jjdub
starting to shine!
Member since December 2013
Posts: 27
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Post by jjdub on Jan 29, 2014 18:39:29 GMT -5
Anyone have experience using one of the combo flat lap/saw machines. I've seen a couple that were made by Craftsman (made in the 60's or 70's ?) with a drip water feed. While I'm all about efficiency, I don't see how the 10" saw blade sitting horizontal in a recessed bath would be much use.
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Jan 29, 2014 19:44:21 GMT -5
Those units make great flat laps if the bearings are still good but I have never seen one being used for the saw portion these days. Most I run across are missing the vise assembly. The blade is not submerged it just has a water drip feed keeping it cool and the vise gets pulled toward the blade by gravity via a rope with weights attached.
Chuck
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LarryS
freely admits to licking rocks
SoCal desert rats
Member since August 2010
Posts: 781
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Post by LarryS on Jan 29, 2014 19:46:28 GMT -5
Covington still makes a 8" & 10" combo model.
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jjdub
starting to shine!
Member since December 2013
Posts: 27
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Post by jjdub on Jan 29, 2014 23:10:34 GMT -5
Those units make great flat laps if the bearings are still good but I have never seen one being used for the saw portion these days. Most I run across are missing the vise assembly. The blade is not submerged it just has a water drip feed keeping it cool and the vise gets pulled toward the blade by gravity via a rope with weights attached. Chuck Thanks. Maybe I'll snag one and use it as an inexpensive flat lap. If the bearings are shot I can replace them, assuming they aren't some exotic size.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,640
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Post by QuailRiver on Jan 30, 2014 1:56:01 GMT -5
The ones sold with the Craftsman name were made by B&I industries in Wisconsin and had a cast aluminum housing, drip pot and vise. They were made in both a 6" and 10" model which both used laps with the standard 1/2" diameter arbor holes. The 10" model came with 8" laps and a 10" blade. You are right about the trim saw function not being very good on those. But as far as flat laps go they are very good and are nearly indestructible. The B&I units use bronze sleeve bearings and a grease cup. The bearings are very easy and inexpensive to replace. I still use a B&I 10" model to do my final polishing of cabs when I polish with oxides. Being a horizontal lap recessed within the oblong housing isn't nearly as messy as trying to polish with oxides on a vertical mounted lap. There were thousands of the B&I units sold over about a 30 year period and they can be picked up inexpensively on eBay, Craigslist and at estate sales. The Covington flat lap has an aluminum or white metal housing, a plastic drip pot, a steel drip pot mount, and uses permanently sealed insert bearings. Covington has made flat lap units with both 1/2" and 5/8" arbors. So their flat lap units with the 5/8" arbor can not use the standard 1/2" arbor hole laps. So you either have to buy the 5/8" arbor hole laps from Covington or bore out the arbor hole to 5/8" on standard laps. IMO the Covington saw vise is a little better than the B&I saw vise but both are very messy to use for sawing and are limited to small rocks. I don't like either brand for trimming slabs. But both make good flat laps for cabbing and polishing with the right laps. Larry C.
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jjdub
starting to shine!
Member since December 2013
Posts: 27
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Post by jjdub on Jan 30, 2014 13:11:03 GMT -5
Larry - thanks for the info and insight. I like the idea of the old style bronze sleeve bearings and grease cup.
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