[Rockhounds] cabochons

[ic420999 at ohio.edu]

Bob, I think it would be very difficult to do much with a dremel.

I have shaped feldspar and hematite, and petrified tree fern, by hand grinding
flat blanks I cut with a tile saw. I used a silicone carbide wheel.  I doped my
blank, placed the wheel in a pan with water and used the large face, grinding
round and round for hours and hours and hours....... until I had the shape I
wanted.  If you do try this never use the wheel on a powered machine, it will
not have proper balance, and could fly apart and kill you. 

To give the best hand polish I would use 3M imperial wet/dry sandpaper(best
place to find this is a auto parts store in the paint section), grits, 220, 320,
400, 600, 800, 1000, 1500, 2000.  Then I hit the cab with cerium oxide on a buff
mounted in a drill.  It was labor of love..... but takes about three days....
not very efficient.  

I have upgraded to a graves cab mate with a diamond wheel.  It cost around
$600(for the diamond package) but provides most of the versatility I need.  

Good luck

Isaac Coblentz

> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 6
> Date: Wed, 19 Dec 2007 18:54:07 -0500
> From: ROBERT A SANTEE <timeman123 at optonline.net>
> Subject: [Rockhounds] cabochons
> To: rockhounds at lists.drizzle.com
> Message-ID: <000601c8429a$71b9d4e0$477c5143 at ownerfbau59hmu>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
> 
> Hi can anybody give me some info on making a cabochon with a dremel
> rotary tool I have a limited space to work in and I would like to try
> making a cab with the tool also can you tell me what kind of sanding
> disks I need and buffs that I would need I am new to this but I would
> like to try it.Also how would you support the stone while working on
> it thanks bob.
> 
> 
>