Thanks for the great feedback. I do think it’s a great design for translucent gems as it gets more light in to show the colour. I was thinking I may use this design in the Australian opal awards this year at lightning ridge. I have done well there a couple of times. But with that show it’s all about keeping as much opal as possible, they may not like the amount of gem this removes.

I really like this idea because by cutting more you are not wasting more material - you are creating more surface area to show off the character of the stone. In case of translucent materials like rhodonite and jade it gives us more of the dynamic glow to enjoy, but I think it could work especially well with opal. If done right, you will be creating more colour play and more interest than what you would have available on a plain bead of the same size.

I'm still interested in knapping but I have put it on the back burner for now because I am more interested in trying to get a profitable online business going with my cabochons.

Have you picked knapping back up?  How's your business now?

I'm still pretty new and recently purchased some dinosour bone.  I had no clue what HXTLED was and have since read a bit more on the topic, however,  I'm still confused.  Can I cut, grind and polish a stone that has been covered with HXTLED? I apologize if that is it's purpose...I don't want to mess up the machine, or the stone.

Thank-you!

Greetings from windy Whidbey Island, WA!

Grandma and Granddad use to polish rocks to make necklaces, bracelets and always a bowl full on the table for the grandkids to look through!  I grew up loving to look at their creations, but never really thought about what went into it.

After my Granddad passed away, I wished I had asked him questions about lapidary, rocks and the like.  Grandma has been distributing the remainder of their rock collection and I've been fortunate enough to have shown interest and been passed many treasures.

Oak Harbor has an annual rock show and last year I took two of my seven children (5 are adults now) to go explore some of what I enjoyed.  My 13 year old has been flint knapping obsidian for a few years now and may have been part of the driving force to get there.

I was excited to find out we have a club that does lapidary and wire wrap!  The following week I put on a brave face and stepped through the rabbit hole of rock hounding.  Yep, I'm still doing it, have my own machine and am trying to learn more and more along the way.

I found a rock I love and couldn't find the name of it so I ended up on ebay.  Let me tell you, that's a sure fire way to go broke!  It turns out I was looking for DENDRITIC OPAL (it looks like little dark flowers on a white stone!)  Wow!

I'd really like to learn to find the rocks/stones/gems I'm interested in, in nature.  It's hard because a walk on the beach may have whales...  A hike up a mountain has views...  And I usually have friends and family by my side for good conversation.

Here's to new friends, good conversation and all that we can learn from one another!  Thanks for allowing me to join!



Also, I'm a US Navy veteran, Mom, Grandma, Scouter, Volunteer, Coach, and probably other stuff too.  I love to take cell phone photos of what I'm doing too!  Busy!

OK that dear Sir is bloody amazing!  Yes please do bring on spirals in Jade and Opal, I'm almost salivating as I wait to see them!

Thanks. I think there may be more of these to come. I may incorporate the spiral into a shell design in opal or jade. Just need to find some opal worthy of the time spent.

Lovely.Nice idea.

My latest carving. Australian rhodonite self collected quite a few years ago. My first spiral carving and I like a challenge and this was one. Spiral bead making. Bring on opal and jade in a spiral.

As for changing the tile saw motor to a lower speed.  Are you talking about using it for slabbing?  If so they make a lapidary diamond blade just for tile saws called the (Agate Kutter).  its available from most supply houses and made to run at tile saw speeds.