The Transition of a Rock

~To Art~

First ~
Find ~	and Mine the Rocks
Prospecting for Crystals and Gemstone materials is a monumental task. There are 264 Million acres of public lands administered by the BLM available to the prospector in the United States, 48 million in Nevada. Where to prospect is based on bedrock geology, history and local information ~ and some times a best guess. Mining on public lands requires an extensive permitting process through various Government agencies when equipment is to be used or when significant surface disturbance is anticipated. Thus protecting  your lands.
From the Field	Ready to Saw
After much prospecting and mining activity materials are collected and assembled at the "Wired Artist" Lapidary shop for use in "Wearable Art" creations. The materials pictured above are Agate, Opalized Wood and Dumortierite from Nevada, Jade and Rhodonite from California and Variscite from Utah. Many other materials are obtained through trading or purchase from mineral dealers. Much material is also obtained through eBay auctions.
Wired Artist Jewelry Lapidary Shop
The Saw Room	The Lapidary Room
The "Wired Artist" Lapidary shop equipment includes:  20" and 10" slab saws, used to begin the Lapidary process.  A 10" trim saw for cutting the stones desired shape from slabs.  Two 6" grinding and sanding units for ~ grinding and sanding stones and Crystal butts.  An 8" Crystal Master flat lap ~ Used to produce the flat surfaces required for Intarsia and doublets.  A flat Vibra lap for making book ends and polished slabs.  Two tumbling units (seldom used).  And the usual array of dopping and cleaning equipment.
20" Slab Saw	10" Slab Saw
The 20 inch and 10 inch slab saws are used to cut rough chunks of gemstone material into slabs 1/4" to 3/8" in thickness using as much care as possible to cut for maximum use of the best material and interesting patterns. The bigger saw is also used to cut stones for shelf displays and bookends.
Cutting to shape A 10 inch trim saw is then used to cut slabs to the desired rough shapes making the most of patterns and colors present in the slabs.
Grinding and sanding
Grinding to shape and form is accomplished in three stages. Rough grinding using 60 and 100 grit Diamond grinding wheels then smooth grinding using a 260 grit Diamond wheel to remove the marks left by the coarse grinding. After grinding the stone is sanded to an extremely smooth finish through eight stages of  Diamond grit, 220, 325, 600, 1200, 3000, 8000, 50,000 and, finally 100,000. After sanding the stone may be further polished to a high luster on leather, usually with Linde A polish, if needed. Then ~ It's off to the Wire Wrapping Studio !
Selecting the Stone	Planning and Designing
When a project has been decided on a stone is selected from those available for the type of project desired, i.e.. Bracelet, Pendant, Choker etc. In this case the Artist wanted to create a bracelet with Variscite and Gold filled 20 gauge wire. The size needed and the dimensions of the stone all must be considered when planning out the project. Usually a drawing is done with measurements taken of the stone and included in the drawing. Careful planning produces a much neater creation and less waste of precious metal wire. It also leaves a record to consult if one wishes to replicate the result.
Cutting the needed wire	Assembling the wire and fitting the stone
The precious metal Wire is cut to the dimensions laid out during planning. Needed contours are bent into the wire and the frame work is bound (wrapped). The wire is then shaped around the stone and bound to hold the stone securely in its mounting. Care is used throughout the construction to file the ends of all wires smooth so the wearer won't be discomforted.
Polishing	Inspecting the Art Work
The final step is to polish the metal to a high luster and inspect the piece for desired shape and symmetry, make any needed adjustments and scrub it clean.
Then It is time to enjoy the creation  !