The Rock Cutting Has Begun!

 Summer is here!

And it's finally warm enough for me to work in the shop with water. So the saw is humming and we've had some pretty awesome cuts so far. Here's a stone with a lot of copper oxide on the surface.

 And sure enough, the inside didn't disappoint.

You can even see a spot of native copper just to the left of the thumbnail. We also cut some very nice vein agate.

And some awesome plume /moss agate.

I just love the patterning and colour on this one so there is a really nice cabochon in its future.

Stay tuned with more cuts to come. And if you are in the neighbourhood, stop by and say hi and pick up your free tumbled rock. Take home a piece of "The Neck".

One Door Shuts...And Another Opens

 Well, the scenery sure has changed. I now look out on several inches of snow with more to come today. Lapidary work requires a lot of water and right now that water is cold- VERY cold.

So now the scene shifts to fabrication and that takes place on my bench in my alloted space in "the real artist's" studio.

I have a problem that would be the envy of most- too much beautiful material! The real artist (AKA She with the agate eye) keeps finding me beautiful agates, jasper, amethyst, carnelian- you name it. I literally have enough good material to keep me going for decades but at 77 years old (and I mean OLD) I don't see decades in my future. So the first task has been to pare down the "stash" to a manageable amount.

As you can see this hasn't been an easy job. The small oval container just to the left of the blue bin contains well over 100 possible cabs to set. I'll probably get that down to about 20 that I'll start working on soon.

So if you ever want to buy some beautiful cabochons to make your own pieces, let me know.

What Happens To The Rocks I Cut?

 My last post showed some of the local rocks I recently cut. But what happens next?

To a great degree, that depends on what I discover inside. If the rock has cracks, it will probably shatter when I grind it but if it has interesting features, I can sometimes make beautiful specimen pieces. If the rock is solid and interesting, I will use it to make cabochons. This requires me to rough cut the shape I want on my Hi-Tech saw and then grind and polish it on my Cab King.

Several of the pieces shown last time were good enough to become cabochons and I thought you might like to see the transformation.

This piece of petrified wood became ...                                                            this.

And this became ...                                                                                   this.              

This one was so spectacular I had to make several pieces:

Fantastic end result. Couldn't pick a best side for the teardrop so I finished both!

It is an absolutely amazing experience watching the transformation from a piece of rough rock to a finished piece. So if your travels take you to Digby Neck, stop by and see my shop.

The Fun of Cutting Rocks

"Life', as Forest Gump so famously said, "is like a bunch of chocolates". He was referring to the unexpected surprises (good and bad I guess) that serve to make our lives interesting. 

Cutting rock is much the same. Surprises, both good and bad are revealed. True, if you know what you're doing, you have an inkling. But you never REALLY know.

The weather on Digby Neck has warmed up enough so that my water cooled lapidary machines can be fired up and recently I did a bit of cutting. Here are a few interesting pieces.

The first piece looked pretty good on the outside, with nice pink colouring.

But it was only when cut that the beautiful patterning was exposed, including the gorgeous pockets of fortification agate.

The next is a piece of petrified wood found on a beach. It had all the earmarks of petrified wood on the outside.

But when I cut it, the beautiful organic structure became evident and the great colouring also showed up.

Sometimes you get a complete surprise. On the outside it looked like a nice piece of agate.

But on the inside, there was an amazing array of colour and patterning. This will make a couple of amazing cabochons!

I'll be doing more cutting next week so stay tuned. And if you are in the area, come by and see our retail shop as well as my "Lap of Lapidary!

The Lap of Lapidary is Open!

 I often see people asking how to set up a lapidary shop so I thought I'd show mine. First off, decide what you want to do- cut, grind, shape, polish, make jewelry- the options are endless. Lapidary equipment can take up a lot of space and be expensive so you might have to be selective. In my case, I have a dedicated powered shop 24 ft. X 12 ft. so I have lots of room. I could even fit a few more pieces in if anyone wants to make a donation (heh,heh)! Here's the set up.

The window (not shown) and fan provide good ventilation and it is well lit. I also run an air filter. I made most of the tables and they are sturdy and solid- a real must.

In my case, I decided I didn't want to cut really large rocks so my two largest saws have a 10 inch blade. The oil saw was made 60+ years ago by a company in Edmonton Canada (long gone) called Mercury. It is cast aluminum so will last a lot longer than I will!

It has a motorized feed and rock vise that I rarely use since I run the rocks through by hand. I made the splash guard and my daughter Sandra installed the new 1/2 HP  motor last year. Notice my rock filing system in the background! I use it for cutting large rocks for specimens and slabs.

My other large saw is one of my favourite pieces. It is also 10 inches but is cooled/ lubricated by water.

This saw is made by Hi-Tech and I have a sliding vise and bridge for it. It is made from an amazingly sturdy and rugged polyethelene which means it won't rust and is much easier to clean. And it is so much easier (and I think healthier) to work with water. I cut slabs with this saw but can also cut shapes from the slabs with the thin blade. I can even use it to cut glass.

I am very fortunate to have a wife who loves to comb the nearby beaches and since every visitor to our store gets a free local rock, I need a tumbler. Mine is a Lot-O-Tumbler that holds a 4 LB load.

It is an absolute horse and I run it all summer. Since it is a vibrating tumbler, I go from rough to polished finish in a week or less so I will do about 25 loads each year. The concrete base stops it from going on a tour of the shop.

It is only after I have cut a rock that I can decide what I want to use it for. Since we have fantastic local agate and jasper, many become polished specimens that are sold in the store. And for this task I have another amazing machine called a slant lap.

This machine is also made by Hi-Tech and extremely durable. It grinds a flat surface by use of round plated that vary in coarseness and is cooled by water so very easy to clean. I hang my different plates on wooden dowels above the machine. These machines are also available with a horizontal top but I find the slant angle mush easier if your back is as old as mine!

I have a flat top grinding machine that I use for a variety of purposes.

This machine has a rotating spindle to which I can attach either a cutting or grinding bit. I use it for shaping stone or glass but can also use it to cut grooves around pieces to allow me to use a wire wrapping technique. It is also cooled by water. The black object behind is my air purifier.

In order to drill holes in rocks, it must be done under water. And while some can do it by a hand held tool, I much prefer a drill press.

Here, I have a diamond bit installed and a tray so the piece can be drilled under water. If you want more info on this operation, just contact me.

I have to say that while I like working with all the various pieces in my shop, if I had to whittle it down to a favourite, it would be the Cab King!

This machine allows me to polish surfaces and create high polished cabochons for pendants. I have had other similar machines but there are a few things that set this one apart. Most importantly, the wheels are cooled by water that comes from above (as opposed to below with some other machines). This avoids contamination. Secondly, when compared to other units, this one is quite quiet. Thirdly, the wheels on one side can be removed and replaced by an 8 inch trim saw running off the same motor and it is a really good trim saw! And the motor is powerful enough for two people to work on wheels on different sides at the same time. Lastly, it is very easy to clean.

If you have any questions, I'll be happy to answer them and if you happen to find yourself on Digby Neck, in Nova Scotia Canada, come on by and see them in action.

So there you have it. And while some might prefer to live in the lap of luxury, I much prefer living in The Lap of Lapidary!

A Changing of the Seasons on The Neck

 Fall has arrived on Digby Neck.

It has been months since we faced that dreaded point when the days started getting shorter but at least we had the warmth. Alas, that too has started to wane. We now close the downstairs windows at night and wake up to darkness- a ritual that will be repeated for the next several months. Soon the dehumidifier will be shut off in the old stone walled basement, its hum replaced by that of the infrared heater to the joy of the two cats. 

Outside, the changing of the guard is occurring. The Cormorants are gone, soon to be joined by the Great Blue Herons and their spots on the pier and in the marsh have been filled by ducks and loons. Only the hardy gulls and crows will tough it out through the winter. The starlings are amassing on the telephone wires and we are seeing the odd jay along with the ominous presence of the harrier hawk.

The grass is growing much slower now and some plants are already dying while others, such as the Virginia Creeper, are going out in a splash of brilliant red glory.

Our routine has adapted. Afternoon tea or wine is now taken on the back deck where the sun's now shallow rays linger. It is amazing how important the warmth of the sun becomes as I get older. I feel the cold much more now. One good change is that the stars appear much earlier so on clear nights we are able to bundle up in our tilting deck chairs and search the now dark heavens for shooting stars and passing satellites.

Things are slowing down in The Lap of Lapidary as well. I'll do a few more loads in the tumbler and cut a bit more but the Cab King is now ready to be cleaned for its hibernation. I've recently completed a few pieces that I really like, however.

And I have enough "granite ice" to finally fill my display.

The pace has slowed dramatically, with fewer and fewer cars passing by and only the odd visitor to the shop.

So now the scene will shift indoors where I will take my place, Vickie willing, at my bench in her studio and work on completing some of the beautiful stones I fashioned this year and listing them on our website, The Seawall Emporium. I do cherish this time- feeding off the inspiration from "the real artist", listening to our favourite music and enjoying memories from time now long past. The cats seem to feel the same way as they seem content to spend hours curled up in balls on their beds on Vickie's table.

Soon the gale winds will be howling and the sea ice will be invading our bay, hypnotizing us with its wave driven movement. The cats will be seeking the warmth of the propane fireplace and walks on the beach will be a distant memory. Meanwhile, the oppressive, spirit crushing blanket of covid remains in place with no end in sight. 

However, hope springs eternal and for now, we will enjoy this brief window, this welcome calm before the storm that is fall on Digby Neck. 

The Great Cabochon Project is Complete!

 Well, it's been a hectic couple of months but the cab project is almost over- just a few days after I turned 75! And yes, I'll admit I got a little (well maybe a LOT) carried away.

My original goal was to produce 100 quality cabochons from my existing rocks and slabs. The first step was to choose the shape and I let the rock determine that as much as possible. In a few cases I kept a raw edge if it enhanced the look. Then I had to cut out the shapes using my trim saw attachment for the Cab King and it worked amazingly well.

Here I want to say a word about Cab King. I'll tell you flat out that I would not have tried this venture with my old equipment but it was possible because the Cab King is faster, much quieter and far more comfortable to use. Some say the wheels don't last but mine are great and after two years including this batch, they have plenty of life left. Also, the watering system is wonderful. One last bonus- I don't know if they recommend this but I mounted the saw in place of the fine grit wheels and was able to switch back and forth between cutting and shaping. Just have to have some protection from the turning saw blade.

So yes, I got carried away and ended up with closer to 200 stones, which is way too much for my jewelry needs for the upcoming winter but the lady with the agate eye just keeps bringing me so much beautiful rock- agate, jasper, amethyst, sparkling druzys, petrified wood- and virtually all of this batch is local from the Bay of Fundy.

There is some amazing patterning.

But some of these are just awesome when you see them with a light behind them! Here's the same batch backlit.

So my plan now is to take out any that have flaws (sometimes cracks appear towards the end) and polish some of the best pieces to 50,000 grit if I think they will look better (they are at about 14,000 now). Sometimes a surface that is too glassy can detract from the visual effect of the patterning.

Then I will post pics of smaller groups on IG and Facebook and possibly here as well and offer them for sale individually, either as loose stones or made into jewelry on site.

It has been an awesome learning experience and now I can cut some more slabs!

Covid restrictions have eased in Nova Scotia and we are getting some visitors from the rest of Canada so if your plans are taking you to this area come on by and say hi and see what we are working on.

Cheers!

Gina Halteman-Formica...a great artist!

 A few months ago, a lady in a beautiful part of Pennsylvania saw one of my finished cabs on line and asked to buy it. I sold her the piece and asked if she would send a picture when it was completed...and she sent TWO!

 The stone was the one in the middle of these three- a stunning example of Mexican Crazy Lace Jasper!

So the artist- Gina Halteman- Formica- took the stone and made it look even better by creating an amazing, unique setting. (Sorry for the picture quality but it is hard to photograph silver.)

And I absolutely love her connector- a hand fashioned sliding bail that attaches to the back of the setting so the stone seems to "float".

I really enjoy her work because, like me, she makes a lot of her own findings and connectors and she does a lot with upcycled copper. You really should check out her work at lovegwireworks.com

I'm back on the CabKing and here are some recent pieces- part of my 100 Cabochon project. This diverse grouping of agate and jasper are all local! What amazing material I have to work with!

And just a reminder, if you are travelling near Digby NS, we are now open most days.

Cheers!

Shop Update and Opening

Hi all. We have been given permission to open and our province has decided to let some travelers cross the NS border so on the off chance we might encounter a tourist, we're open!

Right now, most of the action is centered on my shop- The Lap of Lapidary- where I am getting around to cutting some of the finds brought to me by "She With The Agate Eye". And I have to say there is some pretty cool stuff!

The last one is a real mystery. I don't know if the outer "shell" is a weathering effect or not but it's all silicate. If anyone has suggestions, let me know!

So now I am defining shapes and using the trim saw attachment on the Cab King.

There will be some beautiful cabochons if I can get it done without any disasters. I'll keep you posted.

And if you are in the neighbourhood, drop by. My "free tumbled rock" box is overflowing!

Cheers!