spikeict
fully equipped rock polisher
Alba gu bra! In Promptu
Member since November 2006
Posts: 1,413
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Post by spikeict on Oct 30, 2006 16:56:14 GMT -5
I recovered an old grinder I used to have, it does not do anywhere close to what I wanted it to (yeah I already knew but tried anyway), so will put cloth buffer wheels on both ends. I cut some obsidian slabs to test it on, and my dremmel tool with a diamond sanding drum does a better job but it would take a month to shape anything with that. So here is my question: Would this wet/dry grinder do the job for me? www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=33867I doubt that I will do any selling, but want to try a little cabbing. Money is defintely a factor, I've already spent much more on this than I expected, bought a second tumbler last weekend and am going to have to buy more tumbling rough (not much laying around here in southern Ks.) Just looking for something to have fun with. |
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Post by rocklicker on Oct 30, 2006 19:43:49 GMT -5
Looks like it could work, but you have to factor in the modification cost and the fact that harbor freight's quality can be unpredictable. If you want to flat-lap aspect of it, it's a lot cheaper and could work. The question is, how "wet" can you get the "wet" grinder. It looks like one side is dry and the pan side is wet. If you want to make cabs, going with a used Lortone or similear arbor off ebay is probably better in the long run. It will be similear in cost if you wait around for the right auction and pounce. Sometimes I see used lap-type machines on Ebay or elsewhere. They look like faceting machines without the heads. That's my $.02 (cant find the "cents" key)
Steve
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spikeict
fully equipped rock polisher
Alba gu bra! In Promptu
Member since November 2006
Posts: 1,413
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Post by spikeict on Oct 30, 2006 20:03:56 GMT -5
On reading the manual there is a piece that is not shown in the picture. It is a water reservoir that lets out on top of the wet stone, you can see the bracket it fits in to the left of the wheel. the 1000 grit stone is what has me concerned, is that too fine to shape with?
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Post by gemkoi on Oct 30, 2006 20:09:04 GMT -5
Rocklicker brings up important point about the quality of HB stuff. One thing i notice is it says 400rpm for the 8iinch, and 3450rpm for the 5inch. Now if you preform your cabs using a saw like Randy does for his pendants. I think you be OK? with this machine on a sanding level. However, if you use it to preform your shapes then you gonna really were out both wheels i think. Or you never get a preform and the machine will just fail. I know to allot of folks new to the hobby, not just cabbing, feel price is high for lapidary machines. All i can say is it worth the cost, they are biult for stone cutting. When most other machines like this one is not. That to me is the biggest concern i see.
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spikeict
fully equipped rock polisher
Alba gu bra! In Promptu
Member since November 2006
Posts: 1,413
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Post by spikeict on Oct 30, 2006 21:01:21 GMT -5
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Post by ladyt on Oct 30, 2006 21:16:34 GMT -5
Hi Here is a link to the place I bought my slant cabber.It was on sale for 379.00 It came with everything. They are sold out right now, but maybe they will be getting more in. www.cabbingmachines.com/flat_lap_machines.shtml Just a thought. Good luck on whichever way you choose. Tonja  |
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yogi
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2006
Posts: 175
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Post by yogi on Oct 30, 2006 21:18:55 GMT -5
I've used a Harbor Fright 8" bench grinder to pre shape and then polish in a tumbler. I used the wheels that came with the grinder at first then got 80G and 220G SC wheels. Using the grinder dry makes alot of dust so it's best for out side. Harbor Fright has 8" grinders on sale every now and then for about $35 and McMasters Carr has 8" 80G green SC wheels for about $30. Now this setup is not like a Genie by any means, the RPM is too fast and I need to wet the stone after ever cut, but I have had a lot of fun with it. Now that its getting cold, I need to move indoors, so I'm working on a wet arbor that wouldn't through out alot of dust.
Bill
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spikeict
fully equipped rock polisher
Alba gu bra! In Promptu
Member since November 2006
Posts: 1,413
|
Post by spikeict on Oct 30, 2006 21:56:52 GMT -5
I am about to talk myself out of this, and thank you for all your input. For a couple of days now I have been thinking about making a clamp for my workforce tile saw that included a four inch section of two by four, part of a door hinge for the base, 2 six inch flat headed machine bolts with wing nuts, and inner tube rubber. But if I used a harder wood than pine, and cut a 3mm deep kerf on the oppostie side it just might also make a great vise to hand work (if you call a dremmel tool hand working) the stone. No I would not be able to turn out 6 or 8 a day, but they would mean that much more to me. Sorry, just thinking out loud. If it works I will let you know!!
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Post by stoner on Oct 31, 2006 14:33:53 GMT -5
Hey spike, the machine you're looking at is used for sharpening woodworking chisels and planer blades and I don't think it will work for grinding stones. The wet wheel is a Japanese water stone and is way too soft for grinding stone and the dry wheel is also not made for grinding stone and you'll have to dress it often to keep it flat. The cheapest and easiest way to have a stone grinder is to buy a regular bench grinder and replace the stock wheels with diamond wheels from Jadecarver.com and set up a water system for it. This can be done for around $150-175.
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