January 24 Through February 4—TUCSON, ARIZONA: Annual show
Welcome to the GemologyOnline.com Forum
A non-profit Forum for the exchange of gemological ideas
It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 8:20 am

All times are UTC - 4 hours




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 12 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: To be use with Oxide, BATT or BA5T?
PostPosted: Thu Jan 19, 2017 3:37 pm 
Offline
Valued Contributor

Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2015 3:39 pm
Posts: 114
Location: Colombia
Hello everyone,

For polish with Oxide Battstik. Which metal Lap, is better? BATT Lap or BA5T Lap?

I will appreciate your opinion
Thank you.

_________________
https://www.instagram.com/idealcutemerald
In-House Cutting Colombian Emeralds


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: To be use with Oxide, BATT or BA5T?
PostPosted: Thu Jan 19, 2017 11:30 pm 
Offline
Gold Member

Joined: Tue Jul 02, 2013 9:00 am
Posts: 1322
Location: Wylie Texas but in Alaska for a while
What are you polishing?


I have not tried a BA5t yet. I came in 4th in the armature class of the USFG single stone completion last year. I am thinking of a BA5T for this years stone. It will be spinell, so I am probably headed to a diamond polish.

know that both will work. But I have had a lot more luck with oxides on a matrix (or diamatrix, or the diamatrix in the zinc+ diamatrix).



The matrix and diamatrix are softer than the BATT or BA5t. Sme people have said that they get rounding on the matrix material. I like the material in the zinc+, is is a little harder than the previous versions.


I am not sure if all of the diamatrix laps now use that material or not.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: To be use with Oxide, BATT or BA5T?
PostPosted: Fri Jan 20, 2017 12:08 am 
Offline
Valued Contributor

Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2015 3:39 pm
Posts: 114
Location: Colombia
wilsonintexas wrote:
What are you polishing?


The metal lap will be dedicated only to polish Beryl with Alumina Battstik

_________________
https://www.instagram.com/idealcutemerald
In-House Cutting Colombian Emeralds


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: To be use with Oxide, BATT or BA5T?
PostPosted: Fri Jan 20, 2017 10:53 am 
Offline
Valued Contributor

Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2008 2:30 pm
Posts: 154
If you want a lap that is solely dedicated to oxide(s), the matrix is the best option.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: To be use with Oxide, BATT or BA5T?
PostPosted: Fri Jan 20, 2017 11:51 am 
Offline
Valued Contributor

Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2015 3:39 pm
Posts: 114
Location: Colombia
gempile wrote:
If you want a lap that is solely dedicated to oxide(s), the matrix is the best option.


Yes, I have read that the Matrix is very good for use with oxides. But also I have read that the Matrix rounding the facets.

How true is the facets rounding with the Matrix?

_________________
https://www.instagram.com/idealcutemerald
In-House Cutting Colombian Emeralds


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: To be use with Oxide, BATT or BA5T?
PostPosted: Fri Jan 20, 2017 3:34 pm 
Offline
Valued Contributor
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jun 19, 2014 7:26 am
Posts: 159
Location: MB, Canada
Miguel wrote:
How true is the facets rounding with the Matrix?


Depends how much pressure you're using at the stone. Lean on it, yes. Light pressure, no.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: To be use with Oxide, BATT or BA5T?
PostPosted: Fri Jan 20, 2017 4:33 pm 
Offline
Valued Contributor

Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2015 3:39 pm
Posts: 114
Location: Colombia
BA5T Lap can be use with Battstik oxide?

Which lap will be more aggressive with Battstik oxide? BATT lap or BA5T lap?

Thanks

_________________
https://www.instagram.com/idealcutemerald
In-House Cutting Colombian Emeralds


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: To be use with Oxide, BATT or BA5T?
PostPosted: Fri Jan 20, 2017 4:51 pm 
Offline
Gold Member

Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2015 10:52 pm
Posts: 1131
Location: Central Queensland, Australia
Miguel wrote:
gempile wrote:
If you want a lap that is solely dedicated to oxide(s), the matrix is the best option.


Yes, I have read that the Matrix is very good for use with oxides. But also I have read that the Matrix rounding the facets.

How true is the facets rounding with the Matrix?


Works brilliantly with either diamond or oxides.

Never had any problem with facet rounding. Like Wybee says, I think you would need a pretty heavy hand to cause any significant rounding.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: To be use with Oxide, BATT or BA5T?
PostPosted: Sat Jan 21, 2017 1:49 am 
Offline
Gold Member

Joined: Tue Jul 02, 2013 9:00 am
Posts: 1322
Location: Wylie Texas but in Alaska for a while
You might consider the greenway or the skyway. The oxides will already be there.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: To be use with Oxide, BATT or BA5T?
PostPosted: Wed Jan 25, 2017 2:29 am 
Offline
Active Member

Joined: Sat Jan 31, 2015 8:46 am
Posts: 96
Location: Tampa, Florida
The BATT is better with oxides than the BA5T. The BA5T is very hard and smooth which makes it harder for the oxide to stay on when polishing. This is what makes the Matrix so great for oxides- the pores hold the oxide in place.

The difference is the BATT will produce much less facet rounding but will be slower than the Matrix.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: To be use with Oxide, BATT or BA5T?
PostPosted: Wed Jan 25, 2017 12:21 pm 
Offline
Valued Contributor

Joined: Sun Aug 21, 2016 7:39 am
Posts: 228
Location: Long Island NY, USA
I've always secretly wanted a Ba5t lap :lol:

Think of it almost like a badge of proficiency,...if I can manage to use it successfully, that somehow rates my gem faceting quality higher. At least in my own mind, if no where else.

That being said, I love my second generation BATT laps, especially the full 8" variety, as opposed to banded. Nothing wrong with the banded laps, butI feel that the full 8" sweep on that particular lap allows for very flat facets that would rival those a ceramic lap would produce anyday.

How does a BATT compare with a Ba5t in general? With either oxides or diamond, for polish or prepolish, or even cutting, as some are wont to do I hear.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: To be use with Oxide, BATT or BA5T?
PostPosted: Fri Feb 03, 2017 2:59 pm 
Offline
Active Member

Joined: Sat Jan 31, 2015 8:46 am
Posts: 96
Location: Tampa, Florida
The BA5T is a harder and smoother version of the BATT.

Because it is harder and the grain of the alloy finer it is more difficult to embed with diamond and get a proper charge.

There are a few differences in performance that come out of this property. The first noticeable thing is that the BA5T will polish faster than the BATT when it is equally charged. The reason for this is that the particles embed farther into the BATT and act like smaller particles. You can get a finer finish with the same polish with the BATT for this reason. However the BA5T will produce sharper facet junctions which results in a more diamond-like appearance of the stone. This can be marginal if you do not use pressure with the BATT and polish from a fine enough prepolish.

The BA5T is not a better lap than the BATT, it just has different uses- like for harder stone or large stone. I have both in several grit sizes and use them all the time, so I recommend both, not just one.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 12 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 4 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 30 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group
Gemology Style ported to phpBB3 by Christian Bullock