Basic Lapidary Equipment

Equipment Purpose
Slab Saw A diamond-bladed saw for cutting rough rock into slabs.
Grinding Wheels Diamond-impregnated wheels for shaping the stone.
Sanding Drums For smoothing the stone after grinding.
Polishing Pad A leather or felt pad used with a polishing compound.
Dop Sticks Wooden dowels used to hold the stone while working.

Creating a Cabochon

Step # Action Notes
1 Select a slab and draw your shape. -
2 Trim the slab to the rough shape. Use a trim saw.
3 Attach the stone to a dop stick. Use dopping wax.
4 Grind the stone to its final shape. Use coarse grinding wheels first, then move to finer ones.
5 Sand the stone smooth. Work through progressively finer grits of sandpaper.
6 Polish the stone. Use a polishing compound like cerium oxide on a leather pad.