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southerly
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« on: February 25, 2015, 02:49:26 am » |
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Allen
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« Reply #1 on: February 25, 2015, 03:23:23 am » |
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Nice work David.
That poppy really shows up well, those white centres show well.
Something else in my to do file, scales and poppy.
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hulagrub
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« Reply #2 on: February 25, 2015, 10:09:40 am » |
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Killer!
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Dave, a certified Rockaholic  |
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Mark
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« Reply #3 on: February 25, 2015, 11:47:42 am » |
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Beautiful job! The transitions are way past what you usually see or expect. Really tight! Polishing of stone and metal both look top of the line. Definitely a knife to be proud of.
I can't wait to start working and to get some Hxtal. I have slabs and preforms that i have wanted to work for years and have been putting it off until i get some Hxtal. Should have gotten it when i was working. Now i need to get a new cab machine to go with the Hxtal.
Mark
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light house jack
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« Reply #4 on: February 25, 2015, 12:59:19 pm » |
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HIS GLASSWORKS in Asheville has a great video on their website as to how they use HXTAL. I visited the owner's shop and saw the vacuum process then came home and made a much cheaper version. I went to Harbor Freight and purchased a little brake line pump for about twenty bucks. I got some line and a connector, drilled a hole in the top of a Mason jar lid, sealed around it with epoxy. Now, I can drop in a cab or slab into the HXTAL solution and pump up the pressure. You can see the bubbles coming from the rock as the HXTAL is forced into the voids. This product is used by museums all over the world because it can become stronger than the original material and never yellows.
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Mark
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« Reply #5 on: February 25, 2015, 01:14:49 pm » |
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Kool. Thanks for the info
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Talusman
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« Reply #7 on: February 25, 2015, 09:06:18 pm » |
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Absolutely stunning. Nice work.
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ScarlettoSara
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« Reply #9 on: March 07, 2015, 06:07:00 pm » |
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David:) How beautiful this knife is:) Outstanding job:)
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"I tramp a perpetual journey.”
― Walt Whitman, Song of Myself
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Redwilder
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« Reply #10 on: August 16, 2015, 11:46:53 am » |
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I just received 3 lbs of Hxtal to use in sealing slabs for cabbing. After seeing how much comes in 3 lbs (as well as the cost) I've decided to save the vacuum sealing for slabs of the more beautiful, pricey or limited availability stones. Coating slabs or performs to seal visible fractures would be ok I think as I wouldn't be using nearly as much Hxtal as vacuum sealing all micro pockets as well as fractures.
Still would like to vacuum seal other non-pricey, highly available materials (such as Happy Hill Aventurine). I've seen the tutorial on using wood hardener, but would that discolor the stone. The liquid starts off brownish in color so I would think that it would throw off the natural colors of the stone after sealing as well. Tried the acetone and two part epoxy thing before but it seemed to dry yellow and very brittle. Also have tried water glass...but that really didn't seem to work for me (must of done something wrong-was still water soluble even after sitting for a year lol). Is there another type of sealant I could use that would stabilize sufficiently while not detracting from the stones natural color?
Back to the Hxtal. After making up a small batch to use, I'm sure that there will be leftover mixed epoxy. Since this stuff is not cheap, is there a way to store the remaining mixture for future use without it hardening up prior to that time?
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Just because one wanders does not mean that one is lost....Some bumper sticker I saw in Moab, Utah
Ben Odum
(Add to facebook if ya want)
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PanaMark
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« Reply #11 on: August 16, 2015, 01:29:18 pm » |
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Not too familiar with hxtal, but I have had good success putting epoxy in the freezer. You have to freeze it before it starts kicking off and you have to make sure the container is well sealed so you don't get condensation in it (or get the wife screaming about fumes, LOL). It will only be good for a few weeks like this, but when ready you can warm it up and as soon as it gets starts "thawing" start stirring and use as soon as it is full liquid.
Good luck and let us know.
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- Mark
Trying to see the potential in every rock (and everybody).
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Michael S Hoover - Redrummd
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« Reply #13 on: August 16, 2015, 10:01:07 pm » |
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Hxtal tutorial.
Single slab process works as 90% as good as the bulk vacuum/pressure methods with no waste. I use the single slab process much more often than the bulk process.
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