<'))))>< Fish
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Post by <'))))>< Fish on Jun 17, 2005 7:43:21 GMT -5
I was wondering how does everyone cut slaps...
Do you grip the rock to a vise and cut it
or
I join a rock club near my house, this guy put his rocks in plaster in a square mold. After is was hard he then but in the vise. Has anyone one done this. Cause I am thinking of buying a saw. And want to find the best way to cut the stones.
thanks
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stefan
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Post by stefan on Jun 17, 2005 9:43:11 GMT -5
I hold the rocks I have too- put the ones I can in a vise (actually a wooden clamp) and I plan on putting the ones I can in plaster or concrete molds- when I have my new work shop completed (gotta to get the 18 year old slug out first LMAO) THere are several clamps and vises on the market but my saw is a Home Depot tile saw and there is no real manufactured clamp for this- So I make do!
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Post by rockyraccoon on Jun 17, 2005 12:18:49 GMT -5
so far i just lock them down tight in the vise but that plaster idea sounds really interesting. stoner didn't you do that too?
kim
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cuervo73
starting to spend too much on rocks
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Post by cuervo73 on Jun 17, 2005 14:36:30 GMT -5
Oh thats an awesome idea! I have been struggling with how I am going to restore my old 18" saw currently without a crossfeed vise setup. So I got a small vise [4 1/2" jaw opening] at the hardware store and am about to mount it to the moving table. I have been brainstorming how I can build up the vise jaws to hold large or irregular rocks. And this timely posting appears! And you could use cardboard milk cartons as molds too. And punch a hole in one end and stick a piece of rebar in and make a concrete popsicle. After it sets up, my little vise can clamp onto the rebar and have the rock positioned exactly the way I want to cut it. Cement sounds better than either concrete or plaster. Thanks for the great idea! ed
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Post by americanbulldogsnj on Jun 17, 2005 14:43:02 GMT -5
I use my fingers baby, I got a home depot tile saw and I can only cut mini cabs for now, but been having an absolute blast!!! it'll do for now... Marian
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Post by krazydiamond on Jun 17, 2005 14:49:03 GMT -5
the plaster/concrete method is used by a lot of folks in here as i recall. i think the larger the saw/rock the more you need a vise or mechanical gripper and auto feed.
i started using the vise when i first got my 6" trim saw, but now i just use my fingers and cut only small rocks or already slabbed material.
KD
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Duckbean
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Post by Duckbean on Jun 17, 2005 21:33:07 GMT -5
;DThanks for the tip! I spend more time getting the rocks fixed in the clamp then I do cutting. But then a 8 inch saw isn't made to cut four to six inch rocks eather.
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WarrenA
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Post by WarrenA on Jun 17, 2005 23:21:42 GMT -5
grind a flat spot on the rock and glue it to a 2" piece of 2X2 clamp the rock to the end of the wood and use either carpenters wood glue or Elmers glue leave set 24hrs or till the glue is clear and clamp it in place and cut away you can cut right up to the glue. I am using mineral oil as the lube in the saw and it does not bother the glue. if you use water as the lube than I would use 5 Min Epoxy as the glue
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Banjocreek
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Post by Banjocreek on Jun 18, 2005 1:05:01 GMT -5
I have seen where folks will drop a small bucketful of 'Lake Superior Agates' into a milk carton, fill it with plaster of paris and then slab the whole thing. I have even seen this guy use a huge clump of Dop Wax to a board and slab it. There is always more than one way to skin a cat.
-Banjo
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Post by stoner on Jun 18, 2005 2:25:59 GMT -5
I have used the cement/plaster square mold setup and it works great for small stones on a small saw(10" or less)
Ed
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Debs
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Post by Debs on Jun 19, 2005 18:20:41 GMT -5
Okay guys, help me out here! Why would you want to make a mold first before cutting? Clueless here...LOL!
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Duckbean
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Post by Duckbean on Jun 19, 2005 20:30:56 GMT -5
The idea is to make a mold with the rock you want to cut in it. The square shape of the mold makes it easy to fix in the clamp to slab. Hope this helps.
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<'))))>< Fish
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Post by <'))))>< Fish on Jun 19, 2005 20:39:23 GMT -5
I think it will help
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stefan
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Post by stefan on Jun 20, 2005 9:01:22 GMT -5
I cut no lees than 15 slabs over the weekend- I held every rock and learned that my little tile saw will cut some pretty big rock (up to 4 inches) I cut into the rock till I just reach the top of the blade- then a roll the rock very slowly around the blade- it takes time but man it makes some nice slabs!
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Post by creativeminded on Jun 20, 2005 9:06:33 GMT -5
Once I get my saw up and going I will be using a vise that has a counter weight feed that goes over the back of the machine. Tami
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llanago
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Post by llanago on Jun 20, 2005 9:49:40 GMT -5
stefan, that's what I do too. I use that method on my 4", the 7" and the 10" and am able to cut rocks much larger than expected. Takes a while to get the hang of it, but once ya' do, you can gently roll a big rock over on the blade and make a smooth cut.
I have never tried the mold thing. Guess I will have to collect some milk cartons or some other suitable container and try it. What kind of plaster?
llana
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llanago
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Post by llanago on Jun 20, 2005 9:57:02 GMT -5
I have a CE barrel I would part with, BUT you wouldn't want it! No matter how good I clean it or what I put in it, the lid always pops off. It started doing that with grit, so I figured OKAY, I'll just use this barrel with wash stones. Then instead of water, grit, slurry going everywhere, it was borax and water! This barrel is a reject! I use it for keeping stones in that I am not sure what to do with. llana
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stefan
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Post by stefan on Jun 20, 2005 13:17:14 GMT -5
Llana Could I use it for a spacer? (I mean is it complete?)
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Debs
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Post by Debs on Jun 20, 2005 21:19:25 GMT -5
Just a curious mind here ;D My used monster saw has some type of vice grip tool on it. Don't ask me how to use it, as my hubby thinks it needs wheels yet...I can't wait to see that monster thing work!
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Duckbean
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Post by Duckbean on Jun 20, 2005 21:32:27 GMT -5
That's what I do with the larger rocks I get too Stefan. Other times I just cut through it and then use a screwdriver to finish the job. Too bad they don't make auto feed for the smaller saws! Didn't think cutting slabs would be tiring.
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