RockingRuralMo
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since July 2022
Posts: 138
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Post by RockingRuralMo on Jul 20, 2023 9:01:35 GMT -5
I bought the Bishop machine below kind of opportunistically. (Was there for a saw, but the guy made me a good deal.)
I have a cabking, so have sort of a general idea of how this works. The big 8 inch wheels with generous spacing will (hopefully) make this great for working on larger pieces, but I've not actually worked with carbide wheels or expanding drums before. Are these wheels good for hard stuff like agate and pet wood? Or do I need to keep it to the softer stuff like sodalite and script stone?
I can see a noticeable dip in the middle of the coarsest wheel - do I need to replace it? Or can I work with the edges?
In the long run I thought I might set this up as an ultra-polishing station with 14K and 50K wheels, but too soon to know right now. How would you guys set it up if you already had a cabber?
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Post by Peruano on Jul 20, 2023 13:29:03 GMT -5
The rubber expando wheels are one of the most useful options (in concert with typical silcon carbide, or KN's new super aggregate carbide or diamond belts (the latter up to your 50000). Belts are easier to change than wheels and give you a lot more flexibility (in two ways). The rubber expandos are softer so you can get at flat spots better with a bit of pressure and of course they can be changed quickly as you work through your stages.
Now the carbide wheels lets say take some patience. They are good, but must be cared for.. Don't let them get water-logged. I.E. spin them dry and make sure they don't have water dripping on them when not spinning. A wheel with water clumped in the lower half (by gravity) can get off balance and disintegrate to the threat of life and limb for anyone standing in front of the wheel. Never start up a carbide wheel when standing in front of it; once its spinning your are fine. You can retrue your wheels and refine the surfaces with a diamond dressing tool, but wheels with major chunks missing should be discarded and avoided.
The expandos can handle all types of materials as can the carbides. However if using the carbide wheels, its a good idea to rinse your stone when moving from one wheel or grit to another lest you carry particles forward. If you've never tried the aggregate belts from Kingsley North, do so. The are long lasting and a good bargain. Enjoy the new machine. I'd keep the two expandos, and probably leave the sic carbides too (if you have good options on your existing cabber). Diversity if the name of the game when addressing rocks.
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Post by pauls on Jul 20, 2023 21:56:38 GMT -5
Expanding drums are great, replacing a belt is a lot cheaper than replacing a whole Nova. Your Silicon Carbide wheels, use them until you wear them out then get some diamond wheels to replace them. Plated Diamond wheels are reasonably cheap but do wear out and go blunt, you can get a little bit more out of them by taking the wheels off and reversing them. The real bees knees is sintered but they cost an arm and a leg, well worth it though one sintered wheel will cost maybe 6 times a plated and last 20 times as long, I can't give a real estimate of length of service because I have never worn one out.
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lapidary1234
spending too much on rocks
"If you like rocks you can't be all bad!!" ~ old timer quote
Member since October 2021
Posts: 325
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Post by lapidary1234 on Jun 1, 2024 14:42:44 GMT -5
Just wanted to bump this thread due to how impressed I have been with the "agglomerate" silicon carbide belts. For the increased longevity you really can't beat the price!
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