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Post by Jugglerguy on May 16, 2013 15:28:45 GMT -5
I've been looking for a used 10 inch slab saw and just found one, but I'm not sure it's what I want. I already have an 8 inch trim saw. I just called on the ad, and the guy said he got this saw in a trade, so he hasn't used it. He said it was a ten inch saw, but it's a Highland Park 8TS, which appears to be an 8 inch saw. It has gravity feed, but no weights. He wants $150, which seems cheap. He's going to email pictures, so I haven't seen it. Do any of you have experience with this saw?
He also has three Lortone grinders with two wheels each that he wants $175-$250 for. He couldn't find model numbers.
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on May 16, 2013 15:47:22 GMT -5
I switched my 14" saw over to gravity feed with a piece of steel cable that goes from my vise to a paint can full of rocks. I just add or remove rocks to adjust the feed rate. Me personally if I had an 8" trim saw already I would go at lest 12" on the slab saw but you need to think real hard about what size rocks you want to be able to slab. Hopefully you get more info about the saw to know if its truly a 10".
Chuck
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Post by Jugglerguy on May 16, 2013 15:50:22 GMT -5
Nice new avatar! It's Drummond Island done in pudding stone! How appropriate. Did you make that?
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on May 16, 2013 15:53:36 GMT -5
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Post by deb193redux on May 16, 2013 15:56:34 GMT -5
8TS does sound like an 8" - depending on whether there is a motor, the conditions of the bearings, and the condition of the blade, $150 could still be a good price for the saw. The gravity feed implies a vise which means it is set up for making small slabetts. You can provide a weight easily enough.
If the grinders are he Lortone Beaver type with a kind of metal enclosure and a pan underneath, that price is just below average. Depending on condition, maybe the price is even a bit low. Good deal, but not super deal territory. I see them sell on ebay for $250, sometimes w/o motors.
If they are the poly-arbor type with separate pans for each wheel, the price is a little above average. Arbors often sell for $90 to $150 and the pans for about $25 each.
This all depends on whether these grinders come with motors, and whether they are 6" or 8", and if there is plumbing (valves, tubing) for water. 8" units with motors and plumbing are of course worth more.
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on May 16, 2013 17:49:30 GMT -5
a couple other factors when choosing a slab saw.
1) when using the BD303 blades a 10" cost $55 a 12" is $155 and a 14" is $175 so there is a huge jump when you pass the 10" mark.
2) amount of oil required. Oil is not cheap and as you jump up in saw size there is a lot more oil to buy. My 10" saw uses about a half gallon and my 14" uses 2.5 gallons I get about a gallon back after filtering each clean out but its still averaging $30-35 for oil each time.
3) noise and mess. Slabbing rocks in oil can get pretty noisy and messy. I keep a thick layer of oil dry all around the floor where my saw sits to keep from getting too many stains on the concrete.
None of this is meant to discourage at all. Slabbing is still one of my favorite lapidary activities. I just wanted to give you more to think about before you make your purchase.
Chuck
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Post by Jugglerguy on May 16, 2013 20:57:48 GMT -5
Thanks for the advice, everyone!
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