Making A Cabochon 101

Making a Cabochon 101

Cabochon is a cut of a gemstone that is flat on the back, domed on the top and can be round, square, rectangular, and free-form. The most common shape is an oval.  This cut of a gemstone is in contrast to a faceted gemstone such as a diamond.

When making a cabochon there are some common mistakes that if you learn to avoid, will make your finished stone much better.

If you want professional results, use professions tools, skills, polishes, and knowledge.  Taking a short cut will get you right where you don’t want to be. Remember, this is suppose to be a fun hobby—don’t stress out.  Ask us if you have questions about a particular rock or step in the process.

Assuming you are starting with a rock slab…

1^st; Learn about the rock you are cutting.  If it has a special property such as asterism, iris effect, particular patterns, etc.  These need to have special care when cutting in order to get the correct effect. Find the part of the rock you want to cab.  Keep in mind the better the rough rock the better the finished cabochon.  We often see someone put half an hour into making a perfect cabochon out of a bland rock.  Make sure the rock is worthy of your time.

2^nd; Check for porosity, hardness, cracks, and pits.  If a rock is porous or soft, it will not take a good polish without sealing it.  Use a stone sealer to fill any porous sections, cracks, and pits. There are a number of good products available.  We use EZ Bond® but Opticon® works well.

3^rd;  Use a good machine designed for polishing a good rock.  Bench grinders are NOT a good machine and are NOT designed for polishing rocks.  Use the right tool for the right job!

4^th; Go through the right sequence of grinding and polishing steps.  Some rocks require a coarser grit to start with.  Some a finer grit to start.  Diamond is superior to silicon carbide in terms of hardness, durability, and polishing.  But silicon carbide is less expensive and will work.  At the rock shop we go through the following steps;  80, 220,280,600,1200 grit diamond wheels.  Then we determine if it needs 3000 grit or if we can buff the stone with Zam®.  The longer you spend on the first step the less time you will have to spend on the last steps.

5^th; When making a cabochon we do all the rough all the rough shaping with the 80 grit wheel.  Once you have a good shape and a dome that goes all the way across the stone you are ready to move to the next wheel.  After the first wheel, I like to do all the grinding/polishing in one direction on the stone and rotate it 90 degrees after each wheel.  That way I can see if I have left any scratches from the previous wheel.

6^th; When you are done with the 1200 grit wheel, use cerium oxide or tin oxide on leather (cork or felt work well also) wheel for the final polish.  This will put that wet gloss on just about any rock.  If you have filled the cracks and pits with sealer, they will not get full of the polish leaving distracting lines in the cabochon.

7^th; There is a lot more that can be learned about cabochon cutting. Ask if you have questions.  And remember to enjoy your finished product.

Join Our Cabochon Making Classes
See Our Class Schedule Here... 

November Class Schedule

November Class Schedule!

Now is the time to turn your rocks into stunning gemstone gifts for the holidays... This November is the perfect time to spread your wings and learn something new! November 6th - Lapidary School Orientation Class 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm - $50.00 Per Person November 7th - Cabochon Wire Tree Class 10:00 am to 1:00 pm - 45.00 Per Person November 7th - Rock Tumbling Class  10:00 am to 11:00 am - FREE Per Person November 13th - Freeform Cabochon Class  4:00 pm to 5:00 pm - $20.00 Per Person November 13th - Calibrated Cabochon Class 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm - $20.00 Per Person November 14th - Beginning Silver Smithing Class 10:00 am to 4:00 pm - $255.00 Per Person Class Includes Silver, Use of Tools, & Lunch! November 20th - Lapidary School Orientation Class 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm - $50.00 Per Person November 21st - Lapidary School Orientation Class 10:00 am to 11:00 pm - $50.00 Per Person November 21st - Bookend Cutting Class 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm - $20.00 Per Person  Please sign up for classes via online link, or by calling 801.355.7952 as classes do fill up, and are subject to cancelation or change if we do not have an accurate student count. Even free classes are subject to being overbooked or canceled.  Check out The Rock Pit Lapidary School of Arts Website: www.rockpitlapidary.com

Rockpick Lapidary School of Arts *Teaser*

Rockpick Lapidary School of Arts

20 years ago we opened our doors for business with the new owners, and the new name! This year we are opening our doors to fun and learning through the Rockpick Lapidary School of Arts. We are expanding in a whole new way that allows our rock hounds to play on our lapidary equipment, learn ancient arts, and enjoy the rock shop through expanded lapidary room hours! 

What does the school mean for the rock shop? 

It means more fun,  more play, more learning and more classes! First we'll be able to offer an expanded selection of lapidary services at the rock shop. Our rock hounds will be able to come in and use the equipment during Lapidary School hours, and we'll be offering twice as many classes at the rock shop throughout the year! It also means we'll have a larger lapidary style work room to accomodate more students at once and allow more guest teachers to come teach at the rock shop! Find out more at the 6th Annual Rock Shop Rock Show! Buy a VIP Pass now.

Get The First Glimps of the School

To be among those that are on our VIP list for the soft opening of the Lapidary school and the first glimps of what is coming join us for the Adult Only VIP Pot Luck and Mineralogy Party September 2nd.  There are only 2 ways to get in on this event either guarentee your spot by purchasing a VIP Pass now or win tickets through Social Media, Our E-mails, or by e-mailing Adrienne here with the title "I want to win" in the subject line. Winners will be notified and e-mailed tickets. Find out more about the party here... 

How To Clean Silver Collectables

How To Clean Silver Collectables 

Have you ever looked at your silverware, silver plated collectables, or your silver mineral specimens and wondered how you could clean them all at once without having to spend all day at it.

Here is a simple, household remedy that works.  Keep in mind, if you are cleaning mineral specimens you may want to consult with a professional before you do.  Often that oxidation makes the specimen more valuable.  Don’t worry if you have already cleaned the specimen, we can tell you how to put the oxidation back on.

• Place a sheet of aluminum foil in a glass casserole dish. (or a bigger bowl if you are doing a big piece).
• Pour in boiling water.
• Add 2 tablespoons of regular table salt- not "real” salt.  It has to be regular sodium chloride-the cheap stuff.
• Add 2 tablespoons of baking soda.
• Put the silverware in the solution.  Make sure they are all touching each other and the aluminum foil.

It should only take a few minutes.  When it looks clean take it out and rinse it with distilled water and dry with a soft cloth.  Any residual tarnish should just wipe off with the dry soft cloth.

For pieces that are really tarnished, you may have to repeat the process a couple of times.

Rick Dalrymple,

Rockpick Legend Co.

The Rock Shop on Main 

1017 South Main Street

Salt Lake City, UT 84111 

www.rocks4u.com 

www.erockshop.com

An effective substitute to plastic pellets

An effective substitute to plastic pellets.

With the volatility of oil prices these days, plastic pellets have become difficult to come by. 

We have found a great substitute for them that actually works better!  Rubber bands.

I prefer the wider style (#64) as they are easier to work with.  In reality, all sizes will work great.

Like the pellets, they are reusable in the same grit or polish they were originally used in.

Unlike pellets, they don’t float.  But because of their size they are easily separated from the stones.

Good Luck Tumbling!

How to choose rocks for your tumbler

How to choose rocks for your tumbler:

Not all rocks will tumble and not all rocks that will tumble will tumble together.

Here are a few basic rules to pick the rocks.

One method is to use only the same type of rock.  For example, use just jade.  Or you can use all the same agates.

If you are going to mix types of rocks the first step is to make sure they are all the same hardness.  To do this is simple.  Scratch the rocks together.  If they scratch each other equally, they are the same hardness and should tumble together.

When you are scratching the rocks together, use a clean, fresh surface on each rock. 

Avoid sharp points OR use sharp points on both rocks.

After you have made your selection based on hardness, place your rocks in a shallow, plastic tray or dish and pour white distilled vinegar on them.  Any rocks that effervesce (fizz) need to be removed.  Don’t confuse fizzing with air bubbles escaping from the rocks.  This process eliminates carbonate rocks that cause excessive foaming and gas build up in the tumbler, which can cause the lids to pop off.

Some people like having the rocks all the same size.  This is fine but it may take longer in the first step.  Sometimes 2-3 extra runs in the first step are required to get the rocks rounded out enough to be ready for step 2.

Mixing sizes may eliminate the need for extra runs in the first step.  Pea-sized rocks  mixed with 1.5” rock will ensure that the smaller rocks work grooves and divots out of the larger rocks.

Avoid rocks with spongy spots & cracks.  Remove any that crack or break during any stage.

The Prefect Vibra-Lap Polish

Vibra-lapping is the art of taking a rock with a flat face and polishing it. This is a very fun and rewarding aspect of the rock hounding hobby. However, it can be frustrating when things don’t go just right and you end up with a poor polish or worse yet a partial polish.
I use a 4 step process when I vibra-lap that works great. Here is how I do it...
1a. Make sure the rock is clean of loose debris. When I polish geodes I like to make sure they are scrubbed clean of all the clay or ash that might be on them. I do this before I cut them so I don’t end up with the crud in my saw. I have noticed a lot of people just put the rock in the saw and don’t clean it first. If little pieces do come off during any stage of the vibra-lappiong process remove them or they will get under the rocks and cause little squiggly lines in the rock that will make it so you have to start all over. This is tragic when you are in the polishing stage and discover them.
Make sure the cut-off burrs are gone. Often when you are finishing a cut there is a little burr on the rocks where it separates at the end. Don’t put these rocks into the vibra lap pans as it can damage the pan. I either grind them off or knock them off with a hammer.
1b. Charge the pan with 80 grit silicon carbide. The amount of grit to use depends on the size of pan you have. I use a 16" Covington lap and I charge it with a ½ cup of grit. Add enough water to make it a slurry and place the rocks on top of the grit and water. Make sure you add enough rocks to fill the pan 3/4 full. If you don’t use enough rocks you will "dish" the pan. Putting one rock in with the water and grit will act as a drill and cut into the pan. Because of the physics involved, the rock, grit, and water want to go to the center of the pan. If you don’t have enough rocks to fill the pan you will wear it down faster in the middle and it won’t be flat enough to do a good job. You can ruin a pan in about 2 hours of grinding.
1c. After 6 to 8 hours pick out a rock and scribble all over the face you are polishing with a pencil.  Don’t use a marker! Place the rock back in the pan and let it go for 5 or so minutes. Remove the rock and rinse it with water. Don’t wipe it. If you can still see the pencil marks it is not ready for the next stage so place it back in the pan and add a couple of tablespoons of grit. If all the pencil marks are gone it is ready for the next stage. Now test all the rocks. Some rocks wear down faster than others.
1d. To get your rocks ready for the next stage you will have to wash them thoroughly!!! Once you have them washed, re-wash them and when you are done, wash them again.  None of the grit can go into the next stage. Once the rocks are clean then you have to wash the pan or use a separate pan for the next girt.
If you have a different pan for each stage you will save yourself a great deal of time and effort in washing. Also by using a different pan you will cut down the chances of contaminating the next stage with grit from the last stage. I use a different pan for each stage, and it is amazing how much faster and more fun it makes the whole process.
2. Start the whole process over again with the second stage. I recommend 220 grit silicon carbide for 8 to 10 hours.
3. For the third stage I have tried several different options and have had the best success using 600 grit silicon carbide. 500 grit silicon carbide will work for about half the price but it may take a few hours longer.
4. Now for the polish stage. This is very critical. DO NOT LET ANY GRIT GET INTO THE POLISHING PAD!!!! Make sure your hands, rock, pan, and any covers you are using are free from all grit.
I recommend the felt pads as they are superior to any carpet or other types of pads in their results. The only polish to use is Tin Oxide. I have tried cerium oxide, and it works OK on some rocks. It doesn’t work on all rocks. Tin oxide works on all rocks and is faster and creates a better polish.
Tip 1. When you are not using the polish pan or pad keep it in a clean garbage bag to keep the dust and grit out of it.
Tip 2. If for some reason you need to leave the rocks for more than a day or so make sure they are soaking in water or it will take forever to get the grit off.
Tip 3. Tin oxide is next to impossible to get off if it dries on for more than a day or so. I just set the rock in a bucket of water and let them soak if I don’t have time to clean them right away.
Tip 4. I have found it very helpful to cover the vibra-lap with a cardboard box that is open on the front. This allows me to view the rock and air to circulate around the motor while containing the splashing. I "make" these boxes by using regular cardboard packing boxes, turning them upside down over the vibra-lap, then cutting one side completely away to allow enough air circulation.
Tip 5. Just about any rock will lap to a great polish. Some that don’t include sandstone, shale, clay stones or any rock that is very crumbly. You can seal these types of rocks with a sealant like Opticon (TM) or Hot Stuff (TM) and then polish them. It works very well.
Tip 6. Most vibra-laps are designed to hold up to about 35 pounds.
Tip 7.  When you have a load of rocks going they tend to pound against each other.  Sometimes when this is happening the edges of your rocks will get chipped.  Obsidian and glass are really bad for this.   I use old inner tubes and cut them up like really wide rubber bands and put them around the rocks.  Placing a wooded dowel between them is another way of controlling the damage.  But my favorite method and one that works really well is to wrap the rock with a layer or two of duct tape.  You can peel it off between stages and add new tape to eliminate contamination.

Maintaining Your Rock Tumbler

When you purchase a high quality rock tumbler you can perform a few small maintenance steps that will insure it lasts for decades.
1. Oil all 4 bushings once a week. This one step alone will extend the life of a tumbler by years.  Use light weight oil.  We use Zoom® brand and it works great.  Do NOT use WD-40.
2.  Keep it covered so dust doesn't get in the bushings and motor when not in use.
3.  If the lid comes off the barrel and gets grit or polish in the bushings, REMOVE them and wash them with warm soap and water.  This may seem excessive but it is not.  A clean machine will last a lot longer than a dirty one.
4.  Do not put harsh chemicals in the barrels. Vinegar is about as strong of something you want to put in the barrel.  If you plan on running acid or harsh detergents use a glass jar or metal can with a lid instead of the barrel.
5.  Do not let your tumbler freeze in the winter.  Move it to a warmer place to run or empty it and restart it in the spring.

Recirculating Water Systems

Many lapidary polishers use recirculating water systems. These are grinders and polishers that spray water from a pan  onto the wheels. These systems save a lot of time and money when compared to the type you have to run water to or have buckets with tubes hanging over your head.   There is a drawback to the recirculating systems.  When you are using the grinding wheels there are little bits and pieces of grit that come off and end up floating in the water.  This would be ok but the grit that has settled then gets pumped back up and spit onto the next wheel leaving scratches in your stone. This is a serious problem with silicon carbide wheels, which is why most of these kinds of machines require a fresh water supply. Diamond machines tend to use recirculating water.  This is because they do not suffer from this issue as much as silicon carbide machines.   The only real solution when using diamond machines that use recirculating water is to wash the tray out after using each grinding wheel or when you notice new scratches develop in your stone as you go through he process.  It is more rare for diamond wheels to suffer from this but occasionally they do.If you are looking at getting a grinding unit, keep this in mind.

Agates Part #1

Agate is micro- to crypto-crystalline quartz.  The mineral name for agate is chalcedony (pronounced cal said kney).  It can form through volcanic or sedimentary processes.  Quartz is made up of silica and it tends to be hard and brittle so it tends to be glassy.  It is also very abundant in nature and forms and endless variety of colors, patterns, and textures.       These properties make it a perfect lapidary material. Jasper is a term used to distinguish the opaque agate and agate that's darker in colors such as browns, reds, mustard, black, and dark green.  Jasper is also used to describe agate that is coarse grained.Terms like jasp-agate are used to describe agates that have both the properties of agate and jasper.  This term is considered obsolete by most and is not used much anymore.  Utah has an abundance of agates and jaspers.  Most of the Utah agate and jasper has it formations based in sedimentary rocks but there is also agate associated with volcanic activity such as Wendover agate. The formation of agate is extremely complex and not well understood by scientists.  The variations and combinations are almost endless which makes it difficult to decipher how it forms. Notwithstanding, agate is common around the world and one of the most collected minerals there is.  Because of the commonality it is often taken for granted and by many standards it is undervalued.The complexity of the bands and the other patterns and formations within the agate are dazzling and at the same time incomprehensible.

How To Dye Your Own Agates

Agates are one of the most fascinating of all minerals.  Many are prized for their wonderful patterns as much as their colors.  Natural colored agates with the bright colors are not nearly as common as plain boring agate.  Most agate is white and devoid of color so decades ago German lapidarists devised several methods for dying agates.  Some of these chemicals are dangerous and should be handled with rubber gloves.  Always wear safety goggles.  Don't breath fumes. Stones should be less than a ¼ inch thick for best results.  Larger stones may have to soak for months instead of weeks. Preparing your agate:  Clean your agate with warm soap and water (or tumbling) and size it to about 3 to 4mm thick for best results.

To dye your agate...

Red, orange, or carnelian & sard start by soaking it in a solution of iron nitrate and then *burn it. 

Apple green soak it in nickel nitrate and then burn it. 

Blue-ish green soak it in ammonium bicarbonate and just heat it. 

Brown is done by soaking in sugar and then burning.  Soak longer and burn longer to get black. 

Blue is accomplished by soaking in yellow prussiate of potassium and then in iron sulfate.  Blue was the first color to be used in dying agate.  This was done in 1854 in Idar Oberstein, Germany.

*Burning your agate is done by removing it from the dying solution and placing it in an oven on low to dry thoroughly.  After it has completely dried for up to 10 days, then you put it in a crucible packed all around with asbestos fiber or some other non-flammable substance.  Place it in a kiln and gradually raise the temperature to heat it to a dull red and then allow it to cool very slowly.  This process can be repeated if the desired color is not found.

Caution: This article is for informational purposes only, some chemicals can be toxic and or harmful to humans, animals, and plants. Please do not use any chemicals you are not familiar with. Carefully read all caution and warning labels associated with any product you use. Rockpick Legend Co and it's affiliates, employees, and board of directors are not responsible for any harm that may occur while attempting these or other rock experiments. Do not use any chemical indoors. Make sure all chemicals are kept out of reach of small children, and animals. Keep in mind that some rocks may not be able to be heated safely, due to their natural properties. If for any reason you feel you may have been poisoned seek medical help immediately. Be sure to know what chemicals and rocks you are working with. And, as always e-mail us or call with questions.  

Grit Contamination

Contamination is a major problem when it comes to getting that polished wet look on your rocks.  It doesn’t matter if you are tumbling, faceting, cabbing, or cutting spheres.  Here are a few tips on eliminating contamination. 

*If you use sanding belts or discs you can store them in zip-lock type bags when you are not using them.

*If you are doing tumbling, keep the grits away from each other and never open more than one at a time.  Even the dust from one floating in the air will contaminate a finer grit.

*Make sure you wash your hands between handing belts, discs, cups, wheels, barrels, lids, bags of grit, etc.

*When you are done washing your rocks, cups, barrels etc. re-rinse your tools, rocks and hands once last time.

It is paying attention to these small details that will help you get that final wet-look polish on all your rocks.  It not only saves time it will save money.

Maintaining Your Equipment

Maintaining your equipment is a vital step to making it last a really long time. Quality lapidary equipment is designed to run for decades. This will only happen if you take care of your machines.

*Diamond cutting blades should be rotated every 20 to 25 hours of use. (Some blades are directional and should not be rotated- Look for an arrow to indicate direction. If there is no arrow rotate)
*Silicon carbide grinding wheels should be kept “true”. That means don’t let them dish in the center. Keep them flat all the way across the stone. Unless you are using it that way for a special project.
*Diamond wheels should be used all the way across the stone evenly. Don’t wear out the center of the wheel before the sides.
*Clean out the oil in saws as often as needed. This will prolong the life of the blade, bearings, and feed carriage.
*Some older machines have grease fittings—use them!
*Tumblers should be oiled at least once a month on each bearing.
*Some motors require a drop of oil.
*Any machine that uses water should be dried at the end of the day to eliminate rusting. Do NOT use anti-freeze to keep things from rusting. It is toxic
*Do not let water freeze in any machines.
*Larger saws often have an oil reservoir on the back to lubricate the differential. Check it every-once-in-a-while to make sure it still has oil and it hasn’t become contaminated with water or condensation.

Use these simple tips and some common sense to keep your machines running and they will serve you a lifetime to provide you with pleasure as you share your polished rocks with friends and family. A well maintained machine will not only out last you but your kids and sometimes your grandkids.

How Do I Polish My Petrified Wood Rounds?

We have about 12 pieces of petrified wood that are 3" thick and up to 11" around that we want to polish. What type of equipment would we need to do this job? We don't want to spend too much for a one time project. We just want to polish the pieces we have to give as gifts.

Thanks for any advice or help.

Bobbie

Hi Bobbie,

Lapidary work (cutting and polishing rock) requires some specialized equipment. Petrified wood is essentially agate. Agate is a hard material that requires silicon carbide or diamond abrasives to cut and polish. I’ve listed some options for you below. Another approach may be to take your pieces to your local rock shop and have them cut and polish for you. That would save the investment in the equipment. I hope this helps!

There are three ways to polish your petrified wood:

Cut a face, and then flat-lap. For an 11” diameter you’d probably need a 24” saw. That would be a tight fit, since you have to subtract the arbor diameter from the blade size and then divide in two for the size of rock you can actually cut with the saw. Peculiarities of the rock can also affect how well it will fit in the vice (bumps, jags, etc.).

Here is a link to saws: http://shop.rocks4u.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=29

Here is a link to flat or vibra-laps: http://shop.rocks4u.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=41

Break up the wood and then tumble it, although that seems like a shame for such nice size pieces.

Here is a link to rock hammers: http://shop.rocks4u.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=6

Here is a link to rock tumblers: http://shop.rocks4u.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=81

Hand polish using a grinding/polishing combination unit. The belt sander might be the best tool for this size stone.

Here is a link to grinders & polishers: http://shop.rocks4u.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=52

Sincerely,
Anita
Rockpick Legend Co.
www.rocks4u.com

How to Recycle The Cutting Oil in Your Rock Saw

Cutting oil, regardless of which kind you use can be recycled to save money and the environment. We recommend using either Lortone’s Premium Cutting Oil or Covington’s Rockhound Oil in any saw.

To recycle the oil this is what we do:

1. Use a clean, dry 5 gallon bucket. Place a block of wood or brick in the bottom of the bucket. If you use a block of wood it needs to be the size of a brick. The less porous the material you put in the bottom, the more oil you will recover.

2. Now take a plant container like the ones bushes or trees come in and place that in the bucket so it sits on the block. We drill extra holes in it so the oil drains through faster. Small holes don’t work as well. I like 1” holes.

3. Place a paper grocery bag in the plant container.

4. You are ready to pour in the used oil, mud and all. We drain our saw right into the paper bag.

5. Let it stand for 24 to 48 hours. We often let it stand for a week in the heat of summer to recover even more. After a week you get virtually nothing else from the mud. You can reclaim as much as 50% of your oil this way.

Happy Cutting--Rockpick Legend Co.

Why Covington Rock Saws are Superior

We are now carrying the Covington brand of saws and lapidary machines. They are a little more but they are well worth every penny.

And here is why...

1. Covington Saws are100% made in the USA. Everything is heavier duty, stronger, thicker, etc.

2. Covington saws use more oil in the reservoir at a time. This may sound like a bad thing but think of it this way: The more oil you have in the reservoir the longer you can cut without heating up the oil and the blade. This means longer cutting times with less wear on the blade. The blade is the big consumable in cutting rocks and cutting down the replacement cost is a great advantage.

3. Covington saws have a more accurate cross feed mechanism. When you are slabbing you want a very precise thickness of your slabs. Covington vises crank at a rate of 1/16" per turn (4 cranks per 1/4"). Covington's saws eliminate the guess work out of slabbing. It also saves on the grinding process. You have less to remove when making cabs.

4. Covington's 12", 14", and 16" slab saws all convert to a trim saw in less than a minute. NO other brand of saw has this incredibly versatile function. This eliminates the need for a separate trim saw which will save you about $500 dollars. This feature alone makes the Covington saw a great choice.

5. My favorite!! Covington saws use as horizontal clamp. This means the rock is clamped from front to back. This may not seem like a big deal but when the rock is being pushed through the blade the horizontal clamp gives the rock a push from the back making the pressure on the rock equal and leaves the rock with no place to go.

A Vertical clamp is very prone to allowing the rock to twist out of the clamp as the rock goes through the blade. It is when the rock comes loose from the clamp that you loose your blades. Once a blade is bent it never cuts the same smooth cut again. If for no other reason than the clamp, the Covington saws are excellent!

Come in and see the quality difference, or visit Covington Rock Saws.

How to Re-use Your PSA Sanding Discs

Lapidary hint:

Many of us use the reusable sanding discs when polishing. The problem is the adhesive on the back tends to stick to everything, making them hard to reuse.

A while ago a lady came in with her sanding discs to ask some questions, and I noticed that she put them on wax paper so they pealed off easily. Then she put them in a zip lock bag. I said to myself "Self, why didn't you think of that?"

Sometimes it is just simple ideas that make our work so much easier. She was glad to share her idea with everyone.