Thanks for the demonstration! I was stuck using thick resin and starting my grinds back on 80 and 360 grits and not getting very good results. Super Glue is much easier to apply and starting back at the 600 grit wheel is making all the difference in my stones now. Last two batches have been nearly flawless with no white polish stuck in my cracks and pocks. Thanks Gotcha Rocks! :-) Joe--The Local Stone (Lubbock/Marathon, TX)
You can use any superglue. Satellite City makes Hot Stuff in 3 thicknesses depending on how big the crack. Spray Accelerator is expensive and it is nothing more than baking soda which costs 50 cents. I switched to BS and works just as good as Spray Hardener.
Not mentioned: 1. Cyanoacrylate glues are not going to make those cracks disappear. They should only be used to prevent cabs from totally cracking into pieces. If you want the cracks to disappear, you need to use a product called Opticon. Otherwise, you will need to lower your expectations of what cyanoacrylates can do. 2. How do you keep the cabs from sticking to the backing materials? I use small sheets of Reynolds Wrap "Release" Non-stick Aluminum Foil. Put the cab on the non-stick side of the aluminum foil, when applying the glue. If any glue seeps through, when it dries, the foil can easily be peeled from the back of the cab. Any other materials (plain paper, copy paper, paper towels, waxed paper, etc) will stick to the cab, if you try to use them. 3. If you use the aerosol Accelerator, you need to be sure that all your cyanoacrylate glues are closed up tightly! In fact, just to be sure, remove all bottles of glue from the place in which you are applying the Accelerator. This is because if even a teeny-tiny bit of the Accelerator gets into the bottle of glue, it will cause all of the glue to instantly harden!
Interesting. I looked both up and the Opticon is certainly less expensive. I’m just doing lapidary as a hobby, because I’ve always liked rocks and minerals. Not selling anything. Is the cheaper glue ok for that do you think?
The word from an old cabber/miner friend is: whoever bought the poppy jasper mine in Morgan Hill, California, rather than working the mine/claim by hand with pick and shovel, dynamited it. And thus fractured every sample of that lovely rock from that day forward, which is why you and I and everyone with material from that mine must glue it together to work it. Pity.
The starbond website says the glue cures in 2 to 5 seconds without accelerator so I'm wondering if I really need the accelerator. Maybe the part of the glue that goes deeper in the crack needs more time to dry perhaps and the accelerator helps with that possibly or to make sure its not tacky or not fully hardened for a while.
I usualy let my glue set for about 15 min before I do anything with it even with the accelerator. If you were glueing a smaller item it may cure faster.
Looking to start lapidary work been a collector since little and we just opened a rock and gem shop (mainly to sell my fiancé jewelry) but I'd say you won my subscription, just trying to ingest as much content before I dive more in.
@@GotchaRocksJewelryDIY ideally I'd like to apprentice under someone but the quad cities are the closest place I could find with a gem and mineralogy club, and I have no idea where to start to find someone local ya know, so just reading and watch, then practicing on my home equipment, once I have enough knowledge will have to do for the time being lol, I don't plan on selling my stuff until i get some good pieces to show some folks and get a "thumbs up"
Thank you for the video. I am just beginning to learn lapidary, primarily using a Dremel/Flex and a cheap wet tile saw. I have a few Ellensburg Blue Agates that this may help with.
That’s how I started out, sort of. I just had the tile saw and a rock tumbler. I was hoping to source my own cabochons for jewelry and after finding tons of great rocks around here it made sense to invest in a machine. With that thing, every rock you see is a potential gem. 💎
I know I'm old school when I say the wheels are just going to undercut the filler. I would polish the stone and clean, but I would hand sand on sand paper that is on a soft rubber pad. I would start with the highest grit possible like 400 as it is new.
Awesome video thanks for the help, I just got a flat lap and have been cabbing a piece of Larimar for a video for tomorrow. As I was shaping it when a crack appeared so I’m going to order this and try this out. Thanks 🤙🔥🔥🔥
With turquoise I would only fill it if it is in danger of breaking. Turquoise will often have anomalies in the structure of the stone and I don’t think it is always necessary to fill them. It give the stone character. Hope that helps 😀
How could you fix a large moonstone cabochon that cracks across after being set? Is there a way to stabilize it so it looks ok as it is a beautiful stone?
I would slowly add the epoxy in layers and allow it to dry in between each layer until it looks good. I may not be perfect but it will hopefully be stable.
I use epoxies (Hxtal) since cyanoacrylates like starbond are really resistant to oil based solvents but usually not that much for water based solvents, I'll try starbond to see if it's holding up better, is it made especially for lapidary use?
It can handle the water. I have noticed some uneven polishing between the natural stone and the epoxy. Try a small amount and see what you think. Please let me know and I’ll pass on your info to the channel. Thanks for the comment.
Hello! I am watching your video because I have a little lavender amethyst rock that is in rough shape. It's got a noticable crack that appears to go almost all the way through it. It also had one of its corners break off a while ago which I cannot repair although I do worry about its structural integrity more now. Just wondering if you think this method should work for me? Thanks in advance :)
Opal can’t be cleaned with alcohol, it will damage it, how would I go about cleaning an Opal prior to sealing the crack? (I’m planning on using Opticon btw, not CA)
Great tutorial. I hadn't heard of star Bond before, thank you. Also, I waited for the Code, but it didn't show up, could you please share in the comments? Thanks again.
Hello,this method is much more simple than using the vacuum chamber,but is it penetrating enough to fill the cracks completely ? and is it hard enough? I contacted Starbond asking if they ship to Thailand by courier (faster than post) ,but they didnt reply....
For rose quarters yes. For lapis it may dull the polish. Lapis sometimes has a wax added to it to give it extra shine. You can reapply it by using Johnson’s paste wax for floors.
I had a very pretty azurite malachite which I wore all the time, im stupid and forgot I had it on when I went to go work out, long story short I cracked it straight in half, since it's a pretty clean break do I have any chance at salvation? Thank you,!
You could try using Starbond glue to put it back together. I would use there thin mix. You may see a line where the break was but at least you could still wear it. It’s worth a shot. Let me know how it goes. All the best, Michael
Here is my affiliate link to the CabKing machine www.amazon.com/s/ref=as_li_ss_tl?k=cabking&ref=nb_sb_noss_1&linkCode=sl2&tag=gotcharocks-20&linkId=9ee2b0d7bf3a5d46d4f876d8b1168399&language=en_US
Hello Georgeanne, You can use a verity of sanding sticks to grind down your stones. I would start with a 400 grit wet dry sandpaper and sand the glue down. Then slowly work your way up to a 3000 grit paper. Make sure you are keeping the sandpaper wet. You don’t want to breathe the dust. You can find very fine sandpaper at Rio Grande jewelry supply. Let me know if that makes sense. Thanks for the comment 🙂
Gemstones that are repaired with glue are prone to fractures and discoloration. A veteran lapidary artist told me that it ruins an artist's reputation, and he has seen it for himself. They can't compete in a gem show, according to him. Some were even asked to leave according to him. Also, coating gemstones is a big no-no. It will fail too.
Hello, thank you for your comment. Yes, I agree. You should not try to sell treated stones or gems as natural stones. That would indeed ruin someone’s reputation. However if you’re cut a stone for yourself and you would like to preserve a beautiful pattern that has a crack the starbond glue may be a good option. Another common treatment is a two part epoxy called Opticon that has a refractive component which is pretty interesting. It is best practice to let people know that they have been treated. Have a good one and keep on making cool art. 😊
Thanks for the demonstration! I was stuck using thick resin and starting my grinds back on 80 and 360 grits and not getting very good results. Super Glue is much easier to apply and starting back at the 600 grit wheel is making all the difference in my stones now. Last two batches have been nearly flawless with no white polish stuck in my cracks and pocks. Thanks Gotcha Rocks! :-) Joe--The Local Stone (Lubbock/Marathon, TX)
You can use any superglue. Satellite City makes Hot Stuff in 3 thicknesses depending on how big the crack. Spray Accelerator is expensive and it is nothing more than baking soda which costs 50 cents. I switched to BS and works just as good as Spray Hardener.
Thanks for the tips!
Very very fantastic information nanbere , your great task to be continued , and this will be helpful for a man like me who is always learning
Not mentioned:
1. Cyanoacrylate glues are not going to make those cracks disappear. They should only be used to prevent cabs from totally cracking into pieces. If you want the cracks to disappear, you need to use a product called Opticon. Otherwise, you will need to lower your expectations of what cyanoacrylates can do.
2. How do you keep the cabs from sticking to the backing materials? I use small sheets of Reynolds Wrap "Release" Non-stick Aluminum Foil. Put the cab on the non-stick side of the aluminum foil, when applying the glue. If any glue seeps through, when it dries, the foil can easily be peeled from the back of the cab. Any other materials (plain paper, copy paper, paper towels, waxed paper, etc) will stick to the cab, if you try to use them.
3. If you use the aerosol Accelerator, you need to be sure that all your cyanoacrylate glues are closed up tightly! In fact, just to be sure, remove all bottles of glue from the place in which you are applying the Accelerator. This is because if even a teeny-tiny bit of the Accelerator gets into the bottle of glue, it will cause all of the glue to instantly harden!
Interesting. I looked both up and the Opticon is certainly less expensive. I’m just doing lapidary as a hobby, because I’ve always liked rocks and minerals. Not selling anything. Is the cheaper glue ok for that do you think?
Use vacuum chamber to fill the cracks with opticon
The word from an old cabber/miner friend is: whoever bought the poppy jasper mine in Morgan Hill, California, rather than working the mine/claim by hand with pick and shovel, dynamited it. And thus fractured every sample of that lovely rock from that day forward, which is why you and I and everyone with material from that mine must glue it together to work it. Pity.
Very interesting. That makes sense.
Same thing happened with Lapis. Dynamite and lots of fractures
The starbond website says the glue cures in 2 to 5 seconds without accelerator so I'm wondering if I really need the accelerator. Maybe the part of the glue that goes deeper in the crack needs more time to dry perhaps and the accelerator helps with that possibly or to make sure its not tacky or not fully hardened for a while.
I usualy let my glue set for about 15 min before I do anything with it even with the accelerator. If you were glueing a smaller item it may cure faster.
Looking to start lapidary work been a collector since little and we just opened a rock and gem shop (mainly to sell my fiancé jewelry) but I'd say you won my subscription, just trying to ingest as much content before I dive more in.
Thank you 😊 where is the shop?
@@GotchaRocksJewelryDIY Sterling illinois
@@GotchaRocksJewelryDIY ideally I'd like to apprentice under someone but the quad cities are the closest place I could find with a gem and mineralogy club, and I have no idea where to start to find someone local ya know, so just reading and watch, then practicing on my home equipment, once I have enough knowledge will have to do for the time being lol, I don't plan on selling my stuff until i get some good pieces to show some folks and get a "thumbs up"
I always used Opticon fracture sealer but it is good to know there are other options out there.
Thank you for the video. I am just beginning to learn lapidary, primarily using a Dremel/Flex and a cheap wet tile saw. I have a few Ellensburg Blue Agates that this may help with.
That’s how I started out, sort of. I just had the tile saw and a rock tumbler. I was hoping to source my own cabochons for jewelry and after finding tons of great rocks around here it made sense to invest in a machine. With that thing, every rock you see is a potential gem. 💎
What if you do get some glue on the stone itself, rather than just the desired small crack?
You can clean it up with some nail polish remover.
Can you do this on a cracked opal ring? Thank you!
I know I'm old school when I say the wheels are just going to undercut the filler. I would polish the stone and clean, but I would hand sand on sand paper that is on a soft rubber pad. I would start with the highest grit possible like 400 as it is new.
Thank you! Great video! Just subscribed.
Thanks for the tips
Beautiful stone, great job and that Cab-King machine whoa is that cool, you got a killer setup over there.
Beautiful scalp
Awesome video thanks for the help, I just got a flat lap and have been cabbing a piece of Larimar for a video for tomorrow. As I was shaping it when a crack appeared so I’m going to order this and try this out. Thanks 🤙🔥🔥🔥
I want a cab king. Just getting into it
Great video! I have a labradorite cabochon ring with a crack. Is this method ok for labradorite?
Yes, that could work. Make sure to only apply a small amount at a time. You should be able to remove any excess with acetone.
Nice work
Im having issues with getting the dome, in every cab I do, in the exact same area I can't seem to dome it. Very frustrating! 😊
Would this work on larimar stone ?
?
Yes it would. Sorry I missed your comment. All the best Michael
@@GotchaRocksJewelryDIY thanks micheal
I want to do this to a piece that's set in silver already so it's there a method without the cab king ...could I use a Dremel ?
Hi there! What would you recommend to fill cracks on old turquoise? (I’m no professional, I just collect stones!)
With turquoise I would only fill it if it is in danger of breaking. Turquoise will often have anomalies in the structure of the stone and I don’t think it is always necessary to fill them. It give the stone character. Hope that helps 😀
How could you fix a large moonstone cabochon that cracks across after being set? Is there a way to stabilize it so it looks ok as it is a beautiful stone?
I would slowly add the epoxy in layers and allow it to dry in between each layer until it looks good. I may not be perfect but it will hopefully be stable.
I use epoxies (Hxtal) since cyanoacrylates like starbond are really resistant to oil based solvents but usually not that much for water based solvents, I'll try starbond to see if it's holding up better, is it made especially for lapidary use?
It was originally made for wood. However they started using it for fragile fossils in museums and display items. I guess the rest is history.
Will this stuff work on cracks that can ruin a batch in a rotary tumbler? In other words. Can it handle water for weeks on end?
It can handle the water. I have noticed some uneven polishing between the natural stone and the epoxy. Try a small amount and see what you think. Please let me know and I’ll pass on your info to the channel. Thanks for the comment.
Hello! I am watching your video because I have a little lavender amethyst rock that is in rough shape. It's got a noticable crack that appears to go almost all the way through it. It also had one of its corners break off a while ago which I cannot repair although I do worry about its structural integrity more now. Just wondering if you think this method should work for me? Thanks in advance :)
Opal can’t be cleaned with alcohol, it will damage it, how would I go about cleaning an Opal prior to sealing the crack? (I’m planning on using Opticon btw, not CA)
Have you ever tried to use this method to fill or hide fractures in Lake Superior Agates?
That is also the issue I am having that brought me to this video.
Great tutorial. I hadn't heard of star Bond before, thank you. Also, I waited for the Code, but it didn't show up, could you please share in the comments? Thanks again.
Hello Julie, the coupon code should be “gotcharocks” . Without the quotes of course. Let me know if that works. 😀
Hello,this method is much more simple than using the vacuum chamber,but is it penetrating enough to fill the cracks completely ? and is it hard enough? I contacted Starbond asking if they ship to Thailand by courier (faster than post) ,but they didnt reply....
It is penetrating and a very hard material once it has cured. If you have a vacuum it’s a bonus but not necessarily.
Hi, is it ok to use alcohol for rose quartz and lapis lazuli cabochon? Thank you :)
For rose quarters yes. For lapis it may dull the polish. Lapis sometimes has a wax added to it to give it extra shine. You can reapply it by using Johnson’s paste wax for floors.
I had a very pretty azurite malachite which I wore all the time, im stupid and forgot I had it on when I went to go work out, long story short I cracked it straight in half, since it's a pretty clean break do I have any chance at salvation? Thank you,!
You could try using Starbond glue to put it back together. I would use there thin mix. You may see a line where the break was but at least you could still wear it. It’s worth a shot. Let me know how it goes. All the best, Michael
@@GotchaRocksJewelryDIY I will try that , thank you so much!!! :)
Hi I'm wondering if super glue can be used instead?
Yes, I can work
Here is my affiliate link to the CabKing machine www.amazon.com/s/ref=as_li_ss_tl?k=cabking&ref=nb_sb_noss_1&linkCode=sl2&tag=gotcharocks-20&linkId=9ee2b0d7bf3a5d46d4f876d8b1168399&language=en_US
Thanks!
You bet!
There was something swimming in your water reservoir. 🐟
what do you do if you don't have a flat lap Cab King machine and have no intention of getting one
Hello Georgeanne,
You can use a verity of sanding sticks to grind down your stones. I would start with a 400 grit wet dry sandpaper and sand the glue down. Then slowly work your way up to a 3000 grit paper. Make sure you are keeping the sandpaper wet. You don’t want to breathe the dust. You can find very fine sandpaper at Rio Grande jewelry supply. Let me know if that makes sense.
Thanks for the comment 🙂
Gemstones that are repaired with glue are prone to fractures and discoloration. A veteran lapidary artist told me that it ruins an artist's reputation, and he has seen it for himself. They can't compete in a gem show, according to him. Some were even asked to leave according to him. Also, coating gemstones is a big no-no. It will fail too.
Hello, thank you for your comment. Yes, I agree. You should not try to sell treated stones or gems as natural stones. That would indeed ruin someone’s reputation.
However if you’re cut a stone for yourself and you would like to preserve a beautiful pattern that has a crack the starbond glue may be a good option.
Another common treatment is a two part epoxy called Opticon that has a refractive component which is pretty interesting. It is best practice to let people know that they have been treated.
Have a good one and keep on making cool art. 😊
Here is the link to Starbond www.starbond.com/?rfsn=2506439.e32dfe
Nice haircut! Also, wouldn’t they be exclusions rather than inclusions? Ha! Just dad jokin’ 😁
Lol. Thanks 😊