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Post by creativeminded on Aug 9, 2008 21:31:12 GMT -5
I just put a response on the newest boulder opal cabs message, that I was going to have to get some of that when I got my machine up and running. Well right after I typed that my dad asked me to come down stairs to see the rest of my birthday present. I went down and he had finished getting my Highland Park combo unit up and running.
Looks like I am going to be looking to get some boulder opal.
Time for another question. I have decided to get dimond coated metal drum for the cabbing side. At this time I can only get one. The question is, if you could only have one what grit drum would you get? The finest grit I have found so far is 600.
Tami
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Post by Tony W on Aug 10, 2008 1:03:01 GMT -5
Hey, Tami! I would think a bull dozer to grind out your blanks would be the way I'd go... then expando drums and belts.... but I'd sure try to find a way to get two hard drums. I have an 80 in diamond on metal on plastic I got from RichonTools and I have been pretty ruthless using it for over a year and it keeps on ticking. It was 65 with shipping. It is small... 6 inch by 1 1/2. I wish I had gotten as big a wheels as you can get, now... but then I just wanted to cab and I had a budget... so I got an 80, 120, and 600 hard for the price of one of the bigger, finer wheels figuring I'd go bigger when I wore the cheap ones out. But..they are still going strong and it looks now like they will last for years. Oh, well  If you can use the saw to rough the cabs out using the side of the blade, then you can go for a finer grit. If you just want to spend your time doing opal... my idea of a great time... then it is soft and you can get by with a 120 or 220 to rough it out then on to belts. But with Crazy Lace agates... another favorite of mine I'm glad to have my 80 wheel... saves me lots of time. I think you pretty much need two hard wheels, but I know others will have lots of different ways you can go Happy Bday!! Tony |
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Member since January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Aug 10, 2008 21:08:24 GMT -5
Hi Tami,
I would say for a hard diamond wheel for boulder opal would be 220. It's hard to say though because there are different grades of it. Some very hard and then soft and crumbly (Light Tan) I would model the belts and hard wheels after the Diamond Pacific Pixie, thats what I use for opal. Look forward to your outcome.
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Post by texaswoodie on Aug 11, 2008 7:02:56 GMT -5
Congrats! 80 for agates, jasper, wood. 220 for softer such as opal.
Curt
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