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Post by tkrueger3 on Jul 14, 2010 20:30:49 GMT -5
Hoo, boy, is this fun! I kinda fell into a nice slab saw, not new, but new to me. Got it working today, and these are my first cuts, as a self-teaching exercise. Don't know what this stone is - it's not real hard, but it sure is purty - creamy white, black veins, and a couple of little yellow spots. Maybe something like onyx? I dunno. I'm pretty sure this one is pet wood. These 3 pieces are all one end cut - it fractured into 3 as it came off the saw blade. But the long piece is about 5" X 1.5", so maybe a couple of cabs are hiding in there. The diagonal markings are because the saw blade has a little wobble in it. It had a whole lot of wobble, but I managed to take most of it out. At least it's usable until I can afford a new blade. Thanks for looking, y'all! Tom
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firewalker45
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since August 2006
Posts: 929
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Post by firewalker45 on Jul 14, 2010 20:49:46 GMT -5
Congrats on your new toy. The first pic is Howlite and comes from California. It is what they dye and use for imitation turquiose, lapis etc. Daniel
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NDK
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 9,440
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Post by NDK on Jul 14, 2010 20:51:52 GMT -5
Awesome find Tom! How about more info on your new toy? What size blade etc.?
Nate
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snuffy
Cave Dweller
Member since May 2009
Posts: 4,319
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Post by snuffy on Jul 14, 2010 20:53:26 GMT -5
Yeah,Tom it is fun.I got my saw over a year ago, got to cut something almost every day, aint tired of it yet.
snuffy
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Post by NatureNut on Jul 14, 2010 21:55:11 GMT -5
Whoo-hoo! There's no stopping you now Bud!
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Post by Donnie's Rocky Treasures on Jul 14, 2010 21:58:53 GMT -5
That howlite is sure pretty! Congrats on your new toy, gonna be lots of fun, I'm sure!
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Post by jakesrocks on Jul 14, 2010 22:02:27 GMT -5
First pic sure looks like howlite From Tic Canyon, Los Angeles Co, Ca. It's soft stuff, but if it's solid along the black lines, it cuts interesting cabs that take a fairly good shine. Congrats on the new saw. Don
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Post by tkrueger3 on Jul 14, 2010 23:04:22 GMT -5
Hey, thanks everybody! Howlite, huh? Cool. Another name to add to my "try to remember this, dummy!" list.
The saw is an older Royal 18" saw with the motorized vise (as opposed to gravity-fed). It's pretty cool. I'd like to find a new blade for it, but the one that's on it is ok for now. Just has a little wobble. And I can't afford a new blade right now, anyway!
I'm having lots of fun taking things apart and putting them back together, as I find the little niggling problems that come with wear and tear. I'm enjoying learning about it and how everything works. I got some ISO 46 tractor hydraulic oil for it from Tractor Supply, but I'm not sure if it's good enough. Seems to be working now, but down the road, I may need to find some lighter-weight mineral oil somewhere. Dang stuff is expensive!
Tom
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Post by catmandewe on Jul 15, 2010 0:01:14 GMT -5
I'm having lots of fun taking things apart and putting them back together, as I find the little niggling problems that come with wear and tear. I'm enjoying learning about it and how everything works. I got some ISO 46 tractor hydraulic oil for it from Tractor Supply, but I'm not sure if it's good enough. Seems to be working now, but down the road, I may need to find some lighter-weight mineral oil somewhere. Dang stuff is expensive! Tom I get mine from an oil supply warehouse for about $7 per gallon, it is called "Technical Grade Mineral Oil" as opposed to "Food Grade", and is used as a light lubricant and also for spraying on dirt roads to keep the dust down. I have been watching some transformers from the Nuclear testing site in Nevada, they are filled with non PCB mineral oil, I was thinking of buying one of the auctions, should be several hundred gallons of oil per sale and there are about 10 of them at the moment. The insurance requirements to go onto the base to load them up probably makes it more per gallon than just buying from my local United Oil. Also have to figure in moving the transformers about 700 miles and the cost of fuel and wear and tear on the rock gitter. On another note; The diagonal markings on your slab are probably from a weak spring on your little electric drive motor that turns the threaded shaft. Watch the little baby belt and see if it slips a little bit every now and then, if it does add another tension spring or get a stronger one, that should fix that right up. Have fun cutting! Tony
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Post by Woodyrock on Jul 15, 2010 0:28:26 GMT -5
Tom: If you want to make that Howlite into turquoise, pick up one of those blue toilet water things at the market, drop it in a gallon of water, add the Howlite, wait a few days, and you will have genuine Chinese turquoise. The black matrix will really make it look good. Woody
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Post by johnjsgems on Jul 15, 2010 8:42:46 GMT -5
Tom, you are lucky your oil was clean. As mentioned the howlite is easily dyed. It is often accidentally dyed by cutting with dirty oil. The blue toilet chemical trick is pretty common and the dyed material is often called "Tidybowlite". I like the natural form better myself. It is a popular carving stone if the black veins are stable.
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Post by frane on Jul 15, 2010 9:56:50 GMT -5
Wow Tom! That is a great saw and it looks like you have a wonderful amount of tips here to help you out, not only with the stone but with the saw wobble! That spring sounds a whole lot cheaper to replace than a blade right now! I am looking forward to your next slices! Fran
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Post by Toad on Jul 15, 2010 10:03:48 GMT -5
Nice score on the saw. Hope to find something similar someday...
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Post by jakesrocks on Jul 15, 2010 10:21:37 GMT -5
Don't know about the Royal saw, but some have a jamb nut on the power feed shaft that you can adjust the spring tension with. If yours has the nut, try tightening it just a little, to see if it improves the cut. It sure helped my 16" Covington. Might save you having to find a new spring. Don
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Post by tkrueger3 on Jul 15, 2010 13:29:53 GMT -5
RE: The spring on the vise drive motor: I'm thinking it's not the problem, because to reattach it after rewiring the motor, I had to use a pair of visegrips and a LOT of pulling. It's not a weak spring, by any stretch of the imagination - I almost needed help to get it reattached. It keeps the belt that drives the threaded rod VERY tight. Thanks for the info, though - I catalogue all these hints and tips, because I never know when I'll come down with a bad case of the dumbs again, and I'll need one of them! ;D Tom
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bushmanbilly
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2008
Posts: 4,719
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Post by bushmanbilly on Jul 15, 2010 18:50:44 GMT -5
Congrats Tom, nice slabs. Tidybowlite toooooooooo funny John, learn something new every day.
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