Start Making A Few Cabochons Cheaply

[Dan]

I have finally gotten the bug to start carving and shaping stone. My first love is still wood but I want to start expanding my knowledge. There for I want to start making some cabochons to use as inlays. I won't do this enough to buy my own slab cutting machines so I'll buy precut slabs. I have a flex shaft and some diamond burrs for the detail work what I need is a way to cut and grind the stone down into the right shapes. I don't want to spend thousands of dollers for machines I will use once or twice a year. Is there a tool I can get for my flex shaft to rough out the shape? Or some kind of diamond hand saw? Also can I convert a small 4" grinder into stone grinder to shape the cabs? Then I can sand and polish by hand with my flex shaft.

[Ian Holser]

There are small diamond cutting disks for flex shafts, but it is not an especially good way of cutting cabs out of slabs. They are very useful for cutting off corners or detail work.

 

You could get a cheap tile saw. It will take a while, but will do the trick. You can also do some rough cutting using the blade.

 

For shaping, silicon carbide paper and wheels works fine. Yes, you can use your grinder if it has silicon carbide wheels and you drip water onto them. I would suggest using inflatable drums on a drill press (or similar), but have seen some belt sanders that have been modified to not get the motor when when running. Softer sanding helps smooth over cabs easily, but you can always hand sand them if you like.

 

You may consider investing a little bit and putting together a lapidary machine.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/24530851/Lapidary-Machine

 

Another option is to look up local rock and mineral clubs. Even if the clubs do not have tools for use, there are bound to be rock hounds that have everything you would need and would let you use them for minimal cost or trade.

[Dan]

Thanks this might be just perfect.

[Dan]

actuly i might build that machine i found a motor in the basement of a house that was inherited that might work for that. there was some switches and boxes except for the electrical wires and the extra stuff it looks like i could build this machine including the wheels and blades for less then 100 dollers. then if i realy like doing this kind of work i can buy the dedicated machines.