2 years, 3 months ago-
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I am new to faceting. In fact I am awaiting for my machine from the UltraTec. Meanwhile, I am watching videos on Utube and reading some books and articles on internet. I noticed that people use different materials for doping and different combinations of adhesives for transferring: wax-wax, wax-epoxy, epoxy-epoxy, crazy glue… What is the “right” method, easiest, and why these materials are used?
If you don’t have an accurate way of centralising the preform to the dop when first dopping the stone, then wax-epoxy is the best combo.
You can soften the wax with a BBQ lighter after putting the stone on the machine and use the dial gauge to get it central.I would recommend an adhesive for someone learning to facet. Using wax alone is an another skill that has to be learned. Personally I have always used wax but learning how to use can be very frustrating at first. Stones popping off. The advantages of wax is fast and cheap.
Here are my preferences…
#1 (98% of time)… JB Weld, clear, 5-minute epoxy. Let it cure overnight.
#2 (2% of time)… Loctite 404 superglue. Used for tiny stones.
Wax? Quoth the Raven “Nevermore”.
Happy Faceting.
John
I use wax or super glue for the first dop. Make a flat spot on the stone with 600 grit. with wax, warm the stone. be careful not to overheat. investing in a dop-pot would not hurt. On the transfer I use 5 minute epoxy, and let harden overnight, it is too soft after only an hour or two. When I go to remove the first dop, I fill a cream cheese bowl with enough water to almost submerge the stone to keep it cool. Then take a butane torch, and hemostats or pliers to heat dop off. Welcome the school of hard rocks!
Thank you all for your opinions and advice. The Ultra Tec is delaying shipping for a week, so I am still waiting, reading and watching
I use the two part epoxy upon transfer. I absolutely love loctite 404 for the table… amazing stuff. Here is a big rutilated quartz dopped with loctite 404. I didn’t think it would actually hold, but it did!!!
I use the same adhesives as Lowjiber. JB Weld (because it is readily available at Home Depot) 2 part epoxy and Loctite 404 (superglue). For really small stones, I use Superglue. Bigger stones – Epoxy. Everything in between – depends.
Nothing against Wax…I just did not learn with wax so I would have to spend some time on it. Ernie Hawes showed me how he uses both Wax and Superglue to dop…cool method!
well i cheat. i first prepare area to be table to dop to(flat). i choose a dop about 40% of the size of my expected table then dop as close to center as possible with a cyno(crazy glue) and cure it. then build up a backing of dopping wax to act as extra support. the cyno weakens around 400 degrees. and wax melts lower. when i transfer i go directly to the wax. when cold(cooled) i hold dopped stone and dop in hand and heat the dop that was on table area. holding the stone i can tell if heat is building too much. one the table dop gets hot it will shear off some what easy and you can easily remove the support wax. the cyno hold stone good for no shift in position that would occur with straight wax to wax. for heat i use an alcohol lamp i’m including pictures of my dopping station and types of cyno and wax i use. cutting for 54 years and trying to get the best dopping method so far this seems to work best/great. i’ve tried all kinds of waxes etc. out there in these yrs and found a wax from ronsrocks(ebay) camarillo ca. item 142731467759 that has some good tackiness and holding power.
I learned using green dopping wax. My stones tended to pop off before getting to the transfer. Then learned to use 2-part epoxy (Devcon) but wasn’t successful with that either (and it took too long to cure). Finally, I now use Hot Stuff CA and spray accelerator with great success, for both the flat dop and transfer.
Linda
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