gvrockclub
off to a rocking start
Member since March 2018
Posts: 1
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Post by gvrockclub on Mar 15, 2018 14:26:46 GMT -5
Our rock club is looking for new jaws for the 34 inch Star Diamond Industries Inc saw. We have had the jaws re- machined once several years ago. Now would like to find company who bought out Star diamond Ind. or find it used ok too. Any ideas? We are told this wonderful old saw is obsolete.
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Post by johnjsgems on Mar 15, 2018 16:14:33 GMT -5
They were bought by MK Diamond Products and marketed by Barranca Diamond for 8 years before being merged into MK as the lapidary division. 34" must be a misprint though. I think they still have the clutch and shoe parts for the older saws.
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cigarboxrock
starting to shine!
Member since December 2017
Posts: 25
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Post by cigarboxrock on Mar 17, 2018 12:59:19 GMT -5
Our rock club is looking for new jaws for the 34 inch Star Diamond Industries Inc saw. We have had the jaws re- machined once several years ago. Now would like to find company who bought out Star diamond Ind. or find it used ok too. Any ideas? We are told this wonderful old saw is obsolete. Just our opinion but very few USA vintage saws are obsolete in the terms of being serviceable. With that said you most likely may not find parts for them in a shop inventory. Star Diamond saws were built with excellent USA steel and craftsmanship.Your jaws can certainly be restored or used as a core for brand new milled jaws. We do this every week for a long list of vintage saws. Do not give up hope we can help you with this. Tim CigarBoxRock Lapidary
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Post by johnjsgems on Mar 19, 2018 10:31:53 GMT -5
I thought he meant the clutch shoe and foot. They are bronze and usually the parts that wear out on the Star Diamond saws. I have sold feed rods for the older Star Diamond and Barranca Diamond saw available from MK as they marketed some of the Star Diamond saws with few changes before their "Highland Precision" update/redesign.
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Post by pauls on Mar 26, 2018 15:06:57 GMT -5
Face the jaws with a piece of thick leather or softwood, these grip the rocks better without cracking them and can easily be replaced when needed.
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fishnpinball
Cave Dweller
So much to learn, so little time
Member since March 2017
Posts: 1,491
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Post by fishnpinball on Mar 26, 2018 23:05:29 GMT -5
Barranca Diamond is not producing the clutch assemblies for older saws even the saws they made. I have a Pf10 and will probably need to go to a machine shop to repair the clutch. BD says obsolete and out of inventory.
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Post by Rockoonz on Mar 26, 2018 23:54:40 GMT -5
Yeah, I'm thinking that by brass jaws they mean bronze halfnuts. Did star diamond make big saws?
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Post by Peruano on Mar 27, 2018 7:38:04 GMT -5
Their idea of an half nut is quite distinct from the typical version. John is describing it correctly. It is oriented parallel with the drive rod, one half is immobile, but adjustable from front to back, and the other comes up from below to engage the clutch block. Rebuilding may be nothing more than rethreading the blocks or involve real machine shop work such as offered by Cigarbox Rocks. The Barranca website has a pdf on how to adjust and another with a detailed description of the critter (for saws at least up to 24").
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Post by 1dave on Mar 27, 2018 10:34:54 GMT -5
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Post by pauls on Mar 27, 2018 15:54:48 GMT -5
gvrockclub, some feedback would be nice.
Let us know what it is you are trying to fix and the very knowledgable people here can help you with a specific answer. As it is we are just guessing.
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Post by johnjsgems on Mar 27, 2018 18:53:37 GMT -5
I'll have to hunt for an old manual but think the Star Diamond models were TR18, TR24 etc. Will look around.
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Post by johnjsgems on Mar 27, 2018 19:45:38 GMT -5
OK, I checked with BD. Star Diamond made "ST24" until 1980. It used a two piece spring loaded clutch similar to Highland Park. The BD first generation slab saws were "SS" models and used the clutch block and shoe pictured above but machined to a slightly different width to fit under the carriage. He thought you may be able to adapt the HP parts from the Rowlands at HP.
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sifu
starting to shine!
Member since September 2010
Posts: 35
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Post by sifu on Apr 9, 2020 0:03:20 GMT -5
Although this thread is 2 years old, I have some relevant recent experience that I hope will help others in the future. I have a Star Diamond ST14. It's my primary workhorse saw for slabbing, and the clutch shoe just isn't doing the job anymore. The saw itself is VERY similar to the MK Diamond product: the Barranca Diamond HP14 slab saw. Looking at the part breakdown in the manual, the vise, carriage, and feed mechanism look nearly identical to my old Star Diamond.
I've made 100s of cuts on the saw, and I think the clutch shoe is just stripped at this point. It's brass, so it's softer than the stainless steel feed. I tensioned it for a tighter grip, and it will begin a cut but then it just stops. The stainless steel screw feed is still turning, the blade is spinning freely, but the carriage ceases advancing. I turned the saw off and checked, and discovered the clutch is no longer tight. I called Barranca Diamond and while they still make the HP14, they do not sell much in the way of replacement parts. I was directed to ereplacementparts(dot)com, and was able to order a clutch shoe and the tension block it mates with for about twenty bucks. Given the lead time, I suspect these are CNC'd to order.
At any rates, it's a fantastic saw and I hope I can repair it and use it for many years. Another recent issue I had was with the blade replacement. I bought an MK 301 and the hole for the arbor is just too large. They sent it with a washer, which, when pushed into the middle of the blade, makes a perfect fit with the arbor on my saw. But putting it all back together led to a problem: the washer clearly would not stay "inside" the blade, and the blade had too much play around the smaller arbor. The two flanges are only tight against the blade on their outer edge - and this allowed all the extra play inside. My solution was heading to the hardware store and buying 4 stainless steel washers that fit the arbor perfectly and are larger than the washer in the center of the blade. Putting two on each side, inside the flanges, has worked to keep that crucial central washer inside the blade. So it's a precision operation once again.
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Post by Rockoonz on Apr 10, 2020 11:00:33 GMT -5
Although this thread is 2 years old, I have some relevant recent experience that I hope will help others in the future. I have a Star Diamond ST14. It's my primary workhorse saw for slabbing, and the clutch shoe just isn't doing the job anymore. The saw itself is VERY similar to the MK Diamond product: the Barranca Diamond HP14 slab saw. Looking at the part breakdown in the manual, the vise, carriage, and feed mechanism look nearly identical to my old Star Diamond. I've made 100s of cuts on the saw, and I think the clutch shoe is just stripped at this point. It's brass, so it's softer than the stainless steel feed. I tensioned it for a tighter grip, and it will begin a cut but then it just stops. The stainless steel screw feed is still turning, the blade is spinning freely, but the carriage ceases advancing. I turned the saw off and checked, and discovered the clutch is no longer tight. I called Barranca Diamond and while they still make the HP14, they do not sell much in the way of replacement parts. I was directed to ereplacementparts(dot)com, and was able to order a clutch shoe and the tension block it mates with for about twenty bucks. Given the lead time, I suspect these are CNC'd to order. At any rates, it's a fantastic saw and I hope I can repair it and use it for many years. Another recent issue I had was with the blade replacement. I bought an MK 301 and the hole for the arbor is just too large. They sent it with a washer, which, when pushed into the middle of the blade, makes a perfect fit with the arbor on my saw. But putting it all back together led to a problem: the washer clearly would not stay "inside" the blade, and the blade had too much play around the smaller arbor. The two flanges are only tight against the blade on their outer edge - and this allowed all the extra play inside. My solution was heading to the hardware store and buying 4 stainless steel washers that fit the arbor perfectly and are larger than the washer in the center of the blade. Putting two on each side, inside the flanges, has worked to keep that crucial central washer inside the blade. So it's a precision operation once again. Good info, thanks for the update. What are your blade hole and arbor shaft dimensions? I have an assortment of blade adaptors from Cigarbox that are a tight fit in the blade the way they should be. If you have photos of your saw and process of changing the feed clutch I'm sure many would be interested. Somewhere there is a cloudinary tutorial on how to do it, Tommy or aDave will know the link. We're practically neighbors and if you've been around awhile I bet we've already seen each other at a show or something, when we get the all clear on this Covid thing maybe we'll officially meet. I hope Prineville still happens.
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sifu
starting to shine!
Member since September 2010
Posts: 35
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Post by sifu on Apr 10, 2020 12:08:19 GMT -5
The arbor is 3/4". DeFusco sent a bushing, or little washer, to fit inside the blade which brought the size to 3/4" - the saws all come with a 1" hole. I will photograph my clutch replacement and post it up here.
Also hope Prineville happens!
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Post by aDave on Apr 10, 2020 12:20:32 GMT -5
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vwfence
has rocks in the head
Member since January 2013
Posts: 557
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Post by vwfence on Apr 13, 2020 12:15:36 GMT -5
I have one of those dogs pictured above as well as 2 sets of brass jaws for a HP 24 inch saw
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