|
Post by Jugglerguy on Apr 6, 2013 21:01:52 GMT -5
I was in Petoskey, Michigan today and stopped in the rock shop and spent quite a while talking to the very friendly owner. She works with only Petoskey stones, which are very soft. She polished the rock that President Obama keeps on his desk. She told me that she uses her trim saw to cut out complicated shapes like the shape of Michigan (upper and lower peninsulas) and bears. She said that hearts are the easiest to start with, but the technique is the same for complex shapes. She roughs it out the best she can and then cuts the shape while backing the blade out. On a heart, she goes straight down in the top and then cuts the curve while backing the rock off the blade.
I also saw that her trim saw is built different than mine and eliminates the problem Chuck (DrummondIslandRocks) described in a recent thread. Her arbor is above the table in a box behind the blade. The advantage is that her blade is perpendicular to the table (at least down low). The disadvantage is that the back half of the blade is under a cover, so there's really only about a quarter of the blade exposed. She didn't know what the brand of her saw is. Does anyone know who makes a saw like this? Have any of you used this technique? Does it only work with soft stone?
|
|
|
Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Apr 6, 2013 21:31:30 GMT -5
i think i know which saw your talking about. it has an arched hood over the blade ? if thats the one it was made by gem lap just like yours. my slab saw is actually sold as a slab/trim saw and the hole vise and rails come off with 4 thumbscrews then you can use it as a trim saw that cuts perpendicular cuts but i never tried since i use oil in it. www.diamondpacific.net/tc14trim.htmlchuck
|
|
|
Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Apr 6, 2013 21:35:11 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by Jugglerguy on Apr 6, 2013 21:37:31 GMT -5
No, the back of the blade was in a rectangular box. The box came off the table at a ninety degree angle near the highest part of the blade. Your angled table serves the exact same purpose, but the maker of this saw planned to solve the problem with the design of the saw.
I'm sure you've seen Petoskeys cut into the shape of Michigan. Did you know that it could be done with a trim saw? The shop owner told me that she tried a scroll saw or band saw once and hated it. She said it was always breaking.
|
|
|
Post by Jugglerguy on Apr 6, 2013 21:39:52 GMT -5
It's hard to tell from that picture, but I think it might be. Cool! I sort of want one.
|
|