Faceting Alignment

Never been on this forum or many others for that matter! I’ve been faceting for 1.5 years now, but may be missing an important Point? I have a 15.5mm Trillion Med/Dk Amethyst, that I just started the Crown on. Trying to create my Girdle. One corner is just not lining up? Nothing obvious. This may be related to “The Transfer” ?? I don’t make sure that the 48 corner (for ex) is the same 48 corner when I flip over. Could that my problem ?? Thanks.

Hello,
My experience has been that this issue is a alignment issue more than likely compounded as you get closer to the end of completion. You do not see the slight miss alignment in the beginning because it is so slight, but as you reach that final meet point all those slight variations have added up.
Yes transfer can cause this problem but normally you can adjust that with the cheater at the very beginning of establishing the girdle on the first few crown cuts. It is really hard to identify an exact issue that you have or had on this stone as your machine itself my be the problem. If you have not encountered this on prior stones you can eliminate likelihood of the machine and more likely transfer or cheater alignment. I use an older MDR facet machine although it has all the bells and whistles except digital it has its manufacturing variances. The quill is slightly off center and I always get some run out as I go around the stone, but knowing your machine you can eliminate that final ugly meet point by adjusting as you go. I would check this on your machine, first make sure the cheater is at top dead center or exactly 0, place a round dop in the quill and check the distance with a feeler gauge at the 4 points on your index. (i.e; 96,48 and 24,72) if they all measure the same distance the quill is centered as it spins around. You do this at 90 degrees with a good master or your polish lap. Hope this helps and what I have learned is getting to know your machine and paying very close attention to length to width ratios on your cutting makes for better and better faceted gems.

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Thanks for the input.