New to Cabbing

Hello everyone!
I would like to start cutting my own cabs and would like to know.....what am I getting into? haha. But really. What is the "easiest" type of stone to start with? I will be purchasing an all in one cutter/grinder/polisher machine from Rio next week. I'm real excited about it. This weekend is the Memphis, TN Gem show and I will be attending it. So...what should I look for in slabs? I'm familiar with stones. I've been selecting them for our jewelry business for the last four years. Only they have already been cabbed for me. I'm so new to cutting that I don't even know what question(s) to ask about. I hear you groaning already....somebody please don't let her near a blade. But really I would like to learn. If any of you are in the Memphis area I would like to pick your brain. Thanks for listening.
Kim

Probably the easiest stone to work is agate or another quartz family gem. They take a good polish fairly easily and are hard enough that you won't overcut a stone before you realise what you are doing.

What you didn't share with us, Kim, was whether or not you a silicon carbide based cutting setup or a diamond one...

If it was diamond, then I totally agree with David. Since the process of cutting agate on silicon carbide wheels, is painfully slow, at least in my opinion, as this is not just a relatively hard gem but it is also a TOUGH stone, and that TOUGHNESS is what slows the wheel action down. Diamond , at least, with a lot of water added, is a much faster cutting experience.

If it wasn't diamond, then I would highly recommend a synthetic stone,called blue goldstone. It was my first stone cab that I cut over 45 years ago. I say that because it is a dark coloured stone. Therefore the process of eliminating the scratches from the previous grits, as you proceed along with the cutting and shaping, is easier to see, than it is on agates. Secondly, the gap in finish between the final grit and the polishing process with either cerium or tin oxide on a felt wheel, is absolutely amazing. No natural stone I know has quite the same drama . If and when you get that perfect polish on the final stage, then the little pinpoints of light ,looking like stars trapped in a deep blue night sky, just jump out at you and it really is satisfying.

Never give up, but always be meticulous with shaping and finishing , because it really is a heartbreaker to get to the polish and see that big scratch jump out at you because you didn't go over the piece with a magifier and follow that up with more sanding to eliminate the scratches caused at an earlier stage.

I found the book called "gem cutting", put out by the late Dr. John Sinkankas. to be a really good guide for the stages of cutting. You probably can find a local club that has a gem cutting workshop where you can get lessons on other people's machines [which can be invaluable and a lot easier than plodding along all by yourself].

In the end, if you do hook up with a club.,and a big gem show is a great place to find one...going out on a field trip and finding something to cut and then transforming it into a gem, is probably the best stone of all to be cutting...because you get the immense satisfaction of seeing it from the ground right on through to becoming a piece of jewellery. The pride and satisfaction you can get from that kind of stone, is missing in most everything we do in society today...since we usually get to see only a bit of this creative process, like you did when you bought cut stones. I hope you find as much fun and joy in this aspect of the hobby as I have over the years...good luck.

David and Ray,
Thank you for all the great tips. The machine that I will be purchasing is from Rio and it's the Swaptop All-in-wonder complete lapidary workshop. It is a diamond one. I'm looking forward to talking with others at the show today. I will look up that book on gem cutting by Dr. John Sinkankas.
Hope you all have a great day!
Kim

If it is the same one that was being demonstrated in one of the rooms at the Inne Suites at Tucson this year, it is a nice, compact and economical combo unit. It uses flat laps, if I remember and this will require you using a gentle touch until you get into the flow of movement that makes for smooth cutting. I hope you have much fun and please remember to always use a generous flow of water when using that machine, Kim.
I hope that you will attach a pic or two of your first stones for us to admire.

Hi Kim!

Directions for making cabochons on that machine are online here:
[www.inlandcraft.com]

Hope you have some fun cutting cabs~!

J T

Wow.....thanks everyone. I really do appreciate all the info.
Kim