RocknCritter
spending too much on rocks
Member since November 2008
Posts: 489
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Post by RocknCritter on Jan 15, 2009 19:18:18 GMT -5
I was flipping through the Rio Grande catalog last night and came across the lapidary section. The most interesting product was the 3M Max Grinder & Polisher. I use some of the 3M laps yet I had no idea they were producing a machine. It certainly has some different features. Since I can't post a link to the RG website, here's another link. www.ww2.com.tw/pages/p7/1306.htmThe link doesn't mention use for cabbing. The RG catalog does. It's priced between the DB Genie and Titan. RG mentions a "20 second rule" - each of the six steps should only take 20 seconds or 2 minutes per cab.
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Post by texaswoodie on Jan 15, 2009 19:54:46 GMT -5
No price?
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Post by stardiamond on Jan 15, 2009 20:07:32 GMT -5
nice looking machine. I wonder what size wheels it takes and if the arbor can use DP type wheels. Halfway between a Genie and a Titan is pricey. My beast uses 8" wheels and is more powerful than a Titan. 10 minutes for a cab would be flying.
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Post by akansan on Jan 15, 2009 21:28:27 GMT -5
Interesting wheels - it looks like they're a new version of the SiC wheel - where the whole wheel is impregnated and it slowly wears down. That might account for the price tag...
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Post by Tonyterner on Jan 16, 2009 14:24:46 GMT -5
I didn't see a price tag but I see its variable speed, that certainly adds a few bucks to the price. Not sure that is really necessary for cabbing though. You could always opt for the big boy that Rio Grande sells, I thinks its somewhere around $10,000.
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jimrbto
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since April 2007
Posts: 94
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Post by jimrbto on Jan 16, 2009 21:08:38 GMT -5
The wheels are 6" AND NOT INCLUDED, base price for the smaller unit, M24 is $1850.00 and the M30 is $2465.00. Could be quite expensive once you add the cost of a full set of wheels. Jim
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RocknCritter
spending too much on rocks
Member since November 2008
Posts: 489
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Post by RocknCritter on Jan 16, 2009 22:08:10 GMT -5
According to the RG catalog, for lapidary use, the recommended setup is expanding drums and the 3M diamond sanding belts. For jewelry use, there are special wheels. both models have a 1" shaft. So with the machine and all the wheels and a set of belts, the prices would be $2385 for the M24 and $3000 for the M30. As a comparison, the DB 2009 catalog lists the Genie at $2225 and the Titan at $3740. Without more information, it's hard to know how long the belts will last compared to the Galaxy and Nova wheels. The real head turner is the second sentence of the second paragraph in the RG description. " Tip: Use the "20-second" rule: spend only 20 seconds on each station. Once you're used to the cut rate of each belt, you can achieve a high-luster, wet-look finish very quickly. Working in a wet environment protects stones from heat, significantly improves precious metal recovery, and increases the longevity of your abrasives." I'm taking the "20 second" bit to mean for metal use. I just can't see how this could apply to cabs. Maybe I'm wrong. Show me! I want to see one in use. I don't see their $10,000 behemoth listed. Maybe it's been discontinued. It's still unbelievable that 3M would even build this machine. Lapidary isn't even a commonly used household term.
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Post by akansan on Jan 17, 2009 0:00:49 GMT -5
I'm going to guess 3M built it more with jewelry in mind. Their little polish bristles they sell are quite popular. It makes sense to capitalize on that for the "high-end" clientele.
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RocknCritter
spending too much on rocks
Member since November 2008
Posts: 489
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Post by RocknCritter on Jan 19, 2009 9:03:16 GMT -5
I'm with you Rockitman. I have 20/40 vision (better than 20/20 according to the eye doc) and all I could do after reading the description was squint, stare and rub my eyes. At first I thought it said something about a "120 second rule". I'm still so skeptical I want to call 3M and RG. They're both very reputable companies but this is a little too much.
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