Lapidaryforum.net
Rock Art => Cabochons, Intarsias, Cameos => Topic started by: Viola Reid on July 06, 2016, 08:48:51 PM
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The first photo shows my first composite cabs. My artist friends said, "But you are an engineer. Look at all those straight lines. Can't you make curves." With my son's guidance, I found out how. The second photo shows examples of composite cabs with curved lines. What do you think?
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:drool: :drool:
I'm at a loss for words, so drooling will have to suffice.
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Beautiful me thinks...
Bill
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Love the curved ones. Makes me want to try one. Lovely finish too.
David
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They're beautiful - straight and curved alike! :headbang:
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Superb.... From a ones and zero guy myself I know the challenge of straight lines.
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Like both, elegant solution to get curves by cutting the straight stack on an angle and doming. You could produce some perfect 'eye' pendants by taking this idea to the extreme.
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Thanks for all the kind comments. I would like to share with you the techniques. First, I had a little training in lapidary many years ago - forgot most of it. To figure out how to make composites, I had to start thinking like woodworker. My friend Warren Wright is the expert and has given me many good ideas over the years. Shelly Mixer got me onto HotStuff CA glues. I use the Yellow label glue for all joints and always use gluing clamps - joints are nearly invisible. Throw away your epoxy - can't get the bubbles out and glue lines highly visible.
Cobblestones is on target. I produce stacks of slabs and cut them at an angle on my saw - perfect joints - produce several mini-slabs from one original stack. When domed, you get curved lines, all curving in the same direction. My son Craig dreamed up this idea. To get them to curve in opposite directions, cut and invert half and glue back together.
I have combined many materials to make some interesting composites, but I am constrained to standard shapes by the fact that I am not a silver smith. Many of you will not be so constrained, and there is a world of possibilities out there.
Let me know if you have questions or suggestions.
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Yes On The Curves And I see how you did it! Great idea !
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Thanks, that is something I need to try!! something different to keep me from getting bored.
what is the stone you used? the black and green goes well together. how about three colors,red white and blue? (if you can find a good red)
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The black stone is Australian Black Jade from Australian Outback Mining in Western Australia. The green is Gaspeite - a chunk I brought back from Western Australia in 1999 - very rare nickel mineral, with all gem quality material from a single mine.
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Are the cabs high domed? To get more curve. How thick do you cut the slabs? Can you post a pic of a side angle to get an idea of How high you are making the dome ?
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Great idea and flawlessly executed! Kudos!
I made something out of steel, a curved liner for chasing to be exact, using the same principle, but I have to admit I would have never thought of applying the same technique with stones.
Well done!
Debbie K
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Yes, they are high-domed. The first picture is a glued-up preform for a 30x22 mm cab - a 6 mm slab with angled junctions from saw with a 2 mm back glued onto it. Note that a cut was made in the central black section of the slab from the saw and half reversed. The finished Leopardskin Jasper - Black Jade pendant is shown in the second picture.
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Sweet stones. Very nice work. I love the green and black combo.
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It just warps my brain as ND I luv b em!