mikeinsjc
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2010
Posts: 329
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Post by mikeinsjc on Sept 26, 2010 17:22:02 GMT -5
I am somewhat new to saw work, so I have a couple of questions. How would you clamp a nearly round rock in the saw vice if you wanted to cut it in half? Then, assuming you wanted to cut each half into 1/4" slabs, how would you grip the halves? Could you glue the sawn face to a block of wood? If so, what type of adhesive would you use?
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Post by jakesrocks on Sept 26, 2010 18:07:43 GMT -5
Some folks take an empty milk carton, pour an inch or so of quick set cement in it and set the rock in. then add quick set to cover the rock. You can stack several small round rocks in the carton and after the quick set has time to dry, just start cutting 1/4" slabs. To glue a cut rock to a block of wood, Gorilla Glue works good. So does epoxy. Just be sure to clean the cutting oil off the stone before you glue your block on. Don
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drjo
fully equipped rock polisher
Honduran Opal & DIY Nut
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,581
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Post by drjo on Sept 26, 2010 18:45:44 GMT -5
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Post by tkrueger3 on Sept 26, 2010 20:10:31 GMT -5
On advice from these folks, I hit on what works for me - went to Home Depot and bought an 8' long 2X2 for about a buck-fifty or so. Cut it into roughly 4" lengths. Once I have one end-cut done, I glue the cut face to a chunk of 2X2, making sure that the rock doesn't extend below one edge of the lumber - I have a Lortone 10" saw, and the vise clamps vertically, so if the rock drooped below the bottom of the vise, it wouldn't be able to be moved along the platform. I use plain old Gorilla glue, and when it's finished, I leave the last slab glued on until the oil is pretty much dried off with kitty litter. Then I just insert a little chisel point or a small screwdriver where the glue line is, tap it lightly once with a hammer, and the slab pops off. Works like a champ, and costs next to nothing.
Tom
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,352
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Post by quartz on Oct 2, 2010 12:25:07 GMT -5
Took a pic. of a very simple way to hold round rocks for cutting, but I don't know how to post it here, help would be appreciated. Try waterglass [sodium silicate] for gluing sliced rocks to 2x4's, put last piece and board in the freezer; generally it will fall off in 1 to 2 hours.
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Post by jakesrocks on Oct 2, 2010 12:36:17 GMT -5
Quartz, do you have a Photobucket account ? That's the easiest way to post pics on here. Just put your pics in Photobucket. Put the cursor over the pic you want . A drop down menu will appear below the pic. Left click on IMG Code to highlite it. then just copy the code, and paste it where you want your pic on here.
Don
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Post by jakesrocks on Oct 2, 2010 12:48:37 GMT -5
Here are pics of an old slab grabber that I use. I got this one at an estate sale They aren't made anymore, but can occasionally be found at estate rock sales. Don
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Post by gr on Oct 2, 2010 14:19:37 GMT -5
What not to do... I tried this on advice from a vendor at the quartzite rock last January and almost toasted my new saw. it was my fault ! I did'nt peel back the expanding foam from the saw track so the oil could get to the rock. Everything was going fine at the begining so left the saw to do something else. ( stay close to your saw) . Inabout 3 min. , the shop filled with smoke . By the time I had heard the sound change in the saw and got back, the thermal tripped. I realesed the auto feed and turned the saw back on and the warp trued itself out of the blade. Got lucky!
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Post by gr on Oct 2, 2010 14:28:10 GMT -5
P S : the ides worked great. A lesson learned. Happy cutting mikesjic... Gary
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,352
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Post by quartz on Oct 4, 2010 8:23:10 GMT -5
jakesrocks, very rarely post pics. on web, no photobucket acct. looked into it, wish there was an easier way.
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Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Oct 4, 2010 9:02:30 GMT -5
As for making that first cut in a round rock, you can also use wood shims (like you use for windows and doors) to hold the rock in the vise. You can use larger/thicker shims if necessary. You might also need to play with putting another rock between the shims inside the vise to get leverage on the rock you want to cut. Just make sure you have a secure grip on the rock. If need be, you can cut through the shims as you cut the rock. Here's a sketch of what I mean: The challenge with the milk carton approach is finding the middle if you really want to cut it in half. There's also a thread in the Homemade Equipment category on a "no cost slab grabber". That's what I use to section heels, but others are happy with wood and glue. Chuck
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,352
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Post by quartz on Oct 5, 2010 20:46:23 GMT -5
Got a pic. of round rock holder up easily by starting a new thread, see at top. Quartz
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Post by roy on Oct 11, 2010 23:19:29 GMT -5
i made my own gator clamp it works well
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Post by stonesthatrock on Oct 12, 2010 10:15:49 GMT -5
we just glue it to the board, its fairly cheap and works great mary ann
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Post by johnjsgems on Oct 12, 2010 11:04:33 GMT -5
I use something similar to Chuck's idea. Picture a three sided box made of 1 x 4's. Rock goes in open end. I make them out of scrap wood and vary the dimension of closed end to accomodate different size rocks. Anything smaller than 4" are easier to just hold by hand and cut in half in a 10" saw.
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