NDK
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Member since January 2009
Posts: 9,440
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Post by NDK on Sept 20, 2011 21:01:02 GMT -5
I'm going to attempt to build my own slab saw. My goal here is to do this with my ordinary hand & power tools, the most elaborate being a welder. I also want to do this as low buck as possible. I didn't say cheap, because I hope in the end it's a quality piece of equipment that lasts many years. I'm going to take my time sourcing parts, so this build will probably take several months. The parts I have so far are an old arbor from a table saw (I may buy an arbor from Covington Engineering in the end, we'll see how the build goes), a 16" blade (it's probably almost worn out - I picked it up for cheap on ebay), lots of plywood for the saw cabinet, and various scrap metal. Here's my first step, and it's a baby step at that... First I'll build the vise carriage, as that seems to be the most complex part of the machine. I figure if I get this built, the rest will fall into place. I started on the carriage frame today. I cut 4 pieces of angle iron and welded them together. The holes drilled in them will be enlarged for the crossfeed rails and threaded rod. Thanks for looking, wish me luck ;D Nate
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Post by tandl on Sept 20, 2011 21:29:24 GMT -5
You`ll getter done , I have faith in ya But if you need help, i`ll try ;D Looking forward to you having a saw !
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marinedad
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since December 2010
Posts: 813
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Post by marinedad on Sept 21, 2011 0:27:09 GMT -5
good luck nate, i still have the 16" homemade slab saw if your interested. it has a covington carriage and arbor. i just cleaned the old rock snot out of it since i picked it up. mark.
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Post by catmandewe on Sept 21, 2011 1:13:15 GMT -5
I have a couple different vise/carriage/arbor set ups that have no box if you are interested.
Tony
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NDK
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Post by NDK on Sept 21, 2011 19:45:07 GMT -5
Thanks Ted, I appreciate your help. Mark and Tony - thanks for the offers, I'll keep them in mind. I'm enjoying the build challenge so far. ******************************************************************************** I got a little more work done on the carriage today. I went to Speedy Metals in town and bought some round stock, then went to Menard's for allthread and a threaded coupling. I was originally planning to try salvaging all the parts for this build to keep the cost down, but the round, allthread and coupling was only a total of $6. Here's the carriage so far, it's just pieced together with a few tack welds. I will check to make sure it's square before I button it up. The coupling on the althread will be welded to the vise. Now that I see the pic, I need a longer piece of allthread for something to connect the crank to. I'll take it back and exchange it. Nate
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NDK
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Member since January 2009
Posts: 9,440
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Post by NDK on Sept 25, 2011 20:54:06 GMT -5
I had a busy weekend, but I found some time this afternoon to get more work done on the vise. I got the pieces all drilled and fit together. With this set up I should have 12" of cross feed movement, and close to the same in the distance between the jaws. I have locking collars for the rails and allthread on order from Fastenal, I'll pick them up tuesday after work. One question - I'm planning to use 1/2" plate for the vise jaws. I'm thinking of making the jaws 6" wide and probably 5" tall. Is that overkill? Thanks for looking, Nate
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Post by tandl on Sept 26, 2011 11:37:56 GMT -5
that jaw size is good .
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NDK
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Post by NDK on Sept 29, 2011 19:37:49 GMT -5
This week I got my collars for the crossfeed rails, and today I picked up the 1/2" plate for the vise jaws. I started working on the vise jaws. I got a few holes drilled, but can't weld it up till I notch out the corners for the jaw that moves, and drill for connecting the wood on the inside of the jaws.
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grayfingers
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Post by grayfingers on Sept 30, 2011 17:00:53 GMT -5
Love watching this work in progress! Having never even seen a slab saw in person this gives me a much better idea as to what makes 'em tick. Thanks for the pix.
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NDK
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Post by NDK on Sept 30, 2011 21:00:51 GMT -5
Thanks Bill. You know it's funny. I've never operated a saw, and only seen one a few times. I'm just going with what I've eyeballed on pix online. I got a little more work done on the vise today. No pix tonight, but I'm planing on spending more time on it tomorrow, so hopefully I'll have another update then.
Nate
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Post by NatureNut on Oct 1, 2011 3:53:57 GMT -5
Careful Nate, after you finish, the orders might start piling in for custom slab saws and then you'll have to send them to Randy to paint flames on them. ;D Jo
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adrian65
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Arch to golden memories and to great friends.
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Post by adrian65 on Oct 1, 2011 14:46:52 GMT -5
A lot of planning and thinking here. Very solid work, so far. Looking forward to see the progress.
Adrian
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NDK
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Post by NDK on Oct 1, 2011 20:10:47 GMT -5
LOL Jo, thanks for the props, but it's easy to say "NO" ;D Thanks Adrian, I appreciate your opinion. I got the crossfeed vise all mocked up today. I need to finish the welds, bolt the boards on the vise jaws, and a few other odds and ends. It does work though! Check out the video : I guess I need to build the cabinet now! Thanks for looking, Nate
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Post by tandl on Oct 1, 2011 20:21:04 GMT -5
Looks like you got it tight , worked great . Good job !
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siddeley
off to a rocking start
Member since October 2011
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Post by siddeley on Oct 3, 2011 15:26:01 GMT -5
I am new at this and have been thinking on making a slab saw myself. So your pictures of your vice have given me some ideas on design. My question is. On the moveable jaw of your vice the clamping pressure is applied a lot lower than where the specimen to be slabbed is. Would not the jaw try to lean back as pressure is applied with the screw and not bind on the flat of the angle iron? A bracket on each side of the back of the jaw with a bearing acting as a wheel running on the angle iron would help alleviate some of the back leaning twist of the jaw. (I am not a machinist or engineer and I could be all wet and it will not be a problem.) Lee
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NDK
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Member since January 2009
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Post by NDK on Oct 3, 2011 15:52:41 GMT -5
Hi Lee, welcome to the forum! That was a concern of mine too, so that's why I used 1/2" plate for the jaws. I'm going to reinforce the threaded coupler that is connected to the jaw too. Finally, I will be bolting wood on the inside of the jaws to get a better grip on the rock. I'm hoping I don't need to tighten it so much that it bends the allthread, which I think would in the end be the weakest part.
Keep watching, when I finally finish it, we'll see what happens. ;D
Nate
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Post by jakesrocks on Oct 3, 2011 15:59:15 GMT -5
Hey Nate, you might be better off using acme threaded rod to clamp your vice jaws. 5/8 to 3/4 would work good. Allthread is usually mild steel. Very soft and easy to bend.
Don
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NDK
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Post by NDK on Oct 3, 2011 20:14:41 GMT -5
Thanks Don, I'll keep that in mind. If it does bend I'll have to upgrade.
Nate
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NDK
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Post by NDK on Oct 10, 2011 19:15:29 GMT -5
I did a little mock up today to get some rough measurements for the saw cabinet. I have to build it a mirror image of most saws I've seen as the arbor I have has left hand threads. Not much to show, but it's looking more like a saw I guess. Thanks for looking again, Nate
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grayfingers
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Post by grayfingers on Oct 10, 2011 20:39:23 GMT -5
Lookin' sweet, Nate! Sure am enjoying getting to see all these details.
Bill
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