karock
has rocks in the head
Member since November 2007
Posts: 667
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Post by karock on Mar 7, 2012 19:18:08 GMT -5
Hi - am looking to add a 6" trim saw to my equipment. Use will be mostly for preforms & light trim and even-cut slabetts (so I would like to have a vice option) I see some use oil but that is expensive & messy. So what say you all? What is thee biggest bang for your buck? Which ones do you like? Thanks bunches Karock
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Post by johnjsgems on Mar 7, 2012 19:29:24 GMT -5
If you want to use water I would recommend a plastic body saw like Ameritool (4" but takes a 5" blade) or High Tech 4", 5" or 6" . The Ameritool with 5" has a cutting height of 2" (with guard all the way up) so cutting height is taller than many 6" saws. Both manufacturers offer a vise option. If you want a really substantial saw wait until the new Barranca 7" LAPIDARY saw comes out. Picture is available but I have not seen a price yet. I'm guessing pricey but high quality. Covington makes a very basic 6" trim saw but the vise is a little lacking. Looks like the slide along the table edge like Rock Rascal vise.
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karock
has rocks in the head
Member since November 2007
Posts: 667
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Post by karock on Mar 7, 2012 20:27:27 GMT -5
Thanks John, With the availability of quality thin Kurf blades - would the Baranca take 6" and is the speed variable? karock
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Post by johnjsgems on Mar 7, 2012 21:16:24 GMT -5
I'll try to find out. Their other trim saws all were able to use smaller blades. They are having 303C lapidary blades made for it but I think they will be .032". 6" 303C are available in .014" and .020" so much better for trimming expensive slabs. Thicker for slabbing would be better though.
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Post by johnjsgems on Mar 7, 2012 23:40:57 GMT -5
Here is what I've found out on the coming BD-7 saw. It is a fixed speed 2750 rpm direct drive. The hold up now is they are waiting for the Italian motors. I think they told me early on they were using an aluminum bodied Italian saw to help cut down shipping weight and for the relatively high speed. The saw will be able to use 6" blades but first 25 units will have a 1" arbor so 6" blades would have to be punched out to 1" (extra charge). After the first 25 the following units will have a 5/8" arbor so will easily accommodate standard 6" blades. After the 7" blades (7" X .030" X 1") are sold off subsequent 7" blades will also be 5/8". What is left of my mind says to wait until the 5/8" models are available. Price is still to be determined. Availability likely late Spring.
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Post by deb193redux on Mar 8, 2012 10:33:21 GMT -5
The variable speed on the ameritool does allow it to use a wider variety of blades - including very thin ones running at 3400 rpm. I think Kingsly north has a 6" model (sure looks similar to Ameritool to me).
With a vise all of these saws are in the $450-$525 range. But they do seem to be quality.
If you are not going to cut very expensive rough, and can tolorate a little chipping when trimming, you can get a basic Model-J Rock Rascal trim saw for $145 (w/o motor) and add the manafacturer vise for about another $30. The RPM could be varied by using a step puly on the shaft of the motor you supply. This is a savings of 50% or more. ... and you would be nore likely to find one of them used than a used Ameritool.
A lot depends on exactly what you want to cut (fine trimming up through small slabbing is a large range), whether you want new equipment, and what you can afford to pay.
I think Covington has a vise for their 6", and Lortone has a vise for their TS6. I thought I saw a vise for Diamond Pacific's small saw too. Kingsly has a small traditional looking 6" trim saw that is "high speed" (has a 3400 rpm motor).
I can't tell from the small pictures of these vises if there is any cross feed adjustment. Remember a vise only gets you one side of the slab. You need some sort of cross-feed to get good results on the other side.
What other saws do you have? Will this saw need to do it all?
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karock
has rocks in the head
Member since November 2007
Posts: 667
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Post by karock on Mar 8, 2012 16:43:45 GMT -5
Thanks Daniel, I now have a 10" MK tile saw. Using the MK Hot Dog blade it cuts real nice but slabs are not always uniform in thickness or if the side I want for the bottom of my cab needs to be lapped because of saw marks it takes a couple of extra steps I also have a Swap Top (it was great to learn on) but the saw set up is not so good on harder material & the blades for it wear out too fast for as much as I want to do (it has been great for a small flat lap).
Also, I am starting to work with higher grade materials an will sometimes be cutting thinner slabs, like 3/16" Does the Ameritool only come in 4"? I am not that concerned with price, I am gonna be doin this for a long time and not much into assembly or modifications. Thanks for your input. karock
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Post by Rockoonz on Mar 8, 2012 21:44:25 GMT -5
If you don't like the swap top you won't like the Ameritool, the motor is too wimpy for anything but 1/4 inch or smaller slabs. Besides, if you want minimal saw marks you need a saw with a vice. If I were to get a trim saw that I could slab with I would probably get the Lortone stainless 8 inch saw, with 8 inch blades water is still ok, you can get some pretty thin blades, and you can safely cut quite a bit larger rocks.
Lee
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Post by johnjsgems on Mar 8, 2012 22:05:12 GMT -5
Ameritool with a vise lists for $399, less from discount dealers. You can use it with a 5" blade. I hear good reports on the Ameritool with a good quality blade like the BD/MK 303C.
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Post by deb193redux on Mar 9, 2012 11:33:35 GMT -5
The Kingsly listing (shaped like, but does nto say Ameritool) for a 6" with vise is: www.kingsleynorth.com/skshop/product.php?id=96850&catID=1036They have a 5" w/o vise for as low as $329. The vise looks to have some cross-feed by loosening a wing nut and moving the still-clamped rock closer to the blade. THis is not as good as havign a crank to cross-move the rock precisely. If your interest is in better slabs, you might want to consider a used 10" slab/trim saw with a good cross-feed vise. Althought the Lortone stainless are pretty nice too. Stainless! I also wonder if you could not rig a vise with some cross-feed ability for you tile saw. If you are willing to drill a few holes or cut some emtal, I think some of the $40 to $70 vises sold for trim saws might be modified to fit.
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