Collection: Lapidary Classes & Workshops

– 2nd and 4th Tuesdays 6:30 - 9:30 PM
– Thursdays 1:00 – 4:00 PM

New and returning students welcome! All of our Lapidary Supervisors are experienced crafts-persons able to teach new students the basics of cutting and polishing stone into a beautiful cabochon gemstone.  

Download our PDF: How-to-Cut-a-Cab for a brief procedure on cutting a cabochon.

An assortment of material suitable for cutting is available for purchase on site, or you may bring your own for evaluation.

Cost: $10.00 workshop use fee.  Club membership required.

 

Students will learn how to use carving burs with a flexshaft or micromotor (Foredom or Dremel-type tool) to create fancy-shaped cabochons (e.g. sharp inner curves or angles such as hearts, flames, iron crosses, cut-outs for tube settings, etc.).

Skill Level: Beginner

Instructor: Kari Raley

Cost: $100 ($15 class fee + $85 materials fee, which includes a kit of sintered diamond burs, Nova diamond burs, and a preformed cabochon students will keep.)  Club membership required.

Materials: All tools and materials provided.

Dates: Varies.  Check our Workshop Calendar or member newsletter.

* PRE-REQUISITE: Students must have completed the Introduction to Carving Class. 

This workshop session is for students who have completed the introductory class and may continue to work on improving their carving skills in this workshop.  The carving class instructor will be available for consultation. 

Skill Level: any

Instructor: Kari Raley

Cost: $10 workshop use fee. Club membership required.

Materials: Bring your own burs and carvings to work on.

Dates: By appointment only.

Learn how to carve a four-leaf clover just in time for St. Patrick's Day.  Introduces students to a new shape of diamond carving bur.

* PRE-REQUISITES: Introduction to Carving Class AND Sensu Fan carving class.  Students will need to bring their carving burs they received in the pre-requisite classes.  

Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate

Instructor: Kari Raley

Cost: $60 ($30 class fee + $30 materials fee, which includes a preformed stone and a new shape of diamond burs students will keep.)  Club membership required.

Materials: Preformed cabochon provided.  Students must bring their carving burs they received in the pre-requisite classes.

Dates: First weekend of March from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. 

Reservations: Reserve your spot online  OR email PGMCClasses@gmail.com  no later than February 20th, so enough supplies can be ordered to arrive in time for class. 

Learn how to carve a cute sakura (cherry blossom) flower to celebrate springtime.  Introduces students to a new shape of carving bur. 

* PRE-REQUISITES: Introduction to Carving Class AND Sensu Fan carving class.  Students will need the carving burs from the pre-requisite classes. 

Skill Level: Intermediate

Instructor: Kari Raley

Cost: $60 ($30 class fee + $30 materials fee, which includes a preformed stone and a new shape of carving burs students will keep.)  Club membership required.

Materials: Students must bring their carving burs they received in the pre-requisite classes.

Dates: First weekend of April from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. 

Reservations: Reserve your spot online  OR email PGMCClasses@gmail.com  no later than March 20th, so enough supplies can be ordered to arrive in time for class.

Learn how to carve a simple Japanese-style sensu fan.  Introduces students to a new shape of carving bur.  Finished carving will be suitable for a bezel setting with embellishments or a prong setting for more advanced metalsmiths.

* PRE-REQUISITES: Introduction to Carving Class.  Students will need to bring their carving burs they received in the Intro class.

Skill Level: Beginner

Instructor: Kari Raley

Cost: $75 ($30 class fee + $45 materials fee, which includes a preformed stone and a new shape of carving burs students will keep.)  Club membership required.

Materials: Students must bring their carving burs they received in the pre-requisite class.

Dates: First Saturday of May OR June from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. 

Reservations: Reserve your spot online  OR email PGMCClasses@gmail.com  no later than May 25th, so enough supplies can be ordered to arrive in time for class.

Learn how to carve a stone pumpkin for the Autumn/Halloween season.  Introduces students to a new shape of carving bur.  Your finished carving will be suitable for a bezel setting with embellishments or prong setting for more advanced metalsmiths.

* PRE-REQUISITES: Introduction to Carving Class AND Sensu Fan carving class.  Students will need the carving burs from the pre-requisite classes. 

Skill Level: Intermediate

Instructor: Kari Raley

Cost: $60 ($30 class fee + $30 materials fee, which includes a preformed stone and a new shape of carving burs students will keep.)  Club membership required.

Materials: Students must bring their carving burs they received in the pre-requisite classes.

Dates: First Saturday of October from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. 

Reservations: Reserve your spot online  OR email PGMCClasses@gmail.com  no later than September 23rd, so enough supplies can be ordered to arrive in time for class.

Burs from the Introduction to Carving class are available from SUVA Lapidary. 
• "Cylinder Shape Sintered Diamond Burs" - select "Round End" size 3.7x12, grit 155. 
• "Point Shape Sintered Diamond Burs" - select "Bullet Point" size 3.7x12mm, grit 155. 
• "Diamond Pacific Nova Points" - select "Small" and "Bullet Point" then grit needed.

Burs from other carving classes are available from LASCO Diamond. 
• Sensu Fan burs: item "K12 - 13mm diameter Knife Edge Wheel Diamond Bur" 
• Clover burs: item "CC250 Hart Diamond Bur"
• Cherry Blossom burs: item "B20 2mm diameter Ball Bur"
• Pumpkin burs: item "SG2 5mm diameter Inverted Cone Bur"

Other useful burs: 
• LASCO Diamond B10 0.9mm Ball Bur, B30 2.5mm Ball Bur, B40 3.5mm Ball Bur, B50 5.0mm Ball Bur, CLR125 Round End Cylinder Bur at 600 grit, ICR22 Rounded Inverted Cone bur. 
• SUVA Lapidary "Rubber Diamond V-Wheel Burs" in Fine (yellow) and Ultra Fine (white).