What it is

From Slab to Cab is a first-party cabochon-cutting and bezel-setting class run by Nova Labs, a nonprofit makerspace in Fairfax, Virginia. The class is listed on the Nova Labs events calendar as TS_S04: From Slab to Cab: Lapidary Tools Sign-off. The event pages say it covers the basic operation, maintenance, clean-up and safe use of the cabochon machine and trim saw. Students make a pendant: they measure, cut, shape, grind and polish a slab of rock into a cabochon and learn how to set it into a bezel. Slabs and bezels are provided. The class is labeled “Sign-off: Lapidary tools”. Instructors: Mark and Tracy Ummem. Nova Labs’ About page describes it as a membership-driven, all-volunteer makerspace founded in 2011. This listing is for the lapidary class itself, not Nova Labs’ general membership.

Who it’s for

Adults in Northern Virginia and the Washington, DC area who want a short, hands-on introduction to cabbing with a printed price and dated sessions. Nova Labs members who want to be signed off on the makerspace’s lapidary tools are also an audience. Non-members can register at the non-member price. The event page asks students to wear closed-toed shoes and safety glasses, tie back long hair, secure loose clothing and jewelry, and bring an old towel because clothing may get wet or stained. Waterproof aprons are available in The Studio.

Why it’s listed

This is a first-party lapidary workshop with a printed Fairfax street address, named instructors, dated 2026 sessions with clock times, posted 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.

Venue (event pages, checked 2026-10-07): Nova Labs (The Studio), 3850 Jermantown Rd, Fairfax VA. The Nova Labs home page gives 3850 Jermantown Rd, Fairfax, VA 22030, phone 703-437-5780 and email [email protected].
Sessions (events calendar and event pages, checked today):
- Wednesday, October 21, 2026, 1:00–4:00 p.m. 2 spaces left; registration open.
- Thursday, October 22, 2026, 5:00–8:00 p.m. 0 spaces left; registration closed.
- The calendar’s past events include earlier sessions of the same class on July 2, July 8, September 13 and September 14, 2026.
Price (event pages, checked today): Member Price – $90.00; nonMember Price – $110.00. Slabs and bezels are provided. A separate materials fee is not stated on the page.
Nova Labs context (About and Contact pages, checked today): Nova Labs is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, EIN 45-3796580. Its facility has classrooms, workspace, incubator offices and a shop with common tools and advanced fabrication equipment. Members get 24/7 access. The Contact page says joining starts with “the $25 membership application”, followed by a GO Member Orientation for safety training and access credentials. Monthly membership dues are not stated on the pages checked.

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 event pages before treating any figure as fixed.

Official URL

Last checked: 2026-10-07

https://www.nova-labs.org/

From Slab to Cab — October 21, 2026: https://portal.nova-labs.org/event-6844666

From Slab to Cab — October 22, 2026: https://portal.nova-labs.org/event-6844681

About Nova Labs: https://www.nova-labs.org/about

Contact and membership steps: https://www.nova-labs.org/contact

Location

Class meets in The Studio at Nova Labs, 3850 Jermantown Rd, Fairfax, VA 22030 (event pages and home page, checked 2026-10-07). Class questions go to the Events Coordinator by email, per the Contact page; the general contact is [email protected], 703-437-5780.

This is a nonprofit 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, three-hour cabochon class with printed prices and seat counts, open to members and non-members. Nova Labs itself is a general makerspace (woodworking, metalworking, CNC, stained glass, sewing, fiber arts, jewelry, leather and more). This entry covers only its lapidary class.
The event pages are on Nova Labs’ own registration portal (portal.nova-labs.org, which also answers at novalabs.wildapricot.org). Both hosts returned HTTP 200 for the cited pages.
Seat counts (2 left for October 21, none for October 22) were a snapshot on the check date. The October 22 session showed “Registration is closed”.
Minimum age, whether a non-member must join to use the lapidary tools after sign-off, and any member-only follow-on studio hours are not stated on the event pages.
The first-party Nova Labs og:image (a laser engraving the Nova Labs logo) is saved as nova-labs-slab-to-cab-lapidary.jpg. It came from the nova-labs.org Wix media (deafba_7d23e24d43eb4ba4afe0742e2aacc7f5~mv2.jpg) and was JPEG-recompressed only. It is a generic makerspace image, not a lapidary photo.
Not affiliated with Lapidary Plaza.
No Lapidary Plaza contact, purchase, booking, or publication action was taken.

FAQ

Q: How much is From Slab to Cab?
A: The official event pages (checked 2026-10-07) list $90.00 for Nova Labs members and $110.00 for non-members. Slabs and bezels are provided.

Q: When and where does it meet?
A: Upcoming sessions on the calendar are Wednesday, October 21, 2026, 1:00–4:00 p.m. (2 spaces left) and Thursday, October 22, 2026, 5:00–8:00 p.m. (full, registration closed). Both are in The Studio at Nova Labs, 3850 Jermantown Rd, Fairfax, VA (checked 2026-10-07).

Q: What will I make and learn?
A: A pendant. Students measure, cut, shape, grind and polish a slab into a cabochon and set it into a bezel. They also learn basic operation, maintenance, clean-up and safe use of the cabochon machine and trim saw. The class is the Nova Labs sign-off for lapidary tools.

Q: What should I wear?
A: Closed-toed shoes and safety glasses, with long hair tied back and loose clothing or jewelry secured. Clothing may get wet or stained, so the page suggests bringing an old towel. Waterproof aprons are available.

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 cabochon class at a nonprofit makerspace. For membership gem societies, see Clubs. For equipment and rough, see Suppliers.