Discussions

💬 Home 🔎 Search 📅 Latest

╳Discussions

💬 Home 🔎 Search 📅 Latest

Groups

Recent Images in Discussions

Techniques for CollectorsWant to learn lapidary

4th May 2010 10:59 UTCSusan

I live in upstate NY (Capital-Saratoga region) and want very much to learn lapidary/faceting--at least, how to make cabs. Do you know of anyone who teaches within a few hours drive? Many thanks!

--Susan

4th May 2010 14:01 UTCDebbie Woolf Manager

Hi Susan

I 'googled' it & found this link via the vug website http://www.amfed.org ... Its a start !

:)

4th May 2010 18:59 UTCDavid Von Bargen Manager

A list of gem & mineral clubs in New York

http://www.rockhounds.com/rockshop/clubs/new_york.shtml

A lot of clubs will either have formal courses on lapidary or will have members that are willing to pass on their expertise.

Faceting : http://www.usfacetersguild.org/

Generalized info:

http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/orchid.htm

16th Jul 2010 14:33 UTCEveraldo Silva

Dear Sir,

A long time I am trying to make a lapidary course and now the moment has arrived to do that. I would like to know where can I find a good and affordable lapidary school in NJ. I am sure that I will get the desired information from you and I can realize this old dream.

Thank You so much!

Best regards,

Everaldo Silva

16th Jul 2010 19:28 UTCRock Currier Expert

Everaldo

I would suggest that you contact:

New Jersey Lapidary Society, Inc.

MEETINGS:3rd Thursday (Sept - June) of month at 8:00 P.M.

NJ Technical Institute, 1776 Raritan Rd; Scotch Plains, NJ

TREASURER: Joan Hoeckle EDITOR: Dan Kohn

BULLETIN: New Jersey Lapso News

They will most likely be able to tell you where you can learn about various lapidary procedures.

22nd Aug 2010 19:34 UTCRay Hill Expert

If all else fails,go to Arizona for the winter and take a course from one of the many clubs down there...

11th Sep 2010 17:38 UTCBruce W. Reeves

How do u get started and best way to start

15th Sep 2010 22:04 UTCTim Jokela Jr

People seem to think that basic lapidary, eg. cutting cabochons, is difficult. It isn't.

Basically what you're doing is making smaller and smaller scratches, until you've reached a polish.

Buy a cabochon cutting machine from a big name company, with at least 4 wheels and a polishing disc.

Also buy a 4" trim saw with a very thin diamond blade.

You get what you pay for. Good equipment will last decades. Any decent rock shop should be able to set you up with the right equipment, just make sure that the owner actually cuts, and knows what he's talking about.

Mark out your slabs with templates, or free-form, trim to size, and proceed from coarse to fine diamond grit wheels. Simply rock the stone up and down, back and forth, using the full width of the wheel. Keep the water flowing, rock dust is bad. Then polish on the disc with aluminum oxide. After every stage, carefully inspect your cab to ensure that you've gotten all the scratches from the previous wheel out. Do your serious rock removal on the coarsest wheel. Work on keeping a nice oval, and a nice smooth curved surface. Start with cheap agate slabs. Harder stones take longer but will usually give a nicer finished polish. Soft stones like turquoise can be banged out in 20 minutes. When your stone looks nice and shiny, and you're convinced you've attained the perfect polish, congratulations, you're about 1/3 done... keep polishing till it's like a mirror.

Inspect your cabs very closely for flaws, and when they're perfect, you're done!

Cheers,

T

29th Jun 2014 15:42 UTCElmi

did you find someone to teach you lapidary work. I am looking for the same.

thanks

Elmi

8th Oct 2014 17:14 UTCMike Mangrum

I'm not sure how willing any of you are to travel a bit, but if you are, you couldn't ask for a better place to learn lapidary skills than the William Holland Lapidary School in Young Harris, Ga. The cost is minimal, (usually less than $400 for a weeks stay, meals and classes and the instructors are knowledgeable and eager to teach.

The class sizes are generally small, so you will get individual instruction and the people there are just plain friendly. Check them out online. You won't be disappointed.

Mike

18th Oct 2015 06:42 UTCToni

Will be in New York City for about a week and would like to embark on maximum of two days short course training on lapidary. Where is the best place to go

18th Feb 2019 18:22 UTCHeather Shields

I live in the Hudson Valley area of New York. I am also searching for lapidary classes.

I have found one Mineral group that offers classes. I am going to join that group so i can participate in the classes.

The mid-hudson valley gem and mineral society

http://mhvgms.org/about_us/lapidary_workshop.html

Mindat.org is an outreach project of the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.
Copyright © mindat.org and the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy 1993-2024, except where stated. Most political location boundaries are © OpenStreetMap contributors. Mindat.org relies on the contributions of thousands of members and supporters. Founded in 2000 by Jolyon Ralph.
Privacy Policy - Terms & Conditions - Contact Us / DMCA issues - Report a bug/vulnerability Current server date and time: May 4, 2024 02:19:52

Go to top of page