Hobbies And Interests
Facet Cutters
Facet cutters are machines that house a light, grinding arm and spinning grinding wheel. These components work together to cut flat facets into the face of a gemstone with a high degree of stability and accuracy. Due to the high level of precision involved in the faceting process, these machines can cost $4,000 or more.
Faceting Laps
The spinning surface of the facet cutter is called the faceting lap. Different laps serve different roles during the cutting process, including cutting, sanding and polishing. Some laps are made of plastic, requiring grinding powder to cut, sand or polish. Other laps are built with a layer of chromium, aluminum or cerium to sand and polish on their own. Laps range in price, depending on construction, from around $10 to $150.
Diamond Powders
Diamond powder, measured in .2 or .8 microns, is spread on the spinning lap to cut gemstones, which are some of the hardest natural materials on the planet. Different powders, such as tin oxide and cerium oxide, are used to polish and sand away imperfections in the facet. The cost of the powders is around $10 for a 4-oz. jar.
Miscellaneous Supplies
Other facet cutting parts include alcohol lamps, the dop and dop wax. The dop is installed on the tip of the facet cutter's grinding arm, and holds the gemstone in place via dop wax. The alcohol lamp melts the dop wax so the gemstone can be stuck to the end of the dop. An alternative to dop wax is glue and refractrol, which adheres the gemstone to and removes it from the dop, respectively.