We just Subscribed to your channel. We’re Disabled Seniors with our 47yr old SON / Paraplegic. We’ve recently became Rockhouds and Lapidary.

Just a comment: You said to comment below if you had questions but I don’t see any responses to any of the questions…

Really informative video. Thanks for sharing. It would have been nice to see a comparison of working with a stabilized stone and a non-stabilized stone to see how the stone changes after the bath in the chemicals.

Can you tell me if the solution can be reused a second or third time? Or do you need to use fresh acetone epoxy each time?

Hi Cheryl, can you reuse the mixture again and how long can you keep mixture? Can you use mixture for whole rocks or only slabs? Thanks

Thanks. I've wondered how this is done. Now I know! BTW. I really doubt that the mask you're wearing will filter out any acetone fumes at all.

Great to see my friend on a great video while searching for an answer! Thanks!

Hi Cheryl, If you put those in a vac chamber overnight and then put them on low at around 125 degrees in an old toaster oven you'll cut this process down to an overnight process. Its a really great method though!! Nice video

I have to slab alot this year and this will help. Thank you so much!

I’ve tried this method and it works OK. The best stabilization process is kept secret! For Turquoise the Zachery ( Old method) & Tak treatment ( New method) . I let my jar of stones set for 2 weeks then air dried for another 10 or 12 days. The next time I do this I’m going to put my jar, stones, and epoxy mixture in my Vacuum chamber ( used in lost wax casting), it’s should force epoxy into all the empty voids of the stone. I might even try a different 2 part epoxy and make the solution thicker. Some suggest heating the cookie sheet of stones in a small Dedicated Toaster Oven to dry the stones faster. Low heat! 200 degrees or lower. Think I’ll pass on the oven to avoid a possible explosion! There’s something called Cactus Juice that’s used to stabilize punky wood that’s also been used to stabilize stones but again there’s no videos showing how the process is done. Another method is to coat the stone or slab with Medium Star Bond then cut and shape your cab. But this just coats the surface and doesn’t penetrate the stone leaving it brittle or soft again once you’ve ground the surface. Thanks for this video. It’s in my Library and I’ll post an update, the results of my next experiment.

Thank you very good info and nice you speeded it up so it was not too repitish.Great job.

Thanks so much. My husband and I are newbies and this is much needed information.

Definitely help for us newbies!

Thank you. Very easy to follow and I am now subscribed!

Most most interesting information and techniques thank you

thank you !! great lesson !!

Thanks for the tutorial vlog. I have some chrysocolla in the tumbler no that I did two days then cleaned and going to tumble on step two for 2 -3 days to see how that works. I didn't stabilize first to see if it needed it and sure nuff it did. I am just learning so am apt to make some mistakes. Again thanks. Havagudun Lady.

and Cactus Juice does expand when you go to put it in the oven to heat set the epoxy . so if you have a super soft Stone you're trying to stabilize with cactus juice keep that in mind ..... because it could expand and crack where you don't want it to. and it does get contaminated so it's a one-time-use juice .I have used it after it has been contaminated it turns yellowish Brown so I just use it on darker colored gemstones and other brown rocks.thinner is better .and keep up the research and good luck. :-)

Thank you for your post ,very helpful 🌍😀

I’m in a similar situation-found instructions, but with no demonstration. Appreciate the share. Couple questions-did you layer slabs one on top of the other or did you stack them all vertically? How long did the solution last and how did you safely dispose of it? Thanks so much!

Yesterday I put some stones in the mix with one change. I used my vacuum packer lid attachment. Doing so pulled all the air out of the stones fractures and pits and no doubt drew in the mixture. We will see... also, it limited the size of product going in as the opening of the jar is. 3”.

Thank you very much.

Hello. I was wondering how do you know which stones need stabilizing? Love the video very informative.

Thank you for sharing

Thanks for this, your step by step was nice and easy to follow. Any chance you know if this will work on thicker stones? I am looking to stabilize some peridot “bombs” that are about 4in diameter that are very brittle.

great video❤

Just one note regarding safety. If you need a mask due to insufficient ventilation you actually need a respirator with the proper cartridges. Masks like what's used in this video generally do nothing to protect you from fumes such as acetone (even N95 and surgical masks do nothing to keep it out). There "may" be some I don't know about that are suitable however.

Thanks for the video. I bought some cut and polished unstabilized sleeping beauty turquoise cabs that have good color and polish. Will stabilizing darken the stones and if so to what degree?

Am preparing to stabilize some chalky Chrysocolla and will use your formula.

High people I ran across this video about stabilizing gemstones and I found it so surprising to me. so here goes it's called sodium silicate or water glass you can get it from Amazon even. it does not like water any type of moisture so preheat your stones for two weeks minimum and under vacuum if you can do that. I like to cut the stone into the cabochon rough shape first. if the stone is left in a chunk that means it needs to be in a vacuum heat for months. to get rid of any moisture. when everything is cool then add the sodium silicate or water glass put it under vacuum and let it stay there for another week or longer.then pull it out and towel dry off any excess. sodium silicate or water glass is what the professionals lean on when they stabilize turquoise. read up on what activates and hardens the sodium silicate and best wishes....:-)

Thanks

Hello! So does this make the harder? If I make forms with the stone using diamond bits should I do this before or after I’m done carving?

Can you do this to turquoise also? Thank you for the video

This is great for those rocks, but how do you stabilize Australian opal?

Thats great mam👍😘

What a timely video😄! I've been looking for a way to stabilize a big rock I have (I think it might be Chrysocolla). It's pretty fragile right now, but it's I love the color of it, so I really want to do something with it. Would I have to first cut the stone into slabs before using this technique? Thanks so much😊.

I'm going to try this with some soft andamooka matrix maybe some soft boulder matrix also. But under vacuum. I'll update with my results.

I'm new to stabilizing stones. Can this mixture be used again ,after you remove you stones?

Thanks a lot for practical techniques. There is 2 questions . 1st: Is it possible to use acetone + ( epoxy) glue several times.? 2nd: I didn't notice (sorry) does it matter which one should be added to acetone?epoxy or hardener. Thank you.

I have some Utah Bacon Opal slabs. Would you recommend this method for them? I just want to be able to cut and display.

Do the slabs stick/adhere to the cookie sheet after treatment? Would a cooling rack be okay to use during drying time?

I have a piece of turquoise rough from the Mona Lisa mine I want to stabilize. Could I use this method ? I also want to cut it in 3 pieces when do I do that using a dremel type tool?

What would be the maximum thickness turquoise you would recommend? Thanks

So I’m guessing this seeps into all the fractures and hardens? I’ve been trying to polish some rainbow fluorite recents and it’s just not working because all the fractures.

Cool

nice

Wonderful video thanks

Love the video…..do you recommend trying to stabilize turquoise?

1. Will this work for larger, thicker pieces of turquoise? I would like to stabilize before trying to cut slabs. 2. Can/should you leave thicker chunks of stone in longer (can you leave it too long?). 3. Does it change the color of the stone? 4. Lastly, how effective is this method compared to using a pressurized method? Thank you!

Hi and thanks! Will this work with Sandstone?? I have some great Sedona red rock I want to use. Thanks for any answer:)

does stabilizing allow for a soft rock to be tumbled to a shine?

👍👍

Would this stabilize sandstone? For carving?

Will a clear two part epoxy used for sealing concrete garage floors work? (I have a Home Depot kit left over from another penny floor project).

Do you feel from your experience working with epoxy backing that I can drill and rivet thru a stabilized piece?

Are you from the globe Miami area? I live here. I recognize some of the mines you nemaed

I've never heard of this, stabilizing stone. Can I do this with, well any kind of stone? I find a lot of cool smooth stones fishing. Well, I guess I should ask, why do you stabilize them? I'm sorry, this was on my recommended list and looked interesting.

Do the stones retain a wet look after the epoxy/acetone mixture dries?

I was unable to get the Acetone like you have. I used to get it but seems like they're not stocking it here. I got a bottle of 100% pure acetone says all over the bottle, but says it contains Denatoniun Benzoate to make it extreme bitter so people won't drink it. Will this work with the epoxy 330 to stabilize turquoise?

Would this work to fill in cracks in stone so you can't really see the cracks anymore...like a crack thru an agate hard to see wet but when its dry you can see the crack...would this seal and make the crack invisible or close to it? Or do we want to do like something else like vacuum chamber hardener to make cracks in stones disappear or almost disappear?

is there any rocks or minerals that are naturally blue in nature like a light shade of blue specifically cerulean

After turquoise is stabilized can it be tumbled?

I am wondering where yall are from (located). You talk about Rural King and Mejier.😮

Can this be used for soft coral

How do you dispose of the excess acetone or do you reuse it?

Do you work with stabilized material the same way you would unstablized? Can it be tumbled?

Does this method work for bone and fossils.. Wot happens if you put organic material in such a mixture?

Only thing I will also do since I will have a vacuum chamber available will be to evacuate air then dry.

Have you thought about using a compression chamber with this formulation?

can you reuse the stabilizing fluid?

Can you reuse the juice after you take the stones out.

Hi does it work with ethopian opals from cracking

Can u use this for wavellite?

How do you discard of the left over solution of acetate and epoxy? Or can it be reused?

How does one dispose of the used liquid?

I've searched and searched for am answer to this question... I bought some really beautiful sodalite slabs. I really don't want it to chip or break so I'm wondering if I should stabilize it?

Can you stabilize opal this way?

How much epoxy is in those small tubes? Id live to know an amount, i have the larger size tubes to do more.

Can the epoxy mixture be reused?

I'm using your method to stabilize some chrysocolla stone before cutting. I have an air tight glass container for this purpose. I noticed after placing the stone in the jar, the stone is releasing gas bubbles. I don't know what the gas is but I'm afraid the glass container will build up pressure and burst at some point. This would create a certain fire hazard if I left the glass jar in my house. Is it normal to see gas bubbles being released from the stone? I'm going to leave the container on my front porch in case it does build up pressure and burst. It's been between 20 to 40 degrees in my area. Not sure if the stabilizing process will work well at those temperatures.

Have you tried Cactus juice in a vacuum chamber

Will this work for opal?

N-95s do not protect you from VOCs! They are meant for particulates. In this case you should use a respirator with cartridges specifically designed for organic vapors.

Does this work for amethyst that breaks while cutting?

Have you done a video on how to remove oil from the slabs?

Have you used this with opals? Particularly ethiopian opals??

Was my understanding that you stabilize soft stones like turquoise by soaking in PEG til it stops bubbling. Just a thought.

Can I reuse the liquid?

do you need to refrigerate??

You will improve your method if you first mix the 303 together and let the chemical reaction take place before you ad the acetone

Are the 330 epoxy 1/2 ounce or 1 ounce tubes???

Where is that video second part

Where do you get your stone slabs?

Where can you get the epoxy at

question doesn't all the methods that you people have talked about Citrus juice or cactus juice or epoxy and acetone mixtures doesn't that make the stones turn a little yellowish Brown overtime. ?

There are two sizes of epoxy. Did you use the 1/2 oz tubes or 1 oz tubes?

Can you reuse the solution?

Mask type?

You need a type p respirator for off gasing chemical

Hi