QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,623
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Post by QuailRiver on Feb 29, 2024 20:15:41 GMT -5
I've used Raytech 10" saws off and on since the late 1970s. The only time I ever had one bind up like you describe was in the early 80s while cutting a really hard piece of black Nephrite that was about maxed out for size on that saw. The blade was an old Raytech Blue Blazer blade that was rounded on the cutting edge so probably needed redressing too.
The MK-225 Hot Dog blades while are designed to use with water are also designed to turn at a much higher rpm than the Raytech saws turn stock from the factory. I've only used the MK-225 blades on that model saw for trimming slabs with oil (which has worked fine for me) and haven't used them with water. But I have read where others have stated that when using water with the MK-225 blades that they do not work as well at normal slab saw speeds as the do at the faster tile saw speeds they were designed for. Now that said, the last two 10" MK-225 blades I purchased were both "cupped" already right out of the factory packaging. I haven't used either of those two new ones yet but being cupped they probably won't work for slabbing without binding and will only be usable for trimming shorter cuts on slabs.
In general the most likely things that can cause a slab saw to bind when running at factory set speeds are:
a) Dull or glazed blade b) "Cupped or other wise damaged blade" c) Insufficient lubricant (water is not a lubricant - it is merely a coolant) d) Too large of a stone (especially with really hard materials- just because it fits in the vise doesn't mean the saw can slab it).
Edit: Also for got to add as a potential cause of binding is if the feed carriage isn't tracking perfectly parallel to the blade.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,623
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Post by QuailRiver on Feb 25, 2024 18:19:51 GMT -5
I just saw this post today. I'm very sorry to learn of Jean passing and pray that her loved ones will be comforted!
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,623
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Post by QuailRiver on Jan 27, 2024 23:12:41 GMT -5
Am I reading those prices correctly - $539 and $570? Yes, and there were slabs in that tub that were over $800. Wow! I am astonished! I find it offensive when dealers price the more expensive material slabs and rough so high that it caps the cabbers' earning potential to at best maybe making $20-$25 per cab off of his/her time, investment and labor. IMO this is a lack of respect for the craftsman. If a cabber is going to invest say $150 into a slab or piece of rough that will only produce four $50-$60 cabs then they might as well be cutting four $25 cabs from $20 rough to minimize risk. While having not seen these Peitersite slabs in person I may not have a full appreciation for there quality or potential, but from what I'm seeing it would certainly seem to me to be a foolish undertaking to buy those with any hope of making a profit. When the Mrs and I were in the antiques trade there used to be a saying for some of the new and/or part-time dealers pricing practices who rather than pricing their items in a range that would likely sell they instead "Priced to Keep". At the end of a show those dealers would grumpily have to load most of the goods they brought back into their vans to carry back home all while complaining about what a bad show it was. I hope that this is not going to become too common of a trend for the already economically strained rock shows. No one will want to go to shows once they start feeling like they can't make a few fair purchases.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,623
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Post by QuailRiver on Jan 27, 2024 18:19:47 GMT -5
Here's a couple beautiful slabs of Pietersite. I saw at quartzite this year. They were priced similar at the few other places I saw them. Some of the prices are just insane! The prices are listed on the slab. I don't know why I didn't take pictures of the most expensive ones. These were actually some of the lesser priced in the bin. I think I was just in shock! Patty liveoak I wanted you to see these but I didn't want to post on your thread and detract from your beautiful copper smithing work! Am I reading those prices correctly - $539 and $570?
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,623
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Post by QuailRiver on Jan 22, 2024 21:10:12 GMT -5
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,623
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Post by QuailRiver on Dec 19, 2023 20:20:59 GMT -5
I've heard some states are near impossible to grow winter squash. Have you tried nematodes and companion planting? We have a very short growing season so I've got some challenges as well. I'm also still learning what will work and what won't. I'd like to try some of the pie pumpkin seeds I haven't tried the beneficial nematodes. Those might help with the pickle worms and possibly the squash vine bores but I don't think that they help with the hordes of squash bugs. We've tried companion planting. That seems to help with our tomatoes which we use the single stem trellis method but it doesn't seem to help with squash and peppers around here. If you would like some of the local heirloom pie pumpkin seeds message me your address and I will send you some.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,623
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Post by QuailRiver on Dec 19, 2023 0:57:57 GMT -5
Nate and I love squash and I in particular love trying varieties I have never tried. Especially rare varieties This year I grew Hungarian Blue. A pretty rare variety. It was discovered growing in Budapest in 1983 We had 1 squash make it to maturity and it was beautiful! The squash was delicious, taste almost like a Kombocha. It would make an excellent soup I'd like to share some seeds with others that may be interested in growing it (BIlly, don't worry I've already set some aside for you ) If you would like some seeds, please DM me. I have enough for atleast 10 people. Please keep in mind these are open pollinated and are BIG squashes so they need room Squash is my favorite vegetable to grow. Both pumpkin squash and summer squash! Most varieties of pumpkin squash can be a challenge to grow in our environment here in the Piedmont of North Carolina. Our mid-to-late summer high humidity makes most varieties very susceptible to disease. Around early June the Squash Vine Bores swarm badly for a few weeks, then around mid July Squash Bugs descend like a Biblical plague and continue to worsen until freezing temperatures arrive in late October or early November. And some years around late July we have problems with pickle worms boring into our squash (the pickle worm moths migrate up from Florida some years). And to add to the list in more recent years groundhogs have migrated into our area. And groundhogs LOVE squash blossoms, they ruined all of my varieties of squash in the summer of 2022. So we have to get our yellow summer squash and zucchinis grown and preserved by mid-July. And there are only a few varieties of Cucurbita Moschata pumpkin squash that I know of that can thrive in our hot humid weather and have hard enough stems to resist squash bug damage. There is a old variety from the Carolinas that were grown and known regionally as "field pumpkins" or simply as "pie pumpkins". To my knowledge the seeds to these are not sold commercially but rather have just been passed down in farming and gardening families for generations. If anyone would like any of these seeds message me. And there are a couple of other of similar varieties of Moschata for which seeds are commercially available. One is called "Seminole Pumpkin" available from Baker Creek and Southern Exposure, and the other "Cherokee Pumpkin" available from HOSS TOOLS. I would have loved to take you up on your kind offer of seeds for the Hungarian Blue Pumpkin Squash but I've made several attempts to grow Cucurbita Maxima pumpkin varieties here with only one successful season of Amish Pie Pumpkins about15 years ago. So for that reason combined with our limited growing space for pumpkins I've pretty much given up on Maxima species. But thank you!
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,623
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Post by QuailRiver on Dec 12, 2023 11:46:12 GMT -5
The Ameritool 4" trim saw is now sold. Thank you!
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,623
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Post by QuailRiver on Dec 9, 2023 22:26:58 GMT -5
Wellll, what did you get?? ...The show is not far from where I live so I may return tomorrow for a few items. We'd love to see pictures!
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,623
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Post by QuailRiver on Dec 9, 2023 5:22:08 GMT -5
*SOLD* This is an unused Ameritool 4" Lapidary Saw which I recently acquired with a group of lapidary items from someone who purchased the equipment new some years ago planning to get into lapidary but never used any of it and finally decided to sell. I tested the motor and speed control and they all work fine. There is some surface oxidation on the screw heads on the underneath side and a little on the edge of the blade (see photos) but this is cosmetic only and will not effect performance. Everything else looks to be in new unused condition. The price for this saw is $275 plus shipping & insurance via Fed Ex Home Delivery anywhere in the continental U.S. forty-eight states. Payment shall be made via Pay Pal. To give an idea of shipping cost from High Point, NC to Atlanta, GA would be $30.84, to Oklahoma City, OK would be $35.44, and to Los Angeles, CA would be $50.35. If interested in purchasing message me your email address and shipping address and I will send you a Pay Pal invoice with the total. I do not carry a mobile device so please do not be discouraged if you do not get an immediate response. Thank you!
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,623
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Post by QuailRiver on Dec 6, 2023 13:46:03 GMT -5
I'm a fan of Piccaso Marble too. Especially the pieces that have "scenes" that resemble forest vegetation. Slabbed up a neat piece last month. Sadly I'm not seeing much of the rough here in the eastern U.S. much anymore. You west coast lapidaries are so lucky!
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,623
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Post by QuailRiver on Nov 21, 2023 16:59:37 GMT -5
Welcome! If you're in eastern Tennessee you are in one of the few areas of the eastern U.S. that has a variety of lapidary materials that can be self collected; Tennessee Paint Rock (Agate), Tennessee Pudding Stone, Unakite, Epidote, Dolomite, Onyx, Jasper, etc.. Plus within reasonable driving distances of two of the better Gem Shows in the Southeast; Franklin, NC and Spruce Pine, NC held each summer.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,623
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Post by QuailRiver on Oct 22, 2023 13:12:37 GMT -5
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,623
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Post by QuailRiver on Oct 7, 2023 18:50:42 GMT -5
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,623
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Post by QuailRiver on Oct 6, 2023 1:22:07 GMT -5
I have 10", 12" 14", 18" and 20" slab saws and use them to cut slabs for cabbing. And for that purpose I have found that the 14" and 18" are by far the most useful.
When choosing a saw it is important to realize that just because a rock can fit in the saw's vise and the height of the blade above the vise is definitive doesn't mean that the saw can handle cutting just any ole rock that fits the saw's parameters. While using my 14" saw with a good quality well dressed blade I may be able to cut at max a 4.5" tall piece of medium hardness cabbing material like Unakite or Epidote while the same saw and well dressed blade may strain cutting only a 3.5" tall piece of a really hard material like Kentucky Agate or Madagascar Polychrome Jasper. And with a "meh" quality blade or even a good quality blade with a worn kerf, I won't even be able to do that. If I had to choose just one between the 14" and 18" saw I would choose the 14" as being the most practical for general use.
The price of new lapidary equipment has really skyrocketed the last couple of years. I purchased my Lortone 12" and 14" saws new several years ago but the Raytech 10", Lortone 18" and Covington 20" saws I purchased used and don't regret it. Heck the 18" Lortone saw I have is an early 1970s model so is a round 50 years old but is still a great workhorse saw. Parts are still available for Raytech and Covington saws from the original manufactures. And most Lortone, Frantom and Highland Park saw parts are still available from HP Lapidary. So even if doing over again I would not hesitate to buy any of the old USA made used saws mentioned as long as they weren't rust buckets or caked with 20 year old dried hard oil/rock sludge [with the exceptions of the Covington 10" and Covington 16" saws which IMO have design flaws that effect performance (no offense Starguy)].
When cutting slabs IMO regardless of blade size always use oil for slabbing all materials except for the very soft ones that are porous and tend to absorb oil and discolor - materials like Howlite, some Malachite, some of the lesser silcated Chryscolla etc.. With 12" and smaller saws you can manage to slab most materials with water but with harder materials you will be replacing blades frequently and causing premature wear and tear on your equipment.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,623
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Post by QuailRiver on Oct 1, 2023 16:38:46 GMT -5
My favorite storage container for slabs are the small wooden crates that Spanish Clementine Tangerines are imported in and sold with at the grocery stores around the winter Holidays. They are strong, stackable, and when filled are just about the right maximum weight that I want for a container of slabs. But I am one of those "odd" people you speak of that probably has more slabs than I would ever use and can't eat enough Tangerines around Christmas time to keep up. So my secondary storage containers are 12"x12"x8" die-cut corrugated folded boxes with lids that can be purchased in 25 box bundles from shipping box suppliers. But these are a little larger than I like to fill up completely, at least without doing a second layer with corrugated cardboard separating the two layers (which can make access to the bottom layer a bit more work). And if the box is not full then I use bubble wrap to fill the voids in order to keep the slabs from getting jostled around too badly.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,623
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Post by QuailRiver on Oct 1, 2023 16:19:38 GMT -5
But it's a little odd when people acquire more than they could possibly use. BLASPHEMY! Rockbrain you beat me to it! That was my first reaction when I read that too. LOL!
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,623
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Post by QuailRiver on Sept 27, 2023 22:24:12 GMT -5
Lay a metal straight edge across the HP Agate Eater blade at multiple directions and on both sides of the blade to make sure that the blade isn't bent or cupped and that the core is an even thickness.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,623
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Post by QuailRiver on Sept 25, 2023 23:26:08 GMT -5
I stopped purchasing mail order materials over 30 years ago because most of what I received I didn't consider good quality. Since then I have only purchased at shows or from collections or estates where I can view the materials first. As for The Gem Shop I've only bought from them at shows and that has been several years ago. They do have some nice cutting material, especially the materials from the claims they have dug themselves. But I can't speak for how well their mail order selecting is. Another vendor that I used to buy from at shows that had some nice grade cabbing materials and will ship is Gem Center USA. But again I have only purchased from them at shows where I was able to view and select the material to purchase so don't know how their mail order selecting is either.
In looking at your first thread I see that you are in Trinidad so that will make it tough for you to purchase locally. Ebay may be the best option for you to be able to see photos of the actual pieces you can purchase. Or if possible make a pilgrimage to the shows in Quartzite, Arizona or Tuscon, Arizona held each winter and purchase enough rough to hold you over for a couple of years.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,623
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Post by QuailRiver on Sept 17, 2023 12:10:19 GMT -5
If you aren't aware, the whole area up there is designated as a Wilderness and a Protected Area. This means breaking off or collecting any rocks to take home is off limits. You are welcome to hike around and enjoy the area, take photos of interesting rocks or formations and so forth, but are not to destroy or take anything out. As an alternative there is lots of helpful information about places to go rockhounding legally in Oregon, or you could join up with a local rockhound club and learn through them as well. Whichever way you choose it's still up to us to be responsible for the actions we take, so knowing the laws will be important regarding collecting. This is the same for collecting or digging at posted mine claims, on private lands, etc. The reason I'm sharing all this with you is because I am passionate about protecting the natural resources we have left in Oregon. In so many cases what seemed like a simple act of innocence by taking only a couple of rocks, sometimes escalates to bringing in and filling several dump trucks with obsidian from Glass Buttes, breaking off or chipping away irreplaceable cave formations from caves that are now gated and locked away from public access, or many reports of mine claim jumping and trespass on private land. I hope you will consider this response in the manner in which it was intended, so hopefully in the future we can retain the privilege of legal rock collecting in Oregon. When I was in my late teens I worked as a field assistant for a prospecting company based out of Colorado that was owned by a Canadian mining corporation. In the fall of 1980 we did geophysics surveys and filed several claims in eastern Oregon. My wife and I went back to eastern Oregon on a collecting trip in 1990 and I would love to go again before I get too old to. I know that there have been a lot of fed related changes since then but at that time most federal controlled land in eastern Oregon could be collected on and claims could be filled on. So in looking at a map of the Steens Mt./Wildhorse Creek/Lake area posted on the web, it appears that this is a BLM managed area. www.blm.gov/visit/wildhorse-creek-wild-and-scenic-riverAnd according to the following linked rockhound resource web site, lands... "Managed By Bureau of Land Management Regulations “Gold and silver may be prospected for with hand tools including pans and metal detectors… Recreational panning which does not involve mechanical equipment is permitted in wilderness and wilderness study areas if it does not create surface disturbance or impair the environment.” “Gemstones and common rock specimens may be collected for private use on unclaimed sites.” “Common invertebrate fossils such as plants, mollusks, and trilobites may be collected for personal use in reasonable quantities, but may not be bartered or sold.” “Petrified wood may be collected up to 25 pounds plus one piece per person per day, with a maximum of 250 pounds per person per year. Permits are required for pieces over 250 pounds.” Exceptions & Details In addition to the local regulations set for each National Conservation Area, there are some important exceptions and restrictions to take note of: • Collecting specimens in the Red Rock Canyon and the Sloan Conservations Areas is not permitted • Do not take anything from private mining claims • Restricted areas and mining claim records can be viewed in BLM offices • You may only take ‘reasonable amounts’ of material from BLM land • You may not sell or trade the material you collect • No digging or surface disturbance is allowed • No vertebrate fossils may be collected • No cultural materials such as arrowheads and artifacts may be removed" rockhoundresource.com/rock-collecting-on-public-land-laws-rules-and-etiquette/So based on this page it would appear that some limited surface collecting is allowed. If this is not correct is there a website you can direct us to for accurate information? Thank you!
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