Leo’s Lapidary Lounge

[Contributed by & used with permission of Bob Helt]

[Contributed by & used with permission of Calvin Phillips]

This is the club’s lapidary facility for members, so called because it is presided over by our Vice President and Lapidarist Extraordinaire, Leo Cloutier.

It is open on the Saturday immediately following the club’s monthly meeting from 9 AM until 12 PM. Club members may bring their rough rocks or slabs to work with the club’s lapidary tools.

Note: this date will occasionally conflict with a field trip date or other club activity, so check the Events at a Glance page for scheduling information.

Directions can be found here.

The facility’s entrance is on the far left corner (relative to an aerial view of the church oriented to the north) of the lower level of the church. Please refer to the picture on this page.

These tools include:
• 24” auto-feed slab saw
• 16” auto-feed slab saw
• 9” trim/slab saw
• 8” trim saw
• 6” trim saw with thin blade for minimal stock removal
• Two Diamond Pacific Titan six-wheel cabbing machine
• NEW! Highland Park CB-8 six-wheel cabbing machine
• Diamond Pacific Genie six-wheel cabbing machine
• NEW! 12” magnetic flat lap
• Arbors with wheels set up for rough grinding & polishing
• Silicon carbide cabbing wheels

Shop mentors provide guidance and mentoring and makes everyone feel comfortable using the equipment and getting great results with their projects.

Use of the equipment is on a first-come/first-served basis, but members are expected to share time on the saws & machines with other members so that everyone gets their turn.

The use of the equipment is a membership benefit, but members are asked to donate to the equipment repair fund jar to help with the upkeep of consumables and things like blade and wheel replacement when needed. We also ask that you sign the shop log and jot down a note regarding the projects you are working on. This helps us plan for future maintenance and equipment acquisitions, as well as let other members know about club resources

Aprons, paper towels, and kitty litter for saw lubricant removal are provided, but members are advised to bring safety glasses if needed.

Check out the results members achieved during recent sessions here.

Next Rock Shop Sessions:

Shenandoah Valley Gem and Mineral Society

May The The Quartz Be With You!

Leo’s Lapidary Lounge

Next Rock Shop Sessions: