|
|
Post by DigDug on Sept 1, 2007 0:33:52 GMT -5
check your Email
|
|
|
|
Post by Doug on Sept 1, 2007 18:24:24 GMT -5
What are you planning to ask for the saw? Is it in useable condition? How good is the blade? Has it been cleaned or does it have several gallons of old oil sludge in it? All these are vital questions for anyone really interested in your saw! Another thing is where the equipment is located. If you are not familiar with the equipment you might want to have someone who is take a look at it. Do you have any pictures available?
|
|
|
|
Post by 4cornersrocks on Sept 1, 2007 21:44:42 GMT -5
All I use is my inland flat lap and my Home Depot tile saw and I'm really happy with the results my $400 setup provides. I am very new to lapidary (still) and was intimidated for a long time until I finally got started. Make sure your equipment is safe, well lubricated (no noisy bearings),etc. You also need to keep in mind that water+electricity=danger ,watch for stuff dripping where it shouldn't and stuff like that. If you are uncomfortable with something, don't do it. If I was you I would try to buy some preformed cabs, some dowels for dop sticks, and some double sided tape or sealing wax for dopping stones. Get that Highland Park in tip-top shape and get to work cabbing. If you like it, upgrade to diamond wheels if your unit has carbide wheels and you will be set for a while. Get your best medium sized auto feed saw in good shape next and those two tools will let you turn rough into cabs. Dont forget to use eye protection and always use water when cutting stone. Do a little research on what you cut, for some stones you should take other precautions, like wear gloves if you cut a lot of malachite, supposedly it contains arsenic. I've only been doing this for a short time and I'm not very good at it but I hope this helps you. Within an hour of getting my cheapie machine in the mail I had a beautiful cab cut, just try it, it's fun.
_____________________________Dude
|
|
|
|
Post by 4cornersrocks on Sept 1, 2007 21:59:32 GMT -5
Oh yeah, search for Beginning Cabachon Cutting featuring Jim Barzee by MarZee tutorials, it goes through all the basic details. The guy that teaches it is a great guy, I met him at a rock and gem show and told him I wanted to get started, he just gave me his video and told me to send him some money if i liked it. He got his money, lol! After watching this, you will know what to do, it covers about everything you need to know to cab. Also, join your local rock and gem club and go to some shows and ask the vendors for tips on cutting their rough, then buy some to cab yourself. If you want I'll send you some rhodonite to play with, check it out in the latest finds (sunnyside mine) and under trades also.
|
|
ken
Junior Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by ken on Sept 2, 2007 9:26:28 GMT -5
T
I have a 6 inch Ameritool flat lap and I take it and my 1000 watt Honda generator on the digs with me and have a ball cabbing and showing others how to cab. Look at the pictures on the 2007 roundup and you can see it in action. You do NOT have to see the stone on the end of the dop to see what you are doing. You have to hold it up to look at it after grinding. Upgrade the HP or the Raytech to diamond and you will have a machine that will last a long, long time. For mobility, the Inland would be the best because of the price. But, don't get the saw part, just the flat lap. Jeff likes the spindle shaper he got for his for preforming. The only drawback to a flat lap is you cant do crosses or hearts, anything with an inside corner. Ken
|
|
|
|
Post by 4cornersrocks on Sept 2, 2007 21:20:33 GMT -5
I agree with everything Ken says 100%. The inland saw seems a little flimsy and I don't use the grinder much. I probably would have gotten the ameritool if I would have known better. I would like to eventually save up and get a HP or Diamond Pikie/Genie, you can cut concave bevels with those machines, as well as other cool stuff. You don't need to buy a flat lap though, they are just one way to go. On a side note,I also did not like the idea of the flat laps ergonomics, but after using one, I love it, cutting is mostly by feel anyways.
__________________________________Dude
|
|
|
|
Post by jpolk123 on Sept 14, 2007 19:49:21 GMT -5
One thing is for sure.If you learn how to cab on a flat lap soft wheel cabbing will be a breeze.A rigid surface is tough to build a dome on.
|
|
taogem
Senior Member
Posts: 33
|
Post by taogem on Oct 1, 2007 19:40:27 GMT -5
All I use is my inland flat lap and my Home Depot tile saw and I'm really happy with the results my $400 setup provides. Are you using the Home Depot tile saw for cutting slabs? If so what size is yours and how large of rough are you able to slice? Thanks |
|
ken
Junior Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by ken on Oct 1, 2007 20:34:37 GMT -5
I have a 7" tile saw from Lowe's ( almost the same as Home Depot) and it will cut about 1 1/4 inches high. Have to use both saws in a large plastic mortar pan because they are messy. The Inland flat lap is about the same, works better in a mortar pan. There is another flat lap that is tilted 45 degrees. Can't think of the name of it right now. There is another flat lap called all you need, that is the same quality as the Ameritool. Ken
|
|
|
|
Post by 4cornersrocks on Oct 1, 2007 23:27:10 GMT -5
All I use is my inland flat lap and my Home Depot tile saw and I'm really happy with the results my $400 setup provides. Are you using the Home Depot tile saw for cutting slabs? If so what size is yours and how large of rough are you able to slice? Thanks Taogem, I can't really give you a straight answer because I have mixed feelings about the saw when it come to slab cutting. First of all will say that I am sure (this is rare) that the Home Depot $89.99 saw is awesome! It has more than enough power and is capable of doing a lot, I think that it is a 7 inch blade by the way. I like the big motor, powder coating and stainless construction, and great price, it looks like it will last quite a while. Like Ken said it is very messy, I use mine outside! If you take your time you can slab a 3" rock by turning it into the blade, it is just kind if hard to do and you really need to use the tile saw blade, a thinner blade will become dished very soon. Of course with any thick blade you lose a lot of material. The downside is that this isn't a very good idea to do this, kind of dangerous and very hard to cut a good slab. You can cut a short slab (1 5/8" I think) pretty well, but once again not as well as a proper slab saw with a vise. As a trim saw you just can't go wrong though, it works great right out of the box. If you have a Home Depot near you and want to get to work today for around $100 this is the way to go. One thing is for sure, don't even mess with the inland slab saw, it is really poorly made, at least that's what I think. I can barely get mine to work. I like the lap machine a lot though, unbeatable price, though the motor's pulsing when I look at a stone really harshes my mellow!  (I truly hate the pulsing, as soon as you release pressure from the lap, you hear it, bump...bump... bump...errgghh!) I have seen the inland band saw for making pre-forms and it is awesome, just a little more pricey than the trim saw ($190 shipped on ebay) and way better, I would recommend that over all this stuff if all you do is plan on is cutting out preforms from slabs for cabs. For slabs I would get a decent 10" saw with a vice if you want to get serious and can afford it, it is all you need to slab most stuff and most good brands will give excellent results. I hope all this info isn't too confusing (i'm confused!!!) and helps, let me know how everything goes. ...Dude |
|
taogem
Senior Member
Posts: 33
|
Post by taogem on Oct 3, 2007 21:14:05 GMT -5
Hey Daniel, I went in to Spokane yesterday and checked out the Home Depot. I have a Highland Park combo unit with an 8" blade. I can cut many minerals at about 2" thick/tall... But when I start to get into things like agates, it takes a long time and I hate pushing as hard as I have to to get through a piece. So for now...., not cutting anything over a couple inches tall and about 6 hardness. I was hoping that the tile saws might have been another way to go and possibly cheaper than a good 18" + slab saw. I want to be able to cut slabs at about 6" or better tall. Pretty sure will have to spend the money for about an 18". Any way., even the largest tile saw they had only cut a couple of inches thick. I did see the small saws. I can see how they would be just fine for cabbing. Your cabs may show up tomorrow too.  |
|
|
|
Post by 4cornersrocks on Oct 4, 2007 23:22:08 GMT -5
Taogem, You really can force a stone through a tile saw, but it doesn't sound like what you need. Highland Park stuff is arguably the best, I doubt the tile saw will do much that the HP wouldn't. I got in your cabs today, WOW! Very nice, everybody check out taogem's store, his stuff is top-notch. shop.taogem.ieasysite.com/default.aspx?categoryid=0 |
|
(I truly hate the pulsing, as soon as you release pressure from the lap, you hear it, bump...bump... bump...errgghh!) I have seen the inland band saw for making pre-forms and it is awesome, just a little more pricey than the trim saw ($190 shipped on ebay) and way better, I would recommend that over all this stuff if all you do is plan on is cutting out preforms from slabs for cabs. For slabs I would get a decent 10" saw with a vice if you want to get serious and can afford it, it is all you need to slab most stuff and most good brands will give excellent results. I hope all this info isn't too confusing (i'm confused!!!) and helps, let me know how everything goes.