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Rock Identification

Rock Identification.

Finding a stone that shines like a big piece of glass. Is it Glass or a gemstone. some gemstone don’t sparkle until you put water on them. The Sapphire is a rock in dirt until you put it in water, then it looks like glass.

Find a rock with shinning gold sparkles. Is it gold or fools gold.

The price of gold today.

Sand that has so many shining glitters in it.

Any good Rockhound/ Fossicker is bound to come across a rocks that he or she has trouble identifying.

The location of where the rock was found, can help Identify it, some times.

How to Look at a Rock.

People don’t usually look at rocks closely. So when they find a stone/ rock that intrigues them, they don’t know what to do, except to ask someone what it is, or they just forget about it.

Your local Lapidary Club.

I never new about our local Lapidary Club. The Members there can help you.

This is what you need to know before you can identify rocks and give each one its proper name.

Where did you find it.

There are simple clues all around. Does your area contain coal mines? Volcanoes? Granite quarries? Fossil beds? Caverns?

Birds Like Gemstones.

Birds carry some gemstones miles away from where the bird first seen that sparkle. You have glass, gemstones that sparkle like glass that I have come across are opals, sapphire, crystals, topaz. Plus there would be more.

Fossicking Trips or Going Rock hounding

When you go on a  Fossicking trip or Rock hounding  you normal plan where you are going and you know what you are looking for.  I have picked up rocks that I like, and I still don’t know what they are called. Learning more about rock will help me identify that Stone or Rock.

Make Sure Your Rock Is Genuine.

If you find your rock your self it has to be real/genuine , it is your stone.

Buying rock/stones you do not know , there is to many cheats out there .

If it is a crystal or sparkling rock to see straight through it is great. no lines or cracks.

 

Magnifier Glass.

You’ll need a magnifier.  You want a lightweight, powerful magnifier (also called a loupe) that has impeccable optics and is easy to use. Get the best magnifier for demanding jobs like inspecting gemstones and crystals; in the field, for quick looks at minerals, buy a decent magnifier you can afford to lose.

Your local Lapidary Club.

Join your local Lapidary Club.

Most of the information I have got about rocks is from my local Lapidary Club, most of the time you have to ask .

The members are full of information about where to find different rock/gemstones,  And most clubs have day trips  and weekend trips to find gemstone.

Clubs have rock/gemstones so you can see what you have to look for.

Plus the club have equipment to use to clean/cut/Polish your gemstone/rocks you find.

Rock Information.

Our planet is like a onion, made up of a number of layers.

In the centre is a solid core, which is surrounded  by Mantle and the crust.

We live on Earths surface on top of the crust, the tin outer layer that carries oceans and continents.(countries).

During earths formation, denser materials  such as iron, sank to the centre, while lighter materials such as silicates and other materials, rose to the surface.

How old are rocks.

Rocks formed when earth was cool enough for them to become solid.

The first rock on earth solidified around 4.2 billion years ago.

Rocks and Minerals have been forming ever since, and are still forming today.

At Earths Surface, In the Crust, On The Ocean Floor, and in the Mantle deep below.

 

4.2 billion years ago.

The oldest type of rock is Acasta Gneiss, which first formed 4.2 billion years ago.

Rock Identification

Finding that Gemstone is a great way for you to do rock  identification your self, understanding all the information out there about different rocks/stone, you never stop learning.

Lots Of Books out there.

There is lots of books out there, about Rocks, Stones and gemstones. Then you have all the different minerals. To kept it interesting and to learn about stones go to your local library and lend books.  Then again you can get a lot of information on the internet, and from your local Lapidary Club.

I love going out finding all sorts of stones/rocks, I am lucky I do not have to got far to find something. Camping out under the sky and counting the satellite that pass over a night. So peaceful.

Fossicker- Rockhound love what you do.  Enjoy have fun.

Have a great day.

Wendy.

 

 

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Lapidary Machine Must Have.

Lapidary Machine— This is it, must have.

Need to shape and polish your gemstone, this is the number one machine to own.

CabKings are the easiest cabbing machines to use. You’ll enjoy great performance, minimum maintenance and low cost of ownership. With so many ingenious features, it’s no wonder CabKings rule.My personal product / review:
CAB King 6″ Lapidary Rock Grinding Polishing Cabochon Machine

This machine can grind and  shape, such as oval, circles, rectangles , squares and  hearts and polish your gemstone to a shine.

Price From $1399.00

Video: lapidaryRockGrcabbinginding@twitter.com

Owners:Cab King

Website: Amazon.com

Rock Grinding Machine

Introduction:  Lapidary Rock Grinding Machine.

I call my machine a  Cabbing machine.   It is a no mess machine what it does to a gemstone/rock is the number one machine to own.  I love my cabbing machine, it is a joy to use, gets the job done.

Using a cabbing machine:  My cabbing machine sits on a table in my spare room. It has it own power box. It has a water pump that has to be covered with water all the time. another bucket collects water from the wheels basin (dirty water) .When you use a wheel ,water runs over the wheel you are using. It has a on/off nob that lets the water run over the wheel in use. Water keeps your stone from getting hot and lubricates your wheel . this helps the wheels to last longer. Each wheel cost to replace is over $100, so you have to look after them. You have splash shields and hand rest, and a bright light that moves to where you want it.

Why 6 Wheels    All your wheels have different grits. The idea is to start with diamond wheel with a rough grit,lower numbers, which shapes your stone and gradually work your way up to a fine grit, removing scratches as you progress.  Some of the different wheels you use are, 100 hard, 280 hard, 600 hard, 280 flexible wheel,600 flexible wheel, 1200 flexible wheel, 3000 flexible wheel. These wheels are not cheap to buy. For my final polish I use a polishing pad with cerium oxide on my flat lap machine.

Using your wheels  After cleaning and cutting your stone, you are ready to use your cabbing machine/rock grinder. Lets say piece of Quarts clear crystal. You work out what shape you wont., Say round, square or cabochon stone .It does not take very long before you have your shape.

A Round Gemstone     On your First wheel start to shape your stones. Watch out for your finger nails, this machine grinds anything down. Once you have shaped your stone do the same on your next wheel, looking all the time for marks or scratches on your stone. Rounding a gemstone for the final polish you can us a tumbler. Or keep using your different grits.

A cabochon have more to do with shape, it is flat on one side and domed or rounded on the other. So you have your gemstone. Look at it work out what side you wont to be the bottom. On my machine , using the first wheel I would  shape my stone, working it into a egg shape, the bottom of the stone flat. Put your stone on two finger lightly roll it back and forth. Then I would repeat that on the second wheel. Your machine has a good light ,dry your stone and see if there is scratches on it. If there is keep going until you don’t see marks ,nice and shinny  You should only have to use one more wheel and you finished the bottom. Next Step put your stone on a dobbing stick ( piece of dowel a stick )with wax. This saves the finger nails.  Now work your wheels , kept drying your stone and checking for marks you wont a doom shape. Practise.

Cabbing

Cabbing or cabochon cutting is probably the most common form of gem cutting. Cabochons or “cabs” are gems that are cut with a flat bottom and a curved or domed top. If you’ve seen opal or turquoise  you’ve probably seen cabs. Cutting cabs can be profitable. Depending on the material they’re cut from, cabochons can have significant resale value. This can make cabbing a very rewarding hobby, especially if you’re cutting materials you’ve found yourself. Cabbing is more complex than tumbling, and a cabbing machine is a bit more expensive, but you can become proficient with a little practice. A word of warning: cabochon cutting can be highly addictive!

CabKing cabbing machines are warranted by the manufacturer to be free from defect for the period of one year from the date of purchase. Our warranty covers all parts of the CabKing  cabbing machines, including the motor and water pump (light bulb and wheels excluded).

This is a complete machine.

You start out at 80 grit and finish on the polishing pad with cerium oxide at about 30,000 grit

1/4 hp, 110v, 1800 rpm, 60hz motor,

A 605 GPH, 110/115 volt pump.

A powerful 12 volt, single bayonet lamp.

This Machine Features:

Direct drive motor and separate submersible pump to reduce maintenance.

Individual on/off water shut off valves above each wheel, also for right and left hand grinding/polishing pads (no cross-contamination of grit) allows easy movement from wheel to wheel to disc.

A drainage system to eliminate having to constantly discard pan water.

Heavy-duty base board, aluminum splash hoods with adjustable clear splash shields, plastic pad with drain holes, comes with four side splash guards, and two front hand metal rests.

One (1) each 6″ x 1-1/2″, 80 grit and 220 grit metal bonded diamond grinding wheels,

(4) 6″ x 1-1/2″ diamond resin bond wheels, (1) each 280 grit, 600 grit, 1200 grit, and 3000 grit,

a 6″ x 360 grit no hole 1/4-20 right hand threaded diamond flat lap and

a 1/4-20 right hand thread canvas polishing pad

Plastic apron, wrench, clear plastic goggles, complete instructions. + 3 piece jewelers set

One year limited warranty on motor and parts.

Size is 27″ long x 13″ deep x 12″ high for easy transport. 56 pounds

Overall I can not say enough about this machine, It gets a 11 out of 10 from me.

Please note Australia prices are not the same as US. I Paid nearly $2000.00 for mine.

Looking to know more about this machine leave me a comment or Question  below and I will get back to you.

Have a great day.

Wendy