Post subject: Re: Off the dop - post YOUR latest creation
Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2021 2:02 pm
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Joined: Tue Apr 05, 2016 7:58 pm Posts: 1424 Location: San Marcos, CA
That's a very extreme transformation. "Megatron" like. I would suggest a 600, it will serve you better over time. Then add a 1200 down the road. But truthfully I have a 360, 600, and a 1200 and I rarely ever use the 360 or 1200. 260 and 1200 solid steels and or "The Standard" by Crystallite are a good alternate choice. Finding a good sintered lap can be hard to aquire, not many out there.
Post subject: Re: Off the dop - post YOUR latest creation
Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2021 10:01 pm
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Joined: Fri Oct 19, 2007 5:04 pm Posts: 1642 Location: Walnut Creek, CA
[dramatic music] Taaaa-tta-taaa Tattataaaaa... I probably watched only one episode of Star Wars when I was a kid (I'm not into movies, in general), but I remember these things, that I've now found are called "TIE fighter".
...so I realized I might have a TIE citrine quartz.
Those things were probably shooting lasers, so why not to cut a piece of sapphire from a chunk meant to be used for lasers?
Post subject: Re: Off the dop - post YOUR latest creation
Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2021 3:03 pm
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Joined: Fri Oct 19, 2007 5:04 pm Posts: 1642 Location: Walnut Creek, CA
Story time. I got a piece of quartz with a crystal of (likely) pyrite inclusion. I ground other inclusions, "fingerprint" flaws and such, until I got an almost perfectly clean piece. OK, let's facet it and take advantage of the inclusion to get a nice reflections pattern! Problem 1: the position of the inclusion. Ideally, you want it close to the culet, and with this one it was not possible to have it placed there (unless I wanted a 1ct stone). Not good, but whatever... Problem 2: I was absolutely perfect in placing the inclusion exactly at the center of the stone. During the epoxy curing, it moved like half a mm. It drives me nuts: it should be either perfectly centered, or completely off. "Almost" anything is not something I like. Not the best way to start.
I decided on a very simple design, not to have a too busy reflections pattern (with a voice saying: "haha! Marco, you are fooling yourself"). The inclusion ended up being exactly at the girdle level. Spot on: you look through the girdle, you see the inclusion. No good. Cut.. cut.. cut... Undop... Clean... Inspect... And what I was fearing turned out to be true. No reflection pattern AT ALL. You can tilt the stone as you want: you won't see a reflection of the inclusion anywhere (almost), so it was even worse. The lesson seems to be: if you have a big ugly inclusion, place it exactly in the center of your stone.
I still kind of like my included quartz stone, tho. No reflections, but a crystal "floating" in a gem.
Post subject: Re: Off the dop - post YOUR latest creation
Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2021 4:49 pm
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Joined: Tue Apr 05, 2016 7:58 pm Posts: 1424 Location: San Marcos, CA
It's still a nice stone.
I have a preform in a rectangular shape, that I haven't finished basically because I felt the same was going to happen as you just produced. A very similar inclusion. Just haven't decided how to frame it out to give the inclusion the spot light it deserves. Also Rock Crystal Qtz.
Post subject: Re: Off the dop - post YOUR latest creation
Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2021 9:05 pm
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Joined: Tue Apr 05, 2016 7:58 pm Posts: 1424 Location: San Marcos, CA
Bump!
Tanzanian Scapolite, 5.17ct., 11.0x9.10x8.11mm, Included (needles and assuming rutile) Managed to keep everything under the surface. R.I; 1.55/1.56, Sg. 2.71
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