highplainsdrifter
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since December 2008
Posts: 1,266
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Post by highplainsdrifter on Dec 29, 2008 14:57:49 GMT -5
For trimming slabs, I've been using an Inland 6" swap top for some time. This weekend, the motor died and I've decided to buy a new trim saw. I also have many smaller chunks (2-3" diameter) and blue beach agates I'd like to slab up. I'm considering the Covington 10" auto-feed with the cover for trim work and cutting small slabs.
I have some questions for anyone out there who owns one of the Covington saws.
One of the things I liked about the Inland was the obstruction free table-top, which allowed me to trim large slabs. It looks like the Covington saw will only accept slabs up to 6" due to the guard in the front and the ridge on the table-top. Has anyone trimmed larger slabs than this on one of these?
Is this saw a good candidate for trim-work or is the blade too thick?
I'm wondering if I should buy another 6" for trim work and just get a 14" saw for slabbing smaller stuff.
Thanks for your help/ideas, HPD
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Post by Bikerrandy on Dec 29, 2008 19:20:51 GMT -5
Do like the rest of us, get a Covington 14 or 16 inch saw, then go to Home Depot and pay $88 for a 7 inch Workforce saw. These must be 200 of us on here that have Workforce saws, and you can get new blades just about anywhere.
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Post by deb193redux on Dec 29, 2008 22:58:05 GMT -5
I enjoy the WF, but it is wet and a little chippy. If you need clean cuts without getting soaked or losing too much material, consider a regular trim saw. If you just have lots of agate and jasper and want to cut it fast, get the WF.
The WF has no table ridge once you take off the fence.
Some of the Lortone 6" and 8" trim saws have no table ridge/lip. They are more suited for indoor use. Sometimes you find used ones.
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Post by johnjsgems on Dec 30, 2008 0:52:07 GMT -5
If you don't need to cut more than 1" thick check out the MK 145. It is a heavy duty 1/2 hp 4" tile saw. It has a very large unobstructed table and comes with a 4" 303 lapidary blade and a 4.5" tile blade. It does 22 and 45 degree miter cuts and has a rip fence. Very reasonable at $130 list but Barranca Winter Sale now at $102.00.
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49er
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since February 2008
Posts: 753
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Post by 49er on Jan 1, 2009 1:06:25 GMT -5
How about getting a new motor? If saw and table top is good then save a few bucks or if you just want a new saw then go for it.
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highplainsdrifter
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since December 2008
Posts: 1,266
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Post by highplainsdrifter on Jan 1, 2009 3:55:57 GMT -5
How about getting a new motor? If saw and table top is good then save a few bucks or if you just want a new saw then go for it. Good news, I disassembled the motor tonight and on the side of the casing a small black plastic screw had popped out with a wire attached. I guess it is an overheat relief screw or something similar. Anyhow, I screwed it back in, reassembled, and the motor works now. On another note, I was at one of the Portland Home Depot's today to check on a new WorkForce tile saw. They only had the display model there and the bin for the saw boxes had a discontinued label hung on it. HPD
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mirkaba
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2006
Posts: 321
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Post by mirkaba on Jan 2, 2009 9:52:02 GMT -5
I would make an offer on the display saw. You might get a discount! Bob
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,464
Member is Online
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Post by Sabre52 on Jan 2, 2009 10:00:14 GMT -5
I haven't tried it yet, but I imagine you can eliminate most tf the chippiness of the Workforce by buying a regular lapidary quality trim saw blade for the machine. I use one on my ten inch trim saw and it cuts slick as glass. Most the chippiness is due to using tile saw blades which cut much rougher.....Mel
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docharber
has rocks in the head
Member since October 2008
Posts: 693
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Post by docharber on Jan 11, 2009 14:46:05 GMT -5
I'm getting rpetty smooth cuts if I use the fance and have some nice flat surfaces to guide the piece with. I don't think the rough cuts are inherent to the blade or arbor- it's just awful hard to hold the stuff still and in plane when you're rotating it to cut thicker stock than the blade would normally allow. About the discontinued sign- I was afraid that was about to happen. Same story about the stock level here in Florida. Both our local stores are about out. As for blades, there is a Husky blade fro $25 that might work if its the same arbor size. I'd check it our. Folks have written that the "turbo" blade is rough cutting and pumps lots of water. Anybody have a suggestion for a new 1/2" arbor 12-miol trim saw blade? i need one for my ROck Rascal. About the lip on the table- gotta have it on the trim saw if you're using a vise. The Model V vise for the rock rascal sould be adaptable to a number of other saws.
Mark H.
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Post by Michael John on Jan 11, 2009 15:39:26 GMT -5
I don't see how anyone can use a fence for cutting rock. I tried it when I first got my WF, and after a few rocks went flying from the saw, I removed the fence and it's never seen the saw again.
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