Table Of ContentA STUDENT'S HANDBOOK IN LAPIDARY WORK
A Project
Presented to
the Faculty of the School of Education
The University of Southern California
In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
Master of Science in Education
by
Harold H» Wetzler
August 1950
UMI Number: EP46650
All rights reserved
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UMI EP46650
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This project report, written under the direction
of the candidatefs adviser and approved by him,
has been presented to and accepted by the Faculty
of the School of Education in partial fulfillment of
the requirements for the degree of Master of
Science in Education.
Date ............................
Dean
iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
1. HOW TO SLAB SAW GEM STONES................. . . . . 1
A* How to start and stop the slab saw........ 1
B. How to start and stop the oil pump . . . . . . . 3
C. How to determine the size of the stone to be cut 3
D. How to clamp the stone in the vise • • • • • . . b
E. How to set the saw vise. . * • • • • . . . . . • 6
F. How to adjust the transverse movement of the
vise 7
G. How to start the cut • • • • • • • . • • • • . . 8
H. How to finish the cut. . . . • • ........... 9
I. How to clean the saw .......... 9
2. HOW TO TRIM SAW GEM STONES......................... 12
A. How to start and stop the trim saw . . • • • • • 12
B. How to use the guard.............. 12
C. How to determine the size of the material to
be cut • • • • • ............ I1*-
D. How to mark the stone........ • • • • • . • • • 15
E. How to hold the material for cutting . . . . . . 17
F. How to make the cut. • • • • • ................ 17
G. How to clean the saw • • • • • .......... 19
HOW TO CUT A CABOCHQN............................ 22
A. How to select the stone for your cabochon. . . . 22
iv
CHAPTER PAGE
B. How to select the best cabochon shape for your
stone • • • • • • • . • * . . • • • • • • • « . « 2k-
C. How to rough grind the base of your stone • . • • 29
D. How to mark out the shape of your stone • * . . • 32
E. How to cut your stone to rough plan shape • • . • 33
F. How to rough grind your stone to plan shape * • • 3k-
G. How to fine grind the base* . • . . .............. 36
H. How to rough grind the crown. . . . . . . . . . . 37
I. How to dop your stone............. 38
J. How to heat the stone * • . • • • • • • • • • . . kO
K. How to cement the stone to the dop stick. • . . • kl
L. How to fine grind the crown ......... k-2
M. How to sand the crown............................k-2
N. How to polish the crown........... ^3
0. How to mix the polishing abrasives*......... k7
P. How to sand the base* • • • * * • • • • • • • * * H-8
Q* How to polish the base* • • • • • • * • • * • • * 50
R* How to remove the stone from the dop stick* . . . 50
k* HOW TO CUT FACETS...................•................ 5^
A* How to run the machine safely * • • • * • * • • * 51**
B. How to set up the machine................... 55
C. How to select a stone • • • * • * • * • • • • * . 58
D* How to dop the stone. ............ 59
E. How to mount the dop stick to cut the table . . . 6l
V
CHAPTER PAGE
F. How to mount the lap . • • • • • • • • ............ 61
G. How to remove and replace the master aluminum
plate* ................................. 62
H* How to use the splash pan*........................63
I# How to apply the water • • • • • • • • • * . • • . 63
J. How to cut the table . • ............. . . . . 6h
K. How to transfer the dop stick to cut the top
facets • 65
L. How to keep a record of your work* • * • • • • • • 65
M. How to cut the top main facets • * • • • • • * * • 66
N* How to cut the girdle* .......... 68
0* How to cut the star facets * ................. 70
P. How to cut the top sixteenths. ........... 71
Q. How to polish the top part of your gem stone . . . 73
R. How to transfer your stone from one dop stick to
another.............. • • • • • • .................7*+
S. How to cut the bottom main facets. • • • • « • • • 73
T. How to cut the bottom sixteenths • • • • • • • • * 80
U. How to polish the bottom of your stone • • • • • • 8l
V. How to remove the stone from the dop stick • • « • 82
W. How to clean the machine............... • • » • 82
5. HOW TO DRILL GEM STONES................................ 85
A. How to use the drill press................... 85
B. How to make a drill. • • • • • • ........... 86
vi
CHAPTER PAGE
C. How to mount the drill............... . • • . 90
D. How to determine the drill size*............... 90
E. How to select and mix abrasives........... . * * 91
F. How to use the abrasive mixture. • • • • • • • • 92
G. How to hold the stone for drilling........ 93
H. How to drill the hole ...................... 91*
6. HOW TO MAKE BEADS. . ............................ 97
A. How to select the material .......... 97
B. How to cut the bead stock. ............ 97
C. How to rough grind the beads 99
D. How to grind the beads ............ 100
E. How to drill the beads • • • • • • • • • • • * • 103
F. How to polish the beads. ...................... 105
7. HOW TO CHOOSE GEM STONES............................ 108
A. How to choose stones for cabochon shapes • • • • 108
B. How to choose your stone for facet shapes. . . . Ill
LAPIDARY RESERVE BOOK SECTION: A special reserve shelf
for use in lapidary work • • * • » • • • • • • • • • 115
vii
LIST OF FIGURES
FIGURE PAGE
1* A Slab S a w ..................... . . . . ........... 2
2. A Trim Saw......... 23
3* The Stone Layout Guide • ......................... 16
b. Round or Spherical Caboehon. .......... • • • • • • 26
5. Double Cabochons .......... • • • . • • . • • • • . 27
6* High Caboehon......... • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 28
7* Simple Caboehon* • • • • * • • • • • • • • • « * • * 30
8. Hollow Caboehon* • « • • • • • • * • • • • • • • • * 31
9* Rough Grinding to Plan Shape * .........• • • • • • 35
10* A Dopped Stone * • • • • • • • • • • • • ....... . 39
11* Sanding the Crown........* ............... Mf
12# Polishing the Crown. • • • • • .........• • • • • • ^6
13* Sanding the Base * . * • • • • • • • • * • * • • • * **9
l*f. A Facet Cutting Machine.............* ............. 56
15. The Top Facets......... 67
16. Side View of a Facet Cut Stone• • • • ............. 69
17. 11V" Block Used in Transferring the Stone . . • • • • 76
18. The Bottom Facets................................. 79
19. A Draw Plate 88
20. A Sheet Metal Gem Drill........................... 89
viii
PREFACE TO STUDENTS
This handbook has been prepared for student use* You, a
student, will be shown, step by step, how to use all of the
various machines found in the lapidary shop* By following
these directions, you will be able to make many beautiful
gems which can be fit into jewelry in the art metal class.
You will learn many facts about the operation of the machines
and the skill to use them by actual practice.
The problem of securing stones for lapidary work is
insignificant in your area. You live close to the beach, and
you may go there in search for various stones to be used in
the shop. If you have an opportunity to travel to the moun
tains or desert in your area, you will have an excellent
chance to find many excellent specimens of gem stone materials*
In many instances you will find gem stone materials which have
been collected by some member of the family in your home.
These sources of material should increase your interest in and
enjoyment of lapidary work.
The fact that there is very little material available on
lapidary work seems to imply something mysterious about stone
cutting, grinding and polishing. There is nothing about this
work which is difficult. Because the work is so simple, the
craftsmen of the past sought to protect their jobs by keeping
as much of this information secret as possible. You have the
right to know how to do the things described in the handbook.
ix
By learning to operate the equipment as it has been
explained in the handbook, you should be able to convert
rough rocks into semi-precious or precious gem stones. You
should learn how to cut, grind, sand, polish and drill your
stones. As you become more proficient in the use of the
equipment, your workmanship will also become higher in qual
ity. As the quality of your workmanship becomes higher, the
value of the type of gem you will be able to produce will be
greater.
