cornorstone
off to a rocking start
Member since February 2009
Posts: 19
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Post by cornorstone on Jun 6, 2009 15:06:45 GMT -5
So, O.K., I'm trying to cut geode slabs with a Lortone LS-8. The blade is tight, true & just sharpened. The "fence" is straight & true to the blade, and tightly attached to the work surface. I am hand feeding the geodes into the saw blade. The slabs I'm getting out are not consistent in thickness. The beginning of the cut is much thicker (3/8")than the end of the cut (< 1/4"), and it's driving me crazy that I can't figger out just what it is that I'm doing wrong. Anyone have any good suggestions for me so's I can stop beating my head against a wall?
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Post by rockmanken on Jun 6, 2009 16:53:44 GMT -5
GET RID OF THE FENCE. It will cut straight better if you free hand it without the fence. Drag on the fence may cause it to turn slightly. Ken
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Post by frane on Jun 7, 2009 7:43:59 GMT -5
It happens no matter how hard I try also. I hand feed and as long as I don't have to rotate the stone, I have a nice even cut...rotating, well, I just can't get them even yet. Keep trying and they will improve. Fran
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Post by Michael John on Jun 7, 2009 12:51:42 GMT -5
Yes, definately lose the fence. Besides messing you up, it's dangerous.
Stand BEHIND the blade (opposite of the blade's direction), looking straight-on at the blade. Standing in front of the blade is dangerous, and it's VERY hard to cut a reasonably even slab if you're standing to the side.
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Post by 150FromFundy on Jun 7, 2009 18:37:06 GMT -5
In addition to getting rid of the fence, let the stone ride up the leading edge of the blade so that it is not touching the table, especially when you rotate the stone through a cut. If the stone is irregular, as most are, feeding along the table can throw the cut off and bind the blade.
150FromFundy
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cornorstone
off to a rocking start
Member since February 2009
Posts: 19
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Post by cornorstone on Jun 8, 2009 8:57:23 GMT -5
I might be missing a very vital part here. if I get rid of the fence, how do I keep a straight cut? I am not rotating anything, because if I understand the concept correctly, the cutting surface of the blade is almost 4", and the specimens I am cutting are nowhere near that size. And I am standing "inline" to the blade, so that it is cutting towards me. have i been doing this incorrectly for the past 3 years? This is how long I have been slicing (or trimming) rock. I have only started now this year to try & cut flat slabs. Such as suitable for windchimes or such.
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rallyrocks
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2005
Posts: 1,507
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Post by rallyrocks on Jun 10, 2009 10:16:51 GMT -5
Unless you have skills I don't- the fence tends to grab instead of guide a rock, you need to rely on your steady hand to keep the cut straight- also it is easier than you might think since the blade itself really wants to cut straight- you should feel extra resistance if you aren't cutting straight.
As for where you stand in relation to the saw, I wouldn't say one is right and one is wrong- but for the tile saws so many of us use, there is a difference- one way you get rock chips, and water thrown at you and the other way you don't so much, which way you go is a matter of personal preference but I know a lot of people on this board swear by the "cutting from the backside" method for tile saws, not so sure about this with the LS-8 though.
But in the end I think you will find that no amount of skill and technique with a trim saw will come anywhere close to the slab quality you get using an auto-feed saw, if you are serious about doing wind chimes and such, I'd be saving up for a real slab saw.
I have an 18" slab saw and a 7" workforce, but even with those two, I have started saving up to get a little 10" with auto-feed.
Often the 18" is just too big and noisy, (especially if I want to do more than a couple of cuts per day) and I share much of the frustration you are voicing about your LS-8 when trying to get stuff cut on the tile saw, so I think the addition of a smaller slab/trim saw with auto-feed should round out my equipment inventory nicely.
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jcinpc
has rocks in the head
Member since April 2009
Posts: 722
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Post by jcinpc on Jun 10, 2009 18:31:20 GMT -5
I have a 10 inch Highland Park and like to hand cut instead of using the feed tray. I took a ruler or a paint stick and measured 1/8 and 1/4 and cut into it and while it was on the blade took a marker and marked my straight line so when I cut the edge of my face is on that line and I follow that and cut true every time. I tend to like to cut 4- 8 inch slabs sometimes
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Post by Michael John on Jun 13, 2009 0:31:31 GMT -5
Rallyrocks, if that 18"er is becoming too much of a nuisance, feel free to send it on over here! LOL
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rallyrocks
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2005
Posts: 1,507
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Post by rallyrocks on Jun 14, 2009 21:18:36 GMT -5
I'm fine with it, its my next door neighbor who isn't so excited that I have it...
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cornorstone
off to a rocking start
Member since February 2009
Posts: 19
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Post by cornorstone on Jun 15, 2009 8:57:47 GMT -5
I don't exactly follow what it is that you mean, jcinpc. Are you saying that you make your measurement marks on the bed of your saw and then freehand your cuts, and they stay straight & true?
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cornorstone
off to a rocking start
Member since February 2009
Posts: 19
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Post by cornorstone on Jun 16, 2009 10:20:33 GMT -5
so for every slab you are also chewing up a small piece of wood? How does that sawdust affect your coolant?
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jcinpc
has rocks in the head
Member since April 2009
Posts: 722
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Post by jcinpc on Jun 16, 2009 12:48:02 GMT -5
no, I used the ruler/wood as a marker guide to mark a straight line on the plate. Now I can follow that line with the edge of my rock into the blade for a straight cut. The reason your slabs are coming out thicker on one end is because your hands "wander" back and forth while holding it. This line just helps to keep the visual while cutting. I cut some thundereggs last night using this, came out fine.
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jcinpc
has rocks in the head
Member since April 2009
Posts: 722
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Post by jcinpc on Jun 16, 2009 13:08:56 GMT -5
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cornorstone
off to a rocking start
Member since February 2009
Posts: 19
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Post by cornorstone on Jun 17, 2009 12:58:01 GMT -5
hmmmmmmmm...thanks. given me now something additional to ponder.
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Post by mohs on Jun 17, 2009 15:59:08 GMT -5
interesting thread good pic & great tips jc o and clean cuts!!
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JEFFD
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since December 2004
Posts: 242
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Post by JEFFD on Jun 18, 2009 19:36:46 GMT -5
You might try putting your rocks in plaster of paris. For small rocks I use old check book boxes or the bottom 1/3 of a milk jug. Makes it easy to hold and you can mark the line you want.
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pporky
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2007
Posts: 1,932
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Post by pporky on Jun 19, 2009 17:45:08 GMT -5
I also had trouble with my cuts being tapered among other problems. I had bought a cheap blade that didn,t have enough diamonds and it was too thin and so it would wander and struggle to cut hard material. I forked out for a good blade and have been cutting happily since.
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cornorstone
off to a rocking start
Member since February 2009
Posts: 19
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Post by cornorstone on Jun 22, 2009 13:17:56 GMT -5
thanks, pporky. something else for me to ponder. But what is cheap? I guess some would consider a $75 sintered diamond blade cheap, but I don't. I think I'm starting to see that I want to do a job without the proper tools to do it with. I have a trim saw, and what I need is a slab saw with that advancement thingie that brings the rock closer to the blade for the next cut, without having to unloosen the specimen from the vise & then retighten it all over again (this is what I am working with now.
can anyone tell me what is the "workforce" I have had several people mention to me?
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