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Post by talkingstones on Feb 12, 2012 20:50:33 GMT -5
I have the Lortone Combo that I have made no adjustments to thus far. I'm not real happy with the stock blade...soon to be replaced, nor the grinding wheel, or the expando drum. Has anyone ever replaced stuff on theirs?
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Post by johnjsgems on Feb 12, 2012 21:25:09 GMT -5
No, but I've helped many owners. The blade arbor is 1/2". Any good blade (like BD/MK 303C) will work well. The 1" SC wheel is usually replaced with a 1.5" diamond wheel. The expando if bad can be replaced with a 1.5" expando. The narrower belts are much easier to install (and belts are cheaper too).
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70karmann
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since February 2011
Posts: 190
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Post by 70karmann on Feb 12, 2012 21:34:49 GMT -5
I have changed my Lortone blade to the BD303 with great cuts. I have alson installed a diamond wheel and new rubber expanding drum. The lortone drums are just too much work.
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Feb 13, 2012 6:26:11 GMT -5
I just picked up one of these lortone combo units used and have not set it up yet. Are you guys running something like a 1-1/2" 100 grit nova/galaxy wheel to rough and then using silicon carbide sanding belts for all the other grits ? and the one I bought has the 2-1/2" expandable drum but the brand says "scott murray" is that the original one or a better brand that wont be so hard to change belts on?
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Post by johnjsgems on Feb 13, 2012 9:26:06 GMT -5
Scott Murray drums are now made by Lortone. They are good drums (unless old and dried out). Biggest problem with original drum is the 2 1/2" wide drum is right by the right side bottom pan lip so belts are hard to get on/off. 6" X 1.5" drums give you more clearance. For rough grinding you want the Galaxy not the Nova wheel. For belts you can use either SC or diamond belts.
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Post by talkingstones on Feb 13, 2012 20:11:11 GMT -5
This is great info and greatly appreciated. John, can I pm you on this as I'm mangling my hands on this 2.5 drum and the wheel is just not doing well. It's not so much changing the belts that I'm having problems with. It's that I don't seem to have enough movement room for my hands as the drum is so big and the sc belts just aren't holding up.
Thanks,
Cathy
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Post by johnjsgems on Feb 13, 2012 21:54:55 GMT -5
PM, e-mail at jsgems@dslextreme.com ,or call at (909) 519-1545. The only drum change you can make is 1 inch narrower. 6" is the smallest diameter available. It is basically a one sided arbor. You can use any combination of wheels you like as long as they fit.
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keystonecops
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since October 2010
Posts: 957
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Post by keystonecops on Feb 16, 2012 8:31:17 GMT -5
Ive got one of them, and I got rid of the sic wheel and drum and changed it over to diamond. Later Clyde
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herchenx
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,360
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Post by herchenx on Feb 16, 2012 15:08:21 GMT -5
I did what Clyde did, removed the SiC wheel, added a diamond galaxy. I still have my 2.5" drum but I am finding that with the 120 diamond I can go to a 600 grit Sic, then swap pads on the end from 2500 to 14000 - so I don't have to change my belt! I just have to use a light touch on the diamond wheel.
Also I am vibe polishing almost everything now anyway (you may want to consider that)
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Post by talkingstones on Feb 18, 2012 7:06:19 GMT -5
Hoping to get the Lot-O going this weekend to try it out on some scrap. Problem is that I've got some great cabs I've been roughing and it would break my heart to see them crack up in a machine! I finished the first batch out of the Lortone yesterday and, while they came out great there was so much loss on the rock sizes that I really don't see being able to use that on the picture stones. That's why I'm looking to upgrade my wheels. This stuff may have to be done entirely by hand... Time consuming, but each one of these cabs is like a painting and I don't want loose any of that through tumbling loss. Right now I'm looking at the Genie wheel replacement set as that might be the easiest way to go with adding 8000 and 14000 wheels as well. If I can have two wheels on the machine at once that's a lot because I tend to work a bunch (75 or more) at one level and then change the belt and move up. Sometimes I have to bounce down a level to fix something, but rarely more than one.
Anyway, we will see if the set will fit.
Cathy
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Post by johnjsgems on Feb 18, 2012 7:32:42 GMT -5
You could put two wheels at a time, possibly three if they are close enough. You would need shaft adapter bushings as well. I think the Lortone shaft is 1/2" and all Diamond Pacific wheels have a 1" center hole.
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Post by talkingstones on Feb 24, 2012 21:12:43 GMT -5
Hey John, the box arrived today! I'm going to do the blade change and get the new belts going tomorrow...I hope! Excellent shipping and I will let you know how they work! Thanks so much for all of the help!!!!
Cathy
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Post by Rockoonz on Feb 25, 2012 3:07:42 GMT -5
The big problem with 6 inch combo machines is you have to run the wheels at 1725 rpm max and a 6 inch blade likes a much faster speed, like at least 2000 rpm and with a 303C about 3000 rpm is best.
Lee
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Post by johnjsgems on Feb 25, 2012 9:27:36 GMT -5
Barranca uses the 303C on their 6" combo unit and it works great at 1725 rpm. It is true they work even better at higher speeds but dull faster, require more dressing, and wear out faster as well. At 1725 rpm they out perform any of the many LZM Chinese blades sold by most all the competition.
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