|
Post by catmandewe on May 25, 2008 20:33:07 GMT -5
I bought a handheld rock grinder off of ebay a few weeks ago. I finally got around to putting it together and trying it out today. This unit is originally intended for polishing granite countertops. I was really impressed with the shine it put on a big slab of petrified wood, makes it look just like it is still wet. I didn't go into getting all of the saw marks out, as I treated this one as a trial run. I spent about half an hour on 2 slabs about the size of a dinner plate. Here is pics of the 2 slabs before we started, the first one is dry by the time I remembered to get the camera out, I had already run the 50 grit over this one It hooks up to the hose and you can adjust how much water comes out of the center of the grinding pad, it also has a built in GFCI so you wont get an afro on accident. Its a hook and loop base and pad just press it on and voila! next time I will definitely wear waders here are all the pads final polish, picture taken dry same picture but taken inside under a light I would say this is money well spent, especially if you have lots of large slabs you want to polish, it does it fast and easy.
|
|
|
Post by akansan on May 25, 2008 21:47:56 GMT -5
Hmmm -- looks like a good tool! I can see the monster end cuts that come off your big saw getting a new life.
|
|
|
Post by joe on May 25, 2008 22:47:17 GMT -5
That looks like a great tool to have! The results look good.
|
|
|
Post by stonesthatrock on May 25, 2008 22:47:47 GMT -5
thats pretty cool. I want to do that with a bunch of pet wood i have. Can i ask how much you paid for it.
Now next time you take a pic of yourself like that, would you please go to the bathroom first lol
|
|
SteveHolmes
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2009
Posts: 1,900
|
Post by SteveHolmes on May 26, 2008 8:15:40 GMT -5
Sweeeet Tony! I guess your gonna have to come over and help me put a shine on the big piece of Wood I have in my yard. I think that would do the trick! Thanks for posting the pics and results. How much$$$? Steve
|
|
|
Post by catmandewe on May 26, 2008 13:46:18 GMT -5
|
|
Saskrock
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2007
Posts: 1,852
|
Post by Saskrock on May 26, 2008 21:37:22 GMT -5
Does it take rock off well enough to polish a large lumpy chunk of pet wood or is it more suited for slabs?
|
|
|
Post by catmandewe on May 26, 2008 21:58:11 GMT -5
I was playing with it today and I can grind off the piece that is left when the slab breaks off of the chunk. As for a large lumpy chunk, I think it would only polish the high spots. I polished the face cut today on a large geode that I cut in half and it polished it up in about 10 minutes, and that included grinding off the breakaway chunk. I polished up a couple of slabs and they took a little less time, even doing both sides. You can also get a small diamond blade that fits on the grinder to cut and shape pieces.
Tony
|
|
|
Post by texaswoodie on May 27, 2008 6:42:14 GMT -5
I've been wanting one of those forever! I just hate having no money. Curt
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 29, 2008 0:34:01 GMT -5
Tony you're going to have fun with that grinder! I have the same one, and have polished about 15 jade boulders to date. Yes I remember many a day looking like you do, all wet and tired from bending over a rock for 8 hours straight. Look forward to your polished photos, here is the biggest one I polished with that machine, it's 230 pounds polished the whole thing and took about 200 plus hours:
|
|
adrian65
Cave Dweller
Arch to golden memories and to great friends.
Member since February 2007
Posts: 10,779
|
Post by adrian65 on May 29, 2008 6:19:19 GMT -5
Magnificent tool, Tony! Congrats about the aquisition! I use the same method, only I stick the flexible diamond pad on my flat lap and press the rock on it. Of course, my method has some limitations, I'm not able to polish such monsters as Tony (nephrite) does. Do you think you're wet in that pic? Ha! I should had pictured myself after a cabbing session, before the idea of wearing a plastic rain coat popped into my mind. I have some big pet woods that could be polished on some of their surfaces with that tool, I have to search for it. Do you know the rotation speed? (I assume it's variable, I'd like to know the maximum one)
Oh, and one more thing: don't polish only the cuts, the convex natural surfaces come out even better, as you can see in Nephrite's picture.
Adrian
PS. Looking at your pads, I noticed your set stops at 3000. I also have 10000 and "gloss" and, although the polish appears at 1500 and gets better at 3000, it comes even brighter after 10000 and "gloss". Also be sure you don't "skip" any pad, because that means much more work and time. If you polish your cuts, which I know how flat and scratchless are, you could start with 200 or even with 400. 50 or 100 will only put some big scratches on that flat surface.
|
|
|
Post by Noosh9057 on May 29, 2008 8:30:03 GMT -5
Look as it works good. Roger
|
|
|
Post by johnjsgems on May 29, 2008 10:21:53 GMT -5
The pads with tht kit are made for coutertops so stop at 3000. Lapidary pads (Barranca) run from 30-13,000. They are also thicker and made to sand hard materials. The downside is they are very expensive. $40 list each compared to countertop pads 3 for $15 or so. I've used mine a lot though and only the coarse pads wear out. Everything from 400 up look brand new after 40 plus big rocks. There also are a variety of grinding cups for shaping, cutting, etc. I'll have my friend from Barranca demonstrating their polisher at the show this weekend in CA for any of you who are close. One thing t remember is the velcro on the pads are rated for 5500 rpm max so don't ty to use an angle grinder at higher speeds with these pads.
|
|