Types of materials that cannot be cut in the shop
Any materials containing malachite, the dust is poisonous.
Any shell material in particular abalone shell. This material should never be cut/ground dry.
No meteorites of any kind especially the metallic kind.
Ruby in zoisite is a particularly hard material and should not be cut with shop equipment. This wears out the diamonds very quickly on the saws and grinding wheels.
Some materials leave a black residue over the equipment, in particular
“marcasite” and related materials.
If in doubt about what kind of material you have or want to cut “ASK”.
You will never be faulted for asking.
TYPES OF MATERIAL THAT CAN BE CUT IN THE SHOP
All jaspers, agates and related material.
Any lapidary materials up to and including a hardness of (7) on the Mohs scale.
WHEN IN DOUBT “ASK”
Any shell material in particular abalone shell. This material should never be cut/ground dry.
No meteorites of any kind especially the metallic kind.
Ruby in zoisite is a particularly hard material and should not be cut with shop equipment. This wears out the diamonds very quickly on the saws and grinding wheels.
Some materials leave a black residue over the equipment, in particular
“marcasite” and related materials.
If in doubt about what kind of material you have or want to cut “ASK”.
You will never be faulted for asking.
TYPES OF MATERIAL THAT CAN BE CUT IN THE SHOP
All jaspers, agates and related material.
Any lapidary materials up to and including a hardness of (7) on the Mohs scale.
WHEN IN DOUBT “ASK”