Mike Menzie
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since October 2012
Posts: 96 
|
Post by Mike Menzie on Sept 5, 2014 4:45:18 GMT -5
Got my mother a 6" "Craftsman" (B & I Gem Maker) a couple years ago. Just found one at a rock shop today to put next to it on her workbench :-) got a 10" same brand. I really do love those little guys. Never understood why most people hate them.
Anyway, in the past, when searching for diamond polishing pads for my 6 or 8 inchers, I brought up 10 inchers too. Now I can't seem to find any, other than a couple, listing at a silly $100+ PER PAD! I was thinking the relatively inexpensive brown, purple, red, blue pads, that get stuck to a backing plate.
I can make backing plates for her myself, but can't find those stinking 10" pads anywhere!!
Help!
-Mike
|
|
QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,640
|
Post by QuailRiver on Sept 5, 2014 13:20:28 GMT -5
Hello, I agree that the B&Is are good machines as far as cabbing flat laps go. I got my first B&I (the 6" model) bought from Sears back in the early 1970s. I still use a 10" B&I model for polishing with messy oxide polishes. The design of the housing of the B&I units helps keep polish slurry from splattering everywhere. Originally from the factory the B&I 10" model came with a 10" diamond blade for sawing but came with 8" grinding wheels, sanding discs, and polishing pad. It was never intended to use 10" laps. The 8" laps are readily available and will do the job just fine.
Larry C.
|
|
|
|
Post by gingerkid on Sept 5, 2014 22:48:04 GMT -5
Now I can't seem to find any, other than a couple, listing at a silly $100+ PER PAD! I was thinking the relatively inexpensive brown, purple, red, blue pads, that get stuck to a backing plate. I can make backing plates for her myself, but can't find those stinking 10" pads anywhere!! Help! -Mike Hi, Mike Menzie, I priced some of the 10" pads made by Crystalite on Arrowhead Lapidary Supply, and you're right, they sure are expensive. Not sure if these are what you are looking for, but there are some on the site that are velcro-backed, PSA backed, and regular ole diamond discs that are expensive, but not as expensive as the Crystalite pads. You may want to contact them if you decide to purchase any to confirm that they are in stock. www.arrowheadlapidarysupply.com/catalog/index.php?catunid=429 |
|
Mike Menzie
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since October 2012
Posts: 96
|
Post by Mike Menzie on Sept 6, 2014 0:01:46 GMT -5
Yeah I know you can use an 8" lap disc, but why would I? ;-) I have 10 whole inches to use up! And I like the idea of being able to flat polish some 4" slabs.
Thanks, gingerkid. I'll look into that!
|
|
QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,640
|
Post by QuailRiver on Sept 6, 2014 2:03:10 GMT -5
Yeah I know you can use an 8" lap disc, but why would I? ;-) I have 10 whole inches to use up! And I like the idea of being able to flat polish some 4" slabs. Thanks, gingerkid. I'll look into that! Why would you? Well there was that whole $100 per pad issue. But after polishing a 4" slab or two on one of those 10" rotary laps with an adhesive diamond pad how about letting us all know how that works out  . Have fun! Larry C. |
|
Mike Menzie
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since October 2012
Posts: 96
|
Post by Mike Menzie on Sept 6, 2014 10:26:31 GMT -5
Oh there are others out there for less than $100. I may just buy 12" pads - which cost less - and cut 'em down.
|
|
vugs
starting to spend too much on rocks
Rockbiter
Member since February 2014
Posts: 225
|
Post by vugs on Sept 6, 2014 11:31:38 GMT -5
There are cheap 10" lap disks on ebay but i cant speak on their quality as i've never used them.
|
|
Mike Menzie
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since October 2012
Posts: 96
|
Post by Mike Menzie on Sept 6, 2014 21:03:39 GMT -5
I have seen a few on Ebay for $35 with shipping. There are even more, but they're all in China, and my mother won't buy anything shipping from China, which I can't really argue with. I've had quite a few things lost in shipment from there.
But there are two (that look like the same store, with two different Ebay stores) in California, selling Chinese made ones for $35 each with shipping.
Might try them. I have had some good luck with cheap supplies before.
But I KNOW I've seen inexpensive diamond polishing pads (like the purple, brown, red, blue, etc. guys that you stick on to a backing plate) for a 10" just in the past few years. NO ONE knows how to get ahold of any of these anymore? According to my searches, those colored pads don't even seem to exist for 10" anymore. Absolute weirdness.
-Mike
|
|
. Have fun!
