Gregore and Jennifer-Rabe Jewelers, Fine Jewelry artists in Santa Barbara not only create unique one of a kind fashionable jewelry, they offer their services to the nanoscale microscopy industry with custom cutting. Precision work serves not just the lover of jewelry but also the manufacturers of atomic force microscopes, machines which cost millions of dollars to build. “Where we come in use is to enlarge or modify the hole in the quartz enclosure and to plane surfaces smooth on the quartz cantilever window . We do this type of custom work locally all the time.” Santa Barbara is a hub for breakthrough manufacturing and these two fields have met to provide precision cutting and drilling. “Our natural passion and curiosity for the craft, always trying new things pays off in better service for more people. This is where all the hard work to learn the tolerances of diamond cutters has come into play. “
A quartz enclosure glass approximately 1 inch across
“The modifications we often make are to shave off just tenths of a millimeter on a cantilever window and to enlarge or modify the size of existing windows.” The beam from the laser passes through such a hole and often it is two tenths of a millimeter too small. The video below shows planeing of the quartz.
Closeup of a Dual Needle Cantilever Window
The cantilever window in a custom jig on the CNC
Custom work on a CNC has to be held accurately so that the cutting is equally precise. The jigs are made on the lathe and the mill. To plane the cantilever window a custom water feed and catch tray was built to fit the CNC. “Originally, we designed and made it with stone cutting in mind to the scale of our jewelry designing needs, and for small tool making, which we are in the process of doing now, but more on this later .”
Planing the Cantilever window with water coolant is important in order to keep the quartz and the diamond cutter from breaking.
Custom brass jig for the quartz window
The brass jig was turned on the lathe and measured for a snug fit. The stop at the midpoint and the plate in front will hold the piece in place for precision drilling.
The quartz enclosure before it’s fully secured on the jig.
second view of the quartz enclosure on the jig
The endless possibilites for beautiful and precise work are being realized at Gregore’ and Jennifer-Rabe Jewelers. Driven by the passion for invention and the love of pure design this power couple see no limits to what can be done in Santa Barbara.