Handpiece Polishing Sequence for Handpiece Faceting Machines

In this video I talk about new methods and laps for polishing to higher grit levels on the Handpiece faceting machine. I don’t find the multiple Lap method to be useful with Handpiece faceting so here’s a technique to try.
If you want to help support me so that I can afford to take time off of work to create these videos, please consider sponsoring me via patreon: www.patreon.com/justinkprim

[@DouglasTuret]

Hey there Justin! Hat’s off to you on another fine educational video! I’ll preface my comment on my cutting & polishing process by saying that I was a full-time Lapidary to the Trade in New York from 1984-99, and then in Boston from 99-2009, and after the initial decade of the intense pressure (and a few ulcers) from trying to consistently produce competition quality goods frequently enough to pay my bills, finally arrived at a far simpler process. That process was (and remains) 600/3,000/50 or 100,000. While giving a faceting lesson in 2006, a student from the Midwest (who’d traveled to Boston to spend a weekend training with me) asked how long I thought it would take to cut a stone, from start to finish, using this method, and I said “I don’t know... so, let’s find out!”, and we set a timer. From that second through the selection of a piece of Nigerian Blue Sapphire rough, through the orientation, black wax dopping, cutting & polishing of the pavilion, transferring, cutting, polishing, undopping and cleaning (with denatured alcohol) of what ended up being a 1.17 ct. SRB (standard Round Brilliant) all took a little less than 52 minutes, and that was with a flawless finish under 10x magnification. Now, mind you, that was with an incredibly simple and straightforward design - one that doesn’t require many changes - but I think you get the idea. I understand how counterintuitive this sounds, as I’ve watched any number of fellow faceters’ eyebrows race for their hairlines when I’ve shared this before, but the keys are in modifying your speeds during the cutting process and envisioning the effects of the individual diamond particles as they approach and impact the workpiece. For example, imagine if you were to take a wooden pole in your hand and go for a walk, dragging behind you down the street. As the chunks of rock in the paved street impacted it, they would probably tear up the end of that stick, leaving some noticeable grooves in it, but if you were doing 60mph down the same road and stuck that same stick out the window just long enough to lightly touch down, the resulting finish would appear much finer, despite the two surfaces and materials being identical. As such, I used to rough out stones under 15 cts. on a 600 lap topper moving at between 3-400 rpm, then go to a copper lap with 3K moving at about 600 rpm, and finish with either 50K on a BATT or 100K on a ceramic lap, with both moving as slowly as the machine would allow. Mind you, this was on either an Ultra Tec V2 or a Fac-Ette GMII, but I strongly suspect that it’s the craftsman more than the machine that dictates the final results. Hope this has helped!

[@DouglasTuret]

P. S,: If you could possibly share with me/us which equipment you’re using in the creation of your videos (and which software you use to edit and compile them), I know that I would be eternally grateful, as I’ve yearned to offer my own videos, but am clueless as to where and how to begin.

[@DouglasTuret]

P. P. S.: A footnote on my previous cutting process: the reason that going from 600 mesh directly to prepolish works so well on most materials (especially on Quartz, Corundum and Spinel) is that it disregards or bypasses the frustrating “orange-peel” effect on the surface of Spinel and Corundum, bypasses the differential hardness issues on Corundum (where one direction prepolishes and the other sometimes coarsely grinds @ 1200) and completely bypasses the “vectoring” finishes that so often plague Amethyst and Citrine table facets. Again, I hope this has been helpful!

[@canadiangemstones7636]

I think Justin needs to get your process on film!

[@vectorv750]

Great video Justin. Was really very informative. Thanks.

[@1bwana120]

Hey Justin, Nice video. I use a coarse sintered lap for preforming, and cutting in the facets. I then use a two zone lap that has a very fine (but fast cutting) sintered outer band, and the Gearloose Diamatrix Composite center band with 60K diamond on it. The sintered outer band cuts quick so dialing in meet points is fast, and leaves a finish that almost looks polished. This means it is only a few seconds to brighten up the facet on the 60K. because the outer band is sintered there is pretty much no risk of contamination on the inner band. In small stones I cut only the mains on the coarse sintered lap, and cut in the breaks and stars with the fine sintered lap. This makes the whole cutting and polishing sequence with only 2 laps, and is a very fast process.

[@JustinKPrim]

Wow. Where did you find a lap like that? Also what is the outer sintered grit level that lets you jump to 60k? Sounds like an incredible lap. Also I've been admiring your stones for a while so it's cool to understand how you get to that point. Thanks

[@1bwana120]

Thaks for the complement. The two zone fine grit sontered lap was an experiment with Jon at gearloose and Tom Adamas at adamasfacet.com. i managed to get 3 of them between mine and 2 for students. They stopped making them because it was too hard and expensive to make. You and I should get together and discuss some ideas on teaching faceting.

[@santiagoaldanondo9001]

Hello Justin, really nice video! I just received the sterling machine with 260, 600, 1200 and 3000 topper laps, zinc, copper, steel and lucite. I have several grits of diamond powder and paste and also aluminum oxide and cerium oxide. I would like to cut primarily garnets, quartz, tourmaline and beryl. What sequences would you use with the mentioned laps? I could also buy an extra lap if needed, maybe a batt lap... thanks in advance!

[@zzMAXz]

Hello Justin. I usually go from 1200 to 3000 and then 0-2 on copper. I has some issues polishing a peridot on copper , so i put on the copper lap a DVD and impregnated It with the same 0-2 powder. As the DVD Is softer It polishes as a lower grit. I Jump from the outer part on copper to the DVD for each facets row by adjusting the height. The result was quick and the final polish was far Better than Just the 0-2 on copper. I have a batt lap (6inch) that I was planning to use with 100k gritt but I was concerned about repeatability of my sterling handpiece, I Will definitely try to divide It in 40k outer and 100k inner

[@JustinKPrim]

I think copper is too hard for peridot. Tin would be better. Also I don't think you need a 3000 step. 1200 to 0-2 works great and saves time.

[@PaoloRbt]

Justin: This is one of the most informative faceting video I have ever watched. I did a little bit of faceting with the Raytech more than 20 years ago. and I had any kind of problems mostly due to my inexperience, but also due to the sloppiness of the machine (this was pre year 2000). I am going to restart faceting and in spite my past experience I am still partial to hand-piece machines and I have already contacted the Sterling Gems& Lapidaries for prices on a ST-08. So after watching the video I have a few question: 1. Is a hand-piece machine OK for faceting large quartz and if so up to what dimension ? 2. You mention that the ST-08 you use is not as accurate as a high precision mast machine. What is the source of lack of precision? My guess for most probable causes, based on my very limited experience is: A. The way the cutter hold the hand-piece B. The glass plate on which the hand-piece sits, since it is very easy to accidentally put pressure on the hand-piece when putting pressure on the stone. Thank you in advance for your opinion on this. And please keep up with your very informative videos. Regards, Paolo

[@JustinKPrim]

Glad to hear that you’re getting back into it. Yes the Handpiece should be just the same for large stones as any other machines. With an 8 inch lap you have just as much surface area. I guess the only limit is if it was so big that it hit the edges of the machine. But unless your faceting something the size of a football I think you’ll be ok. As far as precision, in my experience I have no problem to cut any of the standard cuts but when you get into competition cutting that has many tiny facets, I find that the amount of cheating and tweaking I do to get all the facets in position doesn’t work well with the most complicated designs. I think if someone want to do competition cutting then a good mast machine is the way to go. However I have one of the best mast machines and I prefer my sterling. It’s fast and fun and comfortable and I don’t like doing really complicated designs anyway. I think the lack of precision is probably in the precision of the manufacturing. The machining and engineering. I’m not really sure though. It may just have to do with the fact that the Handpiece is free and therefore can introduce a lot of variable to cutting whereas the mast is fixed and can’t move as much. However this freedom is exactly what I like about the machine. Once you’ve gotten good at the machine, I don’t find these variables to be a hindrance however I don’t want to downplay them since most people buying the machine don’t have a teacher to show them all the tricks and techniques. I’m trying to fill that gap with my KZbin videos.

[@OTNCBC]

How does the drip feed factor into using a lap with two grades of diamond powder? Will the water contaminate the layers by spreading the powder out? Or do you polish with only a little/no water?

[@JustinKPrim]

I don't ever use water for polishing. Just oil and diamond.

[@SnowTiger45]

Hi Justin. I wonder if you could save much of the adjustments (ie. cheater) if you were to use a Transfer Jig rather than "eye-balling" and going "by feel" when dopping to finish the stone (pavilion) ?

[@JustinKPrim]

I don't really spend much time cheating. Only with the round stone is it even a problem because the square and emerald cuts quickly are aligned against a polishing lap and then locked into the quill and an oval or marquise are pretty easily eyeballed because they're so long. Only the round is a little tricky because there is no visual reference point for the eye too easily see. I should do a video where I time my transfer technique vs the transfer jig technique and see if it's longer or shorter. I suspect the transfer jig takes longer but it would be a good battle.

[@yanmaznecip]

Hello, thanks for the tips. Could you please share the web links of Taiwanese and Russian lap manufacturers.

[@JustinKPrim]

The Dream laps are made by Daniel Hu: facebook.com/daniel.hu.35 I don't have a contact for the Russian manufacturer. I just get the laps from Russian friends in Bangkok.

[@yanmaznecip]

@@JustinKPrim Thanks.

[@arthurparramoure2923]

Justin, I’m new to faceting. I bought a used faceting machine. I need a drip tank for water on my laps. Do you have a source???? I’ve looked everywhere, search every possible way. Nothing! Hope you can help. Thanks in advance

[@sarathranasinghe3475]

what is the good faceting head and how much sir

[@JustinKPrim]

sterlinggemland.com. The ST-08 with speed controller and cheater Handpiece is my recommendation

[@LapidandoPedraseGemas]

Super like

[@jorgesucnourquizo8664]

Brazo facetador precio en dolares

[@vandiemenadventures]

I'm using 360, 800,very warn 1200, and 3000 then 13k I finished on 50k

[@JustinKPrim]

I think you could take 13k out of your sequence and get the same results. 3000 to 50k is easy and quick.

[@xx-vk5ol]

@@JustinKPrim Agreed, i go from 3000 to 60k. Been doing that sequence for many years.

[@jessybrown7108]

Justin I have a question and it depends on you to answer my friend. How do you charge the customer? Hourly or by piece and the quality of the stone? Sorry I am being nosy. 😜

[@JustinKPrim]

We charge per carat of the finished stone but after moving to France we’re realizing that maybe an hourly charge is better.

[@jessybrown7108]

@@JustinKPrim Thanks my friend.