vwfence
has rocks in the head
Member since January 2013
Posts: 557
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Post by vwfence on Jan 14, 2015 11:42:43 GMT -5
Is anyone aware of a company called Gemstone that made rock saws ??
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Post by johnjsgems on Jan 14, 2015 11:49:43 GMT -5
There were many companies that made lapidary equipment in the 70's. Many more that relabeled products made by others (like Sears). Rio Grande relabels all their equipment to their label. Not sure if I ever heard of Gemstone. Got picture?
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vwfence
has rocks in the head
Member since January 2013
Posts: 557
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Post by vwfence on Jan 14, 2015 13:29:36 GMT -5
I dont have a picture , it was on craigslist for sale and ive not ever heard of it and was curious It look similiar to a Loritone drop saw and was the same color
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Post by phil on Jan 14, 2015 13:34:49 GMT -5
Yep. They are defunct. I own one. Where's you see the listing? I'd like to read it.
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Post by jakesrocks on Jan 14, 2015 13:36:44 GMT -5
The Gemstone Shop from South Bend, Indiana (no longer in business), made lots of nice lapidary equipment up until around 1980. Probably one of theirs. I have one of their super heavy duty dop pots that's still going strong after all these years.
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Post by phil on Jan 14, 2015 13:39:41 GMT -5
Don, Gemstone Manufacturing was a Calif company back in the 70's.
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Post by jakesrocks on Jan 14, 2015 13:46:12 GMT -5
I stand corrected. The Gemstone Shop also produced some really quality equipment. I can't say for sure if they ever produced saws, but lots of the mom & pop rock shops produced their own lines of equipment. Of course the cost of casting & machining parts was a lot less expensive back then too.
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vwfence
has rocks in the head
Member since January 2013
Posts: 557
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Post by vwfence on Jan 14, 2015 14:00:17 GMT -5
The posting is down right now as i plan to go buy it . from the pictures it looks super nice and not used much
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Post by phil on Jan 14, 2015 14:17:15 GMT -5
You can sit Don.... <G> you've earned it..... hehehe
VW, my Gemstone Drop Saw needed a bit of modifying to run at it's best.... And I'm not sure I'm finished improving it. The motor was forward of the arbor/fulcrum, and that's very bad! The swing arm was and still is, too big and wayyyyy too much mass, causing excessive and early blade wear along with the motor weight, but that made it cut very very fast back when blades were cheaper. I moved the motor by making a new mounting plate for it and adding some 10 pounds of counterweights. The arbor is a hair too short. The zerts are impossible to access without some dissasembly, and upside down to boot! And the tank was a real bear to clean out.... So I converted the clean out plug to a full time drain plug, added a drain hose, overflow and catch buckets, pump and some tubing, relocated the oil ports for better blade wash, and use cardboard flats as sides to catch any errant oil sprays (happens on every saw) and keep the oil from messing up my garage floor or other equipment, and now it works better. What size is the one you're after? Mines a 16, but can do a 14 if I want.
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vwfence
has rocks in the head
Member since January 2013
Posts: 557
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Post by vwfence on Jan 14, 2015 22:34:47 GMT -5
Its a 16 also
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Post by phil on Jan 14, 2015 22:50:57 GMT -5
I'd sure like to see a pic when you get it. And if you get any manuals or other paperwork, I'll gladly pay costs for copies. All I have is an old Rock and Gem ad from the 70's and the label on the motor.
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vwfence
has rocks in the head
Member since January 2013
Posts: 557
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Post by vwfence on Jan 20, 2015 12:10:31 GMT -5
I bought the saw , and will try and get some picture later in the week . It was made in Calif and has a poly tub and a very heavy frame . Id say it was a small shop . some of the frame s almost over kill . I havent set it up yet but im sure it needs a counter weight to slow down the rate of feed on harder rock .
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Post by phil on Jan 20, 2015 13:10:22 GMT -5
so it looks,like this?
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vwfence
has rocks in the head
Member since January 2013
Posts: 557
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Post by vwfence on Jan 21, 2015 10:24:27 GMT -5
Thats the exact saw
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
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Post by Fossilman on Jan 21, 2015 11:03:33 GMT -5
So is that a gravity saw? Looks like it...
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vwfence
has rocks in the head
Member since January 2013
Posts: 557
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Post by vwfence on Jan 21, 2015 11:12:31 GMT -5
Yes
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Post by phil on Jan 21, 2015 15:50:40 GMT -5
Yep. Except we call them drop saws because the blade drops down onto the rock being cut.
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