RockingRuralMo
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since July 2022
Posts: 138
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Post by RockingRuralMo on Jul 1, 2024 11:03:35 GMT -5
I've got an 8 inch expando drum, but have no real experience with options for belts etc. I bought one 50k diamond resin belt, and have otherwise just played with the silicone carbide belts that came with it.
Butt I'd like to get a best of a belt for faster material removal - some of the agates and pet wood take forever on the cabking, and sometimes I just want to work pieces that are bigger than the 6 inch wheels can do too.
I was looking at diamond belts and ran into 2 kinds. There were these: (links to lapidarytool.com) which is what I bought for my 50. They come as low as 60 grit. And then there were these (same supplier) that I'd never seen before. They only come in 120 and up. The second ones are more than double the price of the first - is there a performance difference? It also asks me to select "pattern". But I've never had a textured belt - how do I know what to pick?
As always, I'm really grateful to all of you for your advice. I just started doing this a couple of years ago, and there aren't a lot of people near me that I can ask.
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Post by Starguy on Jul 1, 2024 11:39:49 GMT -5
Expando drums are for sanding and smoothing. For faster stock removal, you will need some hard wheels. The modern options are electroplated diamond or sintered diamond.
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Post by rmf on Jul 1, 2024 11:44:13 GMT -5
I am not sure I have all the info I need here but let me jump in and try. Not sure if you are looking for a 6" wheel or an 8" wheel.
Belts are not really designed for the initial rough grind. They are designed for cleaning up the rock after the initial rough grind.
Usually rough grind is done on: Coarse SiC (Silicon Carbide) like an 80 grit wheel, followed by 80/100 grit wet or dry sand paper on an expandable drum, Then 220 grit, then 400 grit then 600grit then polish with an oxide type polish. Most people now use diamond wheels. Diamond wheels come in two varieties, plated and sintered. Plated wheels (diamond is bonded to a metal wheel) used for roughing are usually either 60 or 80 grit or both followed by 220 grit. Once the 220 grit is completed you move to a diamond wheel with plastic coating that has diamond in the plastic. These are typically 280, 600, 1200, 3000 Then to oxide polish or on to finer diamond wheels 8000, 14000 or finer grits. There are also diamond belts in various grits that can be used as you stated above. Plated diamond wheels have a break-in period where the first 100+ stones roughed out cut real fast then they slow down some and you are at their normal cutting speed. the plastic coated wheels break in differently. They have high points that need to be taken off to start cutting properly and won't be covered here.
Sintered wheels have diamonds that are more encased in a metal "sponge". Since the diamonds are held differently you have to go with a coarser grit for a sintered wheel to get the same experience in cutting that you do with a plated wheel. this is not well explained by wheel vendors.
to get the experience of a brand new 60 grit plated wheel, you would need to get a 30 grit sintered wheel. Both of these wheels will chip a lot when roughing out and you will need to use rocks and techniques that midigate chipping. A well worn 60 grit plated wheel chips little but a sintered wheel will continue like new. There is a lot more info on this subject and there are many others on here as well but this may inspire more questions
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RockingRuralMo
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since July 2022
Posts: 138
|
Post by RockingRuralMo on Jul 1, 2024 12:59:41 GMT -5
Expando drums are for sanding and smoothing. For faster stock removal, you will need some hard wheels. The modern options are electroplated diamond or sintered diamond. I already have hard wheels - was hoping to find something that would be bigger and faster though. Some of my pieces are just too big for the 6 inch cabking. |
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Post by Starguy on Jul 1, 2024 13:57:51 GMT -5
RockingRuralMo. Belts wear out too fast. I’ve got some diamond wheels for my angle grinder. I use them for concrete but they are fast for stock removal. It runs dry so you need a high end mask to avoid inhaling the dust. Kingsley has some wet angle grinders. If it’s a wheel spacing issue, 8” cabbers have a lot more room between the wheels. You could also try a coarser grit wheel but they are very “chippy” for cabbing. Good luck. Let us know what you come up with.
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