Faceting Machines
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Faceting
Gateway
In the early 1950's, Shor introduced America to a new
kind of machine from Switzerland. It produced designs and backgrounds on wedding
bands in seconds instead of the hours or days it used to take. And it did it
better, more precisely and more perfectly than ever before! Within a few years,
hand decorating of wedding bands had all but disappeared. We called this machine
a faceting machine.
| What can a faceting
machine do? There exists today a wide variety of
faceting machines and accessories. In principle, however, they all do the
same thing- make highly precise geometric cuts into metal using diamond and
carbide tools. Faceting machines are usually used to make geometric designs
cut into the metal on a wide range of products, from nameplates to rings to
bathroom faucets. However, some of the more sophisticated accessories do
other things like cut eternity bands and some of the more sophisticated
faceting machines do things like cutting settings for stones in wedding
bands and bangles. |
|
How do faceting machines work?
You can think of a faceting machine as a very precise milling machine that has
special holding and dividing devices and which cuts using diamond and carbide
tools. Faceting machines are so precise that they use microscopes with graduated
crosshairs to line up the work.
 |
Horizontal faceting machines spin their tools
horizontally. They make straight cuts, backgrounds and designs. The simple
star pattern cut on a flat disk illustrated at the right is an example of a
very simple cut made by a horizontal faceting machine.
Vertical faceting machines spin their tools vertically. They make circular
or curved cuts backgrounds and designs. Vertical faceting machines, when
used with a zig-zag attachment, can also do various zig-zag designs,
backgrounds and cuts. The eternity ring illustrated at the leit is an
example of a wedding ring cut into two with a zig-zag attachment. |
Double head machines can make both straight and curved designs
and backgrounds on the same piece. This cannot be done with separate horizontal
and vertical machines because when a piece is transferred from one machine to
second machine, the piece can never be perfectly realigned on the second
machine. In addition, when the double head machines are used with a Shor
P-2AMC divider, you can even drill stone settings! Automatic faceting machines
are available in both horizontal and double head models. They are for very
high production. Most sophisticated faceting machines today are much more
technologically advanced than the early machines we first introduced to the
Americas. However, the principle remains the same and our most popular faceting
machines are not much different in design (and price!) from those early
machines. Following are several of the various faceting machines that we offer.
We also stocks many hundreds of accessories and parts for these and other
faceting machines. Almost all accessories will fit almost all European made
faceting machines.
The
Shor MX Horizontal Faceting Machine is a simple
horizontal faceting machine. It's built for us to the same exacting
specifications by the same European manufacturer as the more expensive machines.
But because it doesn't have all the bells and whistles of the more sophisticated
machines, it has a more modest price. The basic machine comes with a horizontal
divider for rings but is also available with flat dividers, vises, etc. All the
accessories that fit other horizontal machines will fit the Shor MX.
Shor MX Horizontal with diamond and carbide
tools.....$5,995
The
Shor M-1 Faceting Machine's design hasn't changed
since the early 1970's when we had them first designed to our specifications.
The M-1 is available in both vertical and horizontal models. In fact, the M-l is
so flexible that the headstock can be changed from vertical to horizontal and
back.
Shor M1 Horizontal Faceting Machine.....$9,995
The Shor M-15 Double Head Faceting Machine
(right) is a very high production horizontal faceting machine. It's just
like the M-1 horizontal except that it has both horizontal and vertical heads
and has electronically controlled automatic faceting. Depending upon the pieces
that are faceted, it can increase production speed by as much as 50 times (and
it better increase production significantly if it's going to justify it's
price!).
M-15 Double Head Electronic Faceting Machine.....$39,995
M-16 w/Pneumatically Controlled Tilting
Quadrant..............$44,995