Lap questions.

[f18simguy]

I have not yet started faceting. I am not so patiently awaiting my Facetron to arrive. lol. I have already purchased a laundry list of supplies. Please give me some insight on where I have already gone wrong, or right, and what I may be missing.

I already have:
Crystalite 260
Crystalite 1200
“D”Lite 1200
“D”Lite 3000
Master Lap
Cerium Oxide Top Laps
Dop Wax
Alcohol Lamp
Butane torch
acitone
denatured alcohol
lap storage containers
Faceting for Beginners Vol 1 and 2
I also have some glass marbles and a variety of rough that I have found over the years while gem brubbing in Georgia.

I would appreciate any input on where I have wasted money, and, or where I need to spend more.

Thanks

[ozgurertan]

You will need diamond polishing lap like tin lap ceramic lap or a Batt lap, if you can get one batt lap with 60k battstik will be great and a prepolishing lap will help for polishing corund group. ozgur at buca izmir Turkey

[flfaceter73]

A 600 lap should be in your inventory, it will be one of your most used laps, I would add a 10x loop and optivisor type magnifier . You cant go wrong with a facetron I use one too.

[f18simguy]

I’m looking into the batt lap, any suggestions on the 600?

[flfaceter73]

The batt lap is a good one, I use one with 50000 diamond . I have had good luck with a solid steel 600 lap from kingsley north, they are imported for them and the price was around $65.00 i believe. Otherwise if budget permits I would use a crystalite .

[f18simguy]

Thanks for the help guys. I now have the batt lap, 60k batt stick and 600 crystalite on order. I already got the 10x loupe, i just forgot to list it.

Thanks again for the help. I’m sure that after my facetron arrives, i will have a ton more questions.

Thanks again.

Doug

[JTheesfeld]

Doug,

You do need some sort of 600 grit lap. I have had much luck with cheap THK laps available on ebay. Much versatility..

https://www.ebay.com/itm/12-pcs-THK-8-INCH-200mm-Diamond-coated-Flat-Lap-wheel-Lapidary-polishing-disc-U/122271470543?epid=877514343&hash=item1c77f293cf:g:liAAAOxyY3ZRph0O

Also, See Justin Primm’s Forum response to “Starting Checklist”. May 28th It is very thorough.

I recommend looking into the Gearloose 8″ Starter Kit. It is a great value and has almost everything you need to go from Novice to advanced.

Lap & Polish Starter kit

I also highly, highly, highly suggest entering the USFG SSC Novice competition. Do not hesitate!!! It is an amazing way to focus your beginning efforts, with great designs, and highly valuable feedback. You don’t need to win, or even qualify to get a huge benefit.

Send me your address, privately, and I will put together a starter rough packet for you.

You should also look into joining a local faceting guild, and get workshop type advice from local faceters.

Much success to you!!!

theesfish@msn.com

[gemmakermz]

@f18simguy can you get back to me. it looks like you spent a lot. prob for what you spent on the crystalite two laps you could have bought several diff grits. i by from a seller in china and pay on the average 12-15 dollars apiece for 8″ laps that have WAY more diamond on them. me and my students cut on them and they DO A JOB. a set of 3 6″ was $14.– a 120 400 1200, and a set of 600 1500 3000 for $14— $28 including shipping for 6 6″ laps, for same in 8″ about 80-90 dollars tolal and you use your master lap with them. 90+ percent of our polishing is done on a TIN lap with 50,000 grit diamond powder at very slow speed and slowww drip of water to make a mud/slur. i had an old time faceter try my polish technique. and was amazed how fast it was. don’t know what the torch was for. we dop to expected table with the purple model airplane cyno then transfer to green dop wax. that way no slippage or shifting. use a table dop small enough to hold while doing the bottom, glue has a low shear facter. and if breaks from was a drop of glue will hold it. gemmakermz@cs.com p.s. DON’t score you polishing laps– troubles.

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