automaton25
off to a rocking start
Member since November 2022
Posts: 17
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Post by automaton25 on Nov 27, 2022 11:32:15 GMT -5
Hello Everyone,
I am relatively new to this hobby and have started acquiring some equipment. I have a tumbler and an 8" flat lap already and would like to add a saw to my collection of tools. I have seen a lot of people just use a tile saw but some people say you have to use a lapidary saw. If I were to do a tile saw, I was looking at one of the big Rigid or DeWalt saws with the sliding base. For a lapidary saw I am considering the 10" Highland Park with auto feed or the 10" High-Tech with manual vise.
What are the benefits to using a lapidary saw? Is it worth the extra money? They seem highly under powered compared to the tile saws and are significantly more expensive. I have several rocks approaching 4" I would like to cut/trim.
Cheers! |
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automaton25
off to a rocking start
Member since November 2022
Posts: 17
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Post by automaton25 on Nov 27, 2022 19:26:12 GMT -5
This got answered somewhere else. I'll be going with a lapidary specific saw. Is Highland Park still a good brand or should they be avoided? I would be buying a new 12"
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Post by stardiamond on Nov 27, 2022 20:02:35 GMT -5
Old or new HP? New HP is only a brand name. Made in China, Designed in the U.S. I have a 10 and a 14 on order.
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automaton25
off to a rocking start
Member since November 2022
Posts: 17
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Post by automaton25 on Nov 27, 2022 20:20:09 GMT -5
Old or new HP? New HP is only a brand name. Made in China, Designed in the U.S. I have a 10 and a 14 on order.
I would be buying brand new. I know they're made in China, but they are also in stock. Covington doesn't make a 12" anymore and have a 4-5 month lead. My concern is the mixed reviews and lack of information available for new HP products. They seem fine and fairly well built, just not American manufactured. I'm just a hobbyist so it's not going to run constantly.
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Post by stardiamond on Nov 27, 2022 20:36:05 GMT -5
I had a 16 inch Covington combo saw and was not happy with it. It was fast but the clutch mechanism is finicky and the carriage drifted causing binding and difficult to always get even thickness slabs. I bought the 10 HP and it is slow but reliable and the blade has a narrow kerf. I ordered a 14 inch that has a thicker kerf. The 12 and 14 have the same kerf. I bought the 14 because it will cut larger rocks. The design is the same for the 10,12 and 14 inch saws. Since the 12 is in stock and on sale it is a good choice. I bought the 10 because it was $1,000 and in stock. I like it for small rough because there is less waste when cutting expensive rough.
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vance71975
has rocks in the head
Member since September 2022
Posts: 707
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Post by vance71975 on Nov 27, 2022 21:29:21 GMT -5
Nothing wrong with a tile saw as long as you get a lapidary blade for it instead of the diamond tile saw blade which is thicker.
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automaton25
off to a rocking start
Member since November 2022
Posts: 17
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Post by automaton25 on Nov 27, 2022 22:36:54 GMT -5
I had a 16 inch Covington combo saw and was not happy with it. It was fast but the clutch mechanism is finicky and the carriage drifted causing binding and difficult to always get even thickness slabs. I bought the 10 HP and it is slow but reliable and the blade has a narrow kerf. I ordered a 14 inch that has a thicker kerf. The 12 and 14 have the same kerf. I bought the 14 because it will cut larger rocks. The design is the same for the 10,12 and 14 inch saws. Since the 12 is in stock and on sale it is a good choice. I bought the 10 because it was $1,000 and in stock. I like it for small rough because there is less waste when cutting expensive rough.
Just pulled the trigger on a 12". I was going to get the 14" since it was the same price with the sale but it was out of stock. It comes with the Greenline Blade, I'm assuming that's a decent blade.
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Mel (PrettyGritty)
has rocks in the head
I'm complately nermal.
Member since August 2020
Posts: 656
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Post by Mel (PrettyGritty) on Dec 30, 2022 16:34:53 GMT -5
I don't think you could go wrong buying Highland Park. They're one of the big names in lapidary for a reason.
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dillonf
spending too much on rocks
Member since February 2022
Posts: 307
Member is Online
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Post by dillonf on Dec 31, 2022 8:11:22 GMT -5
I have a high tech diamond 6"trim saw, but I wish I got the 10".
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stefan
Cave Dweller 
Member since January 2005
Posts: 13,889
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Post by stefan on Dec 31, 2022 18:55:01 GMT -5
I have a Highland Park 14". Got it new 2 years ago. Never regretted the purchase! I run 2 cheap tile saws (have for years) and while they are great for small stuff, the HP 14" opens up so much more for me. I am no longer confined to small rocks, and I can now cut an even slab without getting soaking wet, or even having to hold the rock. I have had zero problems with my saw. Came aligned perfect, and I had it up and running in less than an hour
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bobb
off to a rocking start
Member since June 2022
Posts: 3
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Post by bobb on Jan 2, 2023 20:21:26 GMT -5
Nothing wrong with a tile saw as long as you get a lapidary blade for it instead of the diamond tile saw blade which is thicker. Thank you for the input. Is there a difference in the speeds between a tile and a lapidary saw and is this important? |
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vance71975
has rocks in the head
Member since September 2022
Posts: 707
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Post by vance71975 on Jan 3, 2023 2:37:32 GMT -5
Nothing wrong with a tile saw as long as you get a lapidary blade for it instead of the diamond tile saw blade which is thicker. Thank you for the input. Is there a difference in the speeds between a tile and a lapidary saw and is this important? Make sure the blade you get for it says it can handle the RPM of the tile saw. IF you can afford an actual Lapidary saw, I would, even tho a tile saw will work, its far more limiting than a saw designed to cut rocks. If money is tight, and A tile saw is all you can afford, and you live somewhere that the weather is nice enough to use it outside, then by all means get it. They do however make WAY too big of a mess to be used indoors. |
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Post by Peruano on Jan 3, 2023 7:47:56 GMT -5
When asking about speeds you have to consider hand vs automatic feed. A saw with power feed will feed the material slowly, saving blade wear and allowing a top of the saw that prevents coolant messes. Almost anyone will hand feed a stone faster than a power feed, but with the greater risk of stone breakage, sore fingers, rock grit in eyes, oil on your work shirt, and other ills. I clamp even small stones in a vice and use my power feed saws to cut them instead of my trim saw (equivalent of a tile saw with some differences). If I'm in a real hurry yes hand feed will do, but not if I'm trying to be careful with the quality of cuts to be made when slabbing.
Congratualtions on the HP purchase. Treat it well and it will do the same for you.
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 13,889
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Post by stefan on Jan 7, 2023 13:49:23 GMT -5
I had a 16 inch Covington combo saw and was not happy with it. It was fast but the clutch mechanism is finicky and the carriage drifted causing binding and difficult to always get even thickness slabs. I bought the 10 HP and it is slow but reliable and the blade has a narrow kerf. I ordered a 14 inch that has a thicker kerf. The 12 and 14 have the same kerf. I bought the 14 because it will cut larger rocks. The design is the same for the 10,12 and 14 inch saws. Since the 12 is in stock and on sale it is a good choice. I bought the 10 because it was $1,000 and in stock. I like it for small rough because there is less waste when cutting expensive rough. Just pulled the trigger on a 12". I was going to get the 14" since it was the same price with the sale but it was out of stock. It comes with the Greenline Blade, I'm assuming that's a decent blade.
It is a decent blade. I had a mishap with my first one (chain was not attached to the vice and the saw didn't auto shut off. Rock jammed against the arbor and dished the blade) I replaced the blade with another Greenline as I have been very pleased with the cuts so far. |
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