I'm new to Dremels, but this thing has been great. kzfaq.infoUgkxfPgcZ5_Cl0HDUKkMJAKde11YKQZVgMoR The variable speed is awesome and the cordless aspect makes it so easy to work with. I am constantly finding uses for it that make tasks easier. Recently I put in a new deadbolt on one of our doors. I knew I had to enlarge the hold where the deadbolt goes into the door frame. At first I thought I would have to get a big router and figure out how to use it for that, but then I rermembered we have the dremel. I was able to enlarge the hole almost as easy as if I was drawing with a pen. It's also great for grinding our dog's nails done and so many other household tasks.

At our lapidary club we use a small butane torch to heat the shank of the nail (or screw) for a few minutes. The flame will conduct the heat down the shank to the head of the hardware and soften the glue. It usually only takes 5 minutes max and the stone drops off the screw. Then we soak the stone for less than 10 minutes in acetone to soften any remaining Superglue. A razor will remove the softened glue. Then you’re good to go to polish the back of the cab if you want.

Just gotta say... THANK YOU! You’re helping so many new aspiring artists like myself to access the craft, without needing $2000 to start up. Thank you so dearly for sharing your work and knowledge 🙌🏼 and helping educate so many through it

Your water drip system from the easily purchased water jug kinda blew my mind a little with its simplicity and accessibility. One of those, “Oh..😮😊HUH!!” moments, thank you!

I've found denim is one of the best materials to use for polishing. Holds the polishing media well and holds up very well.

Awesome technique, I’m starting from scratch before I invest in expensive wheels. So this was a good video to learn from. Thanks.

I cut opal, for my final polish i use a peice of craft foam stuck to a lap disk. Works like a dream

Well dave, I've been using a flex shaft to make cabs for almost 3yrs now..its the only tool besides a tile saw and tumbler that i have...thinking im up over 500 cabs now...

Love this video ! Thanks for being so hobbiest oriented

Great instructional Dave, definitely going to do this. Slowly setting my DIY lapidary shop. Thanks to you and other channels you all have made it possible to do this on a budget. Peace brother

Very good, informative video Dave! You gave me some great ideas! Also after checking out the other comments, you've helped out so many!

Bro! Saved this video. I was just wondering about this. Heck yeah! 😎🤘🏾🤘🏾 I have a few rough pieces of turquoise. Definitely gonna try this out.

Nicely done! A Foredom Tool is a phenomenally useful bit of kit, for drilling, light cutting, heavy grinding, carving, polishing, fossil preparation, - it does it all!!

You where able to make my job easier and saved me some time. Thanks so much. Your a life saver. I had fun doing it too.

I use diamond core bits in a drill press to drill out cores and then cut off slices. It works well, it’s quick, the buttons are uniform and lends itself well to mass production.

You are extremely good at presenting information! Also, I might have to try that sidewalk suggestion 😀 - in NYC nobody would even bat an eye at some crazy lady doing sidewalk lapidary!

wow thank you so much, did not know i could actually attach my stones to a Dremel tool wow

thanl you for the knowledge you offer to us ,the amateurs,!! Thank you again from Greece

Wow...hey Dave, you are a true lapidary genius. Thanks so much for this video, helps a lot. Will try it this weekend. More power to you and take care, be safe 🙏🏼💕

Thank you! I repair antique purses and need to make a few cabochons for the frames. I knew there had to be an easier way without investing in a ton of equipment. This will save me a ton of time and money!

Nice video... nice new technique!!! That chrysoprase cab looks like a little planet earth button.

Man I was making it so much more difficult I was using the dremel heads to make a cab and not a flat lap thanks man learned a lot

I really appreciate this vid because I'm dying to cab a few of my favorite jasper and agate finds, but I lack the equipment. Well, I don't lack it all apparently cuz I've got the dremel and flex shaft and tons of tips. Just need the grinding and sanding paper and I'm good to go. I've used my dremel to carve some of my stuff but never got as far as polishing it. Oh wait, I DID make a very smol common opal cabochon and I did get it to a reasonably nice polish, but it was very tedious doing it freehand with the dremel. At least with what you've shown here I can practice cabbing and maybe if I get good enough people will buy what I'm selling and I'll be able to afford the gear. I very much want a flat lap because it seems like it could handle my large specimens in addition to wee ones. Dunno wtf I didn't think of doing this before, it's such a DUH type thing.

Fabulous stuff Dave! You inspire me so much dude you have no idea. Love it bro!

Great video Dave! I’m relatively new to the hobby. I’ve tumbled quite a few agates but have yet to try shaping them. Your video has given me an awesome starting point to begin shaping with my dremel (before I take the plunge and buy a cabbing machine). I also got a great new phrase from the video: “full monkey!”

This is brilliant! Thank you for this video, I had no idea where to start with making cabochons when I have next to no equipment. I’m so excited to try this!

Nice presentation. i'm just starting into shaping pebbles. so your efforts do help. a few weeks ago i got some dopping wax from amazon, cut up a dried branch... done some cabbing with it and also used hot glue. was grinding with anything i can spin or hold in my lap. you can finish the cab backs on the non motorized gear you showed here. i usually try for ovals and hearts...so fatter mounts work well. nice to see round work. you may have saved a tile saw from my abuse...

i love the superglue trick. one extra idea is something i do. i use a hole saw to etch a circle so when i cut out my stone on my crappy tile saw i get a nice round. so much faster than drilling a big core out.

Thanks for the rotary tips and a tip from me a pise of flat wood and glue lettther ruff side up and apply the buffing componde on to it 🙂

I knew I had the capability to do some grinding and buffing -metal & stone-I have an old belt sander and 2 mounted bench grinders-on wooden boards-and there is no reason why a hobbyist needs to do things the traditional methods which serve to create profits for long established overpriced companies. I have plenty of materials now to work with to keep me busy awhile Lapidary Dave-lapis, jade, semiprecious beads and stones, sterling silver, copper, some CZs to practice with-there are -it is said-more than one way to skin a cat and I am not here to make RioGrande or any other company rich. Thanks for the videos-Good Times-let them roll!

Good idea. Very cool just found a bunch of agates. Going to try your method thanks

Looking for the news this morning,I came upon your video,I love you! You solved my problem and saved me a lot of money, thankyou thank you.I was up all night last night and looking for equiptment,again thank you so much.

Dave, you have the most pleasant sounding voice! I was searching for woodworking videos and this video came up with the others and I'm so glad it did. I know as a professional you would have liked the cabochon to be shinier, but I thought it was perfect. I like earthy, more natural-looking jewelry and this was perfect. The inclusion I love and I would have been drawn to this. I may have missed it, but is the stone a green turquoise? As a child, I loved searching for unusual stones and everywhere we went I brought home a handful. So, as a result, I had boxes full of them. My dad was a cigar smoker and used to get wooden cigar boxes from the owner of the tobacco shop for me to keep the stones in. I only have one box full left but they are the prettiest and most unusual of all I had. I don't wander in the woods, or rivers anymore. It has gotten pretty scary to be alone in the woods these days. Well, count me in as a subscriber and I'm going to check out your other videos. Have a great fall!

Thanks so much, now with Covid downtime I could not get to my lapidary club to use their wheels and tools and I have a Dremel with all attachments so it is my chance to try it with your great videos.

Man, I can use that info. Thanks so much for the good vid. So much to learn so little time. Havagudun Dave.

Thank you Dave. Good info!

Great information! Thank you for sharing! On another video, I saw someone suggest putting your gem stone on the dopstick in the freezer, and it will pop off the glue easily.

Thanks for this video! Super informative and understandable

Thank you. I don’t have money for a flat lap and I’ve been using a tile saw. I bought some angle grinder diamond pads. I could just use them! Thank you

Just goes to show, you can always find a way to make something by by using the tools in the shed without laying out loads of cash on something new. I have some stones ready to polish and now I know how. Thanks for sharing.

Hell yeah more Dave! nice video bro

I’m so happy I subscribed to your channel!

Cool, Dave! I watched the old-timer and gentleman who has a KZfaq about this that you recommended. I will probably use my Foredom to do this too as soon as I can figure out what to use for a dopping stick. I’ve got some old school aluminum roofing nails that have been most helpful in the past. 🙂

Hiya Dav, hey that's a awesome cabbage Jon 😂😂😂 I really loved the video, and how you show these easy peasy techniques, that anyone can do. Shoot I have done these same techniques myself, before I had easy access to the internet. I love all your videos, and as always stay safe, and healthy and have a great blessed day. Cya! O..... My friends call me Catfish.

Great Video Dave besides the acitone, I'm not sure but I do think it can be harmful to quiet a few stones. Really neat trick on how to make a cabachon without the right tools! Your so appreciated!!🙏♥️

Great video!!!!!!

Dave thanks for the tips and trick, just getting into cabbing and ordered a Cabking

Great Job ! Thanks !

Hey Dave been following you for a long time I love your videos just wanted to share a bit of information, when you put the stone on the nail all you have to do is take a small torch, heat the nail and the stone will pop right off

Thank you!

Nice and cheap way again 👍👍

Great information. One thing that I would do different. When you spin it inside a piece of cloth, do it in three steps. #1. Dampened 1000 grid aluminum oxide. #2. Dampened 2-micron aluminum oxide #3. Dampened cerium oxide. If it is a stone that will polish good, then you should get a real shine. You won't need much powder at all in the cloth. The grit that you use doesn't have to be the exact same that I suggested, but I think that you get the idea.

Chamois leather for rouge. Works great.

i find diamond paste and felt pads work well for that final polishing on gemstones - though i work with mainly agate, jade/nephrite and picture jasper

Thanks for the in-depth video. I'd like to give this a go, but like a lot of people, I don't have hundreds of quid to invest in a machine for a hobby I might not even enjoy. Would love to see a video from you doing this with a smaller piece, and with a hand drill, but I appreciate that's a big ask! Anyway, cheers for providing this info!

I did this before with my Dremel and a piece of aquamarine. I used gorilla glue and wet and dry sandpaper and a sponge. I applied the compound to a piece of micro fiber cloth for my glasses and it worked wonders.

I finally got the time to sit down and watch this as got a flex shaft today...... I'm 100% going to be trying this method 😂

Heat the nail with a torch. the superglue will burn off without heating the gem then use the acetone to remove the rest of the glue

candle flat wicks work great for ragging with buffing/polish compound.

Hi Dave just heat up your nail near the top. Just for a few seconds. And tap your stone right off. No color change. Love your vedios. 💝

I know someone who uses old jeans to polish rocks with Zam. Works really well.

This is a great idea

Very helpfull awesome thanks for this

Great video for broke folks such as myself

Wow that was super cool to watch and very informative!!! That stone you made is ABSOLUTELY stunning!!! Would you be interested in maybe selling it? I am in LOVE with that Chrysocolla!!

I make weapons with steel bars from printers by putting the bar in a drill, and spin it against a grinder. You get a perfect point. Same principle.

I gotta try this

This is one of those things where I instantly think to myself, "how the hell didn't I already think of this idea myself?" Lol Great idea, great video. Thanks for all the info, and thanks for making, and posting this awesome video. As to the sandpaper needing a soft backing, you can buy a cheap yoga mat. Then you have a roll of good firm foam rubber, and can cut pieces to fit your task perfectly. A little glue, and a piece of 1/2 inch pine lumber. It's pretty cheap, and you can use em over and over. Also, with the nail glue, have you tried warming it up first, then rolling the blade around the perimeter? Just curious if that might work easier, and not risk chipping, or breaking the stone. What's the smallest stone you've done this way? I'm probably going to try myself, but curious how small you've successfully shaped and polished a stone. Like maybe it's harder to make consistent motion on the abrasive when it's smaller, due to higher rpm.

Such a great vid! I wonder if wrapping felt around a sanding block then loading it with Zam would work

Thank you

thanks for the informative video! your voice is really soothing by the way, you should speak some audiobooks.

Dan Lopaki is the man- he has the BEST Chinese turquoise

Tanks l love this way very smart

Thank you so much, makes this so much less intimidating.

Thank you for the video, it really helps us newbies understand the concept. Would we take a rectangular cut to make a oval for a necklace?

Until I can afford a Hi Tech Flat Lap, I’ve been using dremels for the past three years and I NEVER thought of attaching the stone to the dremel bits !!!

👍 ❤❤❤ 👍

Get the nail hot with a propane torch. Not scorching hot but 5-8 sec. It pops right off the super glue...

I my name is doc like your videos thanks.if you put a little heat on the nail it will release .

Dremel has a chuck attachment now that works great

Nice, thanks

Heat the nail. Apply the pressure and the stone will come off. No need the acetone.

For your nail. Bend the sides down slightly on the head. Kinda like a flat top umbrella shape so when using a blade you can get right under it and it'll pop off easier

A common shank size for nails is 3.2mm which is the large collet size for the dremels. The technique you are using is what is used to make balsa wood polishing points.

This is very cool. I'm starting to wonder if I can just glue a stone to a sacrificial piece of wood or metal on my lathe and grind it down that way

I recently discovered your videos, and absolutely love them. I am new to the world of lapidary as I am about to get my first trim saw to start slicing some small rocks to make cabs and weld sculptures to incorporate stones. Just wondering if you have any advice for someone that will be using strictly a flex shaft for shaping and polishing. Might also buy some grinding discs for the drill for the polishing stage. Curious if you have any tips or tricks for someone new? also I’m looking online at sintered diamond bits, and I’ve noticed that if their classified as dental sintered bits much cheaper. Curious if you’ve ever tried any of those and if they’re the same as the lapidary specific sintered? Thank you for your time and thank you for your videos !! Love them!!👌🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻

You mentioned two people who share cabbing techniques. Could you please supply their names. I love your video and loving your water solution and I’m a newbie trying to gather as much info on cabbing. Thank you

Great idea until I can afford to make my own cab machine.. gona use a washing machine motor. Its perfect rpm 1725, belt driven with a keyed spot to put a shift on so I can mount wheels on what and then brasher the belt drive a trim saw when needed. Buying the wheels is the expensive part now..

Love to get a few different pieces of rock from you ...just small ones to do what you did on this video..

I would try denim or polishing

enjoyed these great tips...Was really liking the color but then the stone got darker with the acetone soak. Does it lighten back up or stay dark?

I Dave love your vids no bull just good information .I’m a old time jeweller trying to learn lapidary.I’m based in uk can you help with buying rough stone from .thanks doc

It looks like a rock Island without plant life yet, out in the ocean.

Could I do this with rough Sapphire? You could also use a mini embroidery frame to put your polishing cloth in so it’s easier to hold.

Cool.but can you share the part that you fast forwarded , I mean thats where I always mess up, the angle at which one grinds to get that dome of a cabochan .. also can we do their shapes using this trick ,..

What a fabulous video!!!!! Thank you! I am a jeweler with cabochons I would like to reshape and now I can do it without buying lapidary equipment! Thank you so much! BUT!!!!!!!!! PLEASE!!!! do not EVER immerse your skin in acetone! Wear gloves! It is a known carcinogen and you not only want to love your own body but give proper example to others of how to handle it. Again! Great video!!!!!!!!!

Start with a core cutter.

Use leather for the compound.

Can you use a similar method to get rectangular ish ringheads/cabichons etc...

Just use a lighter to heat the glue and the stone will come right off the nail. That way you don't have to apply any harsh chemicals to your stone. Thanks for the video, Keep it up Lap D! Haha Cabbage John...