Collection: Cabbing Machine

Professional multi-wheel cabbing machines engineered for lapidary artisans, gemstone cutters, and jewelry makers. Built with heavy-gauge stainless steel chassis and precision-balanced arbors, these workstations support a continuous, high-efficiency workflow from rough rock shaping to optical cabochon polishing without changing wheels. Designed to accommodate standard 6" and 8" diamond grinding wheels, expandable rubber drums, and end-mounted polishing discs. Compatible with agate, jasper, quartz, turquoise, opal, obsidian, and petrified wood. Integrated adjustable water delivery manifolds provide continuous coolant to eliminate stone thermal shock and airborne silica dust.

Available Models & Pricing

5-Stage Cabbing Machine Workflow

Compatible Applications

• Gemstone cabochon cutting and polishing for custom rings, pendants, and wire-wrap jewelry
• Complete rough-to-polish workflow on agate, jasper, chalcedony, quartz, turquoise, and jade
• Decorative stone and mineral specimen face polishing and edge beveling
• Soft and heat-sensitive gemstone processing (opal, fluorite, obsidian) with controlled water cooling
• Accommodates standard 6" and 8" diamond grinding wheels, expandable rubber drums, and polishing pads

Related Cabbing Equipment & Accessories

• Diamond Resin Soft Grinding Wheels — Flexible cushioned wheels for smooth cabochon dome contouring
• Diamond Flat Hard Wheels — Rigid steel electroplated wheels for aggressive rough shaping
• Expandable Drum Wheels — Precision rubber drums for flexible sanding belt stages
• Resin Diamond Sanding Belts — Seamless belts for expandable drum grinding and pre-polishing
• Felt Polishing Wheels — Dense pure wool arbor wheels for final optical polishing
• Lapidary Machines & Equipment — Comprehensive collection of lapidary machinery and motors

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: What is a cabbing machine used for in lapidary work?
  A: A cabbing machine (or cabochon workstation) is a dedicated multi-station arbor machine designed to shape and polish non-faceted gemstones (cabochons). By mounting multiple wheels running from coarse electroplated diamond (60/80 grit) to ultra-fine resin-bonded wheels (up to 14,000 grit) alongside end polishing discs, artisans can complete an entire gemstone from rough slab to mirror polish in a continuous workflow.
• Q: What gemstone materials can be processed on a cabbing machine?
  A: Cabbing machines handle virtually all lapidary stones, including quartz varieties (agate, jasper, amethyst, chalcedony), feldspar (labradorite, sunstone), turquoise, lapis lazuli, petrified wood, obsidian, and jade. For softer or heat-sensitive stones like opal and malachite, the flexible resin wheels and continuous water cooling prevent fractures and heat checking.
• Q: What wheel sizes are compatible with this cabbing machine?
  A: Our standard machine accepts 6" diameter wheels with 1" arbor holes (or bushed to 3/4" or 1/2"). Standard setups accommodate two hard electroplated wheels and four resin-bonded soft wheels, plus expandable drums and end lap discs.
• Q: Why is water cooling essential when running a cabbing machine?
  A: Constant water lubrication serves three crucial roles: it prevents thermal shock and stone cracking, cleans diamond wheel surfaces by washing away stone swarf, and completely suppresses dangerous airborne mineral and silica dust.
• Q: How does a cabbing machine differ from a flat lap or faceting machine?
  A: A cabbing machine utilizes horizontal cylindrical wheels ideal for rolling and shaping curved, convex domes and rounded contours. A flat lap uses horizontal flat rotating discs best suited for flat slab faces and geode halves. A faceting machine incorporates precision protractors and index gears for cutting precise geometric, light-refracting flat facets into transparent gems.