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Post by roswelljero on Feb 24, 2013 21:50:34 GMT -5
How do you know if a blade is 'aggressive' before you buy it? I have the worst luck buying blades. They'll cut jasper just fine, but take forever cutting agate. Is there a measurement to look for? A certain brand? :help:
What are scintered blades for?
Are expensive blades worth the extra $$$?
Later, jeri
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Post by deb193redux on Feb 24, 2013 22:01:18 GMT -5
303c is a good choice
jsgems has god price
what is saw?
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Post by phil on Feb 24, 2013 22:02:59 GMT -5
Dude, Define "forever"?
You're cutting rock! it's gonna take forever for any blade to slowly grind thru. On our 14 inch autofeed saw, an agate 4 inches takes about 20 minutes. On our 10 inch hand fed, a 2 inch agate takes 10 minutes... Petrified wood takes even longer....
Sintered is more expensive, but gives a smoother cut. Can't answer re: expensive more worth it, that's totally up to each individual. I buy the Chinese notched blades from Lopaki, they seem to last about as long as the expensive ones. The blade currently on out 10 inch is about 4 months old and has made many many cuts. It has about 1/2 the diamond area left.
Hope that helps!
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Post by roswelljero on Feb 24, 2013 23:07:39 GMT -5
My current saw is a Highland Park E-4, gravity feed. It takes a 9" or 8" blade.
Forever = 6 HOURS to cut a 3"x 3/4" agate.
Later, jeri
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Post by Rockoonz on Feb 24, 2013 23:20:39 GMT -5
Using oil or water? Sounds like water. Dress the blade and switch to oil. Also with that saw you're better off with 8 inch blades, more room in the sump for additional coolant. I had one and it would really heat up the oil for just a single cut.
Lee
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Post by deb193redux on Feb 24, 2013 23:21:40 GMT -5
sounds like whatever blade you have is getting glazed.
if you push the vise instead of gravity? does it cut or does it bind?
try an 8" MK (or BD) 303c or MK 225.
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Mike Menzie
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since October 2012
Posts: 96
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Post by Mike Menzie on Feb 25, 2013 5:10:03 GMT -5
My mother and I just had our first experience with looking for blades (for our Star Diamond 10")
After a week of looking into tons of different possibilities, we decided to stick with what most of the people I've seen on here refer to - the 303C, either MK Diamond, or Barranca. After another few days of looking at tons of online rock stores and such, we found the cheapest to be on Ebay, for only about $60 with shipping. I don't know anything about the seller and whatnot, but it seemed way better than the sometimes $95+ for the same blade (Barranca themselves were less than that! What the heck?)
Anyway, we have been using an old beat up notched blade I harvested from an incurable saw, and been using the red non-toxic RV anti-freeze as a lubricant/coolant (woo-hoo! only $5 a gallon, and lasts pretty well, and doesn't make the saw as muddy! Note-it doesn't seem to like being diluted, and NEVER get the 'sale' antifreeze, that's in a different bottle at Wal-Mart. It says fragrance free...and the ingredients include fragrance. It reeks to high heaven, and foams and sprays like crazy!
Anyway, we grind about 1/4" from a .75" thick old grinding wheel after each rock when cutting hard agate, and after every second or third when cutting jasper, and don't bother when cutting obsidian and such.
It seems to average, for a roughly 3" 'square' rock: ~20min. for agate ~10min. for jasper (the harder ones) ~2 min. for obsidian
Sound about right?
-Mike
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Mike Menzie
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since October 2012
Posts: 96
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Post by Mike Menzie on Feb 25, 2013 5:10:29 GMT -5
oh, and ours is weight fed. -Mike
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Post by deb193redux on Feb 25, 2013 8:26:38 GMT -5
what thickness did you get?
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Post by roswelljero on Feb 25, 2013 12:37:01 GMT -5
"8" MK (or BD) 303c or MK 225." What's the difference? Mike: thanks for the info! This is my current blade... Later, jeri
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Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Feb 25, 2013 12:54:01 GMT -5
Jeri,
I second (or third) the 303C recommendation from JS Gems. Normally figure about 5 minutes per inch of agate.
Chuck
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Post by phil on Feb 25, 2013 13:00:20 GMT -5
Well, 6 hours is too lng for sure. That Kobalt blade? IIRC, that's a concrete blade, not a lapidary blade? And looks like a sintered edge? Other than the wrong blade, could be dull and need dressing. Could be glazed as someone says. Could also be too thick being a concrete blade. Your weight could be too light? Is the carriage clean and etc so the vice sled isn't binding up? Switch to a lapidary blade and I think you'll find a real difference. Phil
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Post by deb193redux on Feb 25, 2013 15:06:07 GMT -5
The MK 303c is true lapidary, while the MK 225 is technically stonework, but hard stone like granite and vitreous porcelain. I like the MK 225 "Hot Dog" on my 10 trim saw where I hand feed. its thickness is .050, which means I can't bend it too easy.
I use the MK 303c .040 thickness on my LS10 slab saw because the vise is more gentile than me.
The MK 303c 8" is available in several thicknesses:
8" (203mm) .025" 5/8" 153693 8" (203mm) .025" 1" 153741 8" (203mm) .032" 5/8" 153694 8" (203mm) .060" 5/8" 156723
I would not go down to .025 however. To easy to ding.
I think you can get a very good price form John at jsgems. I get the best price ther eon my MK 303c 10" .040 blade.
The MK 225 in 8" is only available in one thickness: 8" (203mm) .050" 5/8" 158435
Maybe John can get this one too. Don't hurt to ask. But this is a little thick for 8" with a vise.
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Post by roswelljero on Feb 25, 2013 16:29:06 GMT -5
Thanks everyone!
Later, jeri
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Post by rockmanken on Feb 25, 2013 17:31:38 GMT -5
Jeri, Kobalts suck. They are made for concrete. I use a cheap Chinese mostly on my 10" trim and my 12" slab saws. Use 303 on the 14" and the 20". You have used mine and see how good they cut, Ken
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Post by Peruano on Feb 25, 2013 17:52:53 GMT -5
roswelljero, You are getting good advice here. The 303 is a topnotch blade but at least in the sizes I would need about twice what the 225 would be (the latter is thicker, but its extremely sturdy, and has performed well over many dozens (probably hundreds) of cuts with not special sharpening, binds, stalls, or ??. I do run a softer stone through once in awhile but I certainly don't do special runs with old SiC wheels or firebricks, so call me an abuser if you wish. Daniel (deb193redux here) sold me the 225 used so he can speak to both blades. I figure its a little thick so if I was cutting valuable stuff, I'd go for the thinner blade, but since I'm not and the blade is working well, I'll stick with my Red Devil 225 until its shows problem signs.
Whatever blade you use, you should be able to make many cuts without special attention to prevent binding, bogs, and inordinately long cut times. I'd say switch to oil and get a new blade and enjoy the flowers. Tom
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Post by deb193redux on Feb 25, 2013 17:58:32 GMT -5
tom, glad the 225is working well for you. I don't know if it was RPM or alignment, but it did not work so well on my LS12. That's why I sold it so cheap.
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Post by Peruano on Feb 25, 2013 18:25:19 GMT -5
Daniel, Its the dry air in New Mexico. The rocks don't bind in the saw nearly as badly as they do in humid Kansas. Or the innocence of the operator in NM who does not know what to expect of a really great performing blade (but it is in the works to buy one some day). So that Roswelljero feels good about his purchase == the mk303 in 12" costs $266.85 plus shipping.
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Post by deb193redux on Feb 25, 2013 20:31:55 GMT -5
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cherdarock
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since December 2012
Posts: 140
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Post by cherdarock on Feb 26, 2013 1:33:07 GMT -5
5 mins tops for 3-4" agate, Pro-slicer blade, 10" raytech slabber, modified feed, 3/4hp, "secret sauce" cutting oil... (heheheheheh) ;D
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