What it is

Intro to Lapidary: Learn to Make a Cabochon is a first-party beginner cabochon-cutting class at DIYcave, a community makerspace and shared workshop in Bend, Oregon. The official class page says students learn “the complete process of transforming stone into a smooth, finished cabochon”. They start by choosing a slab (a flat, pre-cut stone, or their own slab), plan the design and trim it to shape on the saw. Then they move to the cabbing machine to grind, sand and polish the piece to a glossy finish. The page notes that DIYcave’s equipment is not designed to cut whole rocks into slabs. Each session runs two hours with at most two students, and all materials and tools are included. DIYcave’s About page describes the business as a makerspace, shared workshop and hands-on learning center with woodworking, welding, metalworking, glass, jewelry, CNC, laser and 3D-printing areas. This listing covers the lapidary class only, not DIYcave’s general shop membership.

Who it’s for

Beginners in Bend and Central Oregon who want a short, small-group introduction to cabbing with a printed price and dated sessions. No experience is needed and no DIYcave membership is required. Ages 14 and up are welcome if a parent or guardian comes along; both need to register and pay. People who already know how to cab can instead get certified on the lapidary tools to work on their own.

Why it’s listed

This is a first-party lapidary workshop with a printed Bend street address, dated 2026 sessions with clock times, a published class size, published seat availability, and on-page dollar prices. It is not a scraped directory card, not a gem-club meeting listing and not a supply storefront.

Sessions (class page, checked 2026-10-08): October 13, 15, 17, 20, 22, 24 and 27, 2026, each 4:00–6:00 p.m. Max 2 people per session.
Seats (DIYcave’s registration store on Amilia, linked from the class page, checked today): October 13 — 2 spots; October 15 — 1; October 17 — 2; October 20 — 2; October 22 — 2; October 24 — Full; October 27 — 2.
Price (class page, checked today): Non-member $129; DIYcave member $103.20 (20% member discount). All materials and tools are included. The registration pages show $129.00 with taxes waived.
What to wear and bring (class page, checked today): close-toed shoes, no loose clothing, hair tied back. Students can bring their own protective equipment; otherwise DIYcave provides protective gear as needed.
Cancellation (class page, checked today): with more than 14 days’ notice, a full refund or transfer. With less than 14 days’ notice, no refund, but the amount paid minus a 15% fee can be moved to another class within 90 days. Less than 48 hours before class, payment is non-refundable. Requests go to [email protected].
Tool certification for experienced cutters (class page and Certification page, checked today): the lapidary area can also be used after a tool certification. The Certification page lists certification as free for members and $95 for non-members (minimum 30 minutes), and tool training at $76/hour for members and $95/hour for non-members.
DIYcave context (FAQ page, checked today): the FAQ describes a 9,000 sq. ft. makerspace open to the public. Annual membership is $169 and gives 20% off classes and private instruction and 50% off hourly shop rates ($12/hour for members, $24/hour for non-members). Shop hours are Thursday 10 a.m.–10 p.m., Friday and Saturday 8 a.m.–8 p.m., Sunday 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday–Wednesday is closed except for classes and private events.

The prices, dates and seat counts above are what the official pages showed on the check date. Seats fill and fees change. Confirm on the live class page before treating any figure as fixed.

Official URL

Last checked: 2026-10-08

https://www.diycave.com/classes/lapidary-intro

DIYcave home: https://www.diycave.com/

Registration — October 13, 2026: https://app.amilia.com/store/en/diycave/api/Activity/Detail?activityId=x5XKDmW

Registration — October 15, 2026: https://app.amilia.com/store/en/diycave/api/Activity/Detail?activityId=yKE0d1n

Registration — October 17, 2026: https://app.amilia.com/store/en/diycave/api/Activity/Detail?activityId=xRJZO4N

Registration — October 20, 2026: https://app.amilia.com/store/en/diycave/api/Activity/Detail?activityId=xO9dEBQ

Registration — October 22, 2026: https://app.amilia.com/store/en/diycave/api/Activity/Detail?activityId=xB1mL9N

Registration — October 24, 2026 (full): https://app.amilia.com/store/en/diycave/api/Activity/Detail?activityId=yP07wPM

Registration — October 27, 2026: https://app.amilia.com/store/en/diycave/api/Activity/Detail?activityId=xAonAZj

Tool certification: https://www.diycave.com/certification

FAQ (membership and hours): https://www.diycave.com/faq

Location

Class meets in the Lapidary Room at DIYcave, 444 SE 9th Street, Bend, Oregon (class page footer and registration pages, checked 2026-10-08). Phone: (541) 388-CAVE (2283). Class changes and cancellations: [email protected].

This is a makerspace classroom and shop. It is not a lapidary retail counter and not a gem club’s meeting hall.

Notes

Category is Workshops. This is a dated, fee-based, two-hour cabochon class with printed prices and seat counts, open to non-members. DIYcave also offers private instruction and custom private sessions of existing classes (Private Instruction page), but this entry covers only the scheduled lapidary class.
The registration pages are DIYcave’s own store on the Amilia platform (app.amilia.com/store/en/diycave), linked from the official class page. They returned HTTP 200 on the check date.
ZIP code conflict: the diycave.com footer gives Bend, Oregon 97703; the Amilia registration pages give 97702. The site footer is used here.
Seat counts were a snapshot on the check date. The October 24 session showed “Full”.
The registration pages list the required age as “Over 14 years old on the day of the activity”, and the class page says ages 14+ are welcome with a parent or guardian. Both must register and pay.
The Certification page lists only “Private Instruction” as the route to lapidary tool training. The class page and registration pages tag the class with “Certification”, but the class page does not say that finishing the class by itself certifies a student on the lapidary tools.
DIYcave is a privately owned business (About page: owners Aaron Leis and Tim Willis; the idea dates from the 2014/15 winter). It is not described as a nonprofit on the pages checked.
Lapidary Plaza already lists Richardson’s Rock Ranch in Madras, Oregon under Suppliers. DIYcave is a different business, town and category.
The first-party DIYcave class og:image (hands cabbing a stone on a Diamond Pacific machine) is saved as diycave-intro-to-lapidary.jpg. It came from the class page’s Wix media (30b40d_861eae012b99418780be83b0a476ef12~mv2.jpg, “Lapidary.jpg”) and was JPEG-recompressed only.
Not affiliated with Lapidary Plaza.
No Lapidary Plaza contact, purchase, booking, or publication action was taken.

FAQ

Q: How much is DIYcave’s Intro to Lapidary class?
A: The official class page (checked 2026-10-08) lists $129 for non-members and $103.20 for DIYcave members. All materials and tools are included. See https://www.diycave.com/classes/lapidary-intro

Q: When does it meet?
A: October 13, 15, 17, 20, 22, 24 and 27, 2026, 4:00–6:00 p.m., in the Lapidary Room at DIYcave, 444 SE 9th Street, Bend, OR. On the check date the October 24 session was full and the others had 1–2 spots.

Q: Do I need experience or a DIYcave membership?
A: No. The class page says no experience is needed and no membership is required to take the class or use the space. Ages 14+ are welcome with a parent or guardian, and both must register and pay.

Q: What will I make?
A: A finished cabochon. Students pick a slab (or bring their own), trim it to shape on the saw, then grind, sand and polish it on a cabbing machine. DIYcave’s equipment is not set up to cut whole rocks into slabs.

Q: Is this a gem club or a supply shop?
A: Neither as listed here. This entry is under Workshops. It is a fee-based beginner cabochon class at a makerspace. For membership gem societies, see Clubs. For equipment and rough, see Suppliers.