Have you considered, as a longer-term solution, taking a class in
faceting?
I have some faceting equipment (that I got so cheap I practically
stole it) and have messed around with it enough to be able to repair
slightly damaged stones and cut a saleable round brilliant tourmaline
or quartz family stone. It isn’t at all profitable though as it takes
me about eight hours to cut a $40 stone (with anything close to a
decent polish) and I’m nowhere near good enough to cut anything worth
more than that. I also don’t have any cabbing equipment yet. The
stones I need are going to take both, I think. I would love to pursue
the art of faceting, carving and cabbing, but I already have more
bubblegum than I can chew, what with a five year old retail store
that has a ravenous appetite for cash and time, a couple of
journeymen goldsmiths with voracious appetites for more tools,
knowledge and skills (unfortunately not for stone cutting) and a
family that likes me to visit home every now and then outside of the
hours from midnight to eight AM.
One day, Lorraine, one day. At least that’s what I keep telling
myself. Thanks for the link and the info, they’re going in the
"Things I want to learn before I retire" file (which already has
about eight hundred years worth of stuff in it).
In the meantime, I think I have found someone that can help me.
Someone has responded off-list and assures me he can do the job for
significantly less than others I have talked to. Thanks Ahmed, and
thank you once again to the Orchid family!
Dave