meviva
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Post by meviva on Apr 12, 2014 20:10:11 GMT -5
I keep getting this orange peel look on my cabs with the flat lap. Is it just the way a flat lap is or can this be smoothed out eventually on the flat lap? I am able to smooth out the cab with sandpaper and water on a folded paper towel but it takes a long time and a lot of elbow grease. I had it smoothed out using 400 sandpaper and then put it on the 600 disk and this is what happened. I used 600 sandpaper on it for a minute before taking this picture. Thanks, Andrea ![](http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l528/meviva2/Mobile%20Uploads/55A147FC-B52E-4CE0-990D-85121D5198BB_zpsghuuw3fu.jpg)
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Post by mohs on Apr 12, 2014 21:21:10 GMT -5
are your laps soft backed? I would think if they were you should be able to get it smoother if the laps are hard backed it'll be really really difficult but not impossible
but I should stay out of these lap discussions cause I don't do cabs that way hence I don't really know what I'm talking about mostly
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meviva
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Post by meviva on Apr 12, 2014 21:26:34 GMT -5
The disks are hard backed.
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Post by roy on Apr 12, 2014 22:07:12 GMT -5
i would get the foam backer for the 280 and up problem is you would have to replace the discs
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meviva
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Post by meviva on Apr 12, 2014 22:11:45 GMT -5
What kind of disks would I need to get?
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Post by mohs on Apr 13, 2014 0:06:26 GMT -5
again I should stay out of this discussion but I believe Ameritool discs are neo-premed backed in example... soft backed --the 280 grits & up
the hard disc are good for grinding & finishing a stone flat but to dome grind a rock I'd think it would be very difficult with strictly hard back laps
hope someone corrects me if I be wrong mohs
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gemfeller
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Post by gemfeller on Apr 13, 2014 0:06:26 GMT -5
This is the kind I use. Unfortunately I don't know who supplies them these days -- I stocked up on them when I found a supplier several years ago. They have a 1/4-inch (approx.) Masonite back plate faced with foam rubber. There's adhesive on the rubber so a peel-back plastic cover protects it. My flat machine has a center shaft so I have to punch an arbor hole in the diamond disks before applying them to the backing plate. When ready just peel off the plastic and stick the disks on for a permanent sanding disk. ![](http://i1316.photobucket.com/albums/t620/gemfeller/DSCN8085384x400_zps1329585c.jpg) Sponge rubber disks are available from Dad's Rock Shop. You can contact them to see if they supply backing plates also. I can't tell from their description -- scroll down a ways to find them. www.dadsrockshop.com/discs.html
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miander
spending too much on rocks
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Post by miander on Apr 13, 2014 0:47:32 GMT -5
I got a rubber backing for a tile polisher from Home Depot, it helps a lot with the "orange peel" problem.
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meviva
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Post by meviva on Apr 13, 2014 0:53:33 GMT -5
Thanks mr. mho's and gemfeller….I will check into it.
miander….what do you use for the grinding and sanding disks? Can't use the hard disks right?
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Post by frane on Apr 13, 2014 7:27:38 GMT -5
Andrea,
It is a bit harder on a flat lap to get a smooth finish but it can be done. I started with an inland 3n1 before getting my geni. One possibility is that the material itself has a different hardness throughout. That can make it a bit tricky and can cause the orange peel. Also, if you are being too heavy handed, it increases that effect. Try lightening the pressure you apply, starting again at the 200 level of disc you have and work up from there. It may correct the problem so you are not waiting on soft backers (which is always a good idea) to get the job done. You can also move on to the next preform and go back to this cab when you want to deal with it again. I have done that more times than I would like to admit.
Hope that helps,
Fran
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Post by 150FromFundy on Apr 13, 2014 8:53:01 GMT -5
I use an Ameritool flat lap with Ameritool metal disks and sanding pads. In general for domed cabs you switch from metal disks to sanding pads somewhere around the #325 mesh. All the scratch removal from #325 to #600 to #1200 is done on sanding pads. The sanding pads are flexible and contour to the dome keeping as much of the sanding pad in contact with the cab as possible to get a smooth surface. Ameritool will also sell a foam pad to place under the sanding disk to increase the flexibility of the sanding pas even further which increases the surface contact with the domed cab even further.
The padded sanding disks work well for the domed surface, but not so well for flats. For flats you want to stick to metal disks for the #325, #600 and #1200. Unfortunately, buying a full set of metal disks and a full set of sanding pads is quite expensive. the cost of disks will exceed the cost of your machine.
For the polish, both flats and domes will do well on a felt pad, or a leather pad with some diamond paste.
For the metal disks, I have also tried some aluminium backed metal disks in the #80 and #180 mesh from Kingsley North. They have worked well but have a distinct "ring" to them that you wont get on the plastic backed metal disks. I don't mind the ring because the Kingsley North disks were about $25 cheaper than the Ameritool disks.
Darryl.
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miander
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Searching for the shop of my dreams...
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Post by miander on Apr 13, 2014 10:28:59 GMT -5
Andrea, I purchased some cheap diamond disks that were about $15 each that are metal. I put them on top of the rubber disk and it works great. The does always seem to be some ridges left that drive me nuts tho, but I am a bit heavy handed. You should look into a rubber backing plate from Dewaltt and a soft disk between 320-600 to minimize reinvestment costs, in my person newbie opinion ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png)
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Post by roy on Apr 13, 2014 10:52:57 GMT -5
the last time i replaced mine i got them at kingsley with the foam backers you buy those seprate but the sanding disks you can get in a kit and they are color coded to the differant grits
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Post by mohs on Apr 13, 2014 11:37:26 GMT -5
there is really good information here explained so well this why I should stay out of these discussion ![:D](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/grin.png)
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meviva
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Post by meviva on Apr 13, 2014 17:36:45 GMT -5
Thanks everyone...I will look into all the suggestions and get some new disks.
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aimeesrockworks
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Post by aimeesrockworks on Apr 13, 2014 23:58:48 GMT -5
Now that I see you have some excellent advice... I'd just like to say that you picked a very nice orientation for your cab. And I can't wait to see it finished! ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png)
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