robsrockshop
has rocks in the head
Member since August 2012
Posts: 715
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Post by robsrockshop on Aug 9, 2012 19:02:17 GMT -5
Hi Phil, it's not chrysocolla. It's some type of jasper pretty sure, it's very hard. It's nice looking stuff. I don't have too many at the moment-pics. Can get some. Truthfully it's a pain in the rear to use and it's a even bigger pain to get aligned truthfully I would stick to the chop saw style. I just built it because I already had piles of metal, arbors blades etc and was curious about it. I will still send pics if you want though.
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Post by phil on Aug 10, 2012 18:06:47 GMT -5
Thanks. Think I'll keep looking for a drop saw.....
Phil
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borock
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since April 2011
Posts: 225
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Post by borock on Aug 16, 2012 12:13:35 GMT -5
Can we see inside of green box?
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robsrockshop
has rocks in the head
Member since August 2012
Posts: 715
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Post by robsrockshop on Aug 17, 2012 8:06:45 GMT -5
Sure Borock, there's really nothing to it. I will say getting this saw into alignment has been a real pain. I finally got it, I probably spent more time tweaking that than building it. You'd think clamping rocks in this would be hard, I use a board to hold the swing arm up and it's really not that difficult.
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Post by Rockoonz on Aug 17, 2012 10:29:46 GMT -5
You must have to start the saw with the rock resting on the blade. If you were to extend the shaft through the right side of the saw and add a handle with a locking dog it would hold the vice out to clamp rocks and you could lower the rock onto the blade slowly to start your cut.
Lee
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robsrockshop
has rocks in the head
Member since August 2012
Posts: 715
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Post by robsrockshop on Aug 18, 2012 21:25:56 GMT -5
Hi Lee, yeah those are thoughts i've had. Once you build something it always seem you come up with another idea lol. I forgot to mention to the other post that there's another set of shaft collars not in the pic that you can adjust for slab thickness.
For now you hold the rock above the blade by holding the string that is attached to the counterweight and slowly lower it until the kerf starts then you can let go.
The handle would be a good idea but just pushing down on the weight bucket isn't as inconvenient as it sounds. Of course you could also make a regular crossfeed instead of using shaft collars.
I didn't want to get too involved on the first time go around so I could see for myself how things would work and then tinker with it. In other words........I didn't want want to spend too much time building something that turned out not to be worth the effort. As it is I only have 3 days in it and now I can play around with it. It's cutting fair. Truthfully I built this because I was just curious how it would work lol.
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robsrockshop
has rocks in the head
Member since August 2012
Posts: 715
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Post by robsrockshop on Aug 18, 2012 21:38:17 GMT -5
BTW it did cut all the rocks in this thread and some of those slabs are nearly 8" across so I can't complain too much considering it cost me about $250 to build but I already had a motor. Granted i've seen used machines for not much more which would be a better route for most people but I like to build things, that's part of my hobby also. Here is a handbuilt wood/metal lathe that was built in the 1920's by a master carpenter who may be a distant relative of mine(not sure yet but checking) and utilizes parts from a Model T. I am going to use this for metal spinning among other things: And here's something im going to go look at and potentially buy:
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Post by Bikerrandy on Aug 18, 2012 21:53:53 GMT -5
Wow, the lathe in the last pic looks huge!!
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Post by Rockoonz on Aug 18, 2012 23:45:08 GMT -5
Looks like a late 1800's early 1900's overhead belt drive lathe converted to electric motor. Definitely huge.
Lee
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robsrockshop
has rocks in the head
Member since August 2012
Posts: 715
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Post by robsrockshop on Aug 19, 2012 7:56:24 GMT -5
Yep it's huge and fully functional and supposed to be in good shape. Just one problem--getting it moved. I have some phone calls to make.
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