Faceting machine

Faceting Machines and Components

• Ultra-Tec, Facetron, Graves, and Poly-Metric are common non-commercial faceting machine brands.
• Prices for these machines range from $1,800 to over $5,500.
• Additional equipment and supplies are needed.
• Two major components: mast/head assembly and grinding wheel/lap.
• Mast assembly is the heart of a faceting machine.
• Other components include arbor, arbor nut, motor, drip tank, and controls.
• Arbor holds the lap and runs perfectly flat.
• Motor is velocity-variable and can be reversed.
• Drip tank serves to control heat and capture grinding particles.
• Mast is a vertical pole mounted into the machine's base.
• It must be machined carefully for proper perpendicularity to the lap.
• Dop is a rod used to attach rough gemstone to the assembly.
• Quill holds the dop and is lowered to place a facet.
• Index wheel allows rotation of the quill for accurate facet cutting.

Angle Adjustment and Goniometer

• Faceting machines have mechanisms for setting facet angles.
• The quill lowers to the desired angle and indicates arrival.
• Height adjustment determines the depth of a facet.
• First adjustment sets the rough just touching the lap.
• Fine adjustments can be made for desired depth.

Faceting Process

• Rough stone is glued to the dop and inserted into the quill.
• Index is set to determine the number of facets.
• The first angle is set, and the quill is lowered to check.
• Height adjustment ensures the rough touches the lap.
• The lap spins, water is added, and grinding begins.
• The quill is lifted and the facet is inspected.
• Adequate depth is determined by reaching the midline of the stone.
• The index is turned to number 8.
• A second facet is ground to 45 degrees.
• Six more facets are placed, resulting in an eight-sided pyramidal shape.

Rectangular Stone Faceting

• Two facets are ground at 0 and 32 on the index.
• The head is raised or lowered for placing facets at different levels.
• Two facets are placed at 16 and 48.
• The basic shape of the pavilion is created.
• More facets at different angles can be placed.

Diamond Faceting and Gemcutter Specialization

• Diamond is the hardest known substance on earth.
• Finding a material to cut diamonds presents a challenge.
• Diamond hardness varies along different crystal axes.
• The rough diamond needs to be extensively studied for optimal cutting.
• Diamond cutting machines require durability and different features.
• Diamond cutting is more involved and expensive than cutting other gemstones.
• Diamond cutting hobbyists are rare compared to other gemstone cutters.
• A gemcutter who can cut professional-quality diamonds is called a diamantaire.
• Diamantaire is a specialized term for a skilled diamond cutter.
• Diamond cutting machines have unique requirements.

Faceting machine Data Sources