I am a new cutter with 10 SRBs done so far. I am planning on cutting some very light garnet this weekend. I would like to stay round, but I am not sure I want to go SRB with them. Any opinions on a good "next design" for a beginner that would work well in a garnet that has low saturation?
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It can be a bit of challenge to get all of those pavilion facets to come together a the culet just so, but overall it's a forgiving design & great for beginners.
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2010 12:00 pm Posts: 461 Location: Washington DC
Light garnets are nice because they look great in almost any design. I say just find something that appeals to you and won't be too challenging. I like Jeff Graham's designs because he usually has a note at the bottom that says how hard the design is to cut.
Joined: Fri Jun 04, 2010 8:21 am Posts: 421 Location: Australia
I cut a few garnets in a design called Old Mine Cut. It is a square cut quite simple to execute. It works well with lightly saturated materials and has quite a dazzling scintillation.
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Thank you all Now I have plenty of ideas for this weekend. I am leaning towards Mitch's suggestion. That looks like a fun cut that will teach me quite a bit, as well.
I finally bit the bullet and ordered a camera setup I think will do a better job at capturing gems. Now I will not be able to rely on my little point and shoot to hide my flaws!!
_________________ Lapidarists.... the only people in the world who immediately think "Jon Rolfe could make that better" when they see a nail file.
Ooo, that is perfect!! As I was pondering which stone to cut this weekend I heard my mother's voice in the back of my head reminding me to "do the things you have to do before you do the things you want to do". I have a pair of topaz 8mm stones due for a friend's wife on April 9, so I started those last night. I am hoping I get through them tomorrow so I can cut what I want on Sunday
_________________ Lapidarists.... the only people in the world who immediately think "Jon Rolfe could make that better" when they see a nail file.
Joined: Thu May 29, 2008 8:32 am Posts: 1730 Location: Suwanee, GA US
Do you know about the angle offset you need to do with topaz? You should be 7 degrees off of the cleavage plane or there will be swear words heard over your machine.
I do. I had a veil running through the rough that looked like it was somewhere in the 7-10 degree range. I sawed through the veil and used that as my crown for the first rock. The cleavage plane is quite obvious on the second stone and the the way it is formed makes the table naturally 5-10 degrees offset.
The tough part has been that people tend to pick out a setting, then a stone. The rough I am working with would easily make a 10mm stone, but it is what I have. Cutting metered pairs has been my biggest challenge so far.
_________________ Lapidarists.... the only people in the world who immediately think "Jon Rolfe could make that better" when they see a nail file.
Joined: Thu May 29, 2008 8:32 am Posts: 1730 Location: Suwanee, GA US
A tip, if you have long rough. Dop it and cut the pavilion at the bottom and include the girdle. Set the stone up for transfer. SAW the stone in half so that you can cut a pavilion and crown on the stone that was first attached to the dop. On the transfer dop, you finish the crown. Both stones are the same size.
Edit - I think that was mentioned in the Johnny Tew speed cutting videos. Look for gsellis in Youtube. FFF2, Johnny Tew.
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