| So, you think you'd like to make your own
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| | ground up, you need a Slab Saw for
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| cabochons? Well, I'm going to tell you
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| | cutting rough rock;
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| what's involved in doing that! This
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| | Cost: $1,700
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| doesn't include faceting gems, that's a
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| | Additional supplies: 5 gallons of
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| completely different subject!
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| | water-soluble cutting oil, sharpening
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| One of the first things you learn in a
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| | stone.
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| metalsmithing class is how to bezel-set a
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| | Maintenance Costs: If you do your cabbing
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| cabochon. Because of that assignment, I
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| | at a 'hobby' level, you will probably
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| went searching for some interesting
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| | need to buy new wheels and blade for the
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| stones to set. That's when I fell in love
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| | Slab Saw about once every 12-18 months.
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| with rocks! I have over 10 years
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| | The Trim Saw will require more blades, a
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| experience in stained glass work, and the
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| | good blade for a 6" Trim Saw is $28, and
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| concepts of cutting, shaping and
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| | you should have two different sized
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| polishing cabochons is very similar to
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| | blades, depending on what you're cutting.
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| working with stained glass!
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| | Material like Rhodochrosite is soft and
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| I didn't have anyone to tell me what I
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| | easy to cut, but materials like agate are
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| needed, so I started doing a lot of
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| | very hard, and will dull a blade quickly.
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| research into lapidary equipment. I
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| | A sharpening stone will help extend the
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| figured out that, at the very least, I
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| | life of the blades.
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| would need a Trim Saw and a Cab Machine.
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| | A word about cabochons... there are two
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| A Trim Saw is used to cut down rock slabs
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| | different types. I refer to the first as
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| (flat pieces already cut from rough rock)
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| | a 'generic' cab, in which you cut as many
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| as close as possible to the shape of the
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| | cabochons from a slab as you can. You'll
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| cabochon. This is a basic machine that
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| | get more cabs, and very little waste,
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| uses a blade, and has a water reservoir,
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| | which is more cost-effective. Then, there
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| used to cut stone. Nothing fancy is
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| | is a 'Designer Cabochon', where you
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| needed, you just want to be sure that the
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| | select the best pattern or colors on the
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| surface area on the machine is about 4-5
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| | slab to create a more beautiful cabochon.
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| inches on each side of the blade.
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| | You create a spectacular piece, but there
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| A Cab Machine is used to shape and polish
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| | will be more waste, and a higher cost as
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| the cabochon. Here, I made a mistake. I
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| | a result.
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| found three different machines with very
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| | Last but not least is your time. If you
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| different prices, from $336 to $1600. I
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| | are starting with a rough rock, a slab
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| decided to go in the middle, and selected
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| | saw will take about 20 minutes to make a
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| a machine that cost $795. The description
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| | pass; the nice thing about this is that
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| said it was all I would need, what it
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| | they come with an auto-feed system, so
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| didn't say was that you had to change out
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| | while you're cutting a rock in that
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| pads and wheels every few minutes, and
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| | machine, you can be working on something
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| had to take off all the wheels to change
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| | else. I can usually spent about an hour
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| the saw blade! That was fine for the
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| | at the Trim Saw to produce 10-15 cabs,
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| first day or so, but I quickly realized
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| | depending on what material I'm trimming.
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| this was going to be a nightmare! I
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| | Harder rocks take longer to cut through.
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| returned it; top-of-the-line, here I
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| | The cabbing machine takes the longest,
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| come! I got a Diamond Pacific Ginie with
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| | and you don't want to rush in any of
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| 6 wheels and a totally separate machine
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| | these processes. This will need anywhere
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| for cutting the slabs, and it was well
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| | from 20-50 minutes per cabochon.
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| worth the extra money! When it comes to
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| | In summary, each individual cabochon will
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| cabbing equipment, I don't recommend
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| | take 45 minutes to 1-1/2 hours to make.
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| cutting corners, you will end up wasting
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| | Your basic cost for equipment will be
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| a lot of your time!
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| | about $3,725, plus the additional
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| So, here's a cost breakdown, with tax and
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| | supplies and the raw material/rough
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| shipping:
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| | stone. You will need to produce 150 cabs
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| Trim Saw $425 (only for cutting slabs,
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| | and sell them for an average of $25 each
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| not rough rocks)
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| | to pay for the equipment. By that time
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| Cab Machine $1,700
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| | you'll need to replace some blades, and
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| Additional supplies needed: Templates,
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| | you can start recovering your costs for
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| apron, safety glasses, dopping supplies,
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| | supplies and stone. Sorry. . .it will be
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| coolant, polish, blades, rock slabs
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| | awhile before you can start getting paid
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| Now, if you really want to start from the
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| | for your time!
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