Jasper-hound
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since June 2010
Posts: 208
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Post by Jasper-hound on May 27, 2011 8:40:13 GMT -5
Ditto, Stu. And the feed on my 35-year-old Lortone LST-12 still works great.
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Post by johnjsgems on May 27, 2011 9:13:06 GMT -5
They came out with the new 301 2-3 years ago to replace the original notched rim 301 and 297 series. The new 301 has same tool steel core as the 303 but has in the rim wedge shaped "notch like" segments. These notches clear themselves as they cut and the rim is at least a third taller. The old 301/297 blades had to use a mild steel core to allow the notching and sintering in the furnace. They dished easily but were easily retempered. Both the 303 and 301 blades are far superior to the old blades.
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Post by Jack, lapidaryrough on May 27, 2011 9:23:41 GMT -5
many grades of Lapidary:
Table top
Apartment
Single car Garage.
Double car garage, this is me.
Nice patio bench corner.
Sear`s shad in corner of yard.
Basement........
Nice`s Shop
Rent a shop. ___________________________________________________________________________________ Tools:
Hobby
China Shop "Harbor freight"
Mill Wright home made equipment
Diamond Pacific
Old Lortone "Gold" same now.....In powder Blue.
HighLand-Park.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Interest in Lapidary:
Upper end equipment, For the brains that are addicted
Corner Lapidary for those people that, Jump around on many hobby's.
where i`m at " Double car garage " Addict. can`t kick the addiction................
After 47 plus years.
So where i`m at with this Dazzling Bull Shit.
Buy equipment for the level of INTEREST you have.
Our Make It!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Buy cheap,,,,,,,,,,,,, loose interest FAST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on May 27, 2011 11:29:38 GMT -5
Wow! That's great to know about the new 301. I'm definitely going to try one out. I ran the old 301 on my 20" saw way back when and it was a good blade but not that much better than the 303 back then and the 303 of course was less expensive. I've really had good luck with 303's but if something is even better, that would be a great blade.....Mel
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Post by MrP on May 27, 2011 11:30:44 GMT -5
This is on an 18" saw. The MK was a MK 303 CONTINUOUS SINTERED RIM . The new one is a BD 301 Premium Notched Rim Blade. All I can say is that I have cut a lot of hard Petrified Wood and Agate that I could not cut before. Tried to upload pictures into Photo bucket but I see they changed things and I am having no luck.
Any way the wood slabs were up to 5"X10" and cut fast......MrP
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on May 27, 2011 11:50:47 GMT -5
Jack is right *L*. And being addicted can be expensive. So far I've had five saws, two grinding rigs, two flat laps, one bull wheel, one high speed grinder, and God knows how many tumblers. And then there's the multitude of wheels, saw blades, bags of grit etc etc. over fifty + years. And all that don't even count gas spent on trips and rocks bought *L*. And actually, I still like the hobby most the time *L*.....Mel
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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 May 27, 2011 22:52:10 GMT -5
Thanks to Jack and Mel both, rocks don't rot, you don't loose 'em in the brush [cow pasture pool], gas burned is likely the same no matter what you do, and for us it's a ball going out to find them.
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Post by Jack, lapidaryrough on May 28, 2011 10:07:55 GMT -5
in Oregon some of my best Rock Hunting is done during Steel-head trout season.
Our, elk / rock hunting with a British -303.
1st off, Elk an Steel head get in the way of Rock Hunting.
Some of my best agate fines were in 1st season Elk in Oregon, Green side Brush hunting.
The eastern hunts are to cold. and the elk are to small.
Western Cascade hunt is better rock hunting. Zeolites !!!
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Post by jakesrocks on May 28, 2011 10:14:43 GMT -5
Hey Jack, glad to see someone beside me still uses the 303 Enfield for hunting. Don
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Post by Jack, lapidaryrough on May 28, 2011 13:22:44 GMT -5
Don;
The 303 took the place of my 30-40 K. It was new. from the display case, From Bandon Oregon Military School, Ran my the Hurley family, Their younger Son Gerry, Was My stepfather. For real band new from the case to hunt with. 180 grain 30-40 well drop a elk faster then any hot rounds used today. i shot three boxes through it. The B-303 is a step down from the 30-40.
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Post by jakesrocks on May 28, 2011 13:47:13 GMT -5
Interesting you should mention the 30 - 40 Krag. That's what my father in law uses. My Enfield was brand new too. A gun importer near where I lived found a batch in an armory in Ireland, still in the original wrappings. He knew I wanted one, so gave me a call as soon as they cleared customs. I fitted in with a new synthetic stock and scope.
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Post by Jack, lapidaryrough on May 28, 2011 22:46:15 GMT -5
Don
Bill at star diamond, was ask to turn the machine an equipment back to Dean.
As Bill failed to hold the same standards of the line that Dean expected.
Oh ya i yet to fine a Black Centerin 297. Just who order Black Blades. my standard - 297 is Red.
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Post by johnjsgems on May 29, 2011 8:50:14 GMT -5
301 was red, 297 was black. In Barranca anyway. MK may have used different colors. Dean's da (Bob Delahaut) bought Star Diamond basically for back taxes and had Dean return from South America to operate Star Diamond under the Barranca name after purchasing for $1. After 8 years BD lease on the old Star Diamond factory increased too much, blade production could not compete with Chinese and Koreans, economy was heading South, they merged Barranca into MK as the lapidary division. The 40's vintage blade furnace was given to a Mexican company for heat treating something other than blades. It was the end of US blade production and the end of an era. I bought most of the remaining 301 and 297 blades at the final closeout and sold them all at Buena Vista show at 1/2 off list. I kick myself now for not keeping a few for myself. They were good blades.
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Post by Jack, lapidaryrough on Jun 15, 2011 10:11:50 GMT -5
rockbassethound;
I have the LST-18 in the old Gold color, Better - good, Then most saws.
I found it was cutting to fast changed pulley to slowed it down to 8-9 minutes a inch.
About motor windings today a old 1 Hp. is same as a 3/4 Hp. today
old 1/2 hp. same today as a 1/3 Hp.
In short, today replacing a electric motor add 1/3 Hp. - 1/2 to your replacement. of a old Baldor, GE - Motor
Dayton Recycle them, or use them on a cab unit.
Buy Fran-Tom Saw 24" had a Baldor 3/4 Hp. i put a 1 Hp. Lesson motor on it.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on Jun 15, 2011 14:00:41 GMT -5
I just got me a new BD 303 and an 301 supreme from John at JSgems ( wonderful pricing , beat the closest competition by about $10 on each blade). The 303 is really excellent but I wanted to try a comparison with the 301 supreme.....Mel
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mworb
off to a rocking start
Member since June 2011
Posts: 11
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Post by mworb on Jun 20, 2011 0:57:06 GMT -5
What does the MK 303 look like? In February I bought a new Barranca Diamond 2014 10 inch lapidary saw. The advertising said it came with two blades that were supposed to be top of the line MK303 and MK301 blades, one a professional blade. When it arrived one blade is blue and has one-inch long slits shaped like question marks cut into it. The other is unpainted steel. Neither is marked with a name so I don't know which blade is which and which one to use and for what. I called Barranca and the man I spoke to could not help me. Neither could the company I bought from. Since you speak so highly of the 303 can you tell me what it looks like? The blue blade seems to cut better but both glaze over very fast... less than one cut with a hard rock. I'm in the market for a 14" blade to fit a Highland Park saw that I am fixing up and want to get the right blade for it. Thanks.
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Post by Jack, lapidaryrough on Jun 20, 2011 3:51:18 GMT -5
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Post by Jack, lapidaryrough on Jun 20, 2011 3:52:53 GMT -5
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Post by johnjsgems on Jun 20, 2011 8:38:30 GMT -5
The 2014 comes standard with a 303P porcelain blade for cutting "stone" (granite, marble, etc.). During the Winter Sale they include a 301 blade. Make sure your rotation is right as both are directional. I really forced big agates through mine and had to dress the 301 every 5-6 cuts. There is a tiny arrow stamped in the blade core. Don't rely on blade label as I've found 4 or 5 on wrong side of blade. The labels are put on at MK, arrow is stamped by factory in Korea.
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mworb
off to a rocking start
Member since June 2011
Posts: 11
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Post by mworb on Jun 20, 2011 16:44:38 GMT -5
Thanks folks, I checked the links and what John said. I guess my blue painted blade that came with my Barranca saw is a 303P tile blade and is not the same as the 303 blade that you all are praising. Perhaps you're talking about a 303C? John, mine has no label or name on it but I will double check for the arrow. The second blade that came with the saw has no label either... in fact no markings or paint or anything at all. But it looks like both of the notched rim blades on the links you sent . From what you say, John, that second blade should be a BD301 lapidary blade which is designed for cutting rocks. When I tried to use it it wouldn't cut a thing, not even soft stones. I'll double check for the arrow the next time I install it. I'm disappointed that the blades aren't what I expected. I was quite surprised that they did not have a Barranca name on them. I've had a few problems with the saw and one repair already because the head kept falling off. One rail is bent so it does not slide easily but I was told that is not fixable. Am I right that the new blade I buy for my 14 in HP should be a 303C and not a 301 or a 303P? I thank you all for sharing your expertise with a newcomer. I also just got a Frantom combo unit with a 10 inch saw and will be looking for help with that, I'm sure. I'm searching the archives first. John, it seems you had one of these in the past. I got it as part of a package deal with the HP slab saw and a Scott-Murray tumbler and a second Frantom 10 inch saw.
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