Lapidaryforum.net
Rock Art => Cabochons, Intarsias, Cameos => Topic started by: adovbs on January 17, 2015, 02:24:37 PM
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I don't see a general questions about lapidary section, so since I'm mostly making cabs right now, I hope this is an okay place to put this noob question.
I am working on a new cab right now, and I'm finding that I'm able to control and shape it just fine with my bare hands - no dopping stick. Is there a reason why this is bad practice, or do others here work with their larger cabs un-dopped? Just curious. I was going to dop it, but I am finding this so much more natural for me that I haven't yet. I'm almost to the polishing stage, and so far so good!
So, what's the dope on dopping?
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Well, I finished it without dopping. I may give it another round or two of polish in the morning, but for now, it's looking pretty good! I'm also going to enter it in the Cab Contest when I get a better final picture.
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Well, as you've discovered there is no law on dop sticks. Some people swear by them, some people hate 'em. Do it however is more comfortable for you and what you like best. I personally sometimes use them and sometimes I don't. Depends on the stone. If it's little, I'll dop it up because my fingers get stiff and I have a hard time holding on to the little buggers!
Nice looking stone, can't wait to see a bigger picture. :thumbsup:
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Just for me, of course, I have found that my pressure is more even if I use a dop stick. Therefore, I will shape a larger stone in hand, and once that is done I will still dop it up.
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Yeah, I can't see me trying to cut a smaller cab without having a dop stick. I think the reason I asked is I just assumed that everyone used them all of the time. But when I kept working the cab without one today, and found it to be a much better experience for the most part, I started to wonder if everyone really *did* use dop sticks all the time, and if so, was there a safety thing that made doing that a "best practice?"
Thanks for weighing in!
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If you don't use dop sticks, you'll find that eventually, you have no fingerprints left.Which is OK. but the loss of finger-tip grip is a real pain in the tukas! And of course, you'll find yourself with lots of nicks and missing skin spots all the time. I used to do it by hand, now it's dop sticks all the say. Plus, if I want to grab the cab up close and personal to work it, I still can!
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As I no longer do calibrated cabs I stopped using dop sticks but would use them again for calibrated sizes and the shapes in which they are customarily produced. I agree you can get much more control especially for small stones with a geometry that changes quickly.
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I love it:) Be bop a do Dop:) That's my baby:)