This one is just absolutely STUNNING especially under the uv light 😳 amazing job! And it was super cool to see your process of figuring out the polish. Thanks for being real about the hiccups you run into and taking us along for the ride!❤
Thank you so much! I think it's important to show the trials and challenges in the process, and how we overcome them. There's so much to be learnt by pushing yourself to do the best you can! ❤
Excellent work solving the polishing problem! I was a bit concerned about the voids as well, but the epoxy was a brilliant solution. Seeing this piece cut brought a high point in an otherwise low day for me. Thank you!!
Thank you so much for the kind words and for sharing this beautiful stone with me. I'm glad I was able to bring a bit of light to your day. Your generosity made this creation possible, and I'm super grateful for that! 😊
Thanks so much! You totally should! There are a couple clubs here that go on rockhounding trips all the time. Check out geology.utah.gov/popular/rocks-minerals/clubs/ for your local club! 😁
Thank you! The puzzle solving is definitely one of my favorite parts of faceting. If every stone was exactly the same, it would lose a lot of the fun for sure. 😊
So on filling those voids and inclusions, could you use the slurry with the resin to somewhat match the original stone in the repair? In woodworking it's common to use sawdust and wood glue to fill a knot or hole, but I'm not sure if the same idea would transfer to stone. If it would work, it could also give you an interesting option for painting the numbers in. I do agree the clear resin is a really cool effect and now has me imagining a D20 made from a geode... I DARE YOU Extra bonus points on using the auto polish pad, innovative problem solving :)
Thank you! Yeah you can definitely tint or dye resin to match the color of the stone! Mixing it with stone dust from the rock itself is a pretty interesting idea as well, though I'm not sure how that would effect the resin. I think it would still work fine! Honestly, filling the numbers with a colored resin is a super cool idea! I'd have to switch up the process up a bit, blasting the numbers in before I do the pre-polish cut and the polish though, which would be interesting. Ooooo A full geode would be crazy!! One I get a pressure pot for the resin, I'll consider giving it a shot, haha!
What do you think about faceting the edges or corners? I think it'd look nice on mostly transparent stones, but I don't know if it'd add anything to these types of stones.
I've done a handful of different cuts like beveling the edges or making stars on the corners. Natural stone dice look really great with some of the fancier cuts, but they're quite a bit of additional work so I don't do them often. Once I finally get around to cutting some clear gemstones I'll definitely opt for a fancier cut for sure. 😊
Amazing work as always! I am new to your channel, but am already a huge fan! I plan to facet gemstones soon (just ordered a cheap machine), but your D 20's have inspired me to buy an 80 tooth index gear as well. I wanted to share some info with you, about Cyano Acrylate (super glue). I used to make high end custom ink pens, and we used C.A. glue as finish on alot of projects. you can purchase it in several consistencies, from water thin, to thick gel. As you spun this die, the facets showed the micro inclusions etc. on the facets. If you fill those in with the water thin CA glue, and spray a bit of acetone on it, it will insta cure, and can be polished (or maybe pre polished) and the micro fissures etc. would no longer be detectable. Please do not take this as a critique. It is not. i am simply sharing a bit of knowledge from a different hobby, that i feel like might have a place with this hobby. I prefer the natural look and feel, and would likely ask, if it were my die, that you not fill any holes... but your work is "Usable art" much like my ink pens, and as such, finish is more important. Those voids etc. fill with gunk over time and cause chips etc. thanks for sharing all the tips and knowledge as you make these amazing pieces.
Thanks so much for the support and knowledge, I really appreciate it! 😊 Glad I can be of some inspiration! I've done a bit of research into using CA glue to stabilize stones - submerging them in water thin CA glue in a pressure pot to seep into all the cracks and crevices. It's definitely a process that I want to do, I just haven't had a chance to purchase the equipment to get it set up yet. There are so many beautiful stones that are just a bit too soft/crumbly to make anything durable out of. Using CA glue both as a bonding agent to hold it together, as well as a finishing coat would make that totally possible. Thanks for the great suggestion! I really appreciate you taking the time to share your knowledge! 😊
All in, I'm probably around 40-50ish hours on this one. There was a bit of backtracking to try some different approaches, which added bit of extra time. Also, I am nowhere near the fastest gem cutters. A master could probably cut that time in half, haha. 😊
I'm working on getting a PO box set up, and am not taking donations until that's squared away. Thank you though! I actually have a few pieces of obsidian, including a nice rainbow obsidian and some mahogany obsidian. Both are on the to-be-cut list and will hopefully end up in future videos! 😊
I did a poor job applying the plastidip on one of my first ever dice, and ended up missing a few spots. This, unfortunately, left a few pretty ugly spots on the finished die (along with the numbers not being deep enough to hold paint), so it ended up in my personal collection, haha! It's bad and ugly, but it taught me some very important lessons, so I hold it dear. 😂 I've considered leaving the edges un-dipped for sandblasting, but I'm not sure if I'd like how it would turn out. And with it being pretty much the last step in the process, I would hate to ruin a die at the very end of dozens and dozens of hours. I dunno, maybe it's worth a shot?
@@SageAndNettle Definitely worth a shot!! Why not?? I mean, i wouldnt do it with the worlds largest natural emerald or anything like that... but maybe a hunk of something that wouldnt break the bank if you had to toss it in the flowerbed. I think you might be pleasantly surprised. It might give a very unique look to the die, and would absolutely affect the "Roll" of the die... With soft facet edges, i can only imagine how buttery smooth the die would roll. I think the big challenge would be cutting a uniform depth with a blast cabinet.
This one is just absolutely STUNNING especially under the uv light 😳 amazing job! And it was super cool to see your process of figuring out the polish. Thanks for being real about the hiccups you run into and taking us along for the ride!❤
Thank you so much! I think it's important to show the trials and challenges in the process, and how we overcome them. There's so much to be learnt by pushing yourself to do the best you can! ❤
Excellent work solving the polishing problem! I was a bit concerned about the voids as well, but the epoxy was a brilliant solution. Seeing this piece cut brought a high point in an otherwise low day for me. Thank you!!
Thank you so much for the kind words and for sharing this beautiful stone with me. I'm glad I was able to bring a bit of light to your day. Your generosity made this creation possible, and I'm super grateful for that! 😊
Utahn stones being beautifully cut by a Utahn. Love it! I've always wanted to go rockhounding in Utah - also my home state
Thanks so much! You totally should! There are a couple clubs here that go on rockhounding trips all the time. Check out geology.utah.gov/popular/rocks-minerals/clubs/ for your local club! 😁
Wow.. All of your creations are beautiful but this one might just be my favorite. Absolutely gorgeous!!!
Thank you so much! ❤
I love hearing your problem solving! Other stone carving channels I've seen the process seemed to be pretty standard, but I love seeing the progress.
Thank you! The puzzle solving is definitely one of my favorite parts of faceting. If every stone was exactly the same, it would lose a lot of the fun for sure. 😊
This might be my favorite one so far. The UV shots at the end were amazing.
Thanks so much! Definitely one of my favorites too! 😊
Oh this is _pretty_
Thank you! ❤
So on filling those voids and inclusions, could you use the slurry with the resin to somewhat match the original stone in the repair? In woodworking it's common to use sawdust and wood glue to fill a knot or hole, but I'm not sure if the same idea would transfer to stone. If it would work, it could also give you an interesting option for painting the numbers in.
I do agree the clear resin is a really cool effect and now has me imagining a D20 made from a geode... I DARE YOU
Extra bonus points on using the auto polish pad, innovative problem solving :)
Thank you! Yeah you can definitely tint or dye resin to match the color of the stone! Mixing it with stone dust from the rock itself is a pretty interesting idea as well, though I'm not sure how that would effect the resin. I think it would still work fine! Honestly, filling the numbers with a colored resin is a super cool idea! I'd have to switch up the process up a bit, blasting the numbers in before I do the pre-polish cut and the polish though, which would be interesting. Ooooo A full geode would be crazy!! One I get a pressure pot for the resin, I'll consider giving it a shot, haha!
What do you think about faceting the edges or corners? I think it'd look nice on mostly transparent stones, but I don't know if it'd add anything to these types of stones.
I've done a handful of different cuts like beveling the edges or making stars on the corners. Natural stone dice look really great with some of the fancier cuts, but they're quite a bit of additional work so I don't do them often. Once I finally get around to cutting some clear gemstones I'll definitely opt for a fancier cut for sure. 😊
Amazing work as always! I am new to your channel, but am already a huge fan! I plan to facet gemstones soon (just ordered a cheap machine), but your D 20's have inspired me to buy an 80 tooth index gear as well. I wanted to share some info with you, about Cyano Acrylate (super glue). I used to make high end custom ink pens, and we used C.A. glue as finish on alot of projects. you can purchase it in several consistencies, from water thin, to thick gel. As you spun this die, the facets showed the micro inclusions etc. on the facets. If you fill those in with the water thin CA glue, and spray a bit of acetone on it, it will insta cure, and can be polished (or maybe pre polished) and the micro fissures etc. would no longer be detectable.
Please do not take this as a critique. It is not. i am simply sharing a bit of knowledge from a different hobby, that i feel like might have a place with this hobby. I prefer the natural look and feel, and would likely ask, if it were my die, that you not fill any holes... but your work is "Usable art" much like my ink pens, and as such, finish is more important. Those voids etc. fill with gunk over time and cause chips etc.
thanks for sharing all the tips and knowledge as you make these amazing pieces.
Thanks so much for the support and knowledge, I really appreciate it! 😊 Glad I can be of some inspiration! I've done a bit of research into using CA glue to stabilize stones - submerging them in water thin CA glue in a pressure pot to seep into all the cracks and crevices. It's definitely a process that I want to do, I just haven't had a chance to purchase the equipment to get it set up yet. There are so many beautiful stones that are just a bit too soft/crumbly to make anything durable out of. Using CA glue both as a bonding agent to hold it together, as well as a finishing coat would make that totally possible.
Thanks for the great suggestion! I really appreciate you taking the time to share your knowledge! 😊
Do you seal the stone with a finish?
No sealing finish, just the polish with the alumina oxide. 😊
do you have a estimate on actual time it took to make this?
All in, I'm probably around 40-50ish hours on this one. There was a bit of backtracking to try some different approaches, which added bit of extra time. Also, I am nowhere near the fastest gem cutters. A master could probably cut that time in half, haha. 😊
Do you accept stone donations? I have some regular and some mahogany obsidian that I would love to see turned into something amazing.
I'm working on getting a PO box set up, and am not taking donations until that's squared away. Thank you though! I actually have a few pieces of obsidian, including a nice rainbow obsidian and some mahogany obsidian. Both are on the to-be-cut list and will hopefully end up in future videos! 😊
@@SageAndNettle Awesome! I can't wait to see those videos!!!
What paint did you use to make the numbers glow under UV?
I used a combination of Vallejo White and Army Painter Mummy Robes to get the beige color to match the stone.😊
Just curious... Have you ever, accidentally, or on purpose, skipped the plasti dip step, and blasted the facet edges as well as the numbers?
I did a poor job applying the plastidip on one of my first ever dice, and ended up missing a few spots. This, unfortunately, left a few pretty ugly spots on the finished die (along with the numbers not being deep enough to hold paint), so it ended up in my personal collection, haha! It's bad and ugly, but it taught me some very important lessons, so I hold it dear. 😂
I've considered leaving the edges un-dipped for sandblasting, but I'm not sure if I'd like how it would turn out. And with it being pretty much the last step in the process, I would hate to ruin a die at the very end of dozens and dozens of hours. I dunno, maybe it's worth a shot?
@@SageAndNettle Definitely worth a shot!! Why not?? I mean, i wouldnt do it with the worlds largest natural emerald or anything like that... but maybe a hunk of something that wouldnt break the bank if you had to toss it in the flowerbed.
I think you might be pleasantly surprised. It might give a very unique look to the die, and would absolutely affect the "Roll" of the die... With soft facet edges, i can only imagine how buttery smooth the die would roll. I think the big challenge would be cutting a uniform depth with a blast cabinet.
ROOT BEER!?!?!?!?!?!?!!!!
Did you know that the smell of root beer comes from the roots of the sassafras tree?
Huh, I didn't know that. That's super interesting!
Can u make me a d20 if I send you a big stone