[Jewelry making - Article 00027] - Re: [Orchid] Good quality stones at a good price?

[coralnut]

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Noel,

    Definitely you need an intermediate wheel between the "200"
    (probably a 180 or 240)grinding wheel and the 600 smoother. I
    recommend a 280 smoothing wheel...suggest the Nova as most long
    lasting. Most machines have a 600 as the second grinder. People ask
    me why go from a 600 grinding to a 280 smoothing? Well, the 280 is on
    resin base on a soft rubber band and after the initial break in, it
    will cut more like a 1200. Your 3 micron is an 8000 grit and it is
    not meant to remove enough material to obliterate scratches (which
    are acutually the result of the first wheel). 

    My favorite set up is, 80 (or 100) gr hard, 600 gr hard, 280 soft,
    600 soft, 1200 final smooth, and 14,000 prepolish. Some consider the
    14K as final polish but I do not. I almost always polish on the end
    plate with cerium Ox (silica based stones) on felt or leather, or
    Linde A on leather. 

    Another tip....unless you are cutting large agate or jaspers and
    need to remove lots of material, don't use the 80gr coarse. Use a 100
    or 180 instead. Remember, diamond abrades everything and does not
    break down easily as SiC does. When it abrades, it actually fractures
    deep into the surface, as much as 8-10 microns. Such abrasions are
    very difficult to remove even with the 600 hard wheel. Use a wheel
    that will remove material effeciently but don't be in such a hurry.
    You will pay for it in the smoothing process later if you do. 

    There are many theories as to why a rounded stone polishes more
    easily than a flat one - I won't go into that now. This is a common
    problem in faceting when polishing large facets or polishing large
    slabs. One suggestion is...when smoothing stones with relatively flat
    crowns, to not push them hard against the smoothing wheels. Rather,
    gently move them in a circular motion across the wheel face with
    light pressure. That is when the wheel is doing its cutting. Remember
    the smoothing wheels are not meant to shape or form...only smooth the
    surface. Same thing for the polish. Except, first use heavy pressure
    but then relax it till the stone rests lightly on the surface. Keep
    the polish wheel barely damp until you feel a tug. That is when it is
    polishing. If the wheel is too wet the stone will slew and there will
    be no polishing. If too dry, the polish will clump and scratch the
    stone. 

    I agree with you that cutting is very relaxing. People who do cut
    seem to be more at rest than most. Happy cutting! 

    Cheers from Don at The Charles Belle Studio in SOFL where simple
    elegance IS fine jewelry!


 
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