Video: Cutting Michigan Shapes from Petoskey
Aug 30, 2015 15:07:39 GMT -5
connrock, kk, and 3 more like this
Post by Jugglerguy on Aug 30, 2015 15:07:39 GMT -5
I was asked the other day to show how I cut Michigan shapes from Petoskey on a trim saw, so I made a video today. Unfortunately my hand blocked much more of the action that I thought it would, but you can sort of see how I do it. Basically I use the edge of the blade as a grinder. I try to make the last pass along an edge by dragging the rock backwards along the blade.
You'll notice that I built a ramp for my saw. That's so the blade and the ramp make a 90 degree angle. Without the ramp the blade is wider at the table and gets narrower the higher you go. So the blade will cut the bottom of the slab deeper than the top. This isn't a problem when cutting convex shapes like oval cabs, but when cutting concave shapes, like the bays around Michigan, it doesn't work so well. The same thing happens on a table saw if you are cutting an inside corner.
Petoskey stone is very soft, so the process goes quickly. When I do shamrocks out of epidote, I have to cut a lot slower, but the process is the same.
The rock I do in the video has the Michigan outline backwards because it was easier to draw it on the back of the rock, but I thought the other side looked better. Don't worry, it looks like Michigan when it's flipped over. For those of you living in states like Wyoming or Colorado, this whole process is much easier.
When I'm finished on the saw, I polish them on a flat lap. Sometimes I leave them flat and other times I dome them.
You'll notice that I built a ramp for my saw. That's so the blade and the ramp make a 90 degree angle. Without the ramp the blade is wider at the table and gets narrower the higher you go. So the blade will cut the bottom of the slab deeper than the top. This isn't a problem when cutting convex shapes like oval cabs, but when cutting concave shapes, like the bays around Michigan, it doesn't work so well. The same thing happens on a table saw if you are cutting an inside corner.
Petoskey stone is very soft, so the process goes quickly. When I do shamrocks out of epidote, I have to cut a lot slower, but the process is the same.
The rock I do in the video has the Michigan outline backwards because it was easier to draw it on the back of the rock, but I thought the other side looked better. Don't worry, it looks like Michigan when it's flipped over. For those of you living in states like Wyoming or Colorado, this whole process is much easier.
When I'm finished on the saw, I polish them on a flat lap. Sometimes I leave them flat and other times I dome them.
