Introduction
Lapidary has never been a hugely popular hobby here in the UK
and I don't really know why that should be. Although many
people do try their hand at tumble polishing pebbles they often
don't progress any further and eventually give up altogether.
Perhaps the price and availability of equipment and raw
materials is a deterrent.
The
internet can be a good source of second hand machines but
membership of a lapidary club, of which there are quite a few
scattered around the country, would avoid the need to outlay
hard-earned cash . It would also offer the opportunity to learn
from someone more experienced.
I’ve
been cutting and polishing stone for more years than I care to
remember and have progressively been building up a stock of
material (see photo to the right of this text) so, although I
don’t stock equipment, I can possibly help with the raw
materials.
SRB
Stones
My aim
is to supply good quality rough and slabbed (pre-cut) rock at a
reasonable price.
My
workshop is only small but is equipped with a 10in slab saw, vibrolap,
tumbler, grindstones etc., the most recent additions being a
diamond lapping machine and 14in saw.
If you'd
like to take a look at the machines in my workshop click here. Although space is somewhat
limited the workshop also serves as a display area for the rock.
In addition to working with my own materials I do occasionally
cut and polish stone for customers, though at present I'm unable
to take on any additional work.
Visitors
are always welcome although it does need to be by appointment,
and even if you're just curious about the hobby you'd be welcome to drop by for a chat.
Just e-mail or phone beforehand.
We are to be found just a few miles south of Cambridge.
Due to
the high cost of postage I would much prefer that, should you
wish to purchase some rock, you make a
visit and select the material yourself, but if that's not
practical just provide a description of what material you’re
looking for and how you plan to use it and I'll do my best to
supply your needs by post. In this digital age it's a simple
task to provide photographs to help you choose the most suitable
pieces.
The
following pages list the rough rock that is currently available,
and I hope that the descriptions provide a realistic impression
of the quality. The photographs are of actual pieces in
stock at the time that the page was generated. Apologies
if the pictures are not that great, I don't claim to be a
photographer. Some material is also available in pre-cut
slabs, suitable for making cabochons.
I've
recently had to make the decision not to purchase any more stone
as I now have much more than I need for my own use and, due to a
change in my personal circumstances, I no longer have as much
time to spare. Visitors are still welcome and I'm happy to
continue supplying stone through the post. |