some other materials and learn the process, then try something like a ruby. There are a LOT of threads out there on what a beginner should start with....


Then you could come back to the ruby.


welcome to the group and good luck.


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 Post subject: Re: ruby faceting
PostPosted: Sun Mar 23, 2014 3:56 pm 
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How it is "flaking"? Are you getting pits or uneven finish when polishing or is it when you are doing the first cut?

What grits are you using with your laps from cutting to polish?

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 Post subject: Re: ruby faceting
PostPosted: Sun Mar 23, 2014 4:03 pm 
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WHOW! facet grade ruby is super pricey rite now :shock: thats a hell of a stone to start with. Might i suggest starting with aquamarine in small sizes and garnets, mali would be cheapest.

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 Post subject: Re: ruby faceting
PostPosted: Sun Mar 23, 2014 9:57 pm 
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G_Madison wrote:
Might i suggest starting with aquamarine in small sizes and garnets, mali would be cheapest.

Mali garnet is definitely not a cheap material unless it's tiny and included. The best starting materials, in terms of ease of cutting, applicability of training, price, and finished stone value, would be amethyst or citrine, straw-colored sunstone, rose almandine or rhodolite garnets, or irradiated golden beryl or goshenite. The ideal size for a beginner is somewhere between 7 and 12mm, to get a good balance between appearance, ease of seeing meetpoints, and ease of cutting and polishing.


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 Post subject: Re: ruby faceting
PostPosted: Mon Mar 24, 2014 2:15 am 
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I'm amazed by the response to a simple question!!
Maybe the guy has a ruby mine, and has plenty to play with.
So he asks a question about a problem he's having, and gets told to forget it, hide the ruby away, go out and buy a wide range of rough that may, or may not, suit him, but as he is a beginner, others believe he should cut.
Sorry guys, but sometimes I think you go off like grandmothers breakfast- all over the place!
Ha- now I've offended every-one, I say, send us some photos of whats happening, and get some more help to try and finish the red beauty!
Barry


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 Post subject: Re: ruby faceting
PostPosted: Mon Mar 24, 2014 3:19 am 
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No Barry you are correct. Tanzanite may or may not have already have cut a few stones in other materials, we don't know.
Even if he cuts a 100 stones in cheaper materials he still has to deal with the flaking issue with his ruby. If it was not flaking it is unlikely he would have posted looking for a solution.

It could well be inferior quality rough, I have some pieces from that area that I wouldn't bother to try to facet, they look like a disaster waiting to happen. I've never used any but possibly Opticon could help if it is the material.

Tanzanite, a picture or 2 could be helpful.

Differing opinions are healthy on a forum as long as they are constructive.

Regards,

Sean.


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 Post subject: Re: ruby faceting
PostPosted: Mon Mar 24, 2014 3:31 am 
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In retrospect I probbly shoulnd't be posting when staying up ridiculously late at night while studyinkg...


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 Post subject: Re: ruby faceting
PostPosted: Mon Mar 24, 2014 4:20 am 
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I'm the one who should apologise, sometimes I open up a bit much!!
Arya, your opinion is always valued!
Barry.


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 Post subject: Re: ruby faceting
PostPosted: Mon Mar 24, 2014 4:22 am 
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Oh don't sweat the small stuff Arya.

I've often posted late at night with too many cocktails under the belt feeling I can solve a lot of the worlds problems.

On re reading those posts there is only a vague resemblance to the point I was trying to make, if I can remember what it was.

Regards,

Sean.


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 Post subject: Re: ruby faceting
PostPosted: Mon Mar 24, 2014 1:18 pm 
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Qld Barry wrote:
Maybe the guy has a ruby mine, and has plenty to play with.


Or he may have gotten a deal on some uncooked ruby rough, like i did a while back. I bought about a pound of ruby rough that I was planning on cabbing or selling the crystals as specimens, but after searching and cleaning some of them up, found quite a bit of facet rough. Most of them are classic dogtooth shape crystals and after cleaning the host rock off, look quite nice. Mostly they are in the 2 - 5 carat range, but cutting them on the c axis usually have to cut them in 2 to 3 pieces. So the largest I have cut from this rough so far has been .75 carats.
Have cabbed some nice stars from this rough too.

I enjoy cutting the heated ruby rough I have more, though, since I can cut larger ones. Easier to see the meets. :lol:

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 Post subject: Re: ruby faceting
PostPosted: Tue Mar 25, 2014 1:44 pm 
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Barry is rite on this point, and i should know better my self than to discourage anyone from cutting anything. Sir, you have my most humble apology. You can only be your self, and if you believe in your self then you can do anything you put your mind to.

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 Post subject: Re: ruby faceting
PostPosted: Tue Mar 25, 2014 3:28 pm 
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The original poster was a "drive-by". He shot off one post and disappeared.


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 Post subject: Re: ruby faceting
PostPosted: Wed Mar 26, 2014 4:28 am 
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Yes Barbra, also left an emotional tangle behind about as bad as his rough.

Odd though, his post was in 2012 as was the first response. It seems all was in vain.


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