cman
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since August 2009
Posts: 207
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Post by cman on Sept 16, 2009 9:38:45 GMT -5
I have been looking at the 14 or 16 inch slab saws. Lortone or Covington any particular ones you guy's like or dislike? I really can't go any larger because of weight factor I would need a fork lift or hand cart. Panther 14 Inch High Performance Saw 5 1/2" x 6 1/2" capacity vise, 4 1/4" threaded cross-feed, separate blade sharpener vise. Covington 1172CS 37"X26"X26" 150wt 7"vise length 4"cross feed 6" depth cut. Also can be used as trim saw. Comes weight feed or automatic feed. I GOOG some on Lortone 14 inch. Saw a bad write up out there. Also reading in this thread comments. How about the rest of you guy's that slab. Use anything else in the 14-16 inch range?
Thanks, Cliff
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Post by Toad on Sept 16, 2009 10:11:38 GMT -5
I've never had a saw, so take my comment for what it is worth (maybe nothing). Makes sense to me to buy the biggest one you can afford. Otherwise what happens when you get that one piece of rough that the 14" can't handle?
Smarter people will give you qualified advice shortly...
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cman
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since August 2009
Posts: 207
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Post by cman on Sept 16, 2009 10:31:50 GMT -5
Maybe I should get a large one but I will need a fork lift. One MFG. doesn't make the 16 inch.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,456
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Post by Sabre52 on Sept 16, 2009 10:40:01 GMT -5
I only have a workforce and a 10" right now but have in the recent past had both a 14" Lortone and a 20" HP. I think I'll go to the Barranca 14 next time I buy because of the blade costs involved and because I usually do a lot of slabbing and go through a lot of blades A good 14" blade will run you about $70 less than a 16" and less than half what my old 20" cost. Bigger is better if you cut mainly huge rough but big blades are thick and remove a lot of material when you cut while smaller blades save on wasted material and cost way less per blade. Plus, you can always break down big pieces before sawing . A 14 will usually cut a slab maybe 5" X 7" with ease. That's is plenty for me.........Mel
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Post by Toad on Sept 16, 2009 10:46:47 GMT -5
Ah, I didn't consider thickness of blade along with blade cost - obviously. Looking forward to what everyone else has to say. Thanks for the topic, cman.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,456
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Post by Sabre52 on Sept 16, 2009 11:08:39 GMT -5
Toad: Yep, I was running MK 303's on my 20" saw ( .100 thick) and I figured one time that the blade was so thick that every time I cut two slabs, I lost almost one full slab to the blade. Also filled up the sludge tank really fast as I was removing a bunch of rock. I like to cut pretty nice rough and most good rough was small enough for a 14, so why run a bigger saw at all?......Mel
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Post by bobby1 on Sept 16, 2009 11:12:09 GMT -5
I have a 12" and a 14" Lortone saws. The 12" I got used many years ago and is my workhorse and it is running all day long. I find that most of my rough ends up being around fist sized or slightly larger so I always have a lot to work on. I run a thin blade on it so I don't waste material. Over the years I have rebuilt the arbor and vise a few times. The parts aren't particularly costly. It as well as the 14" are bench top models and can me moved around with relative ease. The 14" one is a different story. It is the Panther High Performance Saw. It is relatively new and I got it cheaply from a friend who really disliked it. I'm still not finished with experimenting with it. To make it a high speed saw they put a high end blade on it, sped up the feed and the blade speed. Both my freind have had problems with it bogging down, jamming and it just stops cutting. I'm working on slowing the feed down first and if that doesn't help I will slow the blade down. GRRRRR! I like the fact that they are both bench top models and aren't so heavy that they require a forklift to move them. Mine are actually mounted on a heavy table with rollers on it so I can readily move them around in the shop to clean around them. Generally bigger can be construed as better because you can cut the larger pieces that you encounter: however, they require thicker blades that really waste material if you use them for the much more abundant smaller pieces. The cost of bigger saws escalates radically especially at 20" and above. If you belong to a club that has a shop with the bigger saws, I would recommend a saw in the 12" to 20" range and save the big stuff for the club saw. Just my opinion. Bob
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Post by Bikerrandy on Sept 16, 2009 13:24:19 GMT -5
16 inch Covington is what I have, I'd probably still pick it over a 14 inch. I would have went 18 if I could have afforded it.
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Post by Toad on Sept 16, 2009 13:48:20 GMT -5
Hey Randy,
Mel gave us some upside for the smaller (14" and under) saws. Besides being able to cut bigger rough, what are the upsides for the bigger saws. Thanks
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rockdewd
has rocks in the head
Member since October 2007
Posts: 605
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Post by rockdewd on Sept 16, 2009 13:58:12 GMT -5
Since my saws run pretty much unattended I buy the cheapest blades I can find. On my HP 18" a blade lasts 6-9 months with 8-10 hour daily use. After that the start to dish. I buy them from Kingsley. They are $72 with a dealers account. I do a lot of slabbing on my 18" and the Kingsley brand cut a very thin kerf.
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Post by Bikerrandy on Sept 16, 2009 19:56:02 GMT -5
I can't really compare mine to others, but I can tell you why I like it. Same as Rick's, I just set up for the next cut and leave it unattended. When it's finished with the cut, it shuts off automatically. To set up for the next cut, you just crank the vice over for whatever thickness you want your slab to be. You asked about the trim table, I've never used mine. It seems like it would be a mess, but that's why I have the Workforce saw anyhow. It's fairly quiet. The blades last a very long time, the one that I'm using now is more than a year old. I've fixed dished blades before. I just heat them up with a torch and dump a bag of ice on them. They usually pop right back into shape, sometimes not. They're dished, so what is there to lose? ;D
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Post by stardiamond on Sept 16, 2009 20:37:55 GMT -5
Still haven't set up my Covington. I bought my Genie 8 years ago and there was a special deal; the trim saw attachment for $35. It's the only saw I use; quiet and I don't get wet. I can only do small rough for slabs. No way I would pay $300 for it.
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Post by catmandewe on Sept 16, 2009 20:48:11 GMT -5
I have several saws and I have used several different brands, both new and used. If I could only buy one saw I would find a used Highland Park saw in whatever size you wanted and I would stick with that. They just don't make them like that anymore. I have my most of my saws set up on a board with casters under it and I can roll them around to wherever I want them, but after I find the right spot for them, they pretty much don't move much after that. You can run a 14" blade on a 16" saw if you add extra oil or if you set up a pump system. Both are easy to do, and the extra oil gives you more time between sludge changes. You can also get different kinds of blades for different kinds of material. Thinner blades for expensive material and thicker blades for less expensive material.
Well thats my 2 cents worth. Good luck on whatever you decide to do.
Tony
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Post by Bikerrandy on Sept 17, 2009 5:51:28 GMT -5
Here's more info on the saw, mine came from these people...great place to deal with as long as you don't mind the waiting. It took a month for my saw to get here (as they said it would).... www.cabbingmachines.com/slab_saws.shtml
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rockdewd
has rocks in the head
Member since October 2007
Posts: 605
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Post by rockdewd on Sept 17, 2009 14:32:33 GMT -5
Randy,
Thanks for the tip on the dished blades. I'll try it when I have some time...
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