jamesp
Cave Dweller 
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,620
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Post by jamesp on Jun 13, 2014 10:49:12 GMT -5
I used to saw large specimens in half and mount them on display for interior decoration business. I had to polish them so I made this polisher. Never did many slabs. Was amazed at how easy this slab was to polish. Slabs in the 3-4 inch range are even faster. 2-3 inchers really polish fast. The 4 inch pads have polished 100's of heavy specimens with almost no wear. The slabs are much easier to handle than 3-12 pound chunks. About 2 minutes on each grit w/water drip 400, 800, 1500. Could have moved to 3000, but already had a decent shine. Note: saw is adjusted to cut very straight to avoid saw blade marks....good 18" 303S blade leaves a smooth cut allowing 400 grit to remove marks. You can see a spot that was missed where the thick limb is faded, about center and a little to the left. Spend a little time and get that too. I bear down with about 15 pounds of pressure, till the motor starts to slow and then back off. Double ground fault in series, operation is wet. Walmart 5inch grinders cost about $39. Pads are 100-200-400-800-1500-3000. valves are confusing, so marked as to who goes where. The polish  The Ruth Goldberg machine. posted a few times before.  |
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billg22
spending too much on rocks
Member since November 2011
Posts: 451
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Post by billg22 on Jun 13, 2014 11:56:00 GMT -5
Wow! looks like my summer project.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,620
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Post by jamesp on Jun 13, 2014 14:52:52 GMT -5
Wow! looks like my summer project. It will get you wet enough to use it in the summer ! |
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Post by 1dave on Jun 13, 2014 15:20:04 GMT -5
Walmart 5 inch grinders? I'll have to check our store.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,620
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Post by jamesp on Jun 13, 2014 16:17:16 GMT -5
Walmart 5 inch grinders? I'll have to check our store. Dave, I had to fabricate the flat faces. I welded the grinder's nut to a 4 inch washer pretty straight (some how). Then attached them to the grinder. Then turned on the grinder and of course noticed they were out of balance. So I jogged the grinder on and off and held a spinning angle grinder against the washer and basically turned it as if the grinder was a lathe. Also ground the front of the washer in the same fashion. it took a while, welders are not machinist. I never did get the 3000 washer dialed in and true. and it scuffs a bit. But those pads do not play as long as you add water. The angle grinder they are designed for turns at 3600 RPM instead of 11,000RPM, and the Walmart grinder is 3600 RPM. So the speed is perfect. darn things will remove some rock for $5 a pad. i wish I used 5 inch or better, 6 inch pads. Because the hard agate hardly wears them. Cement will wear them out quickly. I glued the velcro backed pads to the washer w/5 minute epoxy in a clamp. Hard metals do not wear them. They do great sharpening dill bits and hard knives. Polishing stainless copper and aluminum. Nothing plugs them up(a la aluminum for example). the 100 grit pad does not cut rock near as fast as a cab 100 grit wheel. also have 50 grit and 10,000 grit pads, but not mounted. |
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,726 
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Post by Fossilman on Jun 14, 2014 8:07:46 GMT -5
Great idea James.......I am in the idea process for building a polisher..
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,620
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Post by jamesp on Jun 14, 2014 11:12:23 GMT -5
Great idea James.......I am in the idea process for building a polisher.. Does not do as good as a lapper on big stuff. But less than 4-5 inchers it is fine. Good luck on the endeavor Michael. Photos please. |
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Thunder69
Cave Dweller
Thunder 2000-2015
Member since January 2009
Posts: 3,105
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Post by Thunder69 on Jun 14, 2014 21:54:43 GMT -5
James where do you get the pads from?...Sweet rig....John
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Post by pghram on Jun 17, 2014 21:57:55 GMT -5
You certainly got a mirror shine.
Rich
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,726
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Post by Fossilman on Jun 18, 2014 9:28:40 GMT -5
Great idea James.......I am in the idea process for building a polisher.. Does not do as good as a lapper on big stuff. But less than 4-5 inchers it is fine. Good luck on the endeavor Michael. Photos please. I have two 1/2 HP motors (old school)...I'm going to rewire them and extent the cords on both,remove the casings,air blow the interior,make sure everything is tight inside.. They will have to be portable because of the space situation I have (Which is no problem)... Pics will be on the order too...... LOL- I have four five gallon buckets full of rocks to be polished...That will keep me busy for awhile.. |
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,620
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Post by jamesp on Jun 18, 2014 11:56:32 GMT -5
That pad polisher I made will get em done pretty quick. As long as you are having fun. looking for photos
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,620
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Post by jamesp on Jun 18, 2014 12:14:51 GMT -5
James where do you get the pads from?...Sweet rig....John McGill's Warehouse. Damndest place. Touted to be the largest play marble seller in the world. Used to sell LFRB for $33 incl. shipping. My neighbor and I each bought a box and lobbed marbles at each other w/wrist rocket sling shots over the trees and about 100 yards away. They are all over our yard now. Back to polishing, I would do the 5 inch pads next time. If they had 7-8 inch pads I would do them. use the wet, not the dry. here is a link to this crazy store www.mcgillswarehouse.com/dpp129-5in-400-grit-diamond-pad-for-wet-polishing |
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,620
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Post by jamesp on Jun 18, 2014 12:18:58 GMT -5
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... to the New Guys from The ChatBox V.2 Crew