Cutting Quartz on the JMbpkduHs Faceting Machine – and Why I’m Moving On

Over the past weeks, I have been practicing gemstone faceting using the JMbpkduHs faceting machine from Amazon. With this machine, I managed to cut a total of nine stones so far, mostly in clear quartz and smoky quartz. For the price of around £230, this faceting machine is not bad at all – it does the job, and with patience, you can achieve commercial-level results.

However, after more time at the faceting bench, I realized the limitations of this machine and how much they hold me back from achieving true precision.

Problems With the JMbpkduHs Faceting Machine:

Angles don’t hold accurately

This is by far the biggest issue with the JMbpkduHs faceting machine, and it’s also the most critical one in gemstone cutting. Faceting is all about precision, and every single degree matters. When the machine cannot consistently hold the set angle, even a small variation of half a degree can throw off the entire design.

On simple designs like a standard brilliant, I can still manage to get a stone that looks acceptable because the errors are less noticeable. But once I try a more advanced or demanding design, such as the Ygrassil cut – where the crown facets must be cut at very steep, almost vertical angles – the inaccuracies become impossible to ignore. Instead of crisp and symmetrical facets, I end up with mismatched angles and uneven reflections.

The problem is not just cosmetic. When angles are off, light doesn’t return through the crown the way it should, which kills the brilliance and sparkle of the stone. A design that should have looked sharp and fiery ends up looking dull or lifeless. This limitation makes it very hard to practice complex diagrams or cuts that require absolute consistency.

In short, the inability of the JMbpkduHs faceting machine to lock and hold angles properly is the main factor that prevents me from reaching true precision faceting.

Unstable near-vertical cutting

Another major problem comes when cutting facets close to vertical on the lap. As I tilt the quill toward a steep angle, the stone often loses proper contact with the support. This means I have to apply constant attention and pressure just to keep it steady on the lap.

Not only is this physically tiring, but it also adds a huge risk of slipping or miscutting. Instead of focusing on the precision of the facet, I end up worrying about whether the stone will stay in place. This instability makes certain designs almost impossible to achieve correctly.

Advanced cuts, especially those requiring steep pavilion or crown facets, turn into a slow and frustrating process. I often spend more time correcting errors than actually cutting clean facets. While the machine is fine for learning and practicing, this issue is a big reason why I decided to upgrade to Ultratec.

Stones I Faceted on the JMbpkduHs Faceting Machine

Here are some of the gemstones I managed to cut using the JMbpkduHs faceting machine from Amazon. Most of them are clear quartz and smoky quartz. You can see more on my Pexels profile. In total, I have completed nine stones so far.

Simple cuts like a standard brilliant came out reasonably well, while more advanced designs exposed the machine’s limitations.

Even with its shortcomings, I’m proud of these first results. Each stone represents progress in my faceting journey.

Why I Am Moving Beyond the JMbpkduHs Faceting Machine

I am not complaining about the JMbpkduHs faceting machine. For its price, it’s a good starting point. But precision comes at a cost. That’s why I decided to take a big step forward and ordered the VL Classic Analog from Ultratec, which cost me close to $4000.

JMbpkduHs vs. Ultratec VL Classic Analog

With Ultratec, I expect to finally experience true precision faceting. Holding exact angles, cutting confidently near-vertical facets, and exploring advanced designs without being limited by the machine – that’s what I’m looking forward to.

My new machine should arrive around October 10, 2025, and I honestly can’t wait to sit down and facet my first stones with it.

Conclusion

Faceting has already become more than just a hobby for me – it’s a passion. Even with the limitations of this machine, I had so much fun learning and cutting my first nine stones. Each stone taught me something new.

But now, I’m ready to step up my game. Stay tuned, because my next post will be about my first stones cut with the Ultratec VL Classic Analog – this time with real precision faceting.

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