MEG BERRY'S
CARVING PROCESS
THE MACHINES
The machines I use are a rock saw, grinding or lapping wheels, and a variety of fixed arbor, variable speed bench grinders for the carving and polishing steps.
DIAMOND GRINDING TOOLS
The diamond carving and grinding tools are available in plated, sintered, and brazed on styles. I primarily use the brazed and plated ones.
SANDING AND POLISHING
Sanding and polishing are accomplished with a variety of felt buffs, wooden tools, and bristle brushes. These are impregnated with diamond paste to work the steps from sanding through polishing. The diamond compounds are available ready mixed, or as loose powder to mix your own.
THE ROUGH
PREFORMING & CARVING
This is where the piece is actually created. All of the shaping, designing and fine detailing is done with the diamond tools, running wet.
STUFF HAPPENS
A few pieces go through all the steps, but not everything works out.
DIAMOND SANDING
The pieces must go through complete resurfacing at least 3 times, with the sanding, prepolish, and polish steps.
FINISHED PIECES
AGTA SPECTRUM WINNING CARVINGS
All process pictures by Meg Berry, all gem portraits by Orasa Weldon, and Mia Dixon, as noted