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Post by jakesrocks on Oct 9, 2015 22:22:52 GMT -5
If you intend to cut slabs, you'd be better off with a lapidary saw with sliding vice. Power or weight feed.
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Post by Pat on Oct 10, 2015 0:14:41 GMT -5
If you intend to cut slabs, you'd be better off with a lapidary saw with sliding vice. Power or weight feed. A power/weight feed would be lovely. But if I get a 6" or 8" saw, it can only cut fairly small rocks. I figure it wouldn't take long. Are you saying a lapidary saw would be better than a tile saw because of the thinner blade on the lapidary saw?
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Post by captbob on Oct 10, 2015 1:10:36 GMT -5
Pat, what do you want to do with the saw? Are you shaping slabs to make cabs or wanting to cut slabs? Or both? Different uses require different saws.
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Post by jakesrocks on Oct 10, 2015 9:27:30 GMT -5
Pat, first off, The max size saw that you can get away with using water + an additive is 10". Most advise using oil in a 10" saw, but if you empty the sump and spray a little WD40 on the blade after use, you can get away with water.
Most saws up to 10" have a vice which can be either lifted off or folded off to the side for trimming. Most also have a cross feed adjustment so you can cut even thickness slabs. You won't find these features in a tile saw.
The larger the saw, the larger the rock you can slab. A 10" saw will slab a rock slightly larger than fist size, where as a 6" or 8" wont without having to turn the rock in the vice. Doing this leads to uneven cuts, which leads to more wear on grinding wheels to even out the cuts.
Lapidary saws are designed for lapidary use. Tile saws are designed to make straight cuts in thin tiles, tho many people adapt them to lapidary use.
The motor on a tile saw turns at much higher RPM's than a lapidary saw. most tile saws will take a thinner lapidary blade, but the life of the lapidary blade is greatly shortened.
So the question is, do you want to spend the money on a saw which was intended for lapidary use ? Or would you rather spend that money replacing worn out blades & grinding wheels.
I've never owned a tile saw. I suppose they're great for someone just getting started in this hobby. But if you've grown to love the hobby, sooner or later you are going to want a proper lapidary saw, (or 2, or 3, or).
If cost is a problem, ask around on here or at your local rock club. You may be able to find a well maintained saw at a decent price. My first saw was a used 10" Star Diamond. It came without a blade, vice and motor. At that time parts were still available for the saw. I bought a new vice and blade, and salvaged a motor out of an old air conditioner. I think I had a total investment of around $100.00. That was back in the 80's. A few years ago I passed that saw on to a friend. It's still running strong. Don't be afraid of a used saw. Most of the older ones were built much better than the new saws are.
As for saw size, it depends on how much room you have available for it. Each time you go up a couple inches in blade size, you also go up in overall size of the saw. But if you have the room, I'd start out with a 10".
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deserthound
spending too much on rocks
Member since December 2013
Posts: 390
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Post by deserthound on Oct 10, 2015 9:44:01 GMT -5
My saws are like my guns you can never have enough and once i get my hands on them you aint gona get them until you pry my cold fingers from them..i have a 2" 2-4" 2-6" 1-10" 1-12" 1-14" 1-16" looking for an 18 and last 1-24....just cant turn down a good deal...oh and 1-12 drop saw for the eggs..
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Post by Pat on Oct 10, 2015 9:56:20 GMT -5
Pat, what do you want to do with the saw? Are you shaping slabs to make cabs or wanting to cut slabs? Or both? Different uses require different saws. I want to cut slabs from rocks too big for the 4" with the bigger (6" or 8") saw, then trim them for cabs on the 4". I don't want to do this every day, or all day any day. Most of the rocks I want to slab are too big for the 4", but would fit nicely on the 6" or 8" saw. Thanks.
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Post by woodman on Oct 10, 2015 9:58:17 GMT -5
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Post by roy on Oct 10, 2015 10:24:34 GMT -5
depends on what your doing if your just cutting slabs for making cabs then a 14"or 16" saw would be best if your flatlapping wood slabs or other material then the 24"or 36" is the ticket i have a 4,6,8,10,16 2-18's 2-24's and a 30" on deck to be rebuilt are the 16/18 and im going to pick up another 18 in a few
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Post by captbob on Oct 10, 2015 14:10:09 GMT -5
Pat, my opinion would be that you would be disappointed with any saw smaller than 10" if you want to cut slabs. And a 12" would be even better yet. If you already have a trim saw, or tile saw, a 6 or 8 inch saw just isn't going to do all that much more.
As said above, used lapidary saws are fine. Take your time and wait for a deal to fall in your lap. Check craigslist, local rock clubs and shows and even eBay. The good used ones may take a while to find, but they are out there.
Post here what you decide on and someone here may be able to help or know of one. A nice used Lortone or Raytech 10 inch saw (12" better!) may be just the ticket and available for under $500. Kinda like tumbling rocks, finding one takes some patience.
I'd just hate to see you spend a few hundred on something that you can't cut anything even the size of a tennis ball on and wish you had gone a little bigger.
Rock saws are kinda like gun safes. You'll almost always wish you had bought a bigger one!
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Post by jakesrocks on Oct 10, 2015 14:22:15 GMT -5
LOL Bob. Think I need a big walk in for my guns. Just inherited 4 more long guns from my father in law.
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mikeinsjc
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2010
Posts: 329
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Post by mikeinsjc on Oct 10, 2015 20:14:00 GMT -5
I won't say I hoard them, but I have a bunch. I have the usual trim saw, which I never use. I bought a near-perfect Lortone LS-10 just because they don't make them anymore.
For years I looked for a decent Highland Park 24" that wasn't hacked up or missing half the parts. I walked away from a lot of junk. Then I found two in a month. Bought them both, refurbished them and they are both running as I write this.
I have cut a jillion slabs on my Covington 18". The 24s have pretty much put the Covington out of business, but I sure have gotten my $'s worth from that one. Good for smaller stuff.
My latest acquisition is a 36" Frantom. I didn't really need this 9' long x4' wide 2000 pound monster, but there were only four of these made and I got a good deal on it. I figure I'll cut all the big stuff I have and then maybe unload it.
So whats that, six saws? I have leads on two 24" frantoms that I would pick up if the people decide on a decent price. There are a lot of saws out there. I have a summer business in Montana selling my product, and run across severallarger pieces of equipment each summer.
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orygone
off to a rocking start
Member since November 2012
Posts: 6
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Post by orygone on Oct 12, 2015 9:38:04 GMT -5
I am not really a hoarder, but I certainly cant pass up a bargain, for instance I came across a complete Lortone LU6X for $20, a new and unused TS-8 for $50 and so on. The stack now includes about 9 saws (12 if you count a pair of Frantom's and an HP combination cabbing units). I normally only use the 16 inch Nelson for slabs, a 10 inch Frantom combination cabber for small slabs and the 4 inch trim for pre-forming cabs. The others I just enjoy refurbishing
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