[Jewelry making - Article 00142] - Re: [Orchid] Primitive Faceting/Lapidary Techniques/Tools?

[Don Rogers]

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    Welcome to the world of faceting Asa 

    There are a number of "entry" level faceting systems.  One that
    comes to mind is the Lap-Lap.  I am not sure if this is the correct
    name, but it is close. It is a hand powered faceting setup.  You
    have a flat plate that you put in your lap, and a wire type
    arrangement that holds the stone.  You manually sweep it back and
    forth.  You might finish a half a stone before swearing off faceting
    forever.  Other things that have been used is tinker toy hubs with
    the stone glued to a shaft from the center of the hub.  Short  pegs
    in the radius of the hub were use to index the stone.  Not many of
    these in use today either. 

    The third world faceters often use a Jam Peg setup.  They can cut
    some remarkable stones. However, most of the serious and progressive
    cutting houses off shore are now using more modern machines like the
    Ultra Tech, Facetron, and the Raytech, as well as some of the non US
    made machines.  The reason they are going to the more modern
    machines is that the output is more consistent, and with experience,
    they are faster. 

    Faceting is a blended field. Part Art, and part science.  You will
    get a lot of opinions on which wins out, but both play a role.  If
    your machine keeps the science part of the project under control,
    then you can explore the Art part, with greater success.  One of the
    things that turns off new facetors is frustration.  Nothing leads to
    frustration more that machines and equipment that doesn't handle the
    science part of faceting well. 

    As you stated, the modern machines can cost thousands of dollars.
    The lowest priced US machine that I am aware of is the Raytech, at
    around $1400.00, well equiped,  and the range goes up to the
    Fac-Ette at around $4500.00, not so well equiped.  These are new
    prices, and you will need to add laps, dops, etc to fill out your
    needs.  It is very easy to spend $4000 to $5000 for a good setup. 
    While this sounds like outrageous prices, and I have the same
    thoughts about spending $25,000 for a Chevy, you need to consider
    the trade offs.  A $5000.00 machine translates to 10, $500 stones. 
    If you can double your cost of rough, which is easy if you can cut
    well, you can pay for the machine with 20 stones.  With the right
    machine, that is two weeks of cutting.  With the wrong machine, it
    could be a life time. 

    I guess my point is that you have tasted the better machines in your
    club workshop.  Anything less is not going to be as enjoyable. 
    Faceting should be fun.  A poor setup will remove the fun. 

    I would recommend the Raytech machine.  It was my second machine,
    and will be my last.  There have been a couple more expensive ones
    in between, but the Raytech gives ease of use, with accuracy (with a
    little modification) that you can not find in the market today. You
    can find one or the other, but only the Raytech will provide both. 
    (I do not sell Raytech machines, but am a very happy user) 

    Watch the club membership.  Some times, an interest wanes and you
    can pick up used equipment at a reasonable price.  Your local Rock
    Shop might have some used equipment at far less than the new prices.
     You might run an ad in the local newspaper "wanting faceting
    equipment".   You can check out Ebay for used equipment, however I
    don't think you will get your best price there.  You might even try
    a WTB add here on the Orchid net. 

    You should also checkout the faceting news groups.

    http://www.usfacetersguild.org/faceters_list.shtml 

    http://www.faceter.info/tgfdd.htm 

	http://dns2.caprock-
spur.com:81/guest/RemoteListSummary/LapidaryArtsDigest

    These are three of the faceting groups that I know of today.  Each
    will lead you to archives of past post going back some four or five
    years.  Jump in.  And welcome. 

Don

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