Buying a Faceting Machine

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Buying a faceting machine and do not know what else you need? Ok, here is a list. You will find that sooner or later you will end up buying most of these things. But I have marked the ones you really need. These Prices are Jan 2009. Prices may change with out notice.

Note: Prices are subject to change without notice.

Do you need a 220 Volt machine?

  • 220V adapter – No extra cost on the OMNIe (In the USA you will not need this.)
Here are the books I recommend: (You will likely want all the books sooner or later)
  • Beginning Faceting “The Right Way…” – $19.95 – You will need this to start.
  • Book – Gram 1 (50+ designs, binder, dividers…) – $19.95 – You will need this to start.
  • Addition #1 (42 designs) Quartz, Topaz/Tourmaline, Garnet – $17.95
  • Addition #2 (42 designs) mixed materials – $17.95
  • Addition #3 (42 designs) mixed materials – $17.95
  • Addition #4 (42 designs) “Money Cuts” – $17.95
  • Addition #5 (42 designs) “Barions” – $17.95
  • Addition #6 (42 designs) “Checker Boards” – $17.95
  • Addition #7 (42 designs) “More Money Cuts” – $17.95
  • Addition #8 (42 designs) “Diamond Checker Boards” – $17.95
  • Addition #9 (42 designs) “Mirage Cuts” – $17.95
  • Addition #10 (42 designs) “Mirage Cuts 2” – $17.95
  • Addition #11 (42 designs) “Sunstone” – $17.95
  • Addition #12 (42 designs) “Glitter” – $17.95
  • Addition #13 (42 designs) “Domes” – $17.95
  • Addition #14 (42 designs) “Beads” – $17.95 (also the Gram Bead Dop)
Below is a list of the laps I recommend. Note the steel laps are faceters.com brand.
  • 1 – 100 grit Economy steel lap – $82.95
  • 1 – 260 grit Economy steel lap – $82.95 (You will need this to start.)
  • 1 – 600 grit Economy steel lap – $72.95 (You will need this to start.)
  • 1 – 1200 grit Economy steel lap – $72.95 (You will need this to start)
  • 1 – 1200 Nu Bond Composite lap – $139.95 and/or 1 – 3000 grit steel lap – $86.95  (You will need this to start.)
  • 1 – Tin lap – for alumina oxide polish – $204.00 (You will need this to start. See Note)
  • 1 – Pkg. Spectra UltraLaps – polishing Quartz and Beryl – $10.95 (You will need this to start.)
  • 2 – Tin laps – $408.00 ($296.00 – 2 laps) – (See Note)
  • 1 – bottle 8,000 diamond for pre-polish – $18.95
  • 1 – bottle 50,000 diamond for polish – $18.95
  • 1- bottle of Lube extender fluid – $11.50
  • 3 – red/brown dop wax – $14.95 (You will need this to start.)
  • 1 lb aluminia oxide – $36.95 (on sale) (You will need this to start.)
  • 1 lb cerium oxide – $19.95 (You will need this to start.)
  • Alcohol lamp – $5.95 (You will need this to start.)
  • Blaizer torch – $63.95 (You will need this to start.)
  • Slide Lock Tweezers – $10.95 (You will need this to start.)
  • Peer 10x Loupe – $14.95 (You will need this to start.)
  • Swiss Dial Caliper – $39.95 (You will need this to start.)

Note: Due to the continuing high cost of tin the laps have become very expensive. I would suggest some alternative options. Instead of the tin lap for AeO2 polish I would recommend a Phenolic lap $57.60. For plishing hard stones instead of the 2 tin laps I would consider 2 Last laps $106.40.

Faceting Machine – You will need this to start. It will depend of course on what machine you choose to buy or have. I am currently recommending an OMNI faceting machine 8″ $2383.00 complete or the Ultra Tec $3380.00 or the Digital UT $3980.00.

Extra Dops are a good idea, here is what I recommend: Extra dop sets are often a good idea, your choices will depend some what on the manufacturer of your machine and what they may offer.

Tourmaline Dops – Are long rectangle shaped dops for cutting rectangle stones. I usually recommend a selectyion of standard dops between 3mm and 10mm (flat, vee, cone).

Let me know if you have any questions or when you decide to buy the machine. There may be a couple of other things that you will want like some faceting rough.

There is lots of other rough, just ask.

Gram Faceting Archive of Information
This edited version of an article by the late Jeff Graham is part of a special archived informational series from Gram Faceting. Used with permission.