DeanW
has rocks in the head
Member since December 2007
Posts: 721
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Post by DeanW on Jun 4, 2009 1:27:42 GMT -5
Hi Gang,
My wife, a couple friends and I recently returned from a whirlwind trip to Arizona for some Petrified Wood (rainbow and black/brown woodworthia). Some we got at the Jim Gray shop in south-Holbrook and some from a rancher that my friend got into contact with.
Anyways, my friend is even worse than I am about bringing home the biggest rock he can find. So, now we are trying to figure out how to cut this 400# log (almost 3' diameter, by 4' long). His wife wants to make a standup table out of it so needs both ends cut flat.
I figure a drag saw should do the job (we have other large pieces so this won't be a one-time-use effort). I've done some online searching and not been able to come up with much. I can find the blades at Barranca (which is good, cause we have a Barranca friend that prob can help get a better deal) but we want to build the rest ourselves. Soooooo, anybody have or know of some decent plans for a drag saw?
(Oh yeah, of course I know y'all want some photos. I'm working on it, just so doggone busy. Too many projects and hobbies and not enough time.)
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Post by texaswoodie on Jun 4, 2009 8:21:32 GMT -5
Find someone in your area that cuts cemetery headstones and get them to do it. They use diamond impregnated wire, by the way.
Curt
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Post by stonesthatrock on Jun 4, 2009 8:43:42 GMT -5
you went threw az and didn't even stop at house?? i had az wood here lmao
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DeanW
has rocks in the head
Member since December 2007
Posts: 721
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Post by DeanW on Jun 4, 2009 22:13:58 GMT -5
It was a whirlwind tour. Left Bay Area on a Friday at 6A. Drove to Holbrook. Picked up wood on Saturday. Drove home on Sunday. No time for extra stops, *sigh*.
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spicer m
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2008
Posts: 337
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Post by spicer m on Jun 7, 2009 22:48:13 GMT -5
Here is a pic of a drag saw cutting jade, I think. I got it off the net but not sure where.
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DeanW
has rocks in the head
Member since December 2007
Posts: 721
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Post by DeanW on Jun 11, 2009 23:24:12 GMT -5
Thanks for the pics and ideas. I'll have to look into wire saws some more also. One thought is to use the diamond brazing rods to make our own drag saw blade. One example is here. I figure we can make a segmented blade similar to the Barranca blades by making brazing onto some segments and then simply pinching them between two pieces of steel bolted together, maybe. Some issues to think through.
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Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Jun 12, 2009 9:20:27 GMT -5
Just a thought here: Sinkankas describes a drag saw in Gem Cutting: www.amazon.com/Gem-Cutting-Lapidarys-John-Sinkankas/dp/041207821XHe has a pretty good line drawing of the saw; basically it's a motor, large flywheel, and a blade held between two standards and attached to the outer diameter of the flywheel. The blade he describes is a simple piece of mild steel that uses a slurry drip of coarse SiC grit to provide the cutting action. Hope that helps, Chuck
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Dave Austin
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since January 2008
Posts: 104
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Post by Dave Austin on Jun 12, 2009 11:20:26 GMT -5
Hi, just scanned the image that I think Chuck mentioned for you here, hope it helps. Cheers Dave
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Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Jun 12, 2009 11:25:42 GMT -5
That's the one! Thanks Dave!
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Dave Austin
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since January 2008
Posts: 104
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Post by Dave Austin on Jun 12, 2009 12:13:51 GMT -5
No problem Chuck, its good to be able to help.
Have a good one
Dave
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DeanW
has rocks in the head
Member since December 2007
Posts: 721
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Post by DeanW on Jun 25, 2009 22:47:53 GMT -5
Thanks for that info Dave & Chuck.
Has anybody seen (or more importantly handled) one of the Barranca drag blades? What I'm really trying to figure out is how are the segments held in place?
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julietom
having dreams about rocks
Member since October 2009
Posts: 57
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Post by julietom on Oct 30, 2009 21:50:51 GMT -5
HI Dean, Ive heard that you can buy a type of arc-welding rod that has diamond abrasive as a part of it's makeup. Ive been told that you just hard-face the sharp edge of your saw with an arc bead and your all set to cut.
Remember those huge drag saws down at the salinas estate, several years ago? those were made that-a-way. speaking of which, do you remember the little drag-saw from the workshop there, that used 16" flat blades? Ive been waiting to figure out where I can find some diamond blades for that puppy.
Best, Thomas
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Saskrock
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2007
Posts: 1,852
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Post by Saskrock on Nov 1, 2009 20:37:15 GMT -5
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Post by jakesrocks on Apr 24, 2010 23:58:50 GMT -5
Just stumbled on this site. A friend of mine in Rapid City, S.D. has used that diamond brazing rod with good luck on the cutters for his home made sphere machine.
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,341
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Post by quartz on Apr 26, 2010 21:52:06 GMT -5
At Vantage, Wash., there is the Ginko Petrified Forest interpretative center, and right next door is the Ginko Gem Shop. Both really nice places to visit. At the shop is a "mud" drag saw on display. The owner, Bill Rose, said you time the cut with a calender, not a watch. Perhaps a call to him would help. 509-856-2225 Nice fellow to talk to.
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baojiazhi
starting to shine!
Member since October 2008
Posts: 40
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Post by baojiazhi on Apr 27, 2010 14:58:26 GMT -5
Most of the plans I have seen are very similar to the picture in the book and almost all of them are based on using a silicon carbide grit to do the cutting. I have looked at the baranca saw blades back when they manufactured their own saw. The other possiblilty to look into is talking to a granite counter manufacturer. They use diamond wire saws to rough hue blocks of stone before they get slabbed up for counters and buildings. The saws are not cheap but the wire was not too insanely priced last I looked.
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grafton
off to a rocking start
Member since May 2010
Posts: 4
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Post by grafton on May 9, 2010 15:29:46 GMT -5
I recently built a drag saw... suprisingly easy. used a gear motor with 150 rpm. I tried the diamond brazing rods but had a hard time brazing a smooth line and there was too much vibration. what I did find that worked really well, was a 10" diamond blade from harbour freight. I cut segments out and welded them in a row to make my own blade. this works great. easy to replace teeth too (assuming you can weld) i did find that having water drip on the process sped it up significantly but it took about 6 hours to cut a 7X7" stone
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Post by Rockoonz on May 9, 2010 23:54:13 GMT -5
I recently built a drag saw... suprisingly easy. used a gear motor with 150 rpm. I tried the diamond brazing rods but had a hard time brazing a smooth line and there was too much vibration. what I did find that worked really well, was a 10" diamond blade from harbour freight. I cut segments out and welded them in a row to make my own blade. this works great. easy to replace teeth too (assuming you can weld) i did find that having water drip on the process sped it up significantly but it took about 6 hours to cut a 7X7" stone Post photos please. Lee
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Post by SharktoothHunter on Aug 11, 2010 17:41:42 GMT -5
Find someone in your area that cuts cemetery headstones and get them to do it. They use diamond impregnated wire, by the way. Curt also consider touring a countertop supplier/installer; they have to cut marble, granite, and the synthetics... should give you some ideas
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Post by jakesrocks on Nov 6, 2011 21:24:30 GMT -5
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