Water and Electricity: A Careful Dance
Setting up a lapidary shop is unique because it requires combining high-speed power tools with continuous streams of water.
Drainage and Sinks
Never wash lapidary sludge down a standard household drain. The rock dust acts like concrete and will destroy your plumbing. Use a settling bucket system to catch sediment, and pour only the clean top-water away.
Power Considerations
Always use GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) outlets for all lapidary machinery. Since you will be working with water and metal machines, GFCI protection is a non-negotiable life-safety requirement.
Lighting
Lighting is critical when scrutinizing scratches during polishing. Use a combination of diffused overhead lights and a stark, directional LED task light to highlight imperfections on the stone's surface.
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