I’ve been faceting for several years now, using designs I’ve found
on the web. I would like to try to design some of my own.
I know of the GemCad software, tried it and found it difficult to
use a beginner and an old fart like me. The other problem I have is
that I have a Mac and it was a PC program and I had to use a second
program even to get it run.
What I’m search for is if anyone knows of any books that
may have been published in the past, that would give instructions on
how to develop a faceting design on paper? Or perhaps there is a
facetor that might give me some suggestions on developing a faceting
design on paper? I figure someone must have done it on paper in the
past before there were computers and everything became so automated.
Appreciate any suggestions that you might have. Thanks in advance.
What I'm search for is if anyone knows of any books
that may have been published in the past, that would give
instructions on how to develop a faceting design on paper? Or
perhaps there is a facetor that might give me some suggestions on
developing a faceting design on paper? I figure someone must have
done it on paper in the past before there were computers and
everything became so automated.
The only reference I know is the classic “Facet Design” by Robert
Long and Norman Steele. They pretty much invented mathematical design
and analysis. It comes in 7 volumes, but probably vol. 1 would give
you what you need. It’s available from several lapidary suppliers.
and ask your questions there. There are many experienced faceters
and designers on the forum.
I also highly recommend that you learn to use Gemcad. There are
decent tutorials, and it’s a heck of a lot easier than hand
calculating. Many people use it on Mac or Linux.
A Russian chap has written a facet cutting program not unlike gemcad
but more up to date and less clunky on modern computers. Cant think
of the title but you must be able to search it somewhere. There are
also several books written on faceting dating back to the 1940’s but
invariably they use preforms and I have always cut to point and dont
know of any published cutter who works well with both methods.
The problem with paper based diagrams is that you have to throw a
lot of maths at it to take into account different RI’s etc. Having
said that I have done a few stones to my own design that are
interesting variations of published cuts so avoiding the major errors
of wrong major angles.