[Jewelry making - Article 00370] - [Orchid] Lapis Table Top Manufacture Procedure [Long]

[Fazalur Qazi]

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Greetings!

    Following is a detail information report with pictures on our
    Project of making Lapis Inlayed Table Tops. You can go to the web
    site for full detail with pictures of different stages by clicking
    links in the news letter. Few  memebers had problems viewing
    pictures last time I hope that problem is resolved now. 

    3 years ago, one my European friend/ client asked me to make one
    Lapis table top in our Pakistan Lapidary. He was Looking for a
    present for some dear one at that time. This is how, I for the first
    time, got involved in this project. Since it requires lot of Labor
    and time so that was the only table top I made in our Pakistan
    lapidary. This time when I came to Pakistan I thought why not make
    few more and see if it develops some interest. So I assigned few
    carvers on job and they started working on it. Last week they
    finished 9 table tops of inlayed Lapis over Marble. During the
    process of  manufacturing I did keep you in mind and took pictures
    of different stages. This is how I am able to share with you
    manufacturing process of this unique item. There are several hundred
    custom facetors and Lapidary experts on my email list. I will very
    much appreciate if they can send me some suggestions to help my
    workers. 

    Also, there are several dealers and other ventures loving people on
    the list and if some one is intrigue with this unique item feel free
    to write me and I am very open to innovative ideas to work together.
    I have not put any price tag on them yet and am hopping to first
    find some one who can get involved with us both in Manufacturing and
    Marketing of this item on long term bases. lets see if i find some
    one soon. If not I will then with pleasure offer it for sale to you
    all. Please also note my list of items in finish/ rough gemstones
    will be out in few days as soon as my staff finish up details and
    pictures. 

    Manufacture Procedure 

    Step 1:Lapis Table Top Design Drawing on Marble. First the desired
    design is being drawn on Marble Plate by the artist with pencil. The
    marble Plate is 1/2 inch to 1 Inch thick depending upon Length and
    breadth of the Table Top. . Design can be divided in to two distinct
    portions. That is, the out Line stones and Inlayed Portion. For the
    Out Line,  different color stones are used such as for white simple
    Marble is used , for green Jade type materials are used and so on.
    Rest of Table Top as you will see in later steps is being over-laid
    / Inlayed with lapis Lazuli.The drawing is done keeping in view the
    width of stones being used for out Lining Purpose. 

    Step 2:Lapis Table Top Cutting / Carving Pieces. Once the design is
    drawn on Marble Plate, then first, the stones making out line are
    cut and carved into desired shapes. In the following picture White
    Marble is being shaped with the help of saw. This shaping of stone
    requires very good skill. The Marble and all other stones being cut
    are hardly 3-4 Millimeters in thickness. Therefore for soft stones
    extra care is needed during cutting so as to save it from breaking
    in this stage. 

    Step 3: Lapis Table Top Cutting / Carving Outline. In the following
    picture you can see the cutter has cut one out line piece out of
    stone. After overlaying this piece on Marble plate, the Inside hollow
    areas will then be inlayed with some color full material. This Inlay
    stone is cut and shaped similarly as the out line object you see.  

    Step 4: Lapis Table Top Overlaying Outline Objects. Once the cutter
    has cut out line object, he then glues that object on Marble Plate at
    its designated Place. There are dozens of such objects which are cut
    and shaped and being glued to the Marble Plate.  After overlaying
    this piece on Marble plate, the Inside hollow areas are inlayed with
    some color full material. In the following case it is some yellowish
    material coming out of Afghanistan. This yellowish material is more
    similar in color to what you see in yellow Tanzanian Opal. The out
    side of the object is filled with Lapis pieces. 

    Step 5: Lapis Table Top Lapis Inlay. After the cutter glues all out
    line objects on Marble table top, he then cut several dozen ( some
    time hundreds if table top is big ) of Lapis pieces according to the
    shape of objects so as to fill the empty spaces around and inside
    the design. These several dozen Lapis pieces are cut and shaped in a
    way so as they inlay perfectly in and around the design . In
    following picture if you see carefully Lapis pieces are cut and
    Placed in a way so as they surround the white marble border line
    which was cut and placed during step 1-4. Placing Lapis Pieces
    around straight border line might not be that difficult though when
    cutting and shaping lapis around curved objects it does then require
    lot of skills. The Lapis slabs/ Pieces are 2-4 Millimeters thick. 

    Step 6: Lapis Table Top Lapis Slabs Pasting operation. In the
    following picture you can see several dozen Lapis Slabs being cut
    and glued around a flower design . At this stage the surface of the
    table top is very uneven. Glue used in here is locally made from
    some herbs etc. 

    Step 7:Lapis Table Top Grinding Operation. After all the pieces are
    glued together over Marble Plate the surface is being grind to make
    it even and smooth. This procedure is not much different than what
    is usually done on our Marble Floors etc. During this grinding
    operation the uneven surface become even. As you see the grinding
    Machine being used for leveling is operated manually. This means
    finish surface may not be as leveled as we wished it to be or as we
    see the Marble and Granite  Plate which are cut in Marble factories.
    In any case Finishing is usually not too bad and overall surface is
    reasonably flat after this operation. 

    Step 8: Lapis Table Top Grinding Operation. This is another detail
    view of grinding operation where  you can see the grinding Machine
    being used for leveling is operated manually. To be noted here is
    the pressure exerted by left hand on tope of machine which should be
    uniform through out the operation. As mentioned earlier, Finishing
    is usually not too bad and overall surface is reasonably flat after
    this operation. 

    Step 9: Lapis Table Top Post Grinding Operation. Picture In front is
    the Table Top after grinding operation. It is not yet finished.
    Actual finishing work starts after grinding operation. There are
    some tiny holes being created during grinding. They are filled
    again. Tiny one with glue and Lapis paste and bigger one if any are
    with glue and Lapis pieces. 

    Step 10: Lapis Table Top Sanding Operation. After grinding and
    refilling operation the Sand Papers are used to make the surface
    smooth and shiny. Sand Paper being used are NOT the one used for
    woods. They are special sand papers of different grit sizes for
    stones and Iron sanding. As you see in the Picture Sand papers are
    applied with hands. One reason is if there is any unnoticeable minor
    unleveled surface the hand application makes it easy for sand paper
    to be applied on such places as well. The sand Paper grits start
    from coarser one ( we here have one classified as 120P ) then
    gradually to bit less coarser and that is 320P to finally the fine
    one and that the maximum we have here in Peshawar is 1000P. Step 11:
    Lapis Table Top Sanding Operation. Another close up of sanding
    Operation in following Picture. As mentioned earlier Sand papers are
    applied with hands. One reason is if there is any unnoticeable minor
    unleveled surface the hand application makes it easy for sand paper
    to be applied on each portion of the table top. This operation since
    done with hand takes lot of time. Step 12: Lapis Table Top Polish
    Operation. This is the final step. After sanding Operation Lapis and
    other stone surfaces are completely smoothed. Polishing is thus done
    by a buff in some cases which is mounted on the grinding machine and
     with special type of soap type material the surface is being
    polished as is shown in the following picture. For little harder
    Lapis instead of buff another buffed shaped  wheel  is used that one
    is much stiffer than " buff " and diamond polish is used in that
    case. 

    I hope you enjoyed the report. Please feel very free to write me for
    comments or Questions

email: fqazi AT mindspring.com
voice: 3232567806
web: http://www.sfgems.com


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