A STUDENT'S HANDBOOK IN LAPIDARY WORK

A Project
Presented to
the Faculty of the School of Education
The University of Southern California

In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
Master of Science in Education

by
Harold H» Wetzler
August 1950
 UMI Number: EP46650

All rights reserved

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UMI EP46650
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 . . p
/r J 1 :j ! OU S V ¥ i
’s#
T his project report, w ritte n under the direction
of the candidatefs adviser a n d a p p ro ved by h im ,
has been presented to and accepted by the F a c u lty
of the School of E d u catio n in p a r t ia l f u lf illm e n t of
the requirements f o r the degree o f M a s t e r of
Science in E ducation.

D ate ............................

Dean
 iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE
1. HOW TO SLAB SAW GEM S T O N E S ................. . . . . 1
A* How to start and stop the slab s a w ........ 1
B. How to start and stop the oil pump . . . . . . . 3
C. How to determine the size of the stone to be cut 3
D. How to clamp the stone in the vise • • • • • . . b
E. How to setthe saw vise. . * • • • • . . . . . • 6
F. How to adjust the transverse movement of the
vise 7
G. How tostart the cut • • • • • • • . • • • • . . 8
H. How to finish the cut. . . . • • ........... 9
I. How toclean the saw .......... 9
2. HOW TO TRIMSAW GEM S T O N E S ......................... 12
A. How tostart and stop the trim saw . . • • • • • 12
B. How touse the g u a r d .............. 12
C. How todetermine the size of the material to
be cut • • • • • ............ I1*-
D. How tomark the stone........ • • • • • . • • • 15
E. How tohold the material for cutting . . . . . . 17
F. How tomake the cut. • • • • • ................ 17
G. How toclean the saw • • • • • .......... 19
HOW TO CUT A C A B O C H Q N ............................ 22
A. How toselect the stone for your cabochon. . . . 22
 iv
CHAPTER PAGE
B. How to select the best cabochon shape for your
stone • • • • • • • . • * . . • • • • • • • « . « 2k-
C. How to rough grind the base of your stone • . • • 29
D. How to mark out the shape of your stone • * . . • 32
E. How to cut your stone to rough plan shape • • . • 33
F. How to rough grind your stone to plan shape * • • 3k-
G. How to fine grind the base* . • . . .............. 36
H. How to rough grind the crown. . . . . . . . . . . 37
I. How to dop your s t o n e ............. 38
J. How to heat the stone * • . • • • • • • • • • . . kO
K. How to cement the stone to the dop stick. • . . • kl
L. How to fine grind the crown ......... k-2
M. How to sand the c r o w n ............................ k-2
N. How to polish the c r o w n ........... ^3
0. How to mix the polishing abrasives*......... k7
P. How to sand the base* • • • * * • • • • • • • * * H-8
Q* How to polish the base* • • • • • • * • • * • • * 50
R* How to remove the stone from the dop stick* . . . 50
k* HOW TO CUT F A C E T S ...................•................ 5^
A* How to run the machine safely * • • • * • * • • * 51**
B. How to set up the machine................... 55
C. How to select a stone • • • * • * • * • • • • * . 58
D* How to dop the stone. ............ 59
E. How to mount the dop stick to cut the table . . . 6l
 V

CHAPTER PAGE
F. How to mount the lap . • • • • • • • • ............ 61
G. How to remove and replace the master aluminum
plate* ................................. 62
H* How to use the splash p a n * ........................ 63
I# How to apply the water • • • • • • • • • * . • • . 63
J. How to cut the table . • ............ . . . . . 6h
K. How to transfer the dop stick to cut the top
facets • 65
L. How to keep a record of your work* • * • • • • • • 65
M. How to cut the top main facets • * • • • • • * * • 66
N* How to cut the girdle* .......... 68
0* How to cut the star facets * ................. 70
P. How to cut the top sixteenths. ........... 71
Q. How to polish the top part of your gem stone . . . 73
R. How to transfer your stone from one dop stick to
another.............. • • • • • • ................. 7*+
S. How to cut the bottom main facets. • • • • « • • • 73
T. How to cut the bottom sixteenths • • • • • • • • * 80
U. How to polish the bottom of your stone • • • • • • 8l
V. How to remove the stone from the dop stick • • « • 82
W. How to clean the m a c h i n e ............... • • » • 82
5. HOW TO DRILLGEM STONES................................ 85
A. How to use the drill p r e s s ................... 85
B. How to make a drill. • • • • • • ........... 86
 vi
CHAPTER PAGE
C. How to mount the d r i l l ............... . • • . 90
D. How to determine the drill s i z e * ............... 90
E. How to select and mix abrasives........... . * * 91
F. How to use the abrasive mixture. • • • • • • • • 92
G. How to hold the stone for drilling........ 93
H. How to drill the hole ...................... 91*
6. HOW TO MAKE BEADS. . ............................ 97
A. How to select the material .......... 97
B. How to cut the bead stock. ............ 97
C. How to rough grind the beads 99
D. How to grind the beads ............ 100
E. How to drill the beads • • • • • • • • • • • * • 103
F. How to polish the beads. ...................... 105
7. HOW TO CHOOSE GEM S T O N E S ............................ 108
A. How to choose stones for cabochon shapes • • • • 108
B. How to choose your stone for facet shapes. ... Ill
LAPIDARY RESERVE BOOK SECTION: A special reserve shelf
for use in lapidary work • • * • » • • • • • • • • • 115
 vii
LIST OF FIGURES

FIGURE PAGE
1* A Slab S a w ..................... . . . . ........... 2
2. A Trim S a w ......... 23
3* The Stone Layout Guide • ......................... 16
b. Round or Spherical Caboehon. .......... •• • • • • 26
5. Double Cabochons .......... • • • . • • . • • • • . 27
6* High Caboehon......... • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 28
7* Simple Caboehon* • • • • * • • • • • • • • • « * • * 30
8. Hollow Caboehon* • « • • • • • • * • • • • • • • • * 31
9* Rough Grinding to Plan Shape * ......... • • • • • • 35
10* A Dopped Stone * • • • • • • • • • • • • ....... . 39
11* Sanding the Crown........ * ............... Mf
12# Polishing the Crown. • • • • • ......... • • • • • • ^6
13* Sanding the Base * . * • • • • • • • • * • * • • • * **9
l*f. A Facet Cutting Machine.............* ............. 56
15. The Top F a c e t s ......... 67
16. Side View of a Facet Cut Stone• • • • ............. 69
17. 11V" Block Used in Transferring theStone . . • • • • 76
18. The Bottom Facets................................. 79
19. A Draw Plate 88
20. A Sheet Metal Gem Drill........................... 89
 viii
PREFACE TO STUDENTS

This handbook has been prepared for student use* You, a

student, will be shown, step by step, how to use all of the
various machines found in the lapidary shop* By following
these directions, you will be able to make many beautiful
gems which can be fit into jewelry in the art metal class.
You will learn many facts about the operation of the machines
and the skill to use them by actual practice.
The problem of securing stones for lapidary work is
insignificant in your area. You live close to the beach, and
you may go there in search for various stones to be used in
the shop. If you have an opportunity to travel to the moun­
tains or desert in your area, you will have an excellent
chance to find many excellent specimens of gem stone materials*
In many instances you will find gem stone materials which have
been collected by some member of the family in your home.
These sources of material should increase your interest in and
enjoyment of lapidary work.
The fact that there is very little material available on
lapidary work seems to imply something mysterious about stone
cutting, grinding and polishing. There is nothing about this
work which is difficult. Because the work is so simple, the
craftsmen of the past sought to protect their jobs by keeping
as much of this information secret as possible. You have the
right to know how to do the things described in the handbook.
 ix
By learning to operate the equipment as it has been
explained in the handbook, you should be able to convert
rough rocks into semi-precious or precious gem stones. You
should learn how to cut, grind, sand, polish and drill your
stones. As you become more proficient in the use of the
equipment, your workmanship will also become higher in qual­
ity. As the quality of your workmanship becomes higher, the
value of the type of gem you will be able to produce will be
greater.
 1
CHAPTER 1

HOW TO SLAB SAW GEM STONES

Slab sawing is a very important part of lapidary work*

You should be able to do this operation safely and effi­
ciently if you plan to do much lapidary work in the school
shop. If you want to cut a small caboehon blank from a large
specimen, you would certainly not want to grind the whole
rock for one small piece. It would be possible to break the
large stone into smaller pieces, but in the process the whole
stone might be destroyed and you would not have anything suit­
able left. By breaking the stone you would probably not get
the desirable or best markings on the stone, and the value
would be considerably less. You would lose the most valuable
part of your rock. Slab sawing will make it easy for you to
cut the rock where you want to, and also get more from your
rock.

A. HOW TO START AND STOP THE SLAB SAW

In order for you to begin the slab sawing operation you

should know how to start and stop the machine safely. (See
Figure 1.) It is very important for you to know exactly
where the switches are and how to use them, for safety reasons.
If you look on the right-hand side of the machine housing,
toward the top, you will notice two switches. To start the
FIGURE 1

A SLAB SAW
 3
saw you simply push the first button* To stop the saw you
push the samebutton* If you remember that you push the same
button tostart and to stop the saw, it may standyou in good
stead in case of an emergency*

B. HOW TO START AND STOP THE OIL POMP

When youwere looking for the button to turn on the saw,

you noticed two buttons on the side of the saw housing* The
second button, when pushed, starts the oil pump* By pushing
the samft button the oil pump is stopped* Be sure the oil
pump is operating whenever you start any sawing* It may be
necessary for you to check the connecting and delivery hoses
to see that they are tight, if no oil is delivered when the
oil pump is started*

C. HOW TO DETERMINE THE SIZE OF THE STONE TO BE COT

Before you can cut a stone on the slab saw, you had
better find the capacity of the saw. If the stone is too
large, you may not be able to hold it securely or a cut
through the stone may not be made. By making a check on the
following items you can be sure of a satisfactory cut.
1* How to check the vise size* It is a good idea to
find out how high the vise jaws are. Measure the distance
from the bed of the vise to the top of the jaws* The height
of the jaws largely determines the size of stones you can cut.
 if

If the stone you plan to cut is fairly square along the sides,
you will probably be able to cut large pieces* If the stones
are rounded, the large part, or major diameter, may be above
the vise jaws and they will not hold it. The other dimension
you must consider is how far the vise jaws will open. Quite
obviously, if the stone will not fit the vise, you can not
cut it.
2. How to check the travel of the vise. The vise on
our saw travels past the saw blade. There are two positions
which can be used to increase the capacity of the saw. There
is a rod extending from the hydraulic cylinder to the saw
housing, which has two holes drilled in it. Depending upon
whether the pin is put into the first or second hole in the
rod, the vise can be pulled farther from the saw and thus
Increase the distance the vise travels.
How to check the height of the saw above the table»
The third thing which will restrict the size of the stone you
can cut is the height of the saw above the saw table. Measure
the height of the saw from the table. Measure the distance
from the table to the bed of the vise. The difference of
these dimensions will be the maximum height of the stone you
should cut.

D. HOW TO CLAMP THE STONE IN THE VISE

Now that you know the capacity of the saw vise, you are
 5
about ready to clamp the stone in the vise. Are you sure that
your stone is not too large? The stone must be held firmly
while the cut is being made. If the stone comes loose while
the cut is being made, the saw blade might be damaged, or the
stone might be broken. If you follow these directions for
clamping your stone in the vise you should not have any
difficulty during the cut or with the stone coming loose.
1. How to open the vise. By turning the handle on the
vise screw to the left, or counterclockwise, you will open
the jaws. As you face the vise, you will notice another
screw to the right of the main vise screw. It may become
necessary for you to pull this screw toward you as you loosen
the main vise screw. Open the vise far enough to receive the
stone you plan to cut.
2. How to place the stone. Before placing the stone
into the vise, examine it carefully. Check to see if there
are any loose chips on it and if there are, remove them.
The chips might break loose and wedge between the saw blade
and the stone during the cut. Select thesides which are
the most parallel and most flat. These flat sides should be
placed in the vise so the sides will grip them.
3. How to tighten the vise. When you opened the vise
jaws, you loosened the main vise screw, and pulled the other
one toward you. Now that the stone is in place, tighten the
main vise screw by turning the handle right, or clockwise,
 6
until considerable pressure is brought to bear on the stone.
Now tighten the nut on the other screw with a wrench until
it is also tight* By tightening both screws, the adjustable
Jaw of the vise will be allowed to fit stones of irregular
shape*
*f* How to check for tightness. Before you start the
cut, you should check to see whether the stone is secure*
You can check by tugging at the stone* If there is any evi­
dence of looseness, make further adjustments on the main vise
screw and the other screw on the vise*

E. HOW TO SET THE SAW VISE

You are now ready to set the saw in the proper cutting
position* The vise and stone must be moved laterally toward
or away from the saw, depending upon where the cut is to be
made* If you plan to cut several thin slices from the stone,
be sure it overlaps the edge of the vise far enough so the
blade will not cut into the vise* As you move the stone for
each successive cut, add one eighth of an inch to whatever
thickness you want your stone* This extra one eighth inch is
fop the thickness of the saw blade*
1. How to move the vise laterally*. On the right-hand
side of the vise is an adjusting screw. By turning the
adjusting screw clockwise the vise moves toward the saw blade*
When the screw is turned counterclockwise the vise moves away
 7
from the saw blade# This is particularly important when you
are making a minor adjustment and want to move the vise a
short distance one way or the other# If you move it the
wrong way you may have to reset the whole job#
2# How to tell how far you move the vise# It is well
if you pay attention to the ruler which is mounted on the
base of the vise# There is a pointer which indicates exactly
how far the vise has been moved from a given position# After
the first cut is made, you may make several subsequent cuts.
Generally the first cut is made so you can work from a square
face on the subsequent cuts. This first cut also enables you
to see what the colors and design are in the rock# Make all
subsequent cuts by moving the vise according to your desired
dimensions and the scale on the vise base#

F. HOW TO ADJUST THE TRANSVERSE MOVEMENT OF THE VISE

Our saw has a power feed which allows the stone to move
past the saw blade at any given speed# The speed at which
the stone is cut, depends upon the hardness of the stone# If
the stone is very hard, the feed should be slow; if the stone
is soft, the feed may be faster# Some stones have hard and
soft bands# In such cases, you may have to change the speed
of the feed when these hard bands are hit.
1# How to ad.lust the hydraulic cylinder# Below the
vise and connected to it, is the hydraulic cylinder which
 8
controls the speed of the vise. On the right-hand side of
this cylinder is a small ,,T M handled pet cock. By tightening
the petcock, turning the handle to the right, the speed of
the vise is slowed. By opening the petcock, the vise will
move faster*
2. How the vise moves. The forward power for the vise
is supplied by a weight connected to the vise through a cable.
It may be necessary for you to replace the weight or put the
cable on the pulley in case the machine is moved with a jolt.
The weight moves the vise forward and the hydraulic cylinder
acts as a brake.

G. HOW TO START THE COT

Your stone is in the saw vise, the vise has been moved
into position, the speed has been set, and the saw and oil
have been turned on. You are ready to move the stone into
the saw blade.
1. How to slide the stone forward to the saw blade*
Allow the stone to slide forward until it just touches the saw
blade. Direct the flow of oil to the point where the saw will
cut. When the saw just begins to cut, hold the vise back so
the saw cuts a shallow groove into the stone.
2. How to make the cut. As the saw cuts deeper into the
stone, pressure may be increased so that maximum cutting takes
place. Be careful not to allow the vise to move forward
 9
faster than the saw will cut. If this happens the saw blade
will chatter and damage to the blade will result. Be sure to
keep the oil directed against the blade where the cut is
being made, to assure ample lubrication and cooling.

H. HOW TO FINISH THE GUT

Finishing the cut on your stone Is as important as start­

ing and making the cut. As the saw progresses through the
stone, the pressure should be decreased. If the pressure is
not lessened when the saw begins to come through the stone,
it will be broken before the blade actually has an opportunity
to cut through the stone. If the stone is broken off Irregu­
larly, it may be ruined for your purpose. There is also the
chance that the stone may break in such a way, that a part of
the stone might cause the blade to bend.

I. HOW TO CLEAN THE SAW

The saw was clean when you started using it. It is no

more than fair that you leave it in equally good order.
1. How to clean up the scrap material. You will always
have quite a few chips after a cut has been made. You should
pick up all the pieces, no matter how small. Examine each
chip and decide which pieces you can possibly use in the
future. Those pieces you definitely do not want can be
disposed of.
 10
2. How to clean up the oil. Allow all the excess oil
to drain back into the oil sump. It may be necessary to use
a small piece of wood to scrape the oil back into the sump.
You should wipe all the oil off of the bed, vise, and splash
shield. Be sure to wipe up all the oil which has splashed
around on the floor, iihen you have wiped everything clean,
dispose of the oily rags into a closed metal container.

♦ * *

ACTIVITY ASSIGNMENT
Some laboratory exercises to improve
your skill in slab sawing

1. Make several practice cuts on a piece of limestone. Slab

the material three sixteenths of an inch thick.
2. Make a practice cut on a piece of quartz.
3. Make the necessary cuts on the stone from which you plan
to make a caboehon.

EVALUATION
Some check-up questions to help you in slab sawing

1. True-false. Place an X in the correct space for true or

false.
T F
a. ( ) ( ) You should start and stop the saw by pushing
the same button.
 11
T F
b. ( ) ( ) Stones of unlimited size may be cut on our
slab saw#
c. ( ) ( ) You should clamp the stones in the vise with
the flat sides toward the jaws*
d. () ( ) The speed with which the cut should be made
is largely dependent upon the hardness of the
stone*
e* ( ) ( ) When you start a cut, you should allow the
stone to push into the saw blade at full
speed right from the first*
f* ( ) ( ) You do not have to use oil once the cut is
started.
2. Best answer. Place the number of the best answer in the
parentheses.
a. () If the saw blade chatters, you should:
(1) Tighten the vise* (2) Sharpen the saw*
(3) Slow down the speed of the work. (**•) Oil
the blade*
b. ( ) When the saw has almost completed the cut, you
should: (1) Increase the speed of the stone.
(2) Leave the speed the same. (3) Decrease the
speed. (*f) Break the material where It is being
cut.
 12
CHAPTER 2

HOW TO TRIM SAW GEM STORES

Trim sawing to the lapidary is what cross-cutting is to

the cabinet maker. By learning how to use the trim saw you
will save yourself a lot of time when you make a facet or
caboehon cut gem stone. The trim saw is designed to cut only
thin material. Do not try to cut thick stones by making
several intersecting cuts. It does not work. The cuts never
seem to be where they should be.

A. HOW TO START AND STOP THE TRIM SAW

As you face the trim saw in working position, the switch

is mounted at the right-hand rear corner of the table. (See
Figure 2.) The switch is a simple toggle type with a safety
heater fuse which automatically turns the saw off in case the
motor overheats. By lifting the switch lever the saw is
turned on. By pushing the switch lever down the saw is
stopped.

B. HOW TO USE THE GUARD

The saw guard must be in place before you turn on the saw.
The guard was designed with your safety and cleanliness in
mind. If you do not use the guard, you may cut your fingers
or soil your clothing.
 13

FIGURE 2

A TRIM SAW
 l*f
1. How to avoid wasting or losing oil. The trim saw,
like the slab saw, must have lubrication. In order to keep
the oil where you need it, the plastic saw guard is neces­
sary* If the guard was removed, the saw would throw oil
about the room and on your clothing* If all of the oil were
thrown out of the oil sump, the saw would run dry, and in
short order the blade would be damaged or destroyed*
2* How to run the trim saw safely. Use the guard for
your own personal safety* The guard will help you keep your
fingers from coming into contact with the saw blade* Do not,
under any conditions, allow your fingers to pass under the
guard when the saw is running. The saw blade turns very fast,
and even if you did not receive a cut if you touched the saw
blade, you would get a bad burn.

C. HOW TO DETERMINE THE SIZE OF THE

MATERIAL TO BE CUT

The saw blade of the trim saw is a four-inch diamond

saw* Since the saw blade only protrudes about an inch above
the table top, stones of less than one inch in thickness are
the only ones which can be cut. Generally you should limit
the sawing to stones of less than one half inch. Do not try
to cut wide material on the trim saw. There is not a pre­
cision guide on the saw and you might cause damage to the saw
blade if you overheat it. Do not cut pieces of stone which
 15
do not extend beyond the guard when the cut is made. If the
stone does not extend past the guard, the stone is too small
and it should be ground to shape.

D. HOW TO MARK THE STONE

In order for you to do any sort of an accurate job, it

is necessary to know first where you are going. You can know
where you are going only if you mark out your path. The path
you make on your stone will be where you plan to cut the mate­
rial on the trim saw.
1. How to mark on the stone. The lines you draw on the
stone should be visible and remain so, even when submerged
in oil or water. One of the best methods of making such a
line is with an aluminum scriber. A scrap piece of aluminum
sheet or a piece of aluminum wire can be used for this pur­
pose. The line which you will see is silver in color.
2. How to use the guide. Many times you will want to
cut a rather large piece of stock from a slab. You should
use a straight edge to draw the lines on the stock. Be sure
that every line on which you expect to cut is straight. The
saw will not cut curves. You may want to trim a caboehon
blank before grinding it. In this case draw the desired out­
line on the blank with a special guide and trim off the
corners. (See Figure 3.) You may also use a bezel box as a
guide to lay out your stone before cutting on the trim saw.
 16

FIGURE 3

THE STONE IAYOUT GUIDE

 17
E. HOW TO HOLD THE MATERIAL FOR GUTTING

Holding the material when you cut is very important.

If you do not hold the stone tight against the saw table it
may move up on the saw blade, or it might shift and rub or
bind the saw blade and damage it. There are two methods
used for holding and cutting stones on the trim saw.
1. How to use the cross feed guide. Whenever possible
you should use the cross feed guide. This guide is the small
"T11 shaped device which fits into the groove in the table top.
By using this guide you can be sure the cut you make will be
straight and the chances of binding the saw blade lessened.
2. How to do free hand cutting. Sometimes it will be
impossible for you to use the crosscut guide because of the
irregular shape of the stone. In these cases you will have
to make your cut free hand. Be sure to have your lines drawn
where the cut is to be made. The common mistake made when
using this method is that many times a person will not get
started straight and will try to come back to the line with­
out starting the cut again.

F. HOW TO MAKE THE CUT

How you and other students use the trim saw will largely
determine how long the blade will last. If you follow these
suggestions you will do a better cutting job on your stone.
In some cases stones have been ruined by making a mistake.
 18
1. How to start the cut# When you have decided whether
to use the cross feed guide or cut your stone free hand,
starting the cut is important and the same for both tech­
niques* Push the stone up to the saw blade. When you have
the stone in the desired position for the cut, push the stone
into the saw slowly. Do not jam the material into the saw
blade. If you try to force the cut at first, the stone will
slip and the cut may not be where you want it.
2. How to push the stone through the saw. There is no
automatic feed on the trim saw. You will have to push your
stone through. How fast the saw cuts depends upon the hard­
ness of your stone. The harder the stone the slower the
cutting; the softer the stone the faster the cut will be made.
How fast you can push your stone is a question you can answer
only by experience. Here are a couple of hints to help you.
After you have started the cut, you can increase the speed
of the cut. Remember that the saw will only cut at a given
rate. If, as you push the stone through the saw, the stone
begins to “climb up1* on the saw, you are trying to cut too
fast. If you do not make the saw cut to its maximum capacity,
you are wasting your time.
How to finish the cut. Finishing the cut is impor­
tant to you. You should ease up on the pressure against the
saw as it begins to come through the stone. If you maintain
the same pressure as you finish the cut, the stone will break
 19
instead of being cut* If your stone breaks at this time it
will probably chip into the part you want*

G. HOW TO CLEAN THE SAW

You like to work with clean tools* So do other people.

If you clean the saw, others will be more inclined to do like­
wise. Do your part. Help keep the trim saw trim.
1. How to clean up the scrap material. Pick up all the
scraps which are lying around on the table. If you do not
want the scraps, throw them away. If there are any useable
size scraps, pick them up and either keep them in your locker
or return what you do not want to your teacher.
2. How to clean up the oil. The oil splashing about
the trim saw is a real problem. As soon as you have finished
making a cut, you should scrape the oil back into the oil
sump with a squee-gee. The more oil you get back into the oil
sump, the less oil you will waste by absorbing it in rags.
Clean all the oil from the table. Any oil which has splashed
around the saw on the bench should be wiped up with a rag.
When everything is clean, dispose of the oily rags in a
covered metal container.
 20

ACTIVITY ASSIGNMENT
Some laboratory exercises to improve
your skill in trim sawing

1* Make several trim saw cuts through the limestone slabs

you cut on the slab saw*
2* On one of the limestone slabs, draw the outline of the
cabochon shape you would like to make out of a stone of
your choice, and practice cutting it out on the trim saw.
3* On the stone of your choice, mark the outline of your
cabochon and make the necessary cuts.

EVALUATION
Some questions to help you improve
your trim sawing

Some true-false questions to help you do a better job of trim

sawing. Place an X in the correct space for true or false.
T F
1. () ( ) Oil should be used on the blade when cutting
with the trim saw.
2. () ( ) The plastic saw guard should be used only to
protect you from getting hurt.
3. () ( ) You should cut large stones on the trim saw.
C) ( ) You can make a line, which stays on your stone
for a long time, with an aluminum scrap.
( ) The trim, saw is small, therefore you can cut
curves on it.
( ) When you are making a cut, you should use the
same pressure for the entire cut*
( ) Oily rags can safely be thrown into an open
container*
 22
CHAPTER 3

HOW TO CUT A CABOCHON

One of the most important shapes you can form a stone

into is a cabochon. Cabochon shapes can vary from spherical
to half round to flat. The choice you make, as to which
shape you choose, in a large measure depends upon the use to
which you plan to put your completed stone. If you choose a
well marked stone and take advantage of these markings, you
will enhance the value of the finished gem stone. By choos­
ing the correct shape to take advantage of the natural beauty
of the stone, you also increase the value. By doing a beau-
tiful Job of grinding and polishing, you will have a gem
stone of which you can Justly be proud.

A. HOW TO SELECT THE STONE FOR YOUR CABOCHON

The selection of a stone for your first Job is important

to you. You should select a stone which will meet the needs
of your finished piece of work. Many people pick the wrong
kind of material and are very disappointed when their gem
stone does not come out the way they had it planned. By
following the directions you can have a beautiful Job on your
first try.
1. How to select hard stones. Hard stones are the ones
with a rating of over six on Mohsf scale. These hard stones
 23
range up to ten, which is the rating given diamonds* You
will be able to tell a hard stone in class, and without the
use of specialized equipment, by filing the stone. If, as
you file, the stone is unaffected, you know the stone is at
least six on the hardness scale. Hard stones should be used
for making ring and bracelet settings. Unless the stone is
hard, the constant wear from use will soon cause the stone
to disintegrate.
2. How to select soft stones. Soft stones are classed
as those having a rating of less than six on Mohs' scale.
You can check the hardness of the softer stones easily. If
the stone you have chosen scratches with a copper coin, it
has a hardness of less than three. If your stone does not
scratch with the copper coin, but scratches with an ordinary
knife blade, you may assume the hardness is more than three
and less than six. The stones of hardness from three to six
may be used for necklaces or brooches, or where the wear is
least.
How to pick perfect stones. Be sure you get a per­
fect stone for your cabochon. There is no more work connected
to making a cabochon from a perfect stone than there is in
using an imperfect stone. You will be greatly disappointed
if your stone has a chip or fracture in it when you are
finished. Sometimes a student will overlook a seemingly
unimportant crack and grind the stone. When it is finished
 2 lf

the stone may break completely in half due to temperature

changes in the buffing process. The best stone is none too
good for you.

B. HOW TO SELECT THE BEST CABOCHON

SHAPE FOR YOUR STONE

Many times, the shape into which you form your stone
will depend upon the stone you are using. Cabochon shapes
are generally cut on stones which are opaque or translucent.
If you have a transparent stone of particular beauty, and it
is too badly flawed to cut into a facet shape, there is no
reason why you can not cut it into a cabochon shape.
1. How to select the type and size of stone. If the
stone you have selected is fairly small, and it is the only
one available, and you are sure you want to make something
from it, you would not choose to grind a large cross pendant,
for example. You will have to select the stone with the use
to which It will be put, and materials available in mind.
In some cases a stone will be of greater or less value depend­
ing upon the darkness of the color. If a light color is
desired, and the stone is fairly dark, you must grind a
hollow cabochon. If the color is fairly light, and to make
it still lighter would make the value less, you could make
a high cabochon shape. The shape directly affects the size
of the stone, so you must plan the material accordingly.
 25

2* How to use the guides for cabochon shapes# There

are available commercial guides giving cabochon shapes*
These guides can be used as a template for the layout of
your stones* The advantage for using a standard guide is
that in jewelry making you can use standard bezel boxes
instead of making special ones* If you are fitting a cabo­
chon setting into a piece of jewelry, it will be more satis­
factory for you to fit the cabochon to the shape of the bezel
on the jewelry* You can make your own special templates out
of thin sheet metal or paper. Templates give plan shapes*
How to employ the general shapes into which cabochons
are ground* The shape into which you grind the crown of your
stone depends mostly upon how you grind it. The kind of
stone may affect the shape. There are several generally
accepted cabochon shapes you should know about before you
grind your stone: (a) The round or spherical is the shape
into which most beads are ground. (See Figure *f.) (b) The
high cabochon is one in which the crown is very high and the
base is flat or only slightly curved* (See Figure 6 .)
(c) The double or e convex (See Figure 5b.) cabochon has both
top and base curved. When both top and base are curved the
same amount, the stone is called a lentile cabochon. (See
Figure 5a-) (d) The simple cabochon is cut with a flat base
and a curved crown. The crown of the simple cabochon is
generally between one fourth and one third as high as the
 FIGURE 4
ROUND OR SPHERICAL CABOCHON
 2?

a. Lentile Gut

Grown And Base Same Height

Plan View

bo Regular Gut

Grown Higher Than Base

FIGURE 5

DOUBLE CABOCHON
 28

Side View

Grown Very High

FIGURE 6

HIGH CABOCHON
 29
stone is long* The hollow cabochon is cut with a concave
base and a convex crown. (See Figures 7> and 8.)

C. HOW TO ROUGH GRIND THE BASE OF YOUR STONE

Many times you will start grinding a stone from a small

piece of material. After you have examined the stone care­
fully you should decide on which side is to be the bottom.
Once you decide that, you may start grinding. When you have
slab sawed a piece of rock, it may not have come out as
smooth as it should have, and you will have to grind the
sideyou want for the base of your stone.
1. How to rough grind before you draw the plan shape.
Make sure you have the base of the stone ground absolutely
flat before you draw the plan shape on the stone. If you
have a flat surface on which to draw the plan shape of your
stone, the better the possibility is that the stone will be
the shape you want when you grind it to plan shape.
2.How to use the grinding wheel- For rough grinding
use the coarse grinding wheel. If the stone is very rough,
use the face of the wheel to remove the irregularities. When
you have the stone fairly flat, you can grind on the side of
the wheel to true the stone more accurately. When you do any
grinding, be sure to keep the stone moving back and forth
across the wheel so you will not wear a groove in the wheel.
 Plan View

Grown

Base

FIGURE 7

SIMPLE GABOCHON
 31

Plan View

S id . 9 View

Grown Concave-Base Convex

FIGURE 8

' HOLLOVv CABO C H O N

 32
D. HOW TO MARK OUT THE SHAPE ON YOUR STONE

Before you will be able to grind your stone to shape,

you will have to know where to grind. If you just start
grinding, you may end up with something other than you want.
Laying out the plan shape on your stone has the same rela­
tionship to stone grinding as the floor plan to the carpen­
ter. Lay out what you want and stick to it.
1. How to use the template. Select the template with
the size and shape cut-out you want your stone to be. Be
sure to select a large enough cut-out so that when you draw
around it, the stone will not be too small, due to the scriber
being held away from the template. Lay the template over
your stone. Be careful to consider the banding or other
beautifying features for which you chose your stone. If you
are using a bezel, the same procedure is followed.
2. How to make a scriber. A special aluminum scriber
is used to mark stones. This scriber can be made from a
piece of scrap sheet stock, or an aluminum wire. The scriber
should be about four inches long and come to a sharp point.
Lines drawn with this scriber will not come off the stone
easily, whether you use it in water or oil.
3. How to draw the line. Using an aluminum scriber,
draw a line on your stone, as close to the template cut-out
as is possible. Check to see that the size of the plan is
the size you want your stone to be. If you have not held
 33
the scriber straight up and down, the size of the plan may
be too small* Once you get the right size plan, remember
which cut-out you used5 you may need to redraw it again on
your stone*

E. HOW TO CUT YOUR STONE TO ROUGH PLAN SHAPE

After you have the exact plan shape drawn on the base
of your stone, you may find there is quite a lot of material
to trim away. You will want to do the trimming as quickly
and easily as you can. There are two easy ways for you to
do it in class.
1. How to cut your slab by trim sawing. If there is a
large piece of material and you plan to use only a small part
of it, the best method is to use the trim saw. Using the
trim saw will enable you to saw exactly where you want to
cut. The pieces you have as scrap may still be of useable
size. You will save yourself time and money in this way.
2. How to break the stone with pliers. When the stone
is only slightly larger than the finished size, you may pinch
off the excess material with a pair of pliers. This method
is quite hazardous, because you might have an accident and
break your stone in the wrong place. If you are careful and
pinch just a little at a time, this operation will work.
 F. HOW TO HOUGH GHIND YOUR STORE TO PLAN SHAPE

Hough grinding to plan shape is the first operation you

have done to your stone which demands accuracy* Be sure you
can see the guide line you have drawn* Follow the line care­
fully. Grind around the entire stone, but be sure you leave
a little allowance so that the stone will be slightly larger
than the finished size. The better you do the rough grinding
the better the chance the stone will be a success.
1. How to hold the stone. The stone should be held in
your fingers for this operation. (See Figure 9*) It should
be held between the thumb and the index fingers. If the stone
is large enough you may be able to use the fingers of both
hands to help hold the stone. You should hold the stone tightly
but not rigidly, so the stone may be moved with ease. If you
become tense, you cannot move the stone in the smooth curve you
desire.
2. How to use the coarse wheel. For all the coarse
grinding, use the 80 grit wheel. You can tell this wheel by
inspecting both wheels before the machine is turned on. The
coarse wheels on our machines are on the left side. It could
be possible for someone to change them, so check first. Be
sure to have plenty of water flowing over the wheels when you
grind. The water speeds up the cutting action by flushing the
wheels free of the grit from your stone.
 FIGURE 9

ROUGH GRINDING TO PLAN SHAPE

 36
3. How to grind with the mark upward* When you start
grinding your stone, be sure that the scriber mark is upward.
There are two good reasons for this. First, if the mark is
downward, how are you going to use it as a guide? If you can
not see the mark without turning the stone over, the guide
lines will not do you any good, because you might cut too
deep before you know it. Secondly, as you grind, the bottom
side of the stone will tend to chip away. Since you will
curve the top of your stone, it will not make any difference
whether the stone chips a little on the top. The bottom of
the stone will be very close to the same size, even on the
finished stone, and chips in the bottom will probably remain
in your finished stone.

G. HOW TO FINE GRIND THE BASE

Once you have the stone rough ground to plan shape, you
are ready to fine grind the base. Fine grinding the base
should remove all of the scratches left from the coarse wheel.
It is true that you have removed the guide lines you made on
the base of your stone, but you know which cut-out you used
for marking your stone the first time, so you can put them
back on the stone if you need to.
1. How to hold the stone. The stone should be held
between the thumb and index fingers. Be careful not to grip
the stone over half of its thickness, because if you do, you
might grind the ends of your fingers. Your stone is very thin.
2. How to use the fine wheel. By the inspection you
made to determine which wheel was coarse, you should know
which is the fine wheel. Use the side of the wheel to do the
grinding on the base of your stone. In most cases the base
of the stone will be perfectly flat. To get the base flat
the side of the wheel should be used. Be sure to move the
stone back and forth across the side of the wheel, so you do
not wear a groove in the wheel where you held it. Be sure
that the water flows over the wheel as you grind. The water
flushes away the small particles of grit cut from your stone,
and speeds the cutting action.

H. HOW TO ROUGH GRIND THE CROWN

The crown of a cabochon is the top of the stone. The

first step in forming the crown is to rough grind it. The
final shape of the crown will only slightly affect the tech­
nique of the rough grinding. It is important that you have
ground your stone shape before attempting this operation.
The reasons have already been described.
1. How to hold the stone. You should hold the stone as
you did when you ground the stone to plan shape. Grind the
crown, holding the base upward.
2. How to allow for the base. As you grind the crown,
the base is upward. Do not grind right down to the base. If
you do grind down to the base, you may change the size or the
shape of the stone. Do not grind closer than 1/16 of an inch
to the base. Always grind toward the highest part of the
crown.Grind the crown to the desired shape, making allow­
ances for the fine grinding and sanding.

I. HOW TO DOP YOUR STONE

Dopping your stone will be a great aid to you as you

finish it. You will have good success with your dopping if
you follow the helpful hints given below. (See Figure 10.)
The dopping cement you will use melts at a fairly low tempera­
ture. If you overheat the stone as you work it, the cement
will become sticky, and your stone will come off the dop
stick. The dopping cement is quite brittle. If you should
drop the dop stick, the cement will probably break and the
stone come loose. Beside the dopping cement, you will need a
short length of dowel rod, slightly smaller than the diameter
of the stone.
1. How to heat the cement. The dopping cement should be
slowly heated in a small container. Steam will be formed and
soon bubbles will spurt from the container. It can be heated
over a gas jet or alcohol lamp. If you are not careful, you
or your class mates may get burned by the hot cement. Do not
allow the flame to come into direct contact with the dopping
cement as it is inflammable.
 39

FIGURE 10
A DOPPED STORE
- ’ -* ' ~ ^ * L? j-’-W V«?
 10
2. How to make a dop stick* The dop stick is any small
wooden rod on which the stone will be cemented. A dowel rod
three or four inches long should be used, and the diameter
should be slightly less than that of the stone. If no dowel­
ing is available, any piece of wood whittled to the right
size can be used.
How to apply the cement to the dop stick. When the
dopping cement is heated and reaches a thick liquid state,
put about three quarters of an inch of the stick into the
cement. When you remove the stick from the container, dampen
your fingers and form the cement into a mushroom shape on the
end of the stick* If any reforming is necessary, you can
heat the cement again by holding the stick over a flame and
make the necessary changes.

J. HOW TO HEAT THE STONE

Heating a stone for dopping is essential, otherwise It

will not stick to the dop stick. The fact that so many
pupils fail to heat the stones properly accounts for many
coming loose during the remaining finishing operations. By
doing this job right, you will have no trouble with your
stone coming off the dop stick.
1. How to heat vour stone by indirect heating. You can
heat your stone by placing it on an asbestos pad over a gas
flame. Be careful not to use too large a flame for this
purpose* If you heat your stone too fast, the stone may
fracture. Another method of heating is by placing the stone
on a heavy piece of iron plate which has been warmed.
2. How to heat your stone by direct heating. If you
have a small alcohol lamp available, you can heat your stone
over it by holding the stone with a pair of pliers until it
is warm enough. In most shops there is a soldering furnace.
You can heat your stone over this furnace. No matter how you
heat your stone, be careful not to heat it too fast. The
stone should be warm enough to melt the dopping cement, and
no hotter.

K. HOW TO CEMENT THE STONE TO THE DOP STICK

The actual cementing of the stone to the dop stick is

quite easy. By now you have applied the cement to the end of
the dop stick on which you plan to fasten the stone. The
stone has been heating, and is now just warm enough to melt
the dopping cement. Heat the cement on the end of the dop
stick until it just begins to melt. With a pair of pliers or
tweezers, pick the stone up and place it on the warm cement.
With dampened fingers, form the cement around the under side
of the stone. Do not cool the stone too fast, as it will
break loose in the chilling.
 L. HOW TO PIKE GRIND THE CROWN

Fine grinding the crown of your stone is a very impor­

tant operation. You should do the fine grinding on the 120
grit wheel. By doing a good job on this operation, you will
have much less sanding to do on your stone.
1. How to hold the don stick. The dop stick is held
between the fingers and thumb securely but not rigidly. Hold
the dop stick in such a fashion so as to get an easy, smooth
flowing motion to your stone.
2. How to move the stone. The stone must be kept moving
smoothly and with even pressure over the smooth grinding wheel
Begin grinding at the base and work toward the crown. Be sure
to remove all the scratches left by the coarse grinding wheels
If there are any deep nicks or scratches, be sure to grind
them out by grinding over the entire area, not one spot. If
you grind on one spot, you will have a flat spot in your
finished stone. Keep the stone moving.

M. HOW TO SAND THE CROWN

The crown of the stone should be sanded on the hollow

head sander. This attachment is designed especially for this
sanding operation. As the stone is sanded, the emery cloth
Is free to give and thus fit the shape of the crown.
1. How to start sanding. You should start sanding the
 ^3
stone by working in the center of the hollow head* You will
notice, as you sand your stone, the emery cloth wears away
and clogs with dust from your stone. You will also notice
that as you move the stone toward the periphery of the wheel,
the stone is cut more quickly. (See Figure 11.)
2. How to sand the stone. You should move the stone in
an easy rotating motion. Always keep the stone moving to keep
from making flat spots in the stone. Sand the stone until all
of the scratches and small ridges have been removed. Check
your stone from time to time to make sure there are no deep
scratches which the sander will not remove. If you do find
deep scratches, do not hesitate to regrind. In many cases, a
little regrinding at this stage saves you much time in the
sanding•
3. How to semi-polish on the sander. As you started
sanding at the center of the sanding disc, the emery cloth
became worn. By working the stone in this worn area most of
the sanding scratches will be removed. The more worn the
emery cloth, the better polish you get on your stone.

N. HOW TO POLISH THE CROWN

Putting the final polish on your stone is the operation

which makes your stone. The better the final polishing, the
more beautiful and valuable your stone will be. The polishing
operation described below is not the only means of doing the
 FIGURE 11
SANDING THE CROWN
job, but is one way which will work*
1* How to use the buffer* In most cases you can use a
sewed muslin buffer with excellent results, (See Figure 12*)
If your stone does not shine the way you think it should, it
may be necessary for you to use a felt, leather, linolite,
wool carpet, or an unsewed cloth buff to get the polish you
want. When you push the stone against the buffer, you should
keep the stone moving back and forth across the wheel. If
you hold the stone in the same place, you will wear a groove
in the buffer. Also, by holding the stone in the same place,
no new polishing compound will be picked up from the rest of
the buffer to help in the cutting process.
2. How to apply the buffing compound. In most cases the
buffing compound is applied directly to the buffing wheel.
The compound you will use will be in liquid form. This liquid
should be applied to the wheel by using a brush. Do not pour
the compound over the wheel from the container. If you do,
the excess compound will be thrown off the wheel when the
wheel is turned on. When you think the buffer is no longer
polishing as you think it should, add a little more compound
to the buffing wheels. When you add more compound to the
wheel, be sure to stop the machine.
How to polish the stone. The stone is still mounted
on the dop stick. You should do all the polishing on the
crown first. Keep the stone moving in a slow rolling motion
 FIGURE 12
POLISHING THE CROWN
during the polishing operation. If you have noticed a small
crack or other defect in the crown of your stone, allow the
buffing compound to remain in the crack. Do not attempt to
scratch out the compound. When you have the stone completely
polished, you can use black waterproof ink to color the com­
pound. You will be surprised how good a job of covering a
flaw this will make. Be careful that the sharp bottom edges
of the stone do not catch in the buffer. If this happens,
your stone may be snatched away from you and broken.

0. HOW TO MIX THE POLISHING ABRASIVES

The polishing abrasives we will use in class are not the

only ones available. There are many kinds of abrasives for
many different purposes. The abrasive you use may not be the
same for all materials. If the material you are polishing has
hard and soft bands in it, you may have to experiment to find
the proper abrasive for that job.
1. How to use levigated alumina. Levigated alumina is
the abrasive you will first use after the stone has been semi­
polished. This material cuts rather fast. To mix the levi­
gated alumina into a good solution, you should add about two
tablespoons of the powder to one half pint of water. The
proportions can be varied to meet the needs of the user. If
too much levigated alumina powder is used, it will settle to
the bottom of the container and be wasted. Be sure to mix
 *+8
the solution thoroughly each time you use it.
2. Hov to use zirconium oxide. Zirconium oxide is the
abrasive you should use to give your stone a brilliant luster.
This abrasive does not cut as fast as the levigated alumina,
and thus gives a higher polish. Mix about one tablespoon of
zirconium oxide powder .to one half pint of water. Do not
waste the polishing abrasive by adding too much to the water.
Be sure to mix the solution thoroughly before you use it.

P. HOW TO SAND THE BASE

You will be required to sand the base of some stones.

Any stone which is translucent or transparent will look only
half done if you do not finish the base. (See Figure 13.)
Before you can do any work on the base of the stone, you will
have to remove it from the dop stick and re-dop it with the
crown in the dopping cement.
1. How to do coarse sanding. If you have inspected the
drum sander, you have discovered one drum is covered with
coarse emery cloth and the other has fine emery cloth. For
the first sanding operation, you should use the drum with the
coarse emery cloth. Hold the dop stick firmly, but not rigidly,
so the stone can bounce with the unevenness of the drum. Turn
the stone 360 degrees as you sand the base. Be careful not to
hold thestone on the sander too long, otherwise the cement
will get hot and the stone will come loose.
 FIGURE 13

SANDING THE BASE

 2. Hov to do fine sanding. Once you are satisfied that
the deep scratches are all out of the base of your stone, you
are ready to fine sand. The same technique of turning the
stone 360 degrees while coarse sanding the base applies to
fine sanding also. Be careful not to overheat the stone, as
it will come loose from the dop stick. When all of the
scratches are removed, find a worn place on the emery cloth
to do the semi-polishing on the base. This is done the way
you did on the crown, except you use the drum sander.

Q. HOW TO POLISH THE BASE

The base of your stone can be polished by following the

steps you have already used when you polished the crown of
your stone. See section N if you need help.

H. HOW TO REMOVE THE STONE FROM THE DOP STICK

Your stone is now finished. You are ready to remove the

stone from the dop stick. Many stones have been ruined in
this operation because of some careless move. Do not be one
of those people who try to pry the stone loose from the dop
stick. If you do, you might break the edge of the stone when
you pry on it.
1. How to remove the stone. A very satisfactory way to
remove the stone from the dop stick is to heat the stone
slowly until the cement becomes sticky. When the cement is
 51
sticky you can remove the stone by lifting it off with a pair
of tweezers* Another method of removing the stone by heat­
ing is to quench it in cold water. The sudden chill will
cause the stone to break free from the dopping cement.
2. How to remove the cement from the stone. Many
times when the stone is free from the dop stick, there
remains on the stone small particles of dopping cement.
Depending upon whether your stone is hard or not, you can
remove the large flakes of cement by scraping the stone
with a knife. The smaller flakes can be removed by steel-
wool. To clean all the remaining cement from your stone,
you can dampen a cloth with alcohol, turpentine, or acetone
and wash it off. When the stone has been cleaned, your
polishing job is complete. You should have a gem stone of
which you are proud.

* * *

ACTIVITY ASSIGNMENT
Some laboratory exercises to improve your
skill in cabochon production

1. Hough grind the stone you trim sawed to a cabochon

shape.
2. Use a piece of scrap agate and make a cabochon. Sand
and polish the stone.
 52
3. Hake a cabochon out of a stone of your choice# Grind,
sand and polish your stone*

EVALUATION
Some true-false questions to help you do
a better job of making cabochons

Some true-false questions for you to answer# Place an X in

the correct space for true or false.
T F
1. You can scratch hard stones with a coin.
2. The material you choose should have some bear­
ing on the shape of your finished stone*

3. You should make all cabochons with the same

cross-sectional shape.
b. You should break the stone to plan shape with
a pair of pliers.
5. You should use the fine grinding wheel
for roughing out the stone to plan shape.
6# You should hold the stone rigidly so it will
not get away from you in grinding.
7. You should keep dopping cement away from
fire because it will burn.
8. ( ) You can do semi-polishing on the hollow
 53
T F
head sander♦
9. ( ) ( ) It is possible for you to get too much polish­
ing abrasive on the buffing wheels.
 5b
CHAPTER b

HOW TO CUT FACETS

Faceted gems are the most beautiful and most valuable of

all kinds of gem stones. The beauty of a faceted stone comes
partly from the quality of the stone itself and partly from
the workmanship which has been put into producing the stone.
The shape of your stone will depend upon what kind of a stone
you choose and the number of facets the stone will have when
it is finished. By doing a good job, even an ordinary stone
will be beautiful and quite valuable.
The faceting machine you will use Is a precision tool.
How long it remains accurate depends upon how you use and
care for It. Once you have the machine set, cutting the
facets on your stone becomes a mechanical process. By follow­
ing these directions, you should be able to cut and polish a
beautifully faceted stone.

A. HOW TO RUN THE MACHINE SAFELY

The facet cutting machine is a rather small machine, so

it can be moved to suit the operator. If you move the machine,
be sure to put it on the bench so it cannot be knocked off, or
vibrate off, and be damaged by the resulting fall. There is
the possibility that you might be hit by the machine if it
should fall. There is a push switch mounted on the left front
 55
corner of the cabinet. To start the machine, push the button.
To stop the machine push the same button.

B. HOW TO SET UP THE MACHINE

Setting up the machine correctly is important if you

expect to do your job well. You will be expected to know the
names of the various parts of the machine. (See Figure l1*.)
The better you know the parts of the machine, the easier It
will be for you to follow the directions given in this chapter.
1. How to support the facet head. The facet head is
supported by the stand rod. This part is a cylindrical metal
support which holds the facet head in a vertical position for
the cutting operation. The stand rod is fastened to the top
of the machine by a metal plate known as the stand rod plate.
This stand rod plate is secured to the top of the machine by
bolts. A micro stop is slipped over the end of the stand rod.
You use this micro stop to move the facet head up and down
small distances only. You are now ready to put the facet head
over the stand rod. After you have done this, you are ready
to adjust the facet head to the approximate heightforcutting.
2. How to use the facet head. The facet head has several
important parts about which you should know. The manner in
which you make adjustments on the various parts of the facet
head, will affect the precision workmanship on your gem stone.
You will notice the protractor on the facet head. The
 Index Plate_____ Index Trigger
Micro Adjustment Protractor
Micro Stop
Lock Pin

Lap

Stand Rod / I \ \ Splndl©

Facet Head Housing / \ Splash Pan

FIGURE lb
A FACET GUTTING MACHINE
 57
protractor is used in making all of your angular set-ups for
cutting the various facets# There is a small stop that
slides in a groove in the protractor# This is called the
hinge stop# The hinge stop is set at the desired angle for
each facet, and all the facets must be on the same angle if
the spindle is brought down to the hinge stop with each cut.
The spindle has a dual purpose# The angle of each facet is
made by bringing the spindle down against the hinge stop,
and the angle each facet makes with the next one, in the same
group, is determined by how far the spindle is turned# There
are two positions on the spindle into which a dop stick may
be inserted, one in the end, for the top and bottom facets,
and one in the side on a forty-five degree angle, into which
the dop stick is inserted to cut the table.
The degree of revolution which the spindle turns is indi­
cated by the numbers on the index plate. The index plate is
attached to the spindle# As the index plate revolves, so
does the spindle# The index plate is used when you cut each
facet in a series. In order that you may know that the
spindle has not turned while you were cutting a facet, an
index trigger has been installed# Each time you are ready to
cut a different facet, you must push down the index trigger
to turn the spindle# The index trigger also acts as an indi­
cator as to which number on the index plate you are working.
In the facet head housing you will notice a closely fit pin,
 58

which is the lock pin. The lock pin prevents the spindle
from turning when it is in the proper place, because it fits
into a hole in the spindle. The lock pin must be in place
when making the set-up for cutting the table on your stone.

C. HOW TO SELECT A STONE

The selection of a stone for your first faceting job is

quite a problem. It takes no more work to make a facet cut
diamond gem stone than it does to cut a piece of glass. Are
you willing to experiment on a very expensive stone when you
are not at all sure you will be successful? In my opinion,
you should use an inexpensive pre-cut quartz crystal.
1. How to select hard stones. In an earlier chapter it
was stated you should use fairly hard stones for rings and
bracelets. Facet cut stones are generally used for jewelry
of this kind. You should use a fairly hard stone, generally
over six on the hardness scale.
2. How to select transparent stones. Your stone should
be transparent for facet cutting. You will be wasting time
and effort if you choose a stone which is not transparent.
Do not forget, the beauty of a facet cut stone comes from how
well the finished stone refracts light. In genera, if you
choose a transparent stone, it will be hard enough for facet
cutting.
 59
D. HOW TO DOP THE STONE

The problem of dopping a stone for faceting is the major

obstacle you must overcome* Every operation you attempt is
dependent upon how well the stone stays on the dop stick*
You will be sadly disappointed if the stone should fall off
the dop stick after you have some of the facets already cut*
The job of re-aligning your stone is very difficult* By
following these directions carefully you will be able to do
the dopping correctly, and you should not have any trouble
with the stone coming off of the dop stick*
1* How to clean the dop stick* You will find a group
of dop sticks in the machine* Select one which is slightly
smaller in diameter than the stone will be* Clean the dop
stick with alcohol before you try to use dopping cement on it,
because the cement will not stick to dirty or oily surfaces.
2* How to cement the stone to the doo stick* Clean
the stone with alcohol. Heat the dopping cement until it
becomes sticky. While you are heating the dopping cement,
you should be heating the dop stick and the stone. Care
should be taken to heat the stone slowly so as not to crack
it. Both the dop stick and the stone should be heated over
the alcohol lamp. Be sure you use a pair of tweezers to hold
the stone when you heat it* Dip just the end of the warm dop
stick into the sticky cement, and with dampened fingers form
the cement into a mushroom shape on the end of the dop stick.
 60
The stone should be placed on the cement at the end of the
dop stick when you have heated the stone enough to melt the
cement. If you find it necessary to reshape the dopping
cement at the base of the stone, do so before the cement
hardens•
3. How to align the stone with the "V” block* In many
cases you will be using a pre-formed stone* A pre-formed
stone has been roughly cut to shape. By aligning the rough
table, you will save yourself much time in cutting. A MVW
block will be found in the machine where the dop sticks were
found. There is a small round flat face plate in the dop
stick holder. By using the ,fVff block and the face plate, you
can align your stone almost perfectly. Place the dop stick
with the stone in one end of the "V" block and tighten the set
screw on the dop stick. In the other end of the “V*1 block,
place the face plate. The face plate should be brought up
close to the stone, but the set screw should not be tightened
against the face plate. Warm the stone slowly with the alcohol
lamp until the cement gets sticky. Working fast, you should
push the face plate up against the table of the stone. Tighten
the set screw on the face plate so it will not move. When the
cement has set, remove both the face plate and the dop stick.
Your stone should be aligned correctly.
 6l
E. HOW TO MOUNT THE DOP STICK TO CUT THE TABLE

The table of your stone should be cut first. This is

an easy operation and it will enable you to get the feel of
cutting with the facet cutting machine. There are two holes
in the spindle. One hole is at the end of the spindle and
the other is a little way from the end and on a forty-five
degree angle. To cut the table, insert the dop stick into
the forty-five degree angle hole, and tighten the set screw
in the spindle. The distance the dop stick is put into the
spindle does not matter. Adjustments can be made by raising
and lowering the facet head on the stand rod.

F. HOW TO MOUNT THE LAP

As you do the various operations on your stone, you will

have to change the laps. The diamond charged lap is used for
the cutting operation. The tin lap or the plastic lap is
used to produce the final polish on your stone.
1. How to mount the Ian. In the center of the faceting
machine you will see an aluminum disc with a large bolt in the
center. Remove this bolt. You should be able to turn the
bolt with your fingers. From the cabinet of the machine,
remove the lap you want to use. Lay the lap over the master
aluminum disc so that the hole in the lap lines up with the
bolt hole in the aluminum disc. Insert the bolt into the
hole and tighten it with your fingers. It is not necessary
 62
to use a wrench to tighten the bolt.
2. How to remove the lap. When you must change a lap
in order to do a different operation, you loosen the bolt in
the center of the lap. Unless you have tightened the bolt
with a wrench, you should be able to remove it with your
fingers. Be sure you remove and clean each lap you use
before you put it back into the cabinet of the machine.

G. HOW TO REMOVE AND REPLACE THE

MASTER ALUMINUM PLATE

When you have finished using the facet cutting machine

you should clean it. In order that you may clean the splash
pan you must take it off the machine. Before you can take
the splash pan off, you will have to remove the master alumi­
num plate.
1. How to remove the master aluminum plate. Be sure
you remove the lap you have finished using. Replace the bolt
into the hole of the aluminum plate. Screw the bolt down
until it hits against the shaft. The bolt will stop when it
hits the shaft* Use a wrench totighten the bolt. In about
one half a turn with the wrench, you will be able to lift the
aluminum plate off of the shaft.
2. How to replace the master aluminum plate. If you
inspect the end of the shaft over which the aluminum plate
fits, you will notice that it is tapered. Because the shaft
 63
and the hole in the aluminum plate are both tapered, there
is no need of any other device to keep the aluminum plate
from turning on the shaft after it has been placed in posi­
tion. Be sure to keep both the shaft and the tapered hole
free from grit.

H. HOW TO USE THE SPLASH PAN

As you cut the facets on your stone, you must apply

water to the laps to wash away the small particles of stone
being cut away from your gem. The water helps speed the
cutting action. When you turn on the machine, the centrifu­
gal force will throw the water off the lap. The splash pan
is a little higher than the top of the laps, so the water is
caught by the pan.

I. HOW TO APPLY THE WATER

You already know why water is used on the cutting laps.

Water is applied to the laps by means of a wick. The wick
should be soaked in water. Lay the wet wick across the lap
and fasten one end to the splash pan with a clothes pin or
clamp. As the lap cuts, apply a small amount of water to the
wick from time to time. As the lap becomes dry, you will
notice light streaks on the surface. Keep the wick wet.
 6b
J. HOW TO CUT THE TABLE

Cutting the table on your gem is the first step* You

should have the machine all set up and the stone dopped. The
table is the easiest part of the stone to cut and also the
most conspicuous part because it is the top of the gem* Bo
a good Job on the table and the rest of your cutting will be
easier* The table of your stone should be approximately one
half of the diameter of the finished stone.
1* How to set the facet head* The dop stick and stone
should be inserted into the spindle through the forty-five
degree hole in the spindle. Tighten the set screw in the
spindle, to hold the dop stick in place* Insert the lock pin
into the lock pin hole. By doing this the stone is turned
toward the lap and is kept from revolving during the cutting
operation* Set the hinge stop on the protractor to forty-
five degrees. Be sure the hinge stop is exactly forty-five
degrees, otherwise the table will not be cut true to the
rest of your stone. The micro adjustment should be secured
so that the stone rests slightly above the lap.
2* How to make the cut* The facet head has been set.
You have the number 600 diamond charged copper lap on the
machine. Move the spindle down toward the lap. Check again
to see that the hinge stop has been set correctly at forty-
five degrees. Turn on the machine. You should be running
the machine at a medium speed. Lower the facet head slowly
 65
by using the micro adjustment until the stone just begins
to touch the lap* Continue cutting until the table has been
cut perfectly flat* Make sure that thespindle is stopped by
the hinge stop when you finish the cut.

K. HOW TO TRANSFER THE DOP STICK

TO CUT THE TOP FACETS

In order that you can cut the top facets on your stone,
you will have to change the dop stick from the forty-five
degree hole in the spindle, to the end of the spindle.
Loosen the set screw that holds the dop stick in the forty-
five degree position. Remove the dop stick from the spindle.
Insert the dop stick into the end of the spindle. By tighten­
ing the same set screw, you will tighten the dop stick in the
spindle in the new position. You now have your dop stick in
the spindle, in thecutting position for the top facets.

L. HOW TO KEEP A RECORD OFYOUR WORK

A record of every cut you make on a faceted gem is a

necessity. You should keep some sort of a systematic listing
of the angle at vftiich you cut every facet. You will cut all
of the top facets before you polish any of them. You must
know exactly at which angles the cuts were made, so you can
polish the facets at the angle at which they were cut. You
may want to check the data you kept on a certain stone when
 66
you make another facet cut gem.

M. HOW TO COT THE TOP MAIN FACETS

The top main facets are the first facets you will have
cut. (See Figure 15*) From now on you will have to be care­
ful the way you handle your stone in the dop stick. You will
have to take extra care that the stone does not come loose
from the dop stick. Do not push too hard against the lap to
speed up the cutting action. Do not drop the spindle against
the lap. If either of the former occurs, your stone will
probably come loose from the dop stick.
1. How to set the angle of the facets. The hinge stop
should be set at a *+3-degree angle. This angle may vary with
some stones, but for our purpose J+3 degrees is satisfactory.
2. How to select the speed and the Ian. The speed at
which the lap revolves should be about the medium speed of
the machine. You should be using the number 600 diamond
charged copper lap for this operation. Be sure to use plenty
of water for cutting.
3. How to make the cut. You have made all of the neces­
sary adjustments but one. Swing the spindle down until it
rests on the hinge stop. Adjust the height of the facet head
so that the stone barely touches the lap. Lock the height of
the facet head with the micro stop. All further adjustments
in the height of the facet head will be made by adjusting the
 67

Stars Main

Table

Sixteenths
Top View

FIG-URS 15
THE TOP FACETS
 68
micro stop. Make the first cut. Observe the cutting action
quite frequently. When you are satisfied with the first facet,
do not change any adjustment on the facet except for the rota­
tion of the spindle. If no changes are made the facets will
all be exactly the same. Be sure that you bring the spindle
to the hinge stop when you cut each facet.
*f. How to set index plate numbers. The index plate
numbers at which you cut the top main facets are: 8 , 16, 2*f,
32, *f0 , bQj 56 and 6*+.

N. HOW TO COT THE GIRDLE

The girdle of your stone is the widest part of it. (See

Figure 16.) The girdle is formed by the intersection of the
crown, the top part, and the pavillion, the bottom part, of
the stone.
1. How to set the angle of the cut. The hinge stop
should be set at 77 degrees. The angle of the cut may vary
with the size of the stone. In most cases 77 degrees will be
satisfactory.
2. How to select speed and the lap. The girdle cuts
should be made with the machine running at about medium speed.
You should use the number 600 diamond charged copper lap for
this operation. Be sure to use plenty of water when making
the cuts.
3. How to make the cut. Adjust the height of the spindle
 69

Table

Girdle

Cutlet
Side View

FIGURE 16
SIDE VIEW OF A FACET CUT STONE
 70
so that it just touches the lap* Make any other adjustment
in the height of the spindle by using the micro stop adjust­
ment. As you make the cuts on the girdle, remember that the
girdle diameter should be about twice the diameter of the
table. You have already established the diameter of the
table when you cut the top main facets. When you have made
the first cut satisfactorily, do not change any of the adjust­
ments on the facet head except for the rotation of the spindle.
As you cut the stone, raise the spindle from time to time to
see how the cut is progressing.
How to set the index plate numbers. The index plate
numbers at which you cut the girdle are: *+, 12 , 20 , 28, 36 ,
N4, 52 and 60.

0. HOW TO CUT THE STAR FACETS

The star facets are quite small. The stars are the
little facets which form the exact size of the table and must
intersect with the top sixteenths, and are bounded by the top
main facets.
1. How to set the angle of the cut. Set the hinge stop
at 32 degrees. When you cut the star facets, you had better
check the angle of the cut carefully. After you have made a
small cut on one of the facets, check to see that the corners
will intersect with those of the main facets. If the corners
do not meet, make the necessary adjustments. Once the angle
 71
of the cut has been established, do not make any further
adjustments on the hinge stop.
2. How to select the Ian. The star cuts should be made
with the number 1200 diamond charged lap* This lap will cut
slower than the one you used to make the other cuts. It is
important to cut the star facets slowly, because they are so
small* You can ruin your gem stone easily by cutting the
stars too deep.
How to make the cut. The star facets should be cut
slowly and with great care. Adjust the height of the spindle.
Start the cut by touching the stone on the lap very lightly.
Make a slight cut and inspect it* Repeat this cutting and
inspecting operation until one of the star facets has been
satisfactorily cut. When you have completed one star facet,
do not make any changes in the set of the spindle except for
the rotation to cut the different facets.
h. How to set the index plate numbers. The index plate
numbers at which you will cut the star facets ares **, 12, 20,
29 , 36, Mi*, 52 and 60.

P. HOW TO CUT THE TOP SIXTEENTHS

The top sixteenths facets are rather large, but little

cutting is required to make them. The top sixteenths must
touch the tip of the star facets, and form the outline of the
main facets. As you cut the top sixteenths, be sure to check
 72
your work often*
1* How to set the angle of the cut* Set the hinge stop
at k-7 degrees* This setting will also vary with the size of
the stone. You will have to find the correct angle by cutting
a little and inspecting, then more cutting and inspecting
until the corners of the top sixteenths intersect with those
of the other facets.
2* How to select the Ian* You should use the number
1200 diamond charged copper lap for this operation. The reason
you should use the slow cutting lap is because there is very
little material to remove and you could ruin your stone easily
by cutting too deep. Be sure to use water when making the
cuts.
3. How to make the cut. When you make the cuts for your
top sixteenths, be sure to cut a little and inspect very often.
Adjust the height of the facet head. Make any minor adjust­
ments in height with the micro adjustment screw. Once you have
decided that the cut is satisfactory, d£ not make any further
changes in the angle of the spindle. Be sure to bring the
spindle down to the hinge stop on each cut so all the facets
will be the same size.
How to set the index numbers. Cut the top sixteenth
facets on the index plate numbers as follows: if, 12, 20, 28,
36, ifif, 52 and 60.
 73
Q. HOW TO POLISH THE TOP PART OF YOUR GEM STONE

How well you polish your stone will determine its final
beauty. If there are areas on some of the facets which are
unpolished or scratched, your stone will not be very hand­
some# This operation is important#
1# How to set the polishing angles# The angle at which
you polish each facet will depend upon the angle at which you
cut the facets# You have a record of the exact angle of each
cut* Starting with the top sixteenths, polish the facets in
the reverse order that you started cutting them# This is not
a rule, it seems to be a little more convenient this way
because you do not have to reset the hinge stop to polish
the top sixteenths, since you have just cut them.
2* How to select the speed and the lap* You should
adjust the machine so that it runs fast. Remove the diamond
charged copper lap, and replace it with the lucite lap# The
lucite lap is the polishing lap for your stone# This lap is
very soft# Do not drop any heavy object on it, or you may
damage the lap so it cannot be used. When you are polishing
your stone, keep it moving back and forth over the whole lap.
Do not wear a groove in the lap or you will not get truly
polished facets.
3* How to use the polishing compound* The polishing
compound you will use for various stones will be different
in a few instances, but you should try the cerium oxide for
 7^
your stone. Mix two tablespoons of the cerium oxide powder
in about a half pint of water. This mixture is the polishing
compound, and you should spread it over the lucite lap with a
small brush or sponge.
hm How to polish the stone. As you polish each set of
facets, you must refer back to the information you have on the
angle of each cut. When you have the hinge stop set for the
correct angle and the height of the facet head set, swing the
spindle down so the facet may be polished. Be sure the index
plate is set on the same numbers at which you cut each facet.
As you polish the stone a groove will be made in the polishing
compound. It is necessary for you to keep the entire face of
the lap covered at all times. You should follow the stone
with the same brush sponge with which you applied the compound
to the lap when you started the polishing operation. Be sure
to keep the stone moving back and forth across the whole lap
so as not to wear a groove in It. After you have polished all
of the facets, polish the table. Your stone should be com­
pletely polished on the crown. It looks pretty good, doesn*t
it?

R. HOW TO TRANSFER YOUR STONE FROM

ONE DOP STICK TO ANOTHER

The top of your stone is completely finished. You are

now ready to change your stone from one dop stick to another
 75
so you can cut and polish the bottom of the stone* This is
the most difficult part and the most difficult operation you
must do to finish your stone properly. The stone must be
held in perfect alignment during the transfer, otherwise the
facets of the top will not match the facets of the bottom*
1. How to use the “V" block* (See Figure 17*) Place
the dop stick, on which you have just finished cutting the
top of your stone, in the uVn block with the flat side of the
dop stick upward* Tighten the set screw of the MVM block
securely against the dop stick* Select and clean another dop
stick which is slightly smaller than the girdle diameter.
This new dop stickL will be secured in the other side of the
,,VM block in order to complete the transfer in perfect align­
ment*
2* How toapply cement to the new dop stick. Clean the
new stick with alcohol. Warm the dopping cement and the dop
stick, and apply only a small amount of cement to the end of
the new dop stick. You should form the dopping cement with
dampened fingers so that it is mushroom shaped on the end of
the dop stick.
^* How to cement the new stick to the stone. Heatthe
new dopstick until the cement becomes sticky. Use the
alcohol lamp for heating the dop stick. Be sure to use a pair
of pliers to hold the dop stick as you heat it* When the
cement becomes sticky, slip the dop stick flat side upward,
 76

FIGURE 17

MV W BLOCK USED IN TRANSFERRING THE STONE FROM

ONE DOP STICK TO ANOTHER
 77
into the other side of the 11VM hlock from where the first dop
stick has been clamped. Slide the new dop stick towards the
stone until the cement flows around the crown of the stone.
This operation should be done rapidly so the cement does not
set. If the cement sets, warm only the dop stick to which
the stone is being transferred. The heat will be conducted
through the dop stick into the cement and the stone. If you
have the flat sides of both dop sticks upward, tighten the
set screws of the "V*1 block. You may have to warm the new
dop stick again in order to form the cement so it will hold
better. Be sure to keep your fingers damp when you work with
the hot cement. When you have formed the cement around the
crown of your stone and allowed the cement to cool, your
stone should be fastened securely to both dop sticks.
k. How to remove the first dop stick. You are now ready
to remove the first dop stick on which your crown was cut.
Loosen both set screws on the WVM block and slide both dop
sticks toward the side of the new dop stick. Tighten the set
screw on the new dop stick. Heat the first dop stick, not
the cement. As the heat flows through the dop stick and into
the cement, it becomes sticky. With a pair of pliers, twist
the stick which has been heated. This should free the first
stick. You may have to repeat heating the dop stick if it
can not be removed from the stone without undue pressure.
It would be very unfortunate should the stone come loose from
 78
both dop sticks at the same time.
5. Hov to clean the cement from the stone. Before you
begin cutting the bottom facets on your stone you should have
removed all of the cement remaining on the bottom of the
stone. Chip the cement away with a pocket knife. The remain­
ing flakes can be removed by washing the stone with alcohol
or acetone. When the bottom of the stone has been thoroughly
cleaned, you are ready to begin cutting the bottom facets.

S. HOW TO CUT THE BOTTOM MAIN FACETS

The bottom main facets are the large facets which extend
from thegirdle to the cutlet. (See Figure 18.)
1. How to set the angle of the cut. Set the hinge stop
at k2 degrees. This angle, like all others, may vary accord­
ing to the size of your stone.
2. How to select the speed and the lap. The bottom
main facets should be cut on the number 600 diamond charged
copper lap. The machine should be set so that it is running
at the medium speed. Be sure to use plenty of water for this
operation also.
3. How to make the cut. Bring the spindle down Until
it hits against the hinge stop. Adjust the height of the
facet head so that the stone will touch the lap. Once you
have aligned the top and the bottom facets, do not make any
other changes except to revolve the spindle so that you can
 79

Sixteenths Main

Bottom View

FIGURE 18
THE BOTTOM FACETS
 80
cut the various facets* Be careful not to cut the girdle too
thin. Use your judgment on this last point or check with
your teacher.
b. How to align the facets* The bottom main facets
should be in line with the top main facets. As you make the
first cut, check to see if the top and bottom main facets are
aligned. If there is any discrepancy, there is a knurled
knob at the top of the spindle which allows adjustments to be
made. If adjustments are necessary, loosen this knob, make
your adjustment, and tighten it again. It may take several
trials before you get the top and bottom facets aligned.
5* How to set the index plate numbers. The index plate
numbers at which you should cut the bottom main facets are:
8 , 16, 2b, 32, bo, 56 and 6b.

T. HOW TO CUT THE BOTTOM SIXTEENTHS

The bottom sixteenths and the top sixteenths must match.

The thickness of the girdle is determined by the distance
these two groups of facets are apart. When you have finished
the bottom sixteenths, you will be finished with all of the
cutting on your gem stone.
1* How to set the angle of the cut* The angle of the
cut will vary, but bQ degrees should be about right for your
stone. By trial and error, you will be best able to find
the exact angle for your stone.
 81
2. How to select the speed and the lap* The speed at
which the lap should revolve is about the intermediate speed
of the machine. You should use the number 1200 diamond
charged copper lap. Be sure to use enough water to keep the
lap wet during this operation.
3. How to make the cut. When you have adjusted the
height of the facet head above the lap, you should make a
trial cut. Check the cut to see whether the corners of the
bottom sixteenths line up with those of the bottom mains.
When the facets are aligned, make no further adjustments
except to turn the spindle to cut the remaining facets in
that group.
b. How to use the index plate numbers. The index plate
numbers on which you cut the bottom sixteenths ares 12,
20, 28, 36, kb, 52 and 60.

U. HOW TO POLISH THE BOTTOM OF YOUR STONE

The bottom of your stone should be polished in the same

fashion as the top. Remove the copper lap and replace it
with the lucite polishing lap. Use cerium oxide as the polish­
ing agent. You should use the same technique of polishing the
bottom of your stone as you did with the top. Polish the
bottom sixteenths first because the facet head is set at the
right angle. Referring back to the notes you have kept, set
the facet head so the bottom main facets can be polished.
 82
Your stone is now finished*

V. HOW TO REMOVE THE STONE FROM THE DOP STICK

Now that your stone is all finished you want to see what
it looks like without the dopping cement* Heat the stone
slowly until the cement becomes sticky, and with a pair of
tweezers, lift the stone away from the cement* Handle your
stone with care. Work over a bench so that if you drop your
gem stone you will be able to find it* Scrape the large
flakes of cement from the stone. Any small flakes of cement
can be washed from the stone with alcohol or acetone. Your
stone is finished.

W. HOW TO CLEAN THE MACHINE

You owe it to yourself and others to clean the machine

after you have used it.
1* How to clean the exterior* You should remove the
polishing lap and clean it. Disassemble the splash pan unit
and clean it thoroughly. Replace the splash pan and the
master aluminum plate. Clean the water wick. With a damp
cloth, clean the outside of the cabinet.
2. How to replace the small parts. When you have
finished cleaning the exterior of the cabinet, you should
clean and replace the laps, dop sticks and the nVf* block.
There is a place for each part. Be sure you have put each
 33
item where it belongs•

ACTIVITY ASSIGNMENT
Some laboratory exercises to improve your
skill in facet production

1. Cut a modified brilliant facet cut on a piece of glass.

2. On a quartz crystal, cut a modified brilliant shape.

EVALUATION
Some questions to help you do a
better job of facet cutting

True-false: Place an X in the correct space for true or

false.
T F
1. ( ) ( ) You should move the stand rod plate when you
change the height of the facet head.
2. ( ) ( )You should check the protractor on the facet head
to see at which angle the spindle is set.
3. ( ) ( )When you turn the index plate, thespindle turns.
( ) ( )You should facet hard stones.
5» ( ) ( ) You should choose a dop stick which is larger
than your stone.
6. ( ) ( ) The alcohol lamp should be used to heat your
stone for dopping.
 8b
F
) You should cut the table first*
) You should cut the bottom facets of your stone
first.
) In most cases you should cut the stone on the
master aluminum plate.
) Water should be applied to the lap when you are
cutting.
) You should use the ttV rl block when you transfer
your stone from one dop stick to another.
) You should polish the facets of your gem on the
lucite lap.
) A mixture of water and oil should be used as a
polishing agent.
) You should use a wick to hold the water on the lap
when you are cutting.
) C ) The stone should be cleaned by washing it with
alcohol or acetone.
 85
CHAPTER 5

HOW TO DRILL GEM STOKES

You should know how to drill holes in gem stones because

this will help you increase the number of articles you will be
able to make. Many times you must bolt or rivet pieces
together, and of course you can not do that unless you have
drilled holes in the stones. If you would like to make a
necklace or pendant, you would have to drill a hole to fit the
eye through which the chain will pass. You can make many of
these things only if you can drill holes in stones.

A. HOW TO USE THE DRILL PRESS

You can use almost any drill press for drilling stones.
There are certain drill presses especially equipped for stone
drilling, but with the addition of a few attachments, the
drill press we have in class will work very well.
1. How to choose the speed. Holes are drilled in
stones at a rather slow speed. The drills are not made of
tool steel and therefore can not stand high speed of overheat­
ing.
2. How to install special equipment on the drill press.
It may become necessary to install a very small drill chuck
into the chuck which is already on our drill press. The
reason for the smaller chuck is that many times the regular
 86
chuck will not close tight enough to hold the small drills
you will use in drilling stones* Other special equipment you
will find on drill presses devoted entirely to stone drilling
is a cam arrangement to raise and lower the drill from time to
time.
3. How to determine the feed. The feed at which the
drill is forced into the stone is in large measure dependent
upon the size of the drill. It is very obvious that a drill
50 thousandths of an inch in diameter will not stand the feed
pressure of a drill five times that size. It is safe to say
that drilling into stones will be very slow.

B. HOW TO MAKE A DRILL

Unless you have ready-made drills, you will have to make

your own. Making your own drills is very satisfactory because
you can make the size you need for your own job. It would be
almost impossible to keep a ready-made supply of tiny drills
for everyone in class to use.
1. How to cut and draw the stock. Cut a piece of tin
plate or a piece of tin can into strips about one quarter inch
wide and three or four inches long. Bend one end of the metal
into a fairly long tapering point. By pulling the metal strip
through a draw plate you can make a drill the size your job
requires. If you do not have a draw plate, you can make one
by drilling a series of successively smaller holes in a piece
 87
of one quarter thick metal* (See Figure 19*) When you have
the drill stock the right diameter, cut it off into about one
and one half inch lengths#
2. How to plug the end of the drill* You have cut the
drill stock into short lengths with a pair of pliers* You
now find that the drill stock has been crushed where you made
the cut. By filing or grinding the ends you can remove the
crushed section. When you have removed the crushed section,
you should insert a short length of wire into the drill at
one end. Solder the wire into the end of the tube. It is
necessary to have the wire in one end of the drill so that
when you clamp it in the drill chuck, the drill will be held
securely and without being crushed.
How to get the drill clearance. As in all other
drilling it is necessary for you to have the proper drill
clearance. The drill clearance will keep the drill from bind­
ing and twisting off in the hole. On the opposite end of the
drill from which you soldered the wire, make several notches
around the tube with a sharp knife-like instrument. A broken
hacksaw blade sharpened on one edge makes a fine tool with
which to make these notches. Tap the knife blade lightly with
a mallet on the end of the tube. After the notches are made,
upset the end of the tube slightly with a hammer. The hammer­
ing will cause the end of the tube to flare out slightly and
this will give your drill clearance. (See Figure 20.) The
 88

Drill holes as indicated Scale;

with number drills. 2" equals 1".

FIGURE 19

A DRAW PLATE
Notches For » Upset End For
i
Gutting Clearance

• Wire
Plug

FIGURE 20
A SHSST METAL GEM DRILL
 90
notches you cut in the end of the tube will allow the cutting
abrasive to get to the bottom or cutting edge of the drill.

C. HOW TO MOUNT THE DRILL

The drill should be mounted in the drill chuck and

tightened carefully. If the drill is not placed in the drill
squarely, it may be crushed. If the drill chuck is too large
to tighten up on the drill securely, you may have to get the
conversion chuck. The conversion chuck was made using the
chuck from a cheap hand drill. Whether you use the regular
drill chuck or the conversion chuck, care must be taken to
tighten the drill securely without damaging it.

D. HOW TO DETERMINE THE DRILL SIZE

It is quite obvious that the size of the hole you must

drill in your gem stone, depends upon the size of the fitting
you plan to put through the hole. There are a couple of prin­
ciples you should bear in mind as you plan to drill your holes.
1. How to drill precision holes. By precision is meant
holes into which you will fit an eye or other ready-made part.
When you drill these holes you should measure the diameter of
the part which will fit into the hole. It is best to measure
the part with a pair of micrometer calipers so you will have
the exact size. Select a drill of the proper diameter. The
hole should be slightly larger than the fitting. It may
become necessary for you to upset the end of the drill a
 91
little in order to make it slightly larger so that it will
he the right size for your work* If the drill is a little
too large, you may have to file a little off the cutting
clearance to make the drill the right size for your job.
2. How to drill chain and bolt holes* Many times when
you are making an overlay or pendant, you will want to drill
a hole to receive a bolt or a chain* The holes you will
drill need not be precision holes. The holes should be
slightly larger than the diameter of the chain or the bolt
in order that they may slip through the hole easily. A tight
fit is undesirable for such items. Use your judgment whether
or not you should drill a tight or loose hole in your stone,
depending upon the fastening device you plan to use.

B. HOW TO SELECT AND MIX ABRASIVES

The kind of abrasive you select will depend upon the

speed with which you want to drill your hole. There is a
great range in the cost of the various abrasives which are
available. You will have to compromise between cost and
speed of cutting when you select your abrasive.
1. How to select the abrasive. There are a great number
of abrasive compounds available. We will limit our discussion
to three compounds which are typical examples of the abrasives
available for your use. Diamond dust is the fastest cutting
compound, but it is very expensive. Silicon carbide can be
 92
used, but it is rather slow cutting. Norbide, a boron car­
bide, is probably one of the best all around drilling com­
pounds. It is fairly inexpensive and it cuts fast. You
should use 280 grit norbide for good drilling results.
2. How to mix the abrasive. Once you have decided
upon the kind of abrasive you are going to use, you must mix
it with oil. The oil carries the abrasive to the point of
the drill where the drilling occurs. The oil you use can be
any light machine oil. You will have to experiment with the
amount of abrasive you use in the oil. It is best to add the
abrasive to a small amount of oil, a little at a time, until
the desired cutting speed is obtained.

F. HOW TO USE THE ABRASIVE MIXTURE

You are probably wondering how you will keep the abrasive
mixture at the place on the stone where you want it. In many
cases the place you will be drilling will be on a curved sur­
face.
1. How to make a dam. By making a tiny dam of putty,
you will be able to keep the oil and abrasive mixture where
you want it. The dam should be a little larger in diameter
than the hole. The sides of the dam should be about one
eighth of an inch high.
2. How to use the abrasive. When you have the putty
dam located at the right spot, you should pour into it a few
 93
drops of the abrasive mixture. Check to see that the dam is
not leaking where the putty ends came together or at the
bottom of the dam. If there are any leaks in the dam, repair
them. Add enough of the abrasive mixture to fill the dam
almost to the top. You are now ready to start drilling.

G. HOW TO HOLD THE STONE FOR DRILLING

Holding the stone for drilling is very important. If

you have had any experience drilling in wood or metal, you
already realize that the method of holding and the rigidity
with which the material was held was important to the success­
ful drilling operation*
1. How to hold large stones. When you drill large
stones, you will probably be able to use some sort of a clamp.
The kind and number of clamps depends upon the size and shape
of your job. If you use metal clamps, be sure to put a block
of wood between the metal clamp and your stone. If you fail
to do this, the clamp may cause your stone to chip or break.
If wooden handscrews are available, use them for clamping
your stone in place. Tighten your clamps tight enough to hold
the stone in place for drilling, but do not over tighten them.
2. How to hold small stones. If your stone Is too small
to clamp it with clamps, or if the shape is irregular, it will
be necessary for you to use dopping cement to hold your stone
in place for drilling. You should get a piece of wood about
 9^
six inches square for the mounting board. Dop the stone in
the center of this mounting board with dopping cement. The
mounting board can be clamped to the drill press table with
any convenient clamp and in the desired position for drilling
the hole.

H. HOW TO DRILL THE HOLE

As you have seen, drilling a hole in your stone involves

more than setting up the drill press and making a hole.
Before you can drill the hole you must do each one of the
operations you have just read about. You must know exactly
where you want to drill the hole in your stone.
1. How to start drilling the hole. When you have
located the exact spot you want to drill the hole, and you
have checked to see that the drill will hit that spot, you
are ready to turn on the drill press to a slow speed. Be
sure you have the abrasive compound in the putty dam. Bring
the drill tube down until it barely touches the stone. Allow
the drill to bear against the stone for a few seconds, then
raise the drill so the abrasive flows to the cutting edge
of the drill. Lower the drill again lightly and repeat this
operation until the drill has made a shallow starting cut
into the stone. Once you have a starting cut, you may
increase the pressure on the drill* Do not use too much
pressure or you will crush the drill tube. As the hole is
 95
being drilled, lift the drill every few seconds to allow new
abrasive compound to enter the hole,
2. How to finish drilling the hole. When you have
drilled the hole almost all the way through your stone, you
should begin to ease up on the pressure you are using on the
drill. If you use the same pressure for finishing the cut as
you did for drilling through the stone, the drill would break
through your stone with such force that the back of your
stone would be rough. Be sure to use less pressure on the
drill when you come through to the other side of your stone,

* * *

ACTIVITY ASSIGNMENT
Some laboratory exercises to improve
your skill in drilling

1, Drill several practice holes in a piece of limestone,

2, Drill some practice holes in a piece of scrap agate.
3, Drill a hole in your agate pendant,

EVALUATION
Some questions to help you do a good job
drilling your stone

True-false: Place an X in the correct space for true or

false.
 96
T F
1 . ( ) ( ) You can use any drill press to drill holes in
stones.
2 . ) ( ) You should run the drill press at high speed for
drilling stones.
3. ) ( ) You should be able to make your own drills for
drilling your gem stones.
b. ) ( ) You should use a very special material for making
drills.
% ) ( ) You should run a wire the entire length of the
drill so it will not bend.
6 . ) ()You should upset the end of the drill slightly
to give it clearance for cutting.
7. ) ()Precision holes should be drilled slightly
smaller than the fittings which will fit into
the holes.
8 . ) ( ) You can use any abrasive because they all cut at
the same slow speed.
9. ) ( ) You should pour the abrasive material on the stone
in its dry state.
10 . ) ( ) You should hold large and small stones by the
same method when you drill them.
11. ) ()You should start and finish drilling the hole
with light pressure.
 97
CHAPTER 6

HOW TO MAKE BEADS

Most students of lapidary work are interested in making

beads. Beads can be made in our shop by setting up the bead
mill on the drill press. The intriguing part of making beads
is the problem of getting the beads all the same size and
diameter. The beads you can make in the shop will be profes­
sional looking and be of considerable value*

A. HOW TO SELECT THE MATERIAL

The material you select depends upon your own taste. You
can make beads from practically any gem stone material* The
hardness of the material is of very little significance,
unless it is very soft. Do not use material which is softer
than on Mohs* scale. The stone you choose must be uniform
as to structure. You would not want to use a piece of banded
material with one band very soft and the other very hard. The
stone you select should be of high quality. There should not
be any checks or fractures in the material after the pieces
are slab sawed.

B. HOW TO COT THE BEAD STOCK

Once the bead stock material has been chosen, you must
cut it into the rough size your beads will be* The better
 98

you do this cutting job, the easier the rest of your bead
making task will be,
1* How to slab saw your bead stock* It will be neces­
sary for you to determine the number of beads you will need
for your job. When you have computed that information, you
should study the material you have chosen to find out whether
you can get all the stock you will need from the piece.
Study the material for designs and figures so you will have
the best markings possible for your beads. When you have
decided how you should cut the material, slab saw it into
slabs about one eighth of an inch thicker than you want the
diameter of your finished beads.
2. How to trim saw your bead stock. After you have cut
your large stone into slabs, you are ready to trim saw the
material to length. Since beads are round, the material you
need to cut for each bead should be cubical in shape. The
slabbed material should then be cut into strips exactly the
same width as the thickness of the stone. You now should
have two of the three dimensions by which you needed to cut
the stone. For the third dimension, you simply cut these
strips into proper lengths to complete the cube. Be sure
you have a few more than enough cubes for the number of beads
you will need.
 99
C. HOW TO HOUGH GRIND THE BEADS

Rough grinding the cubes is a very important operation

in bead making. The better you do this rough grinding pro­
cess, the less work you will have when you are ready to do
the finish grinding. If you grind some of the beads too
small during the rough grinding, you will have to throw many
out or make all of them as small as the smallest bead. Many
times if you did this the beads would be too small for your
purpose.
1. How to rough grind spherical beads. After you have
cut the cubes for the beads to length, you should rough grind
any cube which is not exactly the same size to the proper
dimensions. The cubes are now ready to be ground to rough
spherical shape. The rough grinding is done on the coarse
wheel on the grinder. Hold the stones between your fingers
and grind the twelve edges so that the diameter across the
new diameter is about the same it was for the cube. Check the
cube you have just ground to rough spherical form. You will
probably have to even your bead material by grinding off a
little on the corners. The amount you should grind depends
upon how well you have maintained the original size of the
cube.
2. How to rough grind cylindrical beads. Cylindrical
beads should be drilled after the material has been slabbed,
cut into strips, and cut to the desired length. When the
 100
beads have been drilled, the eight edges of the beads should
be rough ground by hand* Be sure that the width and the
thickness of the material is also the new diameter* Rough
grinding should take place on the rough wheel of the grinder*
The cylindrical beads should be mounted on a dop stick
having a pin mounted in one end, which is slightly smaller
in diameter than the holes in the beads. The bead is slipped
on the pin, and the stick is held at an angle on the grinding
wheel* As the bead spins, the grinding wheel cuts the high
spots off of the bead* Be sure that all the beads are the
same size when you are finished with this operation* The
speed with which the beads revolve depends upon the angle at
which the bead is held in relation to the stone.

D* HOW TO ROUND THE BEADS

You have already rough ground your beads to approxi­

mately the same size. The next operation is to make them
exactly the same size. This operation is done in the bead
mill. The bead mill is an attachment to our drill press.
The truing operation is fairly easy. You should check occa­
sionally to see that all of the beads are being cut the same
amount and that they are not developing flat spots.
1. How to mix the abrasive. The abrasive you should use
is a mixture of number 100 carbo and water. The ratio of the
carbo to the water is not critical. By a little experimenta­
tion, the mixture which cut the best on your stone will be
 101
found# There should be enough of the mixture so that the
groove in the bottom of the bead mill is filled. It will be
necessary for you to stop the machine from time to time to
add a little of the abrasive mixture and to scrape the used
abrasive back into the groove where the cutting takes place.
2. How to grind in the bead mill. The bead mill is
attached to the drill press. The base of the bead mill is
clamped securely to the table of the drill press. The runner
is chucked up into the drill chuck. Your rough ground beads
should be put into the groove of the pan. The bead grinding
mill works best if there are almost enough beads to fill the
groove in the pan. Remember to add a fewextra beads,
because some of the beads may be toosmall or others may be
broken in the process of final shaping. The abrasive charge
is added with the beads in the pan. The speed of the runner
should be about 500 to 1000 revolutions per minute. Bring
the runner down so that it touches the beads. When the
beads are moving, bring the runner down still a little farther.
The pan should now be suspended on the springs on which it
rests. The springs compensate for the irregularities of the
rough ground beads. The drill press should be turned off
from time to time in order that you can inspect the progress
of the grinding operation and to allow youto scrape the
abrasive back into the groove of the pan. Be sure that the
machine is completely stopped before you lift the runner,
 103
E. HOW TO DRILL THE BEADS

You have your material in spherical shape, but the

spheres are not beads until there are holes in them. You
should make a drill the desired size, according to the direc­
tions given in Chapter 5* When you decide where to drill the
holes in your beads, be consistent with the way the bands run*
It would be Incorrect to have the bands of one bead running
at a forty-five degree angle and the bands of another bead
run horizontally*
1* How to drill from both sides* As you drill your
beads, you should drill from both sides of the stone* The
reason for this is that, as you drill through the bead, the
pressure will cause the stone to flake off on the under side.
You must layout your bead accurately so that the holes you
drill from both sides will come together in perfect alignment*
The most satisfactory way to align the holes in your beads
is to use a drilling jig.
2* How to make a bead drilling jig* The bead drilling
jig is a very simple tool to make and one of the most essen­
tial in bead making. The jig can be made from a piece of
metal or hardwood about one inch thick and four inches square.
In the center of the block, countersink a hole so that the top
of the hole is about three quarters of an inch in diameter,
or larger than your beads. This countersunk hole will be the
seat Into which the bead will be placed. At the exact center
 10*f

of the countersunk hole, and parallel to the axis of the

hole, drill a hole the same diameter as the hole you are
going to drill in the beads. Make a peg which will fit the
small hole you have drilled into the block, and long enough
to reach through the block and about half way through the
bead as it fits into the countersunk hole. The peg will be
used to align the bead after the hole has been drilled half
way through the bead. Care must be taken not to hit this peg
as the drill completes the cut through the stone. This will
damage the cutting edge of the drill.
^. How to polish the hole. If your beads are made of
opaque material, it may not be necessary for you to polish
the inside of the hole. However, if your beads are trans­
lucent or transparent, you should polish the holes. When you
drilled through the beads, the drill did not intersect so
accurately that you could not see the point of intersection.
You can remove this slight irregularity by using a length of
braided picture wire and some abrasive compound. The size
of the wire you must use depends upon the size of the holes
in your beads. You may only need two or three strands of
wire two feet long for your job. Tie the wire between a
couple of nails so that it is fairly taut, with the beads
threaded on the wire. Daub the wire with a paste of number
600 carborundum and water. Draw the beads back and forth
across the wire. The cutting will be quite fast. Check to
 105
see that you axe not making the bead holes out of round by
putting too much pressure on one side of the hole* If there
is much cutting to do, you can use a paste of number 200
carborundum and water. To complete the polishing job you can
give the holes a fine polish with a paste of pumice and water.

F. HOW TO POLISH THE BEADS

The final polishing operation is very important* If

your beads have a high polish, they catch the eye as a good
piece of work. Many people fail to do the little extra work
to get a really fine job on their beads, becauseit is easier
not to. You can use the same technique for polishing your
beads as you used when you polished your cabochon.
1. How to use the dop stick for polishing. The methods
of holding your beads for polishing are slightly different
than the cabochon settings you made. It is quite obvious that
you will have to dop each bead twice in order to polish the
entire bead* If you do not happen to give the bead an equal
polish, you may have to dop it again.
2* How to use the oin stick for polishing* The pin
stick is a very satisfactory method of holding beads when you
are polishing them. You can make a pin stick by securing a
one half inch dowel rod about four inches long. Into the end
of the dowel rod drive a pin the size of the holes in your
beads. Slip the beads over the pin and polish them on the
 106
buffer. With the pin stick method, you can see all parts of
your bead, and if one part needs more polishing you can change
the bead very quickly and easily. Care must be taken not to
drop the beads from the stick accidentally. Do not lose the
beads, you need them for your project.

* * *

ACTIVITY ASSIGNMENT
Some laboratory exercises to improve your
skill in making beads

1. Make some practice beads from limestone.

2. Make a series of practice beads from limestone which
taper from a small bead to a large bead of one half inch
in diameter.
3. Make a necklace from the material of your choice.

EVALUATION
Some true-false questions to help you understand
how beads are made

True-false: Place an X in the right space for true or false.

T F
1. ( ) ( ) You should start making beads by cutting the
material into cubes.
2. ( ) ( ) Beads should be ground in a bead mill.
3. ( ) C ) You should grind one bead at a time until they
are all spherical.
 107
T F
( ) ( ) If your beads have a small flat spot, you should
continue until they are perfectly spherical*
5. ( ) ( )Beads should be drilled from both sides*
6. ( ) ( )You should use a jig for holding beads for
drilling.
7* C ) ( )The holes in beads should never be polished.
8. ( ) ( )You should use a pin stick or a dop stick to
hold your beads \*hen you polish them.
 108
CHAPTER 7

HOW TO CHOOSE GEM STONES

In order for you to know how to select the stones for

your job, you should be able to recognize stones best suited
for various purposes* The more you work with various stones,
the easier the task of recognition becomes. All specimens
of the same stone may not look the same, therefore if you
know something about the characteristics of the stone for
which you are looking, you should be able to recognize it
more easily* It will take a little practice for you to iden­
tify accurately some of the common stones with which you will
be working.

A. HOW TO CHOOSE STONES FOR CABOCHON SHAPES

Any stone can be ground into a cabochon shape* Some

stones are more valuable if they are cut into facet shapes,
while cutting some stones into facet shapes would be a waste
of effort and material* It is for this reason that you
should know how to select the right stones for cabochon
shapes•
1* How to choose stones for hardness. The use to which
you plan to put your stone has a definite bearing upon the
hardness of the stone you would choose. You will be able to
tell the approximate hardness of a stone by filing on it. If
 109
the file does not leave a scratch mark, you are sure that the
stone will be hard enough to use as a setting in a piece of
jewelry# If you choose one of the following named stones for
setting in jewelry, you should have good results because the
hardness of each is over six on Mohs* hardness scale* These
stones are satisfactory for cabochonss agate, moss agate,
moonstone, opal, rutilated quartz, or turquoise*
2* How to choose according to color* The color of most
stones is not a decisive factor in the recognition of gems.
The color of one stone may be quite different from that of
another stone of the same kind. Many stones of the same cate­
gory run from translucent to opaque in looks. The color of
agate varies to almost every hue in the rainbow. In addition,
agate is found in banded colors and also translucent colors
with various markings within the stone* Moss agate is gener­
ally found in various translucent colors with the inclusion
of moss or tree-like patterns within the stone. True moon­
stones are opalescent milky-white in color, and are very beau­
tiful when cut as a cabochon* Pacific Coast moonstones are
not the feldspar mineral moonstones, but they do appear simi­
lar in color and beauty. Opal makes beautiful cabochons. It
is translucent in a good play of colors. Rutilated quartz Is
beautiful when cut to the right cabochon shape. It is trans­
parent with long needles of brownish sagenite running through
it. A good description of rutilated quartz would be the
 110
effect given by holding a hand full of straw under glass.
Turquoise is a familiar greenish-blue gem stone. Some speci­
mens range in color from sky blue to greenish to apple green.
3. How to choose your stone according to weight. The
weight, or even better, the specific gravity of your stone
may be an important factor in helping you choose your stone.
If you want a certain kind of stone, but are not definite as
to whether it is the correct specimen or not, you should
check the specific gravity of it. This can be done by weigh­
ing the stone and weighing an equal volume of water. By
dividing the weight of the water into the weight of the stone,
you will get the specific gravity of the stone. Following
you will find the specific gravity of some stones; agate 2.66,
moss agate 2.66, moonstone 2.5 to 2.8, opal 1.95 to 2*3,
rutilated quartz 2.66, and turquoise 2.6 to 2.8.
*f. How to choose your stone according to availability.
One of the most influencing factors in choosing a stone is
the ease with which it can be obtained. Agate is very easy
to get. Most dealers carry large and varied supplies of agate
and at reasonable cost. Good specimens of moss agate and
rutilated quartz are more difficult to obtain and the price
is quite high. For most students the chances of securing
opal are remote. Opal is not carried by most dealers because
of the prohibitive price of the gem. Turquoise is readily
available from most dealers, and the price is in reach of
 I l l

many students.

B. HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR STONE FOR FACET SHAPES

The choice of a stone for a facet job is quite different

from that of cabochon malting. For facet work you should
select transparent stones only. Many stones suitable for
facet cutting may be selected from natural or synthetic
materials. Synthetic stones have the same chemical and physi­
cal properties as the natural stones. The only sure way to
tell the difference between natural and synthetic stones is
by elaborate laboratory testing. The integrity of the dealer
becomes an important factor when selecting gem stones for
faceting.
1. How to choose your stone according to hardness.
Stones for facet cutting should be among the hardest gems.
In order for a stone to retain the shape of the many sharp
edges where the facets intersect, and to keep from chipping,
the stone must be hard. Hard stones cannot be cut or
scratched with a file. In this list you will find some
stones which have a rating on Mohs* scale as follows: peridot
6.5 to 7j amethyst 7* ruby 9* spinel 8, topaz 8, and tourma­
line 7 to 7.5.
2. How to choose according to color. Gem stones selected
for facet cutting vary in color, even within a certain kind of
stone. All facet cut stones should be transparent, so the
 112
problem of markings within your stone is non-existent. Peri­
dot is one stone which can be identified by its olive green
color. Amethyst varies in color from light to dark purple.
The color of ruby will vary from rose to deep purplish-red.
Spinel is a veri-colored stone. Its colors vary from red,
orange, purple, blue and to grass green. Topaz also has a
variety of colors ranging from pale blue, green, violet,
wine red, and yellow. Tourmaline ranges in color from color­
less, red, green, blue, yellow, and violet.
How to choose your stone according to weight. The
weight or specific gravity of your stone may be the determin­
ing factor in your ability to recognize positively a certain
gem stone. You can find the specific gravity of a stone by
following the directions given in Section A-2 of this chapter.
The specific gravity of some stones is as follows: peridot
3.2 to amethyst 2.65, spinel 3*5 to 3*7* topaz 3*^ to
3.6, and tourmaline 3 to 3.2.
bm How to choose your stone according to availability.
Most of the popular gem stones mentioned in this section
should be available at many of the lapidary supply houses.
Synthetic stones of many kinds should be available at your
dealers also. Synthetic stones will cost but a fraction of
the natural mineral. The possibility of finding gem stones
suitable for facet cutting work, in their natural state, is
almost non-existent in this area. A reputable dealer will
 113
be of great assistance in helping you choose the right stone
for your job.

* * *

ACTIVITY ASSIGNMENT
Some laboratory exercises to help you
choose the right stones for your job

1* Out of a group of fifteen stones, pick six you think

would be good to cut as cabochons.
2. From a group of twelve, pick four stones on which you
would cut facets.
3. Pick one stone you would like for a cabochon ring
setting.
*+• Choose one stone you think would make a good facet cut
setting for a ring.

EVALUATION
Some questions to help you select gem stones

True-false: Place an X in the correct spaces for true or

false.
T F
1. ( ) ( ) You should depend upon color alone to help you
choose a gem stone.
2. ( ) ( ) You can check for hardness by filing on a
stone.
 T F
( ) ( ) You can grind any stone into cabochon shapes.
( ) ( ) You should grind only transparent stones into
facet shapes.
( ) ( ) You should not use synthetic stones for facet
cutting.
( ) ( ) You should use soft stones for facet cutting.
 H5
LAPIDARY RESERVE BOOK SECTION
A SPECIAL RESERVE SHELF FOR USE IN LAPIDARY WORK

1. Baxter, W. T.: “Gem Cutting and Jewelry Making.**

Industrial Arts and Vocational EducationT 29*362 (Nov.
19*K))• (How to get started in your shop.)
2. Baxter, W. T.: “Horizontal Lap Units for Gem Cutting.11
Industrial Arts and Vocational Education. 3^*379-382
(Oct. 19^5)• (Shows pictures of horizontal lap units.
Cutting and grinding information.)
3. Baxter, W. T.: Jewelry. Gem Cutting, and Metalcraft.
McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., New York, 19^2. 28? pp.
(Excellent source for gem cutting and polishing informa­
tion. )
Briggs, Henry E.: An Encyclopedia of Gems. Gemological
Institute of America, Los Angeles, 1 9 ^ . 83 pp. (A short
chapter on lapidary work. Mainly on identification of
gems•)
5. Brink, R.: "They Coax Out Hidden Beauty.11 Christian
Science Monitor Magazine. 10-11 (August *+, 19^5)* (Pic­
tures a wooden head facet cutting machine.)
6. Brown, S.: “Start a Gem Collection.11 Popular Mechanics.
93*108-113 (Feb. 19^5)• (Adapting existing shop equip­
ment to lapidary use.)
7. Dake, H. C., Fleener, F. L., and Wilson, B. H.: Quartz
Family Minerals. McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc.,
 116
New York, 1938. 301* pp. (Much on the formation of
stones.)
8. ‘‘Gem Cutting a Double Hobby.11 Popular MechanicsT 7^*760
(Nov. 19^0)• (Plans for home-made lapidary machinery.
Instructions on facet and cabochon production.)
9. Howard, J. H . : Handbook for the Amateur Lapidary.
J. H. Howard, Greenville, S. C., 1935. 1**0 pp. (Plans
and instruction in the use of lapidary equipment.)
10 . Irvine, S.: “Making a Start at Gem Cutting.11 Hobbies,
**9s 118-120 (Nov. 19**-1*). (A short sketch on how to grind
and polish cabochons.)
11 . Irvine, S.: “Variety in Cabochon Gem Shapes.** HobbiesT
*+9*122 (August 191***) • (Lists various cabochon shapes.)
12 . Kraus, S. H. and Slawson: Gems and Gem Materials.
McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., New York, 19**1. 278 pp.
(Excellent source of scientific and technical data on
the properties of gem stones.)

13. Mann, D. M.5 “Field Stone Cabochons.“ Hobbies. **6:112-

113 (April 19*+1). (Making a diamond saw blade.)
lb. McKinley, W. C.s “American Gem Cabochons.** Hobbies,
**5*108 (October 19*K>). (Discusses various gem stones
found in North America.)
15. “One of the Earliest Jewels.“ gobbles, ?0:119 (August
19*+5) • (Information on turquoise.)
16. Pearl, H. M.: Popular Gemology. J. Wiley, New York, 19^8.
(Gem data.)
 117
17. "Ruby Cutting." Popular Science, l*+0:90-95 (Feb. 19*+2).
(Shows pictures of the steps necessary to cut a faceted
ruby.)
18. Shipley, R. M.: Dictionary of Gems and Gemology.
Gemological Institute of America, Los Angeles, 19*+5.
256 pp. (Fine for identification and data.)
19. Thompson, H. L.: Legends of Gems. Grafic Arts Press,
Los Angeles, 1937. (Drawings of home lapidary equipment.
Gives a description of gem stones and where they are
found.)
20. Young, F. S.: "How to Build a Small Gem-cutting Bench."
Popular Mechanics. 70:633-637 (October 1938). (A fine
set of drawings and description of how a home lapidary
bench can be made.)
21. Young, F. S.: The Art of Gem Cutting. Minerologist
Publishing Company, Portland, Oregon, 19*+2. (Excellent
source material and directions for lapidary work.)