Hi Steve. I am a new cutter, your videos got me started. I am on stone number one with the Ultratec V5. So much to learn. Are you still polishing the same way from cut, skip pre-polish, to polish? I am doing an Oro Verde Quartz, I have a Batt and a Darkside lap. Would I use the Batt after the 1200 lap or the Darkside? Use water drip? You clean with WD40, some do alcohol, do they both work the same?
You say you don't use the Batt lap on quartz. Can you provide advice on what to do after a 3,000 pre-polish on quartz? I tried an ultra-lap after 3,000 and it seems as if nothing happens, no polish!. I just purchased a Last Lap with 50,000 diamond but have not used it. I assume there must be an intermediate polish at around 8000 or 14000. What do you recommend. To polish quartz, would a copper lap with 8,000 diamond followed by a Last lap with diamond at 50,000 work well? Or would it be preferable to use two different Last Laps, one at 8000 and the other at 50,000 to do the job?
The finer you use the faster the polish but 3000 should work to go to polish. Did you use the blue spectra lap. Should work although quartz is often problems no matter what you use. Have you seen our video showing how to do this? If not, you can view it here: ua-cam.com/video/ko4iboiAZ8k/v-deo.html
Yes, I did use the blue Spectra-Lap (purchased from Ultra-tec). I actually had watched the video you recommend and I did push hard with extra cerium oxide, without success. I don't know what else to try at this point. Maybe it's just that particular stone.
@@alfredohuerta5688 I have used those laps with and without additional cerium oxide, and I have had great success on all sorts of quartz, smoky quartz-amethyst-citrine Etc. So perhaps it is just that particular Stone!
Hi Steve. I really enjoy your videos. Succinct and not the usual showmanship rubbishy seen on so many other videos 😝 Always learning something new from them. I use a BATT lap most of the time and was surprised you don’t use it for quartz as I find it works great on quartz with a clean dry lap and 50k diamond to give very flat and clean facets. Am wondering if you have used this method on quartz at all? Keep on producing great videos. Paul.
I have had mixed success with the batt lap on quartz but that is true of most polishing methods for quartz. Maybe I will try again as I like the batt lap.
Hello. Thank you very much for your video, They are the best. Thanks again, I watch you all the time, I really like how you show and tell everything. Thank you so much
Hi. I am a fan of your work and I would like to ask you some questions: What polishing disc do you use? Do you cut the polishing disc with a scalpel before applying the powder? What grade of diamond powder do you use?
Hi Steve. Thanks for the video very informative. Could you please tell me as to a beginner what lap I should buy to cut the rough, pre-polish and then polish the stone, what material should be the lap and also what grit diamond powder/diamond past should be used for the for pre-polish and polish. Thanks a lot.
Most gems can be cut and polished with a 400 Diamond lap, 600 lightning lap followed by the batt lap with 50 k diamond. Quartz and Opal are polished with floppy blue spectra laps.
How many time do u take to mirror polish a facet ? I don't know if its my lap or my technique but it can take me 15 minutes more to polish a litle facet and i don't know if its normal ( i have a copper lap and path through 320 - 600 - 3000 - diamond paste polish ) on a aqua marine
Hi Steve. I was hoping that you might be able to tell me where to get my Batt resurfaced. I have made several failed attempts reaching out to the Batt company. Thank you.
Hi Steve, thank you for the instructions on a Batt lap. I have two questions: 1; I never used a batt lap and I am willing to try one, where can I purchase a batt lap? I am working on an Aquamarine Stone. 2. What brand is your faceting machine? The reason I ask, I built my machine and can’t remember where I bought my indexing wheel from. The one on your machine looks like the one I have.thank you
How much pressure are you using on the batt lap? Also, I am using a matrix lap with 3k polish and then moving to the batt lap with 60k (just learning to use both laps) on a synthetic ruby. The matrix did a nice job with 3k, but the batt 60k is wiping the polish off from the 3k and showing ridges!!! What is happening??? Thanks for your help. I am enjoying your tutorials!
What material is a batt lap Steve? I speak German and "batt" makes no sense when translated in terms of material. I'm trying to find a way to polish fluorite properly and some folks on the internet mentioned batt laps.
I like to start with polishing gemstones. Would you like to help me out on how to start with gemstones??? I would very much a appreciate your effort and your knowledge!!!!!! 6:04
Hratz Hratz Sorry I have never cut Zultanite. I know there are some issues with this material but not sure what they are. Likely fracturing while cutting. The rough is shallow so yields will be low.
It seems to vary as I am always changing my speed. Somewhere in the middle range of the dial on most of the machines I have owned. Maybe 200- 400 rpm. This is with diamond on a batt lap. Can vary with slurries. I use cerium on ultralaps and the rpm is slower otherwise the cerium is ejected.
Any tips on Charging a BATT lap with 60k Diastik? I'm having trouble being able to spread it on evenly. Also, should i use water or WD-40 with the Diastik?
Hello, thank you for your video, I would like to know if we can use 14K one time and then clean the Batt Lap with soap and water and use it with 50K for an other use ? Or if we have to keep always the same diamond powder grade that we have used at the first time to avoid any contamination ? Thank you
Thank you for making this video. This is the most information I've seen online using the Batt lap. I was on the fence between lighting laps and the Batt lap. I can see now how user friendly charging the lap can be when polishing. I've read online where the Batt lap can also be used for cutting using 325, 600, 1200 grits. However, I have not seen any demonstrations so I'm skeptical. Do you see the Batt as a potential cutting lap at those grits? Thanks again. Great video!!
We've heard that as well, but I only use it for polishing. Check out www.Gearloose.com, they may have more information on that topic, but I'm not too sure about cutting at those grits.
Batts seem to work with any grit you throw at them, provided they're fully charged. Diamond really sinks into them, so using a coarse grit you'll find a need to recharge frequently at first. I have several Batt laps from coarse to polish, including one I've charged with 600 and one with 1200. The 600 is useful for aggressive cutting, like with medium sized quartz, though it is only better than a 600 sintered with a fresh charge. (NB: be careful introducing sharp edges, including corners, to a Batt; they gouge easily.) The 1200 works well, but is less useful than I had hoped; that one is getting resurfaced. My 3000 & 8000 Batts are my go-to laps for prepolishing or fine recutting. Steve is right in the video, Batt works well for polishes in general, including oxides. (Though, tin or one of Gearloose's Matrix laps are equivalent or better for oxide in my experience.) I find I need to keep mine lubed a bit more frequently than Steve does to avoid heat, though I may put more pressure on the stone than he does.
@@bertrandlabelle3869 Yes that is correct, if you try to use the same lap for prepolish and polish you will have pieces of the courser grit contaminating your polish and causing all sorts of scratches!
I see no point in swishing it back and forth so quickly?... I mean really all your doing is adding vibration and more potential movement or variation of the position between the lap and the mast, in other words moving it like that can certainly have the potential to add inaccuracies.
@@Moregems I have been struggling with fine lines in polish for months now, I think not sweeping quickly is the reason, thank you very much for your video and commentary as it has saved me from many more months of frustration!!
Having recently made a diy lap and started faceting, you are my number1 port fo call for learning. TY so much for all your time and effort.
THANK YOU SOOO MUCH!!!! The AMOUNT of quality information here is Very Much APPRECIATED!!!!🐞
Nicely done , refreshingly normal. Thanks.
Thank you. Your work and detailed explanation are very much appreciated. Learning a lot.
Thank you for making this video. Very helpful!
You're welcome, thanks for watching!
Hi Steve. I am a new cutter, your videos got me started. I am on stone number one with the Ultratec V5. So much to learn. Are you still polishing the same way from cut, skip pre-polish, to polish? I am doing an Oro Verde Quartz, I have a Batt and a Darkside lap. Would I use the Batt after the 1200 lap or the Darkside? Use water drip? You clean with WD40, some do alcohol, do they both work the same?
Hi Cecillia. I am a new cutter too. I have the same questions you asked.
You say you don't use the Batt lap on quartz. Can you provide advice on what to do after a 3,000 pre-polish on quartz? I tried an ultra-lap after 3,000 and it seems as if nothing happens, no polish!. I just purchased a Last Lap with 50,000 diamond but have not used it. I assume there must be an intermediate polish at around 8000 or 14000. What do you recommend. To polish quartz, would a copper lap with 8,000 diamond followed by a Last lap with diamond at 50,000 work well? Or would it be preferable to use two different Last Laps, one at 8000 and the other at 50,000 to do the job?
The finer you use the faster the polish but 3000 should work to go to polish. Did you use the blue spectra lap. Should work although quartz is often problems no matter what you use. Have you seen our video showing how to do this? If not, you can view it here: ua-cam.com/video/ko4iboiAZ8k/v-deo.html
Yes, I did use the blue Spectra-Lap (purchased from Ultra-tec). I actually had watched the video you recommend and I did push hard with extra cerium oxide, without success. I don't know what else to try at this point. Maybe it's just that particular stone.
Huh, it should be working. I'm not too sure what the problem would be then.
@@alfredohuerta5688 I have used those laps with and without additional cerium oxide, and I have had great success on all sorts of quartz, smoky quartz-amethyst-citrine Etc. So perhaps it is just that particular Stone!
i wanted to ask if the only lubrication is the oil ykou used to clean with?
Yes only the Ed 40
Ótima aula;o senhor é um bom profissional.Saudações do Brasil.👏👏🤝
Hi Steve. I really enjoy your videos. Succinct and not the usual showmanship rubbishy seen on so many other videos 😝 Always learning something new from them. I use a BATT lap most of the time and was surprised you don’t use it for quartz as I find it works great on quartz with a clean dry lap and 50k diamond to give very flat and clean facets. Am wondering if you have used this method on quartz at all? Keep on producing great videos. Paul.
I have had mixed success with the batt lap on quartz but that is true of most polishing methods for quartz. Maybe I will try again as I like the batt lap.
I have had mixed result with diamond for quartz.
Hello. Thank you very much for your video, They are the best. Thanks again, I watch you all the time, I really like how you show and tell everything. Thank you so much
Hi. I am a fan of your work and I would like to ask you some questions: What polishing disc do you use? Do you cut the polishing disc with a scalpel before applying the powder? What grade of diamond powder do you use?
Hi Steve. Thanks for the video very informative. Could you please tell me as to a beginner what lap I should buy to cut the rough, pre-polish and then polish the stone, what material should be the lap and also what grit diamond powder/diamond past should be used for the for pre-polish and polish. Thanks a lot.
Most gems can be cut and polished with a 400 Diamond lap, 600 lightning lap followed by the batt lap with 50 k diamond. Quartz and Opal are polished with floppy blue spectra laps.
@@Moregems thanks a lot.
Was you polishing dry? Like no water on lap? Is this were I'm going wrong?
Wd 40 is the lubricant
for finishing, may I know what to use, sir
Great introductory tutorial!
Have you tried the BA5T polishing lap?
How would the prep and use of a new BA5T compare or contrast with the BATT?
occhamite
I have not used the bat5.
I'll look it up also.
Thank you for another great tutorial.
Am i hearing the stone squeeking more and more like clean glass ,as it gains it's polish?
Yes it does get quieter as it gets closer to high polish.
How many time do u take to mirror polish a facet ?
I don't know if its my lap or my technique but it can take me 15 minutes more to polish a litle facet and i don't know if its normal ( i have a copper lap and path through 320 - 600 - 3000 - diamond paste polish ) on a aqua marine
Hi Steve. I was hoping that you might be able to tell me where to get my Batt resurfaced. I have made several failed attempts reaching out to the Batt company. Thank you.
What lap do you recommend for beginners, I'd love to know and are the old school lap's better than the modern?
Hello steve
Just was needing help on how to use cerium oxide and chrome (iii) oxide which polishing disk do i use
Came here about to charge and use a BATT lap for the first time so thanks!
Hi there
Why do you not moisten the lap?
Thank you
It is with Wd 40
What kind of machine was that you were using in this video....the white machine with red appointments?
It’s an imperial alpha Taurus. No longer manufactured.
Can you please post a link to where I can purchase the Lap ? 🙏
www.ultratec-facet.com/product/batt-lap/
what polish and polishing lap is best for quartz?e.g. citrine
See our video here ua-cam.com/video/ko4iboiAZ8k/v-deo.html
I don't see the tip of your finger becoming white, you don't apply any pressure?
Definitely some pressure
Hi Steve, thank you for the instructions on a Batt lap. I have two questions: 1; I never used a batt lap and I am willing to try one, where can I purchase a batt lap? I am working on an Aquamarine Stone. 2. What brand is your faceting machine? The reason I ask, I built my machine and can’t remember where I bought my indexing wheel from. The one on your machine looks like the one I have.thank you
Lausi Kraut I buy batts from Kingsley North in Michigan. My machine is no longer manufactured. It’s an alpha Taurus by Imperial.
How much pressure are you using on the batt lap? Also, I am using a matrix lap with 3k polish and then moving to the batt lap with 60k (just learning to use both laps) on a synthetic ruby. The matrix did a nice job with 3k, but the batt 60k is wiping the polish off from the 3k and showing ridges!!! What is happening??? Thanks for your help. I am enjoying your tutorials!
What material is a batt lap Steve? I speak German and "batt" makes no sense when translated in terms of material. I'm trying to find a way to polish fluorite properly and some folks on the internet mentioned batt laps.
ThisBadMonkey TBM battlapi s made by “gearloose” a tin alloy. We use to polish fluoritr
E with diamond on tin so batt may work
Where do I get a batt lap can't find it on amazon
You can get it from www.ultratec-facet.com/product/batt-lap/. Let them know I sent you.
have you tried the D'LITE laps? i have heard that they should cut the same as the "Nu-Bond "
dor eshkol I will look into these as I only have one new newbond left.
Thanks for useful video
I live in UK and i cannot find one faceting machine , they all in China and not sure if they arrive if you buy from them... 😞
ULTRA TEC!!!! 🐞
There are also American must machines and sheinlanka and Vietnam’s machines try out them.
Just remembered there are Australian machines as well.
Thank you so much
Your welcome
How long should it take for polishing a stone? Where was the girdle?
Start to finish cut and polish about 6 hours for this size. The girdle is there and would show better when the top half of the gem is finished.
Where I can buy the diamond power from ? Thanks
The last I bought was from crystalite. Buy direct or arrowhead lapidary supply.
I like to start with polishing gemstones. Would you like to help me out on how to start with gemstones??? I would very much a appreciate your effort and your knowledge!!!!!! 6:04
Hi master, I am from Armenia, please, I want polish zultanait . How we can do it. Please if you can help me.
Hratz Hratz Sorry I have never cut Zultanite. I know there are some issues with this material but not sure what they are. Likely fracturing while cutting. The rough is shallow so yields will be low.
Hratz Hratz The Wobito brothers in Canada are the Zultanite experts.
Olá Steve, how are you? You are the best! Sucesso!
This video gave me a lot of help, I did not see the polishing powder to add oil.Is it enough to use WD-40 only?
Steve uses 50,000 diamond powder in addition to the WD-40. He explains it at this point in the video: ua-cam.com/video/1crLXGemzHE/v-deo.html
Quanto custa uma máquina lapidadora desse modelo ai ?Obrigado
Thank you for idia pulishing CD
Do you ever use a water drip while polishing?
My brother did but I don’t.
Thanks
Excelente aprecio mucho sus consejos, seguro me servirían
Hi, what’s the best rpm to be used on polish? Thanks
It seems to vary as I am always changing my speed. Somewhere in the middle range of the dial on most of the machines I have owned. Maybe 200- 400 rpm. This is with diamond on a batt lap. Can vary with slurries. I use cerium on ultralaps and the rpm is slower otherwise the cerium is ejected.
Batt Lap means
Esse disco de polir é de chumbo ?
Any tips on Charging a BATT lap with 60k Diastik? I'm having trouble being able to spread it on evenly. Also, should i use water or WD-40 with the Diastik?
just used WD-40 no water ,you can find some video about charging BATT lab here(youtube)and BATT lab site(www.battlap.com)
I wonder why he doesn’t do quartz or opal on that. Quartz are slightly hard and opals are slightly soft (in comparison)...
when using batt with Italdo 3000 Diamond polish I move my facets with to much polishing
How do you know how much money to charge per carat?
About tree fiddy.
@@canadiangemstones7636 lol, thanks for the reply...
You lapyd diamond?
Hello, thank you for your video, I would like to know if we can use 14K one time and then clean the Batt Lap with soap and water and use it with 50K for an other use ? Or if we have to keep always the same diamond powder grade that we have used at the first time to avoid any contamination ? Thank you
Patrice H I would not batts hold onto diamond
Hello stev
Obrigado, thank you
Thank you for making this video. This is the most information I've seen online using the Batt lap. I was on the fence between lighting laps and the Batt lap. I can see now how user friendly charging the lap can be when polishing. I've read online where the Batt lap can also be used for cutting using 325, 600, 1200 grits. However, I have not seen any demonstrations so I'm skeptical. Do you see the Batt as a potential cutting lap at those grits? Thanks again. Great video!!
We've heard that as well, but I only use it for polishing. Check out www.Gearloose.com, they may have more information on that topic, but I'm not too sure about cutting at those grits.
Batts seem to work with any grit you throw at them, provided they're fully charged. Diamond really sinks into them, so using a coarse grit you'll find a need to recharge frequently at first. I have several Batt laps from coarse to polish, including one I've charged with 600 and one with 1200. The 600 is useful for aggressive cutting, like with medium sized quartz, though it is only better than a 600 sintered with a fresh charge. (NB: be careful introducing sharp edges, including corners, to a Batt; they gouge easily.) The 1200 works well, but is less useful than I had hoped; that one is getting resurfaced. My 3000 & 8000 Batts are my go-to laps for prepolishing or fine recutting. Steve is right in the video, Batt works well for polishes in general, including oxides. (Though, tin or one of Gearloose's Matrix laps are equivalent or better for oxide in my experience.) I find I need to keep mine lubed a bit more frequently than Steve does to avoid heat, though I may put more pressure on the stone than he does.
Batt lap is my favorite lap for polishing at 8k to 100k, fast and efficient
just so i get it straight, you would need to commit one lap per grit and not alternate grits. is that correct
Yes one lap per grit you can't use the same lap for various grit sizes as it would damage the stone and lap
exactly
@@bertrandlabelle3869 Yes that is correct, if you try to use the same lap for prepolish and polish you will have pieces of the courser grit contaminating your polish and causing all sorts of scratches!
💎💎
I see no point in swishing it back and forth so quickly?... I mean really all your doing is adding vibration and more potential movement or variation of the position between the lap and the mast, in other words moving it like that can certainly have the potential to add inaccuracies.
Faster movement can smooth the surface as the laps are not perfectly smooth and can leave lines on the stone.
@@Moregems I have been struggling with fine lines in polish for months now, I think not sweeping quickly is the reason, thank you very much for your video and commentary as it has saved me from many more months of frustration!!