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Post by frane on Apr 8, 2011 15:45:16 GMT -5
Hi Folks,
Have any of you tried placing your smaller end pieces into a mold and pour plaser of paris over them to make a rock that your saw can grip so you can get the last couple slices out of them? I read that somewhere and thought I would try it soon. Think it will work? Fran
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
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Post by Sabre52 on Apr 8, 2011 21:08:07 GMT -5
I used to do that quite a bit Fran. You do have to remember to not start layering your material in the milk carton until the bottom two or three inches are filled with the plaster or mortar mix as you need to grip the end of the carton in the vice and want to stop slicing beyond the part you have gripped. This method is great for cutting multiple pieces of small difficult to vice rough or plume agate biscuits too. You can crank out a pile of slabettes for cabbing this way very fast....Mel
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Post by parfive on Apr 8, 2011 22:34:48 GMT -5
Fran – Since you’re talking about getting the last couple of slices out of a rock, you obviously have a flat face from the last sawcut. That’s exactly what a slab grabber is designed for – the kind where the screw heads hold the flat side of the rock. There’s been a lotta posts on these in the last couple of weeks.
Burying a heel in plaster, you’re cutting blind. You have no idea where you might be cutting it, and the odds of cutting a uniform slab off that flat face are slim to none. And you have all the gunk from cutting the plaster. Really makes no sense to mess with such an inferior method.
Another alternative - gluing the flat face to a block of wood is favored by some, and that beats the plaster method too.
Rich
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,473
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Post by Sabre52 on Apr 9, 2011 8:15:16 GMT -5
Yep, got to agree with Rich on this one. The plaster method does generate a lot of goop and orientation can be a problem. I mainly used this method for cutting multiple small nodules and such and sometimes just throw heels in without caring much about direction because what I can't cab I just tumble anyway. For a rare or expensive material. I too have a couple of sizes of slab grabber which can cut a relatively parallel slab from the heel ( last cut from the grabber usually tends to be a little off kilter due to the fact is does not always hold the heel exactly against the face of the grabber.)...Mel
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Post by stonesthatrock on Apr 9, 2011 8:27:32 GMT -5
we also use a gripper, but if it has a flat side the best i've found i gluing it up on a board. Then you use the board part to put in you vise and the rock sticks out far enough to cut right down to the board. It works great. I use gorilla glue. mary ann
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nuevomundo
starting to spend too much on rocks
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Post by nuevomundo on Apr 9, 2011 9:57:32 GMT -5
I agree with all of what has been said, and want to second Mel in saying that the plaster method is ideal for very small agate nodules and not much else.
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Post by deb193redux on Apr 9, 2011 12:47:25 GMT -5
All sound advice here - especially about the more rounded nodults in plaster and the flat face in a grabber.
I just want to mention the alternative. I get pretty even slabs hand feeding on my 10" trim saw. THis gives me the most controle over the exact orientation of the cut, and I can change it from slice to slice. I can also take the odd bits and shape them up a bit for putting in the next rough grind in the tumbler.
Drawing on all these techniques as needed may be best of all.
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Post by frane on Apr 9, 2011 17:53:04 GMT -5
Thank you everyone! You know, it never dawned on me to turn the flat side away and glue it to a piece of wood...Also, what I had read was to place the flat side of the slab down in a container and bring the plaster at least 2 inches above the stones. Somehow I thought people were gluing to the rough end and I sure didn't know how that could work...that's the novice showing... Fran
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Post by fishenman on Apr 9, 2011 20:26:43 GMT -5
At our rock club they use pressure treated wood and sodium silicate (water glass) Use 1/2" masking tape to create a lip around the flat face of the board. Fill with water glass and lay your stone in it. After it sets up, cut away and soak the rock off in water. We use 2x6 wood and water glass huge end cuts in our 36" saw.
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Post by bobby1 on Apr 9, 2011 22:28:31 GMT -5
I use my self designed slab/rock grabber on about 90% of my smaller (4" and below) pieces, end cuts and thick slabs that need to be sliced thinner. It takes me about 30 seconds to notch opposite sides in a dry diamond blade and about 30 seconds more to clamp the rock in the grabber and mount it in the saw. No oil soaked boards, no waithg for the glue to dry, no struggling to get the last slab off the board, no plaster sludge, just quick and easy. I can orient any rock any direction for the most optimum slab yield. Bob
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Post by texaswoodie on Apr 10, 2011 7:23:54 GMT -5
I glue end cuts to a 2x4 cut to vise size. For small nodules, I cut a flat with my tile saw, then glue to a board.
Curt
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colliel82
has rocks in the head
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Post by colliel82 on Apr 12, 2011 20:30:30 GMT -5
Fran
Thanks for posting the question. It's one I have also. Thanks everyone for all the great tips. I think I'm going to try out the wood/gorilla glue technique since I have both of those available.
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Post by stonesthatrock on Apr 12, 2011 20:50:55 GMT -5
the wood and glue is the best way to go if you don't have a gripper. mary ann
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sleuthgal
starting to shine!
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Post by sleuthgal on Apr 12, 2011 23:02:40 GMT -5
Cool, I'm going to use it too, thanks everyone ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png)
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