sunfighter
starting to shine!
Member since January 2009
Posts: 47
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Post by sunfighter on Jan 27, 2009 14:33:35 GMT -5
Last night I set up my new WF saw and attempted to cut my 1st slab. The rip fence will not let me cut anything less than 1/2 inxh and I wanted to cut 1/4" or less slabs so last night I glued the cut side of a moss agate rock to a piece of 1/4" terracotta tile(flat side to flat side) with Elmers glue; set it set over night and started cutting this morning. Since the agate I was cutting was about 3" thick, i had to rotate it to complete the cut but half way through the water disolved the gle and I had to finish the cutting by holding the rock in place as i moved frward through the cutting process. As a result the newly cut surface is a bit uneven. Disapppointed a bit but I am new at this and I can live with the cut for what I plan to do with the stone. So my request to the group is for suggestions on how to stablize a rock for slab cutting. Thanks members.
Sunfighter
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Post by deb193redux on Jan 27, 2009 16:55:22 GMT -5
I just hand feed and rotate because you do not need exactly flat slab surface if you are going to trim, and grind and/or tumble. Bit uneven is just not a problem if the rock is going to be in rough grind or further shapped.
But, I have also glued a rock onto a block of wood with Gorilla Glue. This could be flipped for making the rotated cut.
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sunfighter
starting to shine!
Member since January 2009
Posts: 47
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Post by sunfighter on Jan 27, 2009 21:01:43 GMT -5
Deb.......thanks for the reply to my posting; I will give Gorilla Glue a try. Did you have any problem removing the stone from the wood?
Sunfighter
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Post by stonesthatrock on Jan 27, 2009 23:07:34 GMT -5
I do what deb does, freehand or glue. When i want to remove it, i just make a slice between the board and rock
ralph and mary ann
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free4rms
freely admits to licking rocks
My little pet walrus
Member since January 2007
Posts: 839
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Post by free4rms on Jan 28, 2009 8:13:02 GMT -5
The gel type super glue works well for attaching the rock. You can buy something called "accelerator" that will harden the super glue very fast when you spray it on the glue or the surface to be glued. A little cheaper way is to use the extra adhesive type of Liquid Nails, the stuff carpenters use to attach paneling to walls. Stick a rock on a piece of wood with this and leave it overnight.. I guarantee it will never let go in the saw. After cutting, put the piece of rock still attached to the wood in the freezer for awhile and the rock will pop off the wood. Now, this sounds crazy but it also works like a charm: You can put the rock still attached to the wood on a piece of paper towel in the microwave for about a minute on high. It will be HOT when it comes out, so be careful. But the liquid nails (and probably other glues) will be as soft as chewing gum and you can twist the rock right off the piece of wood. You can usually wipe the excess off the rock with a paper towel while the adhesive is still soft. BTW, there are other glues that work well too, so maybe some others will pass on some good suggestions.
Vance
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Mudshark
fully equipped rock polisher
Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock. Will Rogers
Member since December 2008
Posts: 1,083
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Post by Mudshark on Jan 28, 2009 8:28:52 GMT -5
Gorilla glue is good stuff that really holds well.I've used it in woodworking a few times and I learned the hard way that you DO NOT want to get it on your skin,it can take up to a week to get it off. Mike
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Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Jan 28, 2009 12:28:22 GMT -5
With the microwave trick you probably want to make sure you don't have a lot of iron in the rock...
Chuck
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sunfighter
starting to shine!
Member since January 2009
Posts: 47
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Post by sunfighter on Jan 28, 2009 12:42:27 GMT -5
Great suggestions Vance...thank you!
Sunfighter
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syfun
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since January 2009
Posts: 85
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Post by syfun on Jan 28, 2009 13:55:12 GMT -5
Why not put the spacer/shim on the fence? You could fix a slice of tile or wood or anything to the side of the fence and then adjust it accordingly. Then you don't have to worry about glue on the rock at all.
Steve
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sunfighter
starting to shine!
Member since January 2009
Posts: 47
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Post by sunfighter on Feb 3, 2009 23:59:57 GMT -5
Members of the Board....Gorilla Glue worked great! Thank you all!
Sunfighter
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Post by Michael John on Feb 4, 2009 2:54:38 GMT -5
Once you get more familiar with the WF, you'll find that cutting pretty even slabs, whatever thickness you want, isn't too difficult. You just do it completely by hand, no fence, guides, glue, or anything else needed. As long as you start the cut straight, rotating the rock keeps it straight.
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sunfighter
starting to shine!
Member since January 2009
Posts: 47
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Post by sunfighter on Feb 14, 2009 23:08:20 GMT -5
Michael John...thanks..I am starting to get a feel for slabbing using patience and rocking back and forth.
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Post by johnjsgems on Feb 15, 2009 9:33:02 GMT -5
Elmer's and other "white glues" are water based as you found out. They were comonly used o oil saws and removed with water. I can't add to Vance's suggestions but have to ask Vance are you married? I can just see my wife if I started putting rocks and wood in her microwave.
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