juzwuz
has rocks in the head
Member since April 2010
Posts: 526
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Post by juzwuz on Jun 27, 2010 20:57:34 GMT -5
I cut one slab off of a Brazilian agate but the next slab I tried just seemed to stall out. It seemed really hot too. I have an old 10" Lortone saw with automatic feed. The oil seemed hotter than normal too. Is there anything I should look at?
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Post by FrogAndBearCreations on Jun 27, 2010 22:14:26 GMT -5
how old is your blade and do you condition it after each cut of agate?
get some old red brick to make cuts into to condition your blade after each slab or cut a slab or two of obsidian.
if your blade is very used you may want to get a new one for the agate
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juzwuz
has rocks in the head
Member since April 2010
Posts: 526
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Post by juzwuz on Jun 27, 2010 22:47:47 GMT -5
I have no idea how old the blade is since I got the saw off of craigslist. I was cutting some obsidian before the agate and it didn't have a problem with the first cut of agate. Actually, before the obsidian I had cut 3 slabs of the agate with no problems but right now, I'm at the thickest part of the agate. Could that be the problem? I was hoping to cut several slabs of the agate before removing the rock from the vice because I can never get a good parallel cut when I first put a rock into the vice.
Is there a way to tell the condition of a blade just from inspection? Where's a good place to buy 10" blades?
Thanks!
Justin
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Post by FrogAndBearCreations on Jun 27, 2010 23:23:54 GMT -5
if you have some red brick that you could put some cuts into without removing your agate that would help condition for some better cuts. My saw has the ability to move the rock vise out of the way without removing the stone in it. Its a 10" raytech. Blades can be had from various sources depending on what your budget can stand. Home depot and Lowes carry hot dog blades in 10" which most say are good. Right now I am trying out a Ridgid 10" that seems to be decent but we will see how long it lasts as I cut some of my agate and jasper. Rock Shed has blades, Kingsly North also but a little more expensive than the home depot and lowes. I spent 75 bucks for the Ridgid 10" High performance blade rated for porcelain, ceramic, marble and granite.
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Post by catmandewe on Jun 27, 2010 23:49:31 GMT -5
Brazilians are notorious for stalling blades, I always dress my blade or slab up a chunk of obsidian before I cut a Brazilian on any of my saws. In order for the brick to work it has to be a fire rated brick. (If you ever see someone removing an old chimney, grab a couple of those.) The reason it works is that the main ingredient is Silicon Carbide, which will remove the metal that is covering your diamonds and not allowing them to work. You can also cut an old SC grinding wheel or get a dressing stick which is the same thing. Obsidian will keep the blade fresh if you use it before it gets too bad, but it does not work very well to re dress a blade that is glazed over.
If you can find one of the old lapidary blades, they seem to work better and last longer than the new ones. I might have one or two left out in the storage shed if you can't find one. I also have some cheap chinese lapidary blades for $20 and they are pretty good for the money.
Good luck with it...............Tony
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Post by FrogAndBearCreations on Jun 28, 2010 0:02:53 GMT -5
so the fire brick that goes inside a black iron stove would work too? I have several of those laying aroung my shop
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juzwuz
has rocks in the head
Member since April 2010
Posts: 526
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Post by juzwuz on Jul 4, 2010 16:05:03 GMT -5
Where is a good place to get a dressing stick?
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Post by Woodyrock on Jul 6, 2010 0:04:31 GMT -5
All the big box stores sell firebrick...about two dollars. Woody
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Post by sandsman1 on Jul 6, 2010 1:18:35 GMT -5
i always had the same prob with my 10 inch lorton i upgraded the motor to a 1/2 horse i think it was i remember i just went up one size so what ever is on it go up one size --- my panther 14 inch started doin the same thing it would bind and dish my blades but after i put a bigger motor on it i can cut anything i can fit in the vise no problem
i swear they use cheap motors on there saws -- and remember motors get tired too and lose torque and speed so maybe its just gettin tired haha
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Post by sandsman1 on Jul 6, 2010 1:31:28 GMT -5
thanks tony i didnt know about the fire rated brick i think im useing the reg wall brick i found ill have to look around and get a couple -- i have an auto dresser on the panther so even in the middle of a cut you can dress the blade without opening the lid so i cut brick the size of a dressing stick and lockit in the holder - i realy dont use it much prob once every 10 or more hrs of cutting -- since i beefed up the motor i realy dont have a prob maybe the extra torque keeps it fresh i dont know
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juzwuz
has rocks in the head
Member since April 2010
Posts: 526
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Post by juzwuz on Jul 10, 2010 2:53:18 GMT -5
All the big box stores sell firebrick...about two dollars. Woody Thanks for the tip Woody! I picked up a firebrick at Lowes for around $1.50 and made a cut through it. Before the cut, the blade felt kinda smooth but after the firebrick, the blade feels quite rough. I'll turn the agate around and try to finish the cut from the other side.
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slabcabber
has rocks in the head
Member since April 2010
Posts: 590
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Post by slabcabber on Jul 17, 2010 7:06:42 GMT -5
Ok! did it work? Enquiring minds want to know.... LOL
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