Never fear! Even if you live in a tiny home, or apartment with minimal space, you can have a functional lapidary workshop at your disposal whenever you need it.

I’ve developed what I call a Workshop-in-a-Box (WIAB) that is just 4 feet wide by 3.5 feet high by 2 feet deep. It holds a Diamond Pacific Genie grinding/polishing unit and a 6-inch trim saw plus shelving and pegboard space for all the tools and supplies needed to craft basic lapidary projects like cabochons. My WIAB fits conveniently in a basement nook, garage, home corner, or, climate permitting, against an outside wall with access to an electrical outlet.

Getting Started

I built my WIAB using 95 percent recycled materials and only needed to purchase miscellaneous small hardware (nails, screws, corner braces), pegboard and paint.

As noted, my box dimensions provide space to hold a Genie and trim saw. Since I built my WIAB, Diamond Pacific has developed a new, wider Genie. So you may want to go 4.5 feet wide if using that new model.

Use all the measurements in these directions as approximations. Build your WIAB to match the space needed to house your machinery and the materials and lumber you have at hand. For instance, not all 2×2 lumber is exactly 2×2. Often the pieces are smaller. Once you’ve constructed the basic shell for your box from plywood sheets, adjust the other measurements accordingly.

Project Measurements

For my WIAB, I started by cutting five pieces of 0.5-inch plywood to craft a basic box. The sides measure 22 inches wide by 40.75 inches high. The back is 48 inches wide by 40.75 inches high. Finally, the top and bottom measure 48 by 24 inches. I deliberately made the top and bottom pieces wider than the sides to allow room for a rim in the front for doors.

With this basic box glued and nailed together, I installed 12 pieces of 2×2 lumber around all the inside edges and up the middle of the back to provide extra support for the box and support for shelving. Along the front bottom, I used a 43.5-inch-long strip of 0.75 x 0.75-inch wood rather than a 2×2 to allow a bit of extra hand space for working with cabs on my Genie.

For shelving, I attached six metal 4-inch corner braces to the back 2×2 lumber to support two 5-inch wide shelves along the back of the box. Each shelf measures 46.5 inches long. Halfway up the left-hand side, I installed one shelf that was 22 inches long and 2.75 inches wide. One corner of the shelf rests on the back shelf and the other corner is attached to a 2×2 with a 1-inch corner brace. On the right side, I installed two similar shelves, each with one corner resting on the back shelves and one corner attached to the front 2×2 with a 1-inch corner brace. I notched all the shelves so they would fit snuggly around the 2×2 interior framework.

Organization & Doors

On the left side of my WIAB, I installed a pegboard measuring 14×19.25 inches. I screwed it in place with two 14-inch strips of wood measuring 0.75×0.75 inches, attached to the left inside panel.

With a pegboard on one side and shelving on three sides, my Workshop-in-a-Box accommodates my basic lapidary tools and supplies: safety glasses, dop pot, dop wax, cans holding dop sticks, cab templates, cans for Sharpies and aluminum scribes to mark slabs via templates, cab rest, Water Aid wetting agent, jars of polishing compound, polishing disc and pads, small cans of motor oil and WD-40, paper towels and rags, and my ever-present Buddha sculptures to provide the calm patience needed while crafting a rock. There’s also room to hold small trays for rough pre-forms. The interior space is small, but it holds a lot.

I constructed two doors of plywood sheets, measuring approximately 24×40 inches each, attached to the box with hinges. On the inside of the left-hand door, I installed a thin 1.25-inch wide strip to provide a seal to keep out critters. I also installed two barrel-sliding bolt latches to hold the doors shut, top and bottom. Other options could be magnetic cabinet latches or latches with locks. The door was finished off with two cabinet handles.

Finishing Up

At the lower back corner of the right panel, I cut a 1.5-inch diameter hole for my Genie and trim saw electrical cords. The hole is sealed with a rubber stopper when cords are not in use and pulled inside.

Finally, I painted the interior of my WIAB with glossy enamel paint. This makes for easy clean-up from splashes off the Genie and the trim saw. I used flat paint for the exterior matched to the exterior of my home.

Given that my WIAB is outdoors, I added aluminum drip-edge flashing around the top edges along with shingles. I also took the added step of installing an overhead lamp, which I later found to be unnecessary given the lamp attached to my Genie unit provides plenty of light.

I mounted my WIAB on a wooden typing desk that I got at a garage sale. The desk is 31.5 inches tall and I’ve installed a shelf beneath it for extra storage space. The height is just right for my 24-inch tall stool. The height is also just right for standing at the slab saw.

With these basic instructions, you too can construct a Workshop-in-a- Box. Go for it and enjoy your home lapidary workshop space.

This story about how to make a lapidary workbench previously appeared in Rock & Gem magazine. Click here to subscribe. Story and photos by Jim Brace-Thompson.

The post How to Make a DIY Lapidary Workbench first appeared on Rock & Gem Magazine.

Over the years I have heard many people in the rock community say they will never cut certain stones because of all the inherent dangers that are contained within the material. The reality is the dangers are not in handling the materials themselves but in the processing. The dangers can easily be handled with proper education, gaining knowledge of what is in each stone before cutting, and how to properly stay out of harm’s way with the correct protective gear.

Dangerous Materials

Many stones used in lapidary work may contain radioactive minerals, asbestos, beryllium, sulfur, cinnabar (mercury), and various other harmful elements that can cause health problems if not handled properly. Everything can have risks, even some common items around the house have potential risks — smoke detectors contain radioactive elements, ceramics like tiles and pottery may contain uranium in the glazes, and for years, dishware had radioactive minerals used in the bright coloring. People are familiar with these materials and are comfortable having them around because they know the proper precautions are taken so they can be used as everyday items. The same can be said with many common lapidary materials.

Stones like pietersite, tiger’s eye, marra mamba, and serpentine contain asbestos. Society has been trying to remove old asbestos-containing products such as insulation in homes and buildings for years. This is because asbestos is a fine fiber mineral that when turned into dust and goes airborne, has been linked to lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis. Stones like Clear Creek plasma agate contain various minerals, one of them being an attractive bright red cinnabar which is a mercury sulfide and can be dangerous if you breathe in the dust. It is most dangerous though when breathing in the fumes when the stone is heated to over 400°F. Mercury was utilized by gold miners in the extraction process of gold from the quartz host stone. Members of the quartz mineral group, one of the most common materials and contained in the majority of lapidary materials, is known to cause silicosis. Silicosis is a lung disease caused by inhaling large amounts of crystalline silica dust. It is not curable but is very preventable.

Lapidary Precautions

When cutting cabochons, it’s important to know which materials are unsafe to handle, but for the most part, the majority can be cut with the right precautions. First, setting up your workspace with proper ventilation is key. Everything you do should protect your breathing.

Next, wearing rubber latex gloves or nitrile gloves to protect from skin irritations is not a bad practice. It might not always be effective for those who like to hold the stones by hand as they cab because the gloves tend to rip easily when close to the wheels. If you cab using dop sticks, these gloves can help keep your skin from being overly exposed.

Eye gear is ALWAYS warranted, not just for avoiding the collection of dust particles in your eyes, but to also protect from small chips and shards flying off the grinding wheels that can cause a great deal of eye damage.

The number one article of gear that should ALWAYS be worn is a respiratory mask. The N95 might be adequate for most things. (The 95 number stands for 95 percent of all dust particles.) However, I would suggest using the P100 mask with replaceable filters. These masks will block out 100 percent of all particles in the air and protect you from harmful dust.

A waterproof apron will keep you dry and keep lapidary materials off your clothing. Ear guards not only protect your hearing by blocking machine noise, but they also keep your ears clean and free from compiling dust or particles.

Clean Work Surfaces

In addition to wearing protective gear, keeping a clean shop is just as important. If you are cutting up materials that contain carcinogens such as Tiffany stone which contains beryllium, always clean all the surfaces in your workspace where dust has collected. This way, there won’t be a transfer of dust to your hands, and will avoid accidental ingestion later.

A complete set of protective gear includes a P100 respirator, eye protection, ear protection, a waterproof apron, and gloves. All these items can easily be found at your local stores, such as Home Depot, Lowes or Ace Hardware, and online on Amazon and eBay. Wearing all the correct protective gear and keeping a clean work area should help ensure a safe, healthy hobby.

This story about lapidary safety tips previously appeared in Rock & Gem magazine. Click here to subscribe. Story by Russ Kaniuth.

The post Lapidary Safety Tips first appeared on Rock & Gem Magazine.

Robert said he can spot someone with what he calls the “gem-cutting gene” because of their questions and the way they examine a stone. These creative souls view the intrinsic worth of an object of beauty.

Reaching Younger Artists

Want to become a lapidarist? You’re in good company. Robert says they have noticed a younger demographic’s interest in cutting gemstones. Apprenticing for how to learn gem cutting is no longer a must. It’s now possible to learn from a myriad of sources granting more access to everyone.

Part of the reason so many gem cutters turn to ULTRA TEC is because of its solid foundation.

“We help them achieve the ideas they have in their mind. At the end of the day they have something tangible,” noted Mendoza. ”Joe Rubin started with a good design that we’ve been perfecting over the years. The ULTRA TEC V5 is the best machine to cut gemstones. It carries all the precision to cut gemstones.”

Continuing to Perfect

The ULTRA TEC team enjoys hearing from its customers and often innovates based on suggestions. An example is when they created a digital angle display (DAD) that reads to one-one hundredth of a degree.

“When you are gem cutting, you deal with a lot of angles. The key is to be able to repeat the angle every single time,” noted Robert. “No one else has one that dials down as precisely. We are very proud of this device.”

Quality & Versatility

Besides the quality and versatility of the design of the ULTRA TEC machines, people appreciate that while other faceting machine companies have come and gone, ULTRA TEC supports its people and products.

“ULTRA TEC is a traditional American company. Everything is done under one roof. This company is based on ethics, honesty, and integrity,” said Mendoza. “It makes people happy. We want them to enjoy the hobby.”

The Connection of Mine to Market – Noreen Masaki

Tanzania is known for gemstones, but if Noreen Masaki has her way, it will also be the hub of lapidaries.

“Tanzania is exceptionally rich in gemstone deposits of different varieties,” explained Noreen who has been teaching lapidary classes for over 20 years in Tanzania. Her goal, besides creating beautiful pieces, is to teach people to appreciate the relationship between the rough gem and the final product. This is relevant when it comes to encouraging artisans within her own country.

Her keen mind and excellent eye made her an exceptional student. “At that time learning about gems was a completely new thing to me,” she said. “At the end of the four weeks, I loved to work with gems.”

She said they used the ULTRA TEC V2 during her initial work. “What inspired me was the outcome of a faceted gem — the light reflection, colors, overall brilliance, and irresistible beauty. Over time I learned that not all gems which are cut show their beauty and brilliance and that it had something to do with optical laws and the type of machine used. I was lucky to learn precision faceting of gemstones with the best machine and from the best teacher who respected the optical laws and procedures.”

Current Work

Noreen now utilizes the ULTRA TEC V5 for her students and her own work.

Her students go home with a finished stone on their first day and much of this is because of the quality of the machine.

“I’ve tried so many (different machines),” she said. “The ULTRA TEC V5 is really precise. I do not need surprises when I cut my stones. I like the mast of the ULTRA TEC V5, especially the cheater that helps to find any facet if correction is needed.”

When Noreen works with a stone, she said, “I give priority of the pavilions first because they are responsible for the brilliance of the stone.” She said the drawback of cutting this way is to possibly cut more of the stone than she’d prefer if the angles aren’t spot on.

”We first cut it in our heads,” she said. ”I explain the laws of light reflection within the stone before you cut it. Each stone has its own properties. If the stone has a higher refraction index you cut it at lower angles.”

Noreen sees the beauty in her stones, as well as her students, and through her exceptional talent and high-quality ULTRA TEC faceting machines, she’s creating a new generation of gemstone artists.

Answering the Call – Steven Tyler Manchini

Steven Tyler Manchini, also known as Steven Tyler the Designer, began making wire-wrapped jewelry in 2012 because “it allowed me to have a part-time job while I was in school.”

After obtaining his degree in biology, he continued making jewelry and exploring his creative side. A change in professions is not unusual for instance some go from tooth jewelry dentist to jeweler. “I love science, but every day I was there I was thinking about my bench,” Steven said.

Always Learning

Heeding his inner muse, Steven took classes and taught himself Gem Cad modeling to switch the direction of his vocation, including working with renowned designer Nolan Sponsler who taught him the art of faceting. “I’m learning as much as I can. We all share the knowledge,” he said.

The desire to learn pays off for everyone who marvels at Steven’s unique vision when gem cutting and creating jewelry. A combination of talent and dedication is the perfect recipe for one-of-a-kind pieces.

“I sit at my bench eight to 14 hours a day. I work seven days a week,” he said. ”I just sit at my bench and start the process. It’s the passion for the work that’s driving it.” He believes it’s a matter of being present and finding inspiration in the basic steps as much as anything.

“All the geometry and geometric stuff are what inspired me,” he said. “I love the Fantasy machine from ULTRA TEC. As much as I love flat faceting, the Fantasy machine inspires me.”

The Fantasy machine gives him the latitude needed to explore the geometric patterns that catch his eye. “I like the build of the machine,” Steven commented. “It has an infinite amount of styles that you can do. I had to splurge.”

Professional Goals & Favorite Gems

Steven’s goal of having a piece in a museum was realized as his piece “Alsace Aurea” (the Golden Moose) was accepted in the Maine Mineral and Gem Museum’s “Big Find” event.

Steven cut a rare 25-carat, bi-color Maine tourmaline from the Dunton Gem Quarry and off-set it with two, locally sourced, tourmalines cut with the ULTRA TEC Fantasy machine. They are all set in golden moose antlers creating the ultimate celebration of New England jewelry.

Although it’s like choosing a favorite child to pick preferred gemstones, as a true New Englander, Steven appreciates working with regional specimens. “I really like tourmaline. You can do a lot with it.”

Every generation brings something new to the cutting bench, and Steven offers an artist’s eye with a scientist’s attention to detail that breathes life into his one-of-a-kind gemstone designs.

Representing Quality – Ron Snelling

Ron Snelling’s interest in gem cutting began in the mid-1960s when the parents of his future wife started a local rock club. He is now the Colorado representative for ULTRA TEC and still belongs to a rock club. “I am one of the cutters in the group. I do not dig in the dirt,” he laughed.

Ron purchased his first ULTRA TEC in 1990 and is an admirer of the company and its products. “They keep upgrading and offering parts,” he said, including supporting the longtime workhorse, the V2, which emerged on the market nearly 50 years ago. The reality is that ULTRA TEC machines don’t become obsolete, the company simply continues to improve designs to meet the customers’ needs.

“My favorite is the VL (Classic),” Ron noted. “I got to be part of the research and development and put in a little information, among other experts, to build it.” He also owns an ULTRA TEC V5 and a Fantasy machine making him the ideal person to talk to lapidaries about what they want to do with their designs.

Ron is happy to share his knowledge about how to best adjust the machines for a given task. Whenever someone has a question in his region, he is the expert with the answers. “I do enjoy sharing this,” he commented.

The Hook & Acalling

Ron said one of the most amazing steps in cutting a gem is when the stone is finished and the cutter removes the wax, allowing the gemstone to come to life. “That’s probably the hook (for this hobby),” he mused.

Over the years Ron found his calling in bringing already-cut gems back to life. “A friend has a jewelry store and asked me if I could do repairs,” he said. “Sometimes there are stones, like tanzanite, that are pretty beat up. When you resurface it, the color comes back into it. The best part of all of this is repairs have paid for my hobby and my equipment.”

Hobby Trends

Ron has noticed a trend in the hobby. “It’s interesting how the popularity has gone up. What we’re seeing is a resurgence of 20-somethings.” He noted some amazingly talented younger artists are entering top-notch competitions and winning.

At one point there was more of a feeling of competition and some degree of secrecy in techniques in the gem-cutting community. But Ron said he views gem cutting like music. “There are only so many chords to play, but there are different ways to play them. You need to play it your own way.”

While Ron often works with whatever gemstones need his attention the most, he said given the chance to work with a certain variety, “I probably enjoy quartz the most because they’re large, they’re plentiful and you can do so much with them.”

This story about how to start gem cutting previously appeared in Rock & Gem magazine. Click here to subscribe. Story by Amy Grisak. Sponsored by ULTRA TEC. 

The post How to Start Gem Cutting first appeared on Rock & Gem Magazine.

An A-Ha! Moment

I first realized the value of a metal detector when I saw an amazing gold specimen labeled “The Dragon.” It was perfectly crystallized, about seven inches high and Bryan Lees, a Collector’s Edge dealer, said it would likely sell for six figures. He said it had been found in the Colorado Quartz mine, near Mariposa, California, by miners using metal detectors.

That got my attention. Bryan made arrangements for me to visit the mine to watch miners using metal detectors to scan the walls of the old tunnels and then attack any spot that responded. That was a few years ago and those guys are still having success finding hot spots in that mine!

This is not the only “strike” I’ve seen made using a metal detector. My son Evan lives on a hillside that has an old gold mine on it. He has used his metal detector to find enough pieces of gold ore worth processing.

Metal Detecting in the Richmond Basin

In Arizona, a couple of fellows were rock hunting with metal detectors in the Richmond Basin silver mining district north of Globe, Arizona. They hit it using metal detectors!

Silver nuggets had been collected by the Apaches hundreds of years ago and in the 1800-1900s silver mines operated here. The nearby town of Globe was so named because a large rounded chunk of native silver reminding them of a globe was found near there.

Tiny nuggets of native silver were still found in Richmond Basin, so a couple of them decided to check it out. They walked the washes in the entire Basin with their detectors.

They found one or two small heavy, dull black rocks of tarnished native silver. They decided to get serious and organized a small group of collectors with detectors to check the entire area including the surrounding open desert.

Striking Silver

They found several more small silver nuggets before their efforts paid off when they found two large masses of native silver each weighing in at over 100 pounds. The pieces were less than two feet underground.

The pieces had weathered out of an as yet unknown vein of silver and been buried by years of weathering.

Finding these two masses of silver would make anyone jump for joy. But the best was yet to come. One of the fellows was about done for the day and was scanning the ground as he walked to his vehicle when signals stopped him in his tracks. He was getting wide-ranging signals from something big. This time, they dug down less than two feet and uncovered a mass of silver you only dream about. The silver mass they exposed was almost three feet long, well over a foot wide and many inches thick. The find of a lifetime!

Once exposed and wrapped for protection, it took five guys hours to haul this treasure across the rough desert to a vehicle. When they finally weighed it on the scale, it hit an amazing 417 pounds!

Now that’s what I call a successful day in the field with a metal detector. What’s it worth? You tell me!

This story about can metal detectors detect rocks previously appeared in Rock & Gem magazine. Click here to subscribe! Story by Bob Jones.

The post Can Metal Detectors Detect Rocks? first appeared on Rock & Gem Magazine.

Moving Headquarters

In January 2020, the company moved from Redlands, California, to Meridian, Idaho.

“We believe the timing of the moving was nothing short of miraculous. Because we moved when we did, we were able to continue the production of equipment through the pandemic. Our new factory allowed our employees to be socially distanced from each other, maintaining safety throughout the shutdowns,” said Ashlee Emoto, general manager of Covington Engineering. “Being essential to aerospace, oil field industries, and other scientific fields meant we had to maintain production, which was vital to many customers and to our employees.”

In 2021, Covington Engineering purchased the Ameritool line of products and supplies. According to Emoto, this  is considered a “match made in heaven.” In fact, in the spring of 2021 the company saw its biggest production list ever.

Buying Ameritool

With the Ameritool line of products complementing the Covington line, the accessibility serves the needs of a greater audience of customers and people of varying skill levels, according to Emoto.

“These machines are a great way to introduce people to lapidary work! We produce the machines and the pro sanding disc diamond pads in our factory in Idaho,” she said. “The Ameritool grinders and saws are a great introductory machine at a great price.”

Other Additions

Another addition to the Covington Engineering family is a line of ultrasonic drills. The company took over Cutting Edge Solutions in late 2020, which means customers have the opportunity to purchase ultrasonic drills, which are a great tool for quickly cutting holes through stones, added Emoto.

Covington Engineering also purchased a plasma cutter, which has reduced the time and labor involved in creating every piece of equipment the company makes. The company has added CNC mills, lathes, and a press break.

“Each of these items has allowed us to hold tighter tolerances while producing products more quickly and with higher quality materials,” Emoto said. “We have also been able to bring much of the work that used to be done by outside vendors in-house. This has increased accountability while decreasing costs.”

Asked what the founders might think about all these evolutions and expansions, the sentiment is a tremendous sense of pride.

“I think the Covington founders would be most impressed with the company’s ability to adapt to change over the years. The past decade alone has seen the business grow and adapt through countless changes,” according to Emoto.

Saws! Saws! Saws!

One of the long-time standards in the Covington Engineering lineup remains a top seller: saws!

“Saws of all sizes, from 6 inches to 36 inches, are a hot commodity,” Emoto said.

People discovering or rediscovering a love of lapidary during the pandemic hasn’t diminished with a return to pre-pandemic activities.

“People are still interested in the usual equipment such as flat laps, combo units and sanders but this year has definitely been the year for saws,” said Emoto.

Although much has changed from the early days of Covington Engineering’s story, the timeless commitment to creating quality equipment and materials remains at the center of the activities of this industry leader.

“Covington makes equipment that is designed to last a user for decades. We purchase high-quality materials and take great care to maintain tolerances and produce precision-based machinery,” Emoto said. “It is this care and dedication to our work that sets our equipment apart.”

Arrowhead Lapidary Supply

How long has Arrowhead Lapidary Supply used Covington Equipment? What items do you own and use?

We have used Covington equipment since about 2007. We also use a 16-inch saw, little sphere machine, maxi-lap, triple gallon tumbler and a Rociprolap.

What attracted you to Covington machinery and what impresses you most about it?

Quality construction and they are made in the USA. They are sturdily made, and they last a very long time. Also, Covington has great customer service and support on their products.

How does working with Covington machinery help your business? 

They make working on our products less time-consuming.

How did you get started in this line of work? 

It started in 1996 when we were in Montana. We visited a rock shop and saw all the interesting things that were made out of stone. Having an industrial background, we thought it would be fun, and then it made a good business.

Bob’s Jade & Gems – Bob Carman

How long has Bob’s Jade and Gems used Covington Equipment and what items do you own and use?

I have owned my Ameritool equipment for about seven to eight years. I have the universal grinder and the 4-inch trim saw. These machines are dependable and have given me years of enjoyment.

What attracted you to Covington Machinery and what impresses you most? 

The 8-inch grinder is a versatile machine that allows me to make standardized and freeform cabs and polish flat and rounded surfaces. The 4-inch trim saw is very useful for prepping cabs, freeforms, and preforms. The trim saw diamond blades are thin and will save expensive rough material. These compact machines conveniently run on water and take up minimal workbench space.

How does working with Covington machinery help your business? 

What I find challenging is using my imagination to craft new and unique lapidary art forms. With some creativity, these units offer a wide range of design potential.

How did you get started in this line of work? 

I was always interested in rocks and minerals. I learned to do lapidary from a young age. At one of the gem and mineral shows I attended, I bought my first piece of jade. I have since become hooked on collecting and working with jade. Most of the lapidary work I do now is with jade.

MARK BOLICK – ASHEVILLE, NC

How long have you used Covington Equipment? What items do you own and use?

I’ve used Covington equipment for 25 years, from flat lap grinders, to belt sanders, to lathes, and Rociprolaps.

What attracted you to Covington Machinery and what impresses you most? 

I’ve always been impressed with the build quality and customer service from Covington. They understand their equipment and what pieces will work the best for the process you need to accomplish, and you can count on the equipment to do the job. The nice thing about Covington equipment is that it is easy to operate and understand. I don’t have to spend working time trying to figure out how a piece of machinery works — it just works and allows me to increase productivity instead of re-training.

How does working with Covington machinery help your business? 

Having the ability to quickly accomplish things that need to be done opens up new opportunities to discover what we never thought might be possible before. It’s so easy to experiment and test new techniques, that it pushes us to discover new and different ways to manipulate materials with the equipment.

How did you get started in this line of work? 

Once equipment and tools were readily available to achieve an optically flat surface in a home studio, it expanded our ability to move from strictly blown work to a more constructed design.

This sponsored story about lapidary equipment and supplies with Covington Engineering previously appeared in Rock & Gem magazine. Click here to subscribe. 

The post Lapidary Equipment & Supplies – Covington Engineering first appeared on Rock & Gem Magazine.

“I like good brilliance and contrast with no extinction and no table reflection. However, optics is a matter of choosing your priorities and trade-offs. Sometimes you must give up something in order to make gains in other areas. That was especially true during the process of optimizing this design,” said Perkins.

Reflection Acceptance

To achieve proper brilliance and contrast, Perkins had to accept a slight table reflection. This is something physicists and fellow gem designers have said is common and nothing to worry about. By accepting the reflection, he was able to see that the gem fractures the light in a most satisfying way.

Feedback from other designers, gem cutters and connoisseurs about this design has been positive, which, Perkins said, reminds him to accept compliments and trust in the opinions of knowledgeable friends.

3 Keys to Cutting Peridot

1. Peridot is difficult to evaluate for inclusions. You can pick a piece you think is clean and after cutting and polishing you will find inclusions.

2. Some of the cleanest peridots seem to come from Pakistan and China. Although, Perkins also likes Arizona peridot.

3. Polishing can be difficult. Most cutters say to polish with aluminum oxide. Perkins has the best luck with a BATT LAP with 3,000 diamonds for pre-polishing and another BATT LAP with 100,000 diamonds. He uses paraffin-based candle oil as a lubricant for both BATT laps.

History of Techniques

By various accounts, the development of the round brilliant cut is the result of an evolution of techniques and the mathematical formulation of Marcel Tolkowsky, the author of  Diamond Design.

Over the years, cutters of colored gems derived their cutting angles by extrapolating them from diamond cutters and the refractive index of the material they wanted to cut.

Perkins’ first exposure to gemstone cutting and design came when he was in seventh grade, during a meeting of the Akron, Ohio, Gem & Mineral Club and The Medina Gem & Mineral Society. A man named George Morse had built his own machinery, drew diagrams by hand and cut quartz gems.

Hooked on Faceting

“When I saw what he could do, I was hooked on faceting,” said Perkins, who immediately asked his parents for a machine to begin faceting work. However, it wouldn’t be until the early 1990s before Perkins purchased his own equipment and got down to work.

“I struggled to learn the [cutting] technique from my teacher and after I completed my first round cut brilliant, he told me to ‘go home and cut 25 more stones then bring them back and I’ll show you what you did wrong,’” said Perkins. “I looked at my stone and thought, this is pretty but there is something wrong optically. Over the years I would study in my spare time reading what I could. Eventually, I went to school at the lapidary school in Young-Harris Georgia.”

For nearly 30 years Perkins has been honing his craft and enjoying related exploration, achievement and an opportunity to share what he’s learned. One of the most beautiful aspects, as Perkins demonstrates, is the chance to always be learning.

This story about faceting peridot previously appeared in Rock & Gem magazine. Click here to subscribe! Story by Antoinette Rahn.

The post 3 Tips for Faceting Peridot first appeared on Rock & Gem Magazine.

This was a unique find, and there has yet to be another like it since. Other popular petrified wood specimens include sycamore petrified wood and North Dakota’s teredo petrified wood. Hell’s Canyon Petrified Wood is known to be from the Cretaceous and Miocene era (25 to 145 million years ago). It displays beautiful wavy patterns, known as herringbone, which were the natural growth rings of the ancient Sequoia trees. It also contains dry rot holes that have since been filled with silica and micro drusy cavities.

How to Get Hell’s Canyon Petrified Wood

Hell’s Canyon Petrified Wood isn’t always the easiest of materials to find in the marketplace, but it still can be found in various places online and occasionally at shows. Most of what you find are slabs, and rarely do you see chunks of rough on offer. Not that buying slabs is a bad thing, it actually gives you a good view of exactly what you are buying. One thing to note when purchasing, the thicker the slabs, the better, as it tends to be quite brittle to cut and breaks easily. If you find thin slabs for sale, it’s not the end of the world; it just means you will need to back them before cabbing, which may be the best course of action in the first place, not risking breaking any of this rare and usually expensive material.

Prepping Slabs

Prepping your slabs for preforms is really important since you don’t want to lose any portion of your material. I would generally suggest bench testing slabs to see if there are hidden fractures and if the material will break at an early stage in the cabbing process, but with this material, you should just assume it can break at any spot. To avoid risking the entire slab, I usually cut one preform out closest to the edge of the slab, and start my usual cabbing process, and see how it responds. If it can cab without any hazards, you’re good to go with the remaining portion of the slab. If it was too brittle and portions broke off, then you know to back the entire slab first before trimming out any further preforms.

Backing your slabs is generally easy, as various epoxies can be used. Many people like to back their cabs with black basanite, or you can choose something that has the same general color combinations as what you are cabbing, possibly another type of petrified wood. Spread out a generous amount of epoxy around the edges of your slab, and fill the center as much as possible to avoid any air pockets. I like to use spring clamps to add pressure all around the glued areas, compressing and expanding the glue to the entire area, and allowing it to ooze out the edges. It’s better to use too much epoxy than not enough, and just tip the slab up at an angle to dry, allowing the excess glue to drip onto something that can be discarded.

Cabbing Hell’s Canyon Petrified Wood

Cabbing this material is fairly easy. It just needs to be worked with a gentle touch. Starting with an 80 grit steel wheel may be too aggressive for this type of material, as it’s fairly soft, to begin with, and as stated, brittle. So I would suggest starting on a 220 grit steel wheel to shape and dome your cab. Be cautious not to get the dry rot holes too close to the edge, or you might possibly break open the holes, leaving an uneven edge. Once you have your preform cab shaped and domed, move on to the 280 grit soft resin wheel; from this point, you should be able to apply a generous amount of pressure and smooth your cab out, and check thoroughly for any remaining scratches. Once the scratches are completely gone, move to your 600 grit and continue as a usual jasper-type cab.

Once you’ve reached the 14k grit polishing wheel, this is probably as far as you need to go, as it takes a beautiful polish and the patterns will just pop. Trying to use polishing compounds might fill in the tiny dry rot vugs and create heat fractures from the friction of the polishing pads.

This What to Cut column about Hell’s Canyon petrified wood previously appeared in Rock & Gem magazine. Click here to subscribe! Story by Russ Kaniuth.

The post Hell’s Canyon Petrified Wood first appeared on Rock & Gem Magazine.

Tim Hazeldine, Vice President, Sales and Marketing at ULTRA TEC MANUFACTURING, INC., notes that in the last five to six years, they’re seeing a “maker movement” where people are seeking hands-on projects.

“Someone with that artistic eye will find some way to express it,” he says. “There are very different things you can do to change a stone, but of course, the artistry comes into it.”

When people invest in an ULTRA TEC faceting machine, they have the tools they need to express their creativity in this medium. “You are creating something you can show off to your friends and maybe even something you can sell,” says Tim. ULTRA TEC is an American company with an American product, that is proud to have supported both hobbyists and topnotch professionals throughout the world for 57 years. With a track record of quality and customer attentiveness, their machines allow lapidary artists to express their unique styles while turning rough stones into art.

Tara Coomber – Tara’s Bespoke Gems

Worcestershire, United Kingdom – Tara Coomber was always drawn to the intricacies of nature. Growing up on a small island, she spent most of her childhood on a nearby beach. The shells and pebbles captivated her.

“I’m naturally drawn to detail, and would sit in one spot sifting through them,” Tara says. “I was fascinated with finding things that were so perfect out of a chaos of millions of pebbles.” She spent hours drawing the stones and shells building the foundation for her artistry and becoming a “rock star” in her own right.

An Artistic Journey

Tara’s path began by graduating in 1988 from the School of Master Jewellers, Birmingham with a Bachelor of Arts with honors in Silversmithing & Jewelry. Despite creating pieces for international exhibitions and acclaimed museums, she gravitated toward those pebbles.

“To create something of beauty out of something so raw is an exciting process,” she says. “Every gem has a unique story.”

As a jeweler, she felt some of her designs were limited to the stones on the market so she taught herself to cut gems. She even fashioned her own equipment for many years before investing in the ULTRA TEC V5 Classic.

“Now I have the freedom to create endless possibilities,” Tara explains.

Breathing Life Into Her Vision

When working with a stone, Tara might shape it according to how she wants the piece of jewelry to look.

“Other times, I automatically can see how a piece of rough (stone) will become. And sometimes —and most interestingly— the stone decides for itself,” Tara points out. A stone might behave a certain way as she begins to shape it, or she works around fractures or inclusions. Although, she notes, “Sometimes it’s nice to keep the inclusions as this helps speak the stone’s story.”

ULTRA TEC FACETING MACHINES – Matching the Machine with the Artist

When an artist has the proper tools, it’s easier to translate an idea into a reality. For Tara, her choice of the ULTRA TEC V5 Classic gives her this latitude.

“I love it! Not only do I believe it is the best precision faceting machine on the market for its accuracy and ease of use, but it is a work of art in itself. There is an attention to detail on every aspect of its features. I feel at home sitting by it just looking at how lovely it is. It gives me so much pleasure,” she says.

Sharing Her Wisdom

For those just starting this journey, Tara shares a few pieces of advice. “I’d say you need a lot of time and patience when getting started. There’s so much to learn in technique, technicalities and the science behind it all, especially in precision cutting, but persevere.”

Chen “Jack” Jong Chong – Grand River Gems

Walnut, California & Taiwan – Since Chen “Jack” Jong Chong’s first introduction into gems looking for emeralds in Columbia nearly 20 years ago, he’s been on a mission to hone his craft and share his knowledge. He’s earned multiple first-place awards with the United States Faceters Guild and is actively educating the next generation of gem enthusiasts.

Focused on Learning

Jack’s emerald adventure prompted him to complete the GIA’s Graduate Gemologist course. He took additional courses about gem faceting and purchased his first faceting machine.

Finding the Best Tool for His Trade

“After returning to the United States, I wanted to buy the best faceting machine so I did some research. I emailed ULTRA TEC with a few questions, and Mr. Joe Rubin, the owner, responded to me and invited me to visit the ULTRA TEC factory. They introduced me to the ULTRA TEC V5 Faceting Machine and answered all my questions. I have never met such a kind person and a good company like them, so I decided to use the ULTRA TEC V5 Faceting Machine as my first and only choice,” he explains.

Jack quickly realized he made the right choice. “I love the whole machine, but of course, the mast is the heart of the machine. It is the pride of ULTRA TEC. The ULTRA TEC V5 Faceting Machine meets all of my needs when I do gem faceting. I can quickly position the mast, quickly calibrate the index vernier, and quickly set up angles. The Digital Angle Dial (DAD) is very precise up to two decimal places. And the best thing is I can calibrate it myself if it is needed. I can always be precise and ready for my next faceting,” he said.

Reaching Beyond the States 

Jack’s goal is to share his knowledge with everyone. Starting in 2020, he taught six students who completed his advanced gem faceting courses. He said four of them now use the ULTRA TEC V5 Faceting Machine.

With multiple awards and continual improvement in his craft, his students are in good hands. “When I first participated in the USFG SSC, I thought it was a good way to verify my faceting techniques. I set up my goal as simple as just to do the best I can,” Chen Jong comments.

His enthusiasm in teaching and utilizing the ULTRA TEC V5 Faceting Machine in his work inspired him to reach bigger audiences by participating in the Taiwan Mineral Show and Taiwan Jewelry and Gems Exhibition, creating a Facebook page named “Faceting Fun” and founding “Jack’s Gem Studio” in Taipei City, Taiwan to teach gem faceting.

Nolan Sponsler – NS Custom Jewelry

Graeagle, California – Sometimes life throws a curveball and we have to adjust. This was the case for Nolan Sponsler, who was studying exercise physiology as a collegiate baseball player. During an armed robbery at his apartment, he was shot at twice and witnessed the shooting of his roommate. After this, he needed time to heal. During this healing, he discovered a new calling.

Discovering a Passion through the Pain

Nolan says he dropped out of school to wrestle with severe anxiety, yet needed to work, so he became an apprentice in a jewelry store. When he was in a healthier place mentally, he embraced his newfound passion.

“I found through the medium of jewelry and gemstones I was able to express my creativity and work toward building skills in ways that as a baseball player I wasn’t able to,” he explains.

ULTRA TEC Faceting Machines – Investing in a New Life 

He delved into cutting stones after taking a private class with Hashnu Stones & Gems in 2018. “He had me out for a three-day session where I faceted a citrine and did fantasy cut on the girdle. I wasn’t sure if it was going to be something I’d like to do, but after those three days, I fell in love with it. I knew I had the brain for it,” Nolan says.

Nolan invested in the equipment he needed to continue his newfound path by purchasing the ULTRA TEC V5 Classic as his foundational machine.

“I love it,” he says. “The digital angle dial is great and it’s very accurate with indexing.”

Plus, the V5 is compatible with the Fantasy Machine, his primary tool. “The Fantasy Machine uses the V5 mast on it to operate,” Nolan explains. “The V5 is great for flat faceting, while you’ll use the Fantasy Machine in conjunction with the V5 for concave and fantasy cuts.”

With the Fantasy Machine, artists can sculpt aspects of the stone and add specific features. “I like using the Fantasy Machine because it provides four axes for a tool to travel — East/West and North/ South — and the mast can be moved up & down. The tool holder can be set at precise angles and moved in a straight line. And the machine has a reciprocating motion that is beneficial for concave facets.”

Encouraging Others 

For those interested in gem cutting, Nolan says there is a myriad of online resources. “Also, do not get too caught up on getting everything perfect when you’re just starting. It’s okay to make mistakes because that is how you learn,” he said.

Nolan’s journey was far from smooth, but it’s exactly where he belongs. As he says, “If one has a strong enough reason why, one can bear almost any how.”

Andrew Stuart – Stuart Gems

County Mayo, Ireland – Going from an underwater videographer to working with steel and as a gem cutter, Andrew Stuart muses, “A wise man once said that life happens while you are busily making plans.” With curiosity and willingness to learn, Andrew utilized his talents to merge his creativity into a new career.

Call of the Wild 

Andrew was always fascinated by the natural world. After finishing school, he earned his divemaster certification and taught diving. In Australia, he picked up a video camera for the first time.

“Video bought the underwater world to life,” he says, which inspired him to attend film school when he returned to Ireland and “dive” into a career as a filmmaker. But a growing family called for less travel and a career change.

Fashioning a New Direction 

“I found myself back working in a steel workshop grinding and polishing stainless steel after 20 years of adventures on the high seas,” Andrew says. “It’s safe to say I was not best pleased with my new career. But I did find it oddly satisfying to get a perfect polish on a 10-foot-long, 250-kg slab of stainless steel. I remember having the thought, ‘I don’t mind the polishing bit. It’s all the grinding and lifting that sucks.’ Well, as luck would have it, adventure was not far away.”

While living in his wife’s native Japan, YouTube was a distraction between teaching English classes. “Down the YouTube rabbit hole I went and stumbled across some gem cutting channels,” he says.

ULTRA TEC Faceting Machines – Going with the Tried & True

“That was it. I had to try it. So I ordered the ULTRA TEC V5 and some cheap rough stones, started studying gemology online through Gem-A, and began to teach myself to facet through books, YouTube videos and some good old-fashioned trial and error,” he said.

He decided on the ULTRA TEC machine after lots of research. “I wanted the best, most reliable, most reputable and, above all, a good after-sales service. There have been many good faceting machine manufacturers that went out of business leaving gem cutters struggling to find parts or having to make a hefty investment in a new machine. I wanted to avoid that, too.”

“My favorite feature of the V5 is the DAD. You know exactly what angle you are on, and when you need to return to a facet, you don’t mess up your meet points by being off a fraction,” Andrew says. “I hope in the future to buy ULTRA TEC’s Fantasy Machine to explore the wonders of concave faceting.”

VISIT ultratec-facet.com | EMAIL info@ultratec-facet.com | CALL 714-542-0608 | INSTAGRAM instagram.com/ultratec_facet | FACEBOOK facebook.com/ultratec.facet | TWITTER twitter.com/ultratec_facet

The post ULTRA TEC Faceting Machines first appeared on Rock & Gem Magazine.

Colors & Patterns

If you know what are agates, you may be familiar with the unique look of Challis plume agate. This material has a fascinating array of colors and patterns such as its seafoam green to dark green feathery plumes, mixed with yellow agate. This color combo is shared by Prudent Man Agate. The banded outer golden flame pattern is reminiscent of Wyoming’s Lysite agate.

To top it off, Challis plume agate also has various pockets of botryoidal agate with an angel wing cap.

How to Find Challis Plume Agate

Finding this material isn’t always easy, every once in a while you’ll see some on eBay or Facebook and at shows.

It usually comes in a seam, generally in larger sizes in the 2- to 10-pound range. This is like graveyard plume and others that form in the same way. When finding rough, it’s difficult to judge what you’ll be getting on the inside, but generally, you won’t be disappointed.

Slabbing Challis Plume Agate

When starting to slab this material, there is usually a rough or angel wing top, which gives you an idea of what direction to cut. I’ve found it’s best to cut top to bottom to display the best patterns, much like cutting a lace agate to see all the layers.

When you have the slabs cut, and you plan to incorporate the angel wings in your cab designs, it’s best to let them soak in hot soapy water for a few hours. Use a steel brush to knock all the dirt out of the angel wing cap unless you plan on just cutting around it and use only the solid portions of the agate.

When starting to draw out your designs, bench testing this material is important. It can contain fractures, some being visible, and others not so much. Tap it on a wood surface gently and see if it breaks. From there, you can start drawing out all your preforms on the solid pieces.

Cabbing Challis Plume Agate

The cabbing process can be a little tricky, as this material varies in hardness. The bottom rind (golden flames) is usually much softer than the top agate portions. Use a softer touch when dealing with this. The angel wing cap can also be brittle to grind. When grinding, you chance losing some of the strands as they break off.

To start, grind down your shape on an 80 grit steel wheel. Be a bit cautious on the golden flames so you don’t undercut it too much from the rest. If you are designing cabs utilizing the angel wing top, be cautious when grinding, do the bare minimum at this stage until you move forward to the 220 grit.

One thing I like to do with agates with varying hardness and brittle areas is to move away from the steel wheels and use a course soft resin wheel instead, usually a 140 grit or even a 220. These grind down much smoother and with fewer vibrations, giving it fewer chances to fracture off pieces. By using a 140 soft resin diamond wheel, it will also remove deep scratches in a hurry and make far less work for you in the long run. At this point, the rest should be easy. Move on to your 280 grit wheel, and continue to dry the cab every few minutes and check for scratches.

Once all the scratches have been removed, it’s time to move forward and finish off your Challis plume agate cab.

This What to Cut column by Russ Kaniuth about Challis plume agate appeared in the August 2021 issue of Rock and Gem magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Challis Plume Agate – What to Cut first appeared on Rock & Gem Magazine.

The majority of the material is usually green and blue but also contains various other colors such as pinks, oranges and browns. The patterns resemble cut limbs, but you can also find this material with orb/egg patterns, such as Blue Mountain, Morrisonite and Royal Imperial jaspers.

Going Gary Green

Gary Green jasper is now being mined by West Coast Gemstone Mining Company, and being sold at the Polka Dot agate mine and at the Caldera Rock Shop in McDermott. You can also obtain this material from Aaron Buell on Facebook, he’s the one pulling it directly out of the ground with the excavator every day! Thanks to the ongoing efforts by West Coast Mining for purchasing the land, and mining this material, it will continue to be available to all. Most petrified woods contain fractures and soft edges, and Gary Green jasper is no different, however, most of the newer material being mined seems to be very solid with very few issues of fractures.

When starting out the slabbing process, most people generally cut the short ends of the stone, which is a good place to start, where it displays most of its best patterns. Much of the material is white on the outside, so sometimes it might be best to cut windows on a couple of sides to see which side has a pattern that is more desirable. This material does contain various vugs and pits, but most lapidaries will incorporate it in their work keeping the natural look of the stone. You can work around these areas as there will be plenty of room in your slabs to preform a cabochon without any blemishes at all.

Gary Green Jasper – Adjusting the Grit Wheel

Once you have drawn out your patterns on the slabs and are ready to trim them out, this might be a good time to do a fracture test just to be sure it won’t split on you when you
start to cab. You can do this by trying to flex the slab in your hands or do the drop test, by dropping it flat on your wench bench from 4 to 6 inches up. If that doesn’t split it, it should be ok to start trimming.

Gary Green is a relatively hard jasper, so starting out I use either a 60 or 80 grit wheel to shape and form my cabochon. With materials like this, I like to add a 180 grit steel wheel to my set up, and then switch my 220 steel wheel to a 220 Nova soft resin wheel. By doing this it smooth’s out much quicker and removes the majority of scratches before reaching the 280 grit stage. the rest of the cabbing process is relatively easy and routine, and once you’ve reached the 14k grit stage, you should have obtained a beautifully high polished cabochon.

Since Gary Green jasper may contain some surface fractures running along with the wood grain pattern, and/or small pits, I would not suggest polishing with cerium oxide, instead finishing up at the 14k grit stage should leave you very happy with a finished product, or you can go one step further by using a 50k grit soft resin wheel to try and gain just a touch more shine!

This What to Cut column about Gary Green jasper previously appeared in Rock & Gem magazine. Click here to subscribe. Story by Russ Kaniuth.

The post What to Cut: Gary Green Jasper first appeared on Rock & Gem Magazine.