5
votes
Accepted
How can I stabilize flowering tube onyx?
You may have some luck with stabilizing it as though it was a slab. Using an epoxy in acetone method:
Dissolve epoxy in acetone
Submerge rough stone in the epoxy acetone mixture
Seal up container so ...
- 457
5
votes
How can I cut gemstones in half without a lapidary saw?
There are lapidary materials that can be cut without using specialized saws. Small raw gemstones are not good candidates, however.
Prior to modern lapidary equipment, cutting small gemstones relied ...
- 476
5
votes
Accepted
Polishing a scratched Ruby
If the scratch is small enough but has discolored edges (like a scratched or chipped glass) then you could rub some vaseline or silicone oil over it to even out the light refraction.
If the scratch ...
Elmy♦
- 13.8k
5
votes
How can I dop opal for cabbing?
Green dop wax is best. Don't use glue. I read something about colour loss up there, god knows what they are on about this is untrue. Opal is relatively soft, treat it with care.
To get the stone off ...
- 51
4
votes
Accepted
Rock Tumble Epoxy
You can definitely mix the quartz waste with epoxy. In fact, it can be mostly waste, with just enough epoxy to bind it together. Mix thoroughly so all of the quartz is covered with epoxy and there ...
- 11.5k
3
votes
How can I avoid chipped edges on glass etching with a Dremel?
It's hard to diagnose without seeing the bit you used, but here are my ideas:
Orientation
The line in the center of your image has only one chipped edge on one side. That implies that the problem ...
Elmy♦
- 13.8k
3
votes
How can I cut gemstones in half without a lapidary saw?
I would strongly advise to not just cut any gemstones without expert knowledge.
The issue is not just hardness but chipping. Different gemstones react very different to impact or stress and can ...
- 151
3
votes
How can I make this pendant vertical?
I know this is an old question, but another option that you might consider is sawing off the existing rings with a jeweler's saw, smoothing the side, and then setting the entire stone with the ...
- 1,576
3
votes
What is the purpose of an abrader in flint knapping?
The purpose is to prepare a flake for improved manipulation.
Abrasion is a process also referred to as 'raking':
Raking is the action of carefully dragging a course abrader or other device to ...
- 11.5k
3
votes
Can I make doublets with a Genie and a trim saw?
It seems that, according to their website, your Diamond Pacific Genie is able to flatten and polish gemstones using the "right hand wheel" as a platform for, e.g.,
"Lapcraft "No ...
- 11.5k
2
votes
Can I make doublets with a Genie and a trim saw?
A doublet in this case being faux gemstone composed of two bonded layers of different materials, usually glass supporting a softer rare stone. You would need perfectly flat surfaces on the bond to get ...
- 3,974
2
votes
How can I avoid chipped edges on glass etching with a Dremel?
Most common would be a rotary bit.
This one would be specifically for glass carving:
Amazon link
The bottom row would be the fine detail tips, would be beneficial to wanting to carve out small detail.
...
- 1,771
1
vote
Fracture filling a citrine gemstone
You can try the windshield repair resin to hold the loose chip. Citrine is a form of quartz, which is the primary component of normal glass, so a resin designed to match the refractive index of ...
- 11.5k
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