Gram Bead Dop
Addition #14 - Gem Beads

Note - This dop is designed by me (patent pending) to be use for cutting gem beads and for aligning pre-drilled holes in the rough.

Why a pre-drilled hole? Well many reasons. But bascially it is just a lot easier and safer to drill the hole in the rough before dopping and faceting. I will be posting some rough already drilled as I get the time for people...

Need some holes drilled? Drilling is not that hard...
Diamond Bits - Diamond bits/burs
Diamond Core Drills - Diamond core drills
Diamond Drill Bits - Diamond cyslinder drill bits

OK... How does it work?

Gram Bead Dop
This works with about any regular transfer fixture and 1/4" dop from all the major manufacturers.

The bead dop does add some over all length to the dops. So if you have a very short transfer fixture, you may need to make some adjustments or use another fixture.

This bead dop is designed to be use with ANY manufacturere's faceting machines 1/4" standard dop.

The Bead dop slip fits over any standard 1/4" dop for any facting machine.

Once the Gram Bead Dop is slip fitted over the standard 1/4" dop for the faceting machine you are using... The set screw is simply tightened down (using the supplied wrench) to fix the bead dop onto the standard 1/4" dop.

Note: These set screws are steel and if excessive force is used to tighten the set screw is used, it may damage the 1/4" dop (depending ont what material they are made of) and make the bead dop difficult to take on and off the 1/4" dop. So use just enough force to tighten the bead dop down. Do not over tighten.

As you can see there is a second set screw on the narrower part of the bead dop.

This set screw is made to set the length of the steel pin that is centered in the end of the dop.

Simply loosen the set screw and adjust the lenght of the steel pin to the desired size to fit what ever rough you want to cut. The pin is 20mm in over all length and will adjust approxmately 12mm in and out.

Note: I generally set the length of the pin to about 30 to 40% of the total depth of the finished bead I am planning to facet.

Caution, this pin is steel and if you run it on a cutting lap you may damage both the lap and the pin. So be careful that you set the pin length short enough so that there is no chance of the pin and the lap touching during the cutting process.

Once you have set the proper pin depth for the rough/bead you are planning to cut... Simply tighten down the set screw and the pin will stay at the desired length.

At this point it is just a matter of dopping the rough onto the dop.

Another Caution... I do not use or recommend using glue with this bead dop. I have soem pros that are using this dop that do use glue, but...

I recommend not using glue because if any glue gets into the pin and the pin hole you are liable to glue the pin in and have a heck of a time getting the pin loose again. Acetone or solvent will eventually solve the problem, but... I prefer using wax and that is what I would recommend when using the Gram Bead dop.

Gram Bead Dop - Price $39.95

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E-mail to inquire or order: jeff@faceters.com