For years I was using Grobet-Mascot glue gel to dop stones for faceting; however, that glue is now no longer made. The suggested replacement is made in Taiwan but it is inferior - stones keep popping off the dop. Kwik-Fix super glue gel seems to be an adequate replacement and was readily available. Alas, it no longer is available, either. Tried contacting the manufacturer, but they are unresponsive. Anyone know of a good dop superglue gel?
Hello Al,
If you use the hybrid dopping method, pushing the stone into slightly warmed and fluid wax and then gluing the stone to the unique depressions thus created, about any CA glue should work. Some folks feel that the glue is water soluble and paint the joint with clear nail polish to protect it from moisture. With this procedure, if the stone does pop off, it is easily reglued in the exact same position, as the wax creates a unique “keyed” footprint. I hope this will work for you. royjohn
Al I have to heat my stone almost hot. I use the green dippers wax.using gloves mind you now. Hold until it sticks it’s self. Then still met it sit for 30 minutes. Remember, water on wood under the wax will weaken the itegrety of the bond as well. Just be calm and patient. I’m sure we have alk had poo offs. But the way I do it seldomly occurs.
I used to use gorilla glue with a small bit of cornmeal mix so it dries harder. And that worked great I could usually work with the stone in about 1 hr or less. The problem was I had to make sure the glue set right about 25 mins in. And if I cut to at 90° angles I would risk breaking the seal. I know wax works great but I dont like the idea of heating stones to work with it. I have now moved on to good ol’ fashioned Krazy glue, I dont need additives or adjustments and so far no problems.
I have used Hot Stuff Yellow (Meduim) and Hot Stuff Green (Thicker) for a long time now and have very few issues. Can be ordered from Satellite City in Santa Rosa, CA.
royjohn is right on and this is the preferred method and what I use most of the time. It also has the benefit of working with heat-sensitive stones. You heat the wax (black for faceting) on the dop and then press (maybe with a transfer fixture) into the stone for just a second, then separate them. You then have a perfect impression of the stone in the wax on the dop. Put a drop of glue (even a large stone only needs a couple drops spread over the impression) in the wax impression then press them together, set it aside, and give it 10 minutes or so (even if the glue is 20-second bond - let it cure).
To separate takes some heat, that can be a downfall for some stones, but John Bailey has a nice method of separating them (for small stones). Look on youtube for gemstoneartist I think for a demonstration from his class. To remove the CA there is a solvent that is sold in hobby stores where you buy the CA. Alcohol will make it brittle enough you can “chip” it off with your fingernail.
Hello Loren,
It’s nice to receive some confirmation! If the stone is heat sensitive, it is nice to warm it gradually and gently, maybe under a heat lamp or by playing it into and out of an alcohol flame very very gently. Then the stone is about the same temperature as the wax, maybe 180-190*F. I don’t disagree that you can heat the end of the dop and the stone will fall off, but I am a nut about heat and I often just use a warmed up knife to cut through the wax until I can break the stone off. Then a quick soak in alcohol cleans off the wax. You could also just put the dop into the alcohol and let the wax dissolve, but that would take a little longer. I really don’t know whether the knife through the wax close to the stone or heating the other end of the dop results in less heat, just giving some other methods. HTH, royjohn
Hi Royjohn, I also use a heated blade to remove excess wax prior to stone removal. If you don’t have to worry about heat, you can soften the CA with heat and then (carefully so as not to burn your fingers) peel most of it off with your fingernail. It is a bit tricky, too hot and it is hard to handle, to cold and it won’t work well.
I use a hybrid method for transfer with Black wax to make an impression and then Cyanoepoxy made by www.coolchem.com
It seems to be the best instant setting “superglue” for me. Not cheap but it lasts for a long time as I cut a stone or two a day.
I use black wax. I heat my stone on a potpourri warmer. Put stone on warmer plug it in and turn it on. Place a small piece of wax on it so you can see when it is hot enough. Heats very slowly and ive never had a problem with stone damage yet.
I swear by LOCK TITE SUPER GLUE GEL. Find it in home depot , wallmart or auto parts stores
I used to dop using wax but found it fiddly and messy, I also burnt my fingers occasionally. For me, a cleaner and much easier way to dop the crown for cutting the pavilion is to:
- Grind a flat where the crown will be
- Place the stone pavilion side down on to some bluetak placed on to a cone dop held on the lower part of a transfer jig
- Use a large diameter flat dop in the upper side of the transfer jig to gently push the stone into the bluetak. This gets the crown flat level.
- Remove the large flat dop and replace with the dop you wish to use
- Now the clever part. Cut a square (easiest shape to cut) of Paxolin roughly the same size of the dop area. Paxolin is a thermoset plastic/paper multi-layer sandwich used for circuit boards. A couple of quid for a sheet that will last you ages.
- Place a drop of ordinary cyanoacrylate (superglue) on to the stone, place the paxolin square on the glue, put another drop of superglue on the top of the paxolin and carefully bring down the dop in the top part of the transfer jig and apply a bit of pressure, forcing out the superglue from between the three items
- Sing one verse of “God Save The Queen” and lift the whole assembly upwards by loosening the lower dop.
- Carefully release the lower dop and bluetak, holding the stone so as to not get a bending moment across it.
- There you have it. A successfully dopped stone ready for the pavilion cut. I’ve never had one pop off using this method.
- To remove it, simply use a small fret saw to cut between the stone and the dop, being careful not to cut into the dop. Any residual paxolin will be ground away when you cut the crown.
What method do you use to release super glue? Two part epoxy on the flat to be the table and brown wax for the finished pavilion ensure safe transfer and end removal - a novice learning from others.
Hi Roy
I was wondering if you would be interested in cutting a diamond for me it’s a nice 4.5 ct
Light pink pretty stone.
Thanks
Steve   If you’re using the paxolin/superglue method, simply saw through the paxolin (carefully) any superglue left will be ground away. If you use epoxy, and I only use it to dop for the crown cutting, use a cone dop with some blutac in the bottom as epoxy will rip the culet off when removing it. To remove the epoxy, soak in dichloromethane. Not the most pleasant stuff but is ok if you are sensible. This turns the epoxy into something resembling rubbery cheese if left overnight or longer. Let the stone pop out by itself or the stone will be ripped. Clean with acetone first and then isopropyl alcohol. Dicholormethane can be found in some paint strippers or can be purchased by reputable sellers.
I haven’t been looking at everything here in a while. Lovely to be offered a diamond to cut, but I don’t do that at all. Have enough challenges in figuring out all the colored stones. YOu might ask Tom Smith at Adamas if you’re still looking for someone… -royjohn