|
Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Aug 14, 2008 8:20:29 GMT -5
A neighbor is giving away a radial arm saw, so of course I started wondering about turning it into a slab saw. Here's a link to a photo of a radial arm saw, if you're unfamiliar with them: home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/1365974690056542952oXVGlRI could probably rig up a pulley and weight to pull the saw through the rock. I think the hardest part would be setting up a fluid tank and keeping the fluid from spraying all over. Maybe the motor is too fast, too? So, is this just a waste of time/bad idea, or is it worth try? Thanks! Chuck
|
|
|
Post by Jack, lapidaryrough on Aug 14, 2008 10:33:33 GMT -5
Think Safety first........
Blade`s need to run at SFPM Surface feet per-minute, And the blade`s SFPM is 4800-5200 for the newer MK-Blade`s , That saw is about 3400 - 5500 RPM.
And the cutting speed needs to be 6-8 minutes to the inch.
Chuck, You Decide..........myself i love, that is one course in the school of HARD K- KNOCKS, That`l be out fishing during class in my 1957 2-dr. Wagon ( Chev LT-1 Motor )on the Santiam river.
|
|
lsmike
spending too much on rocks
Maxwell's demon lowers tumbling entropy
Member since January 2007
Posts: 468
|
Post by lsmike on Aug 19, 2008 17:54:31 GMT -5
If it worked it MIGHT be good for cutting angles.I've been trying lately to make obelisks.I trim out a rectangle,mark the slopes for two sides and cut,then the same for the other two sides.The fiddly part is following the marks.I use shims to make the piece more clampable in the vise., then use a straight edge along the blade and eye-ball it to follow the line I marked.This works o.k.,but being able to set the blabe at a repeatable angle seems like a better way. I asked Val at Mn. Lap. why "they" don't make rock saws this way since wood table saws are.He said it would at least double the cost and the hobbiest market wouldn't support it.Mike.
|
|
|
Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Aug 21, 2008 15:38:47 GMT -5
It sounds like the saw is more trouble than it's worth. It runs at 3250 rpm, which sounds too low. Plus there's all the trouble with cooling and the vise would probably have to sit in the coolant.
Sometimes free isn't worth the cost.
|
|
|
Post by johnjsgems on Aug 23, 2008 7:57:44 GMT -5
Take the saw and sell it or trade for a used rock saw. Slab saws run much slower. The tile saws used for lapidary require good (expensive) porcelain blades to cut smooth and fast with agates/jaspers,etc. with the 3400-5500 rpms they run.
|
|