iwannarock
starting to shine!
Member since April 2015
Posts: 35
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Post by iwannarock on Apr 10, 2017 15:28:46 GMT -5
Hi all, just looking for some feedback from people who have purchased new slab saws in the past 5 years. I am going to start looking for eventual replacement slab saws for our club as ours are getting worn out and so am I from repairs/maintenance. I guess we would be looking at either Lortone or Highland park or both. The saws we would be looking at replacing would be two 10" Highland Park, one Lortone 12" and a home built 18" Covington.
As I am looking at the HP website and just going by pricing as shown, I would be more inclined to recommend going to two 12" in place of the 10" and a 14" for the existing 12 and then go for their 18". Just by the photos shown on the HP site, it does look like they have made improvements to their carriages from days gone by and their pricing seems to be too good?
The club is looking for good longevity without major maintenance/repairs, but also the way of the dollar we have to be frugal too as the exchange from USA to Canadian is frightful.
Appreciate any and all recommendations
thanks
Iwannarock
Prairie Rock and Gem Society
Regina,SK Canada
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ChicagoDave
has rocks in the head
Member since June 2016
Posts: 720
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Post by ChicagoDave on Apr 10, 2017 17:25:38 GMT -5
I don't think Highland Park is the same company anymore. I think the new saws are all made in China which explains the price.
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Post by Peruano on Apr 10, 2017 17:41:07 GMT -5
I would be looking at Barranca Diamond. I do not think they are the same as HP even tho they use HP model codes. Are they copies of old HP?
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Apr 10, 2017 17:49:50 GMT -5
Why wouldn't you simply replace worn parts? Bearings and all threads and other stuff easily replaced.
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Post by johnjsgems on Apr 10, 2017 20:20:35 GMT -5
I can answer the "HP" models at BD. MK (parent company) bought out the original HP when they went under. They then sold the line to Contempo Lapidary but kept the HP name although they never used it. When they remodeled their slab saws (were the old Star Diamond saws which they also took over) they incorporated the 3 speed HP drive system and renamed their models "Highland Precision". They did not renew the name "Highland Park" and the Rowlands in Texas filed on it and now make products with the Highand Park name. I agree the BD slab saws are the best available. Very well built and heavy duty. They also strive to improve their products. A recent post here had complaints about the vise knob on their 14" saw. They are changing it to a tee handle with wrench flats. As a disclaimer, I sell their products as well as other brands but have seen many examples while doing shows with them of improvements based on customer suggestions. Many times while at the show they have called engineering and requested changes and the changes started immediately.
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Post by Peruano on Apr 11, 2017 17:39:50 GMT -5
Thanks John, I thought that was the history, but was not familiar enough to narrate it. I just knew that BD saws were reflecting the quality that we all want when we pay that kind of money.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller 
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,494
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Post by Sabre52 on Apr 11, 2017 17:51:53 GMT -5
I've owned Lortones ( ehhh) Beacon Star ( Great saw, best I've owned) HP's (Good but mine was hard to keep aligned and it was old used) and now have a Covington 10" ( poorly designed and has issues all the time) I've looked at the Barranca and that's what my next saw will be. They seem to be an excellent product and well made....Mel
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cabjunky
has rocks in the head
Regency Rose Plume
Member since November 2008
Posts: 683
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Post by cabjunky on Apr 11, 2017 18:54:03 GMT -5
I run one new (chinese) highland park 24", along side 2-18", and 2-16" old school highland park saws. The new one hasn't had any problems beyond the initial items which were present when it shipped. They warrantied those items, and its been running without any major problems (beyond normal wear items like belts) since that time(6 years). I run their replacement parts on my remaing saws and have no complaints about the quality of their products.
I have no opinion on their smaller saws.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,640
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Post by QuailRiver on Apr 11, 2017 22:13:22 GMT -5
I'm inclined to agree with Shotgunner. Especially for club or student use. If the users don't own it and don't have to pay for the repairs then many won't take good care of it. And it only takes one ya-hoo to screw up a new saw.
Larry C.
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Post by catmandewe on Apr 11, 2017 23:34:52 GMT -5
If I were buying a new saw I would go with Barranca Diamond, especially if it is a club saw.
Diamond Pacific has good saws but their hydraulic drive is not ideal for a club saw, too easy for someone to just put the power to it and bugger something up.
If you cant afford that then you should refurbish the saws you have rather than buy a new HP.
Thats my opinion you can take it for whatever you think its worth.
Tony
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Erich
spending too much on rocks
Member since November 2015
Posts: 411 
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Post by Erich on Apr 12, 2017 8:40:34 GMT -5
From my experience I would not recommend a Barranca Diamond BD-10 as mine has given me nothing but trouble since I got it, poor design in my opinion; tank gaskets don't work, arbor bearings go bad after 4-6 months, blade cover improperly centered and constantly falls on blade., on and on. I wish I could do it over.
I brought this BD-10 as my trim/slab saw because I had heard nothing but praise for the company but they certainly dropped the ball on this model. I hope the larger models are better designed...
However, their customer service does try hard to help resolve some issues; but having the saw off line for weeks at a time is annoying...
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Post by Bluesky78987 on Apr 12, 2017 10:08:28 GMT -5
I'd also recommend against a BD-10 for club trim saw use. I'm not as negative on it as Erich, but it's hard to cleanup, being kind of an awkward combination of trim saw and auto feed saw, with the feed mechanism running along the tabletop. Chips get on the table top and interfere with the autofeed. The tank is hard to clean the sludge out of except while the blade is removed, and even then the stopper for the bottom drain protrudes up into the tank, making it hard to scoop. Raising the hinged tabletop causes whatever liquid or dust is on the table to pour into/onto the motor. Difficult to clean around the vice and feed. The vice is a poor design too. Maybe the larger BD saws are better - the BD-10 is a very new style - mine bought in 2012 is serial number 00000028. Good customer service though for sure.
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iwannarock
starting to shine!
Member since April 2015
Posts: 35
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Post by iwannarock on Apr 12, 2017 13:53:00 GMT -5
Well we have been replacing parts and if you have one of the older 10" Highlandparks their initial design is over complicated and lacking for keeping the sled/vice in constant alignment, plus the plexilids do warp and break after 4-5 decades and when you have had a multitude of people doing the hay-wire and bublegum fixes over time, holes get added, holes enlarged/worn out due to improper maintenance, it gets a little frustrating trying to put the saw back to factory specs. Then we run into the problem of the age of the units and being able to find all of the parts to replace as some of the saws have had some pieces re-modified to what the maintenance person thought would be a better idea, when in fact they had no mechanical knowledge. I would love to be able to purchase all of the parts for rebuilds, but when you need to replace the sled/vice, rails, bushings etc it starts to become cost prohibitive and new is looking at the cheaper more long term solution, we hope.
Kinda hoping more people with the newer Highlands chime in as they on outward appearance seemed to have simplified the sled/vice and appears to be more stable and robust with fewer moving/adjusting parts.
I really do appreciate every ones thoughts and experiences here and please continue to do so.
cheers
Iwannarock
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Post by Bluesky78987 on Apr 12, 2017 15:08:25 GMT -5
Maybe you should buy two of whichever ones you get, and put one in time-warp storage for spare parts in 30 years!
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Don
Cave Dweller
He wants you too, Malachi.
Member since December 2009
Posts: 2,616
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Post by Don on Apr 12, 2017 15:20:34 GMT -5
If I was in the market for a new slab saw, I'd buy BD. I'm currently running a 1960's era HP.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,494
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Post by Sabre52 on Apr 12, 2017 18:49:00 GMT -5
Wow, sorry to hear the bad stuff abut the BD 10. That was on my list for when the the Covington finally gives up the ghost. Guess I'll have to shop for an old model unless anyone has a good report on another brand of ten inch slab/trim saw....Mel
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Post by Rockoonz on Apr 12, 2017 21:37:12 GMT -5
I would talk to the people at Cigar box rocks and get completely restored HP or FranTom saws.
I would never get a new chinese HP, fit and finish is awful, I have never seen a more poorly constructed saw that wasn't home made.
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Post by aDave on Apr 13, 2017 1:30:07 GMT -5
Wow, sorry to hear the bad stuff abut the BD 10. You and me both, Mel. Simply by rep, I had this saw pretty high on my list as well. I'm still going back and forth between the tile and trim saws, and just when I think I'm getting close to a decision, something comes up that causes me to rethink my position. Those issues that Susan ( Bluesky78987 ) brought up are pretty problematic for me, at least on their face. As such, the pendulum may have swung back toward the tile saw. But, that's a different thread, and I don't want to steal further from the OP. Dave |
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Post by johnjsgems on Apr 13, 2017 20:59:46 GMT -5
I'm getting great feedback on my saw if you don't need auto feed. Good tile saws like MK101 also very good if you want water cooled, no feed. The BD10 has a limited cutting height but saw is pretty well made. Hinged table and cleanout plug in tank makes cleaning easy (all tank type 10"saws need blade removed to clean sump). Hinged table convenience has the cost of more prone to leak. If it dumps coolant when lifted up I would think cleaning table first would be advised. Beacon Star still available from Diamond Pacific but price is way high. THey call it TC10.
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Post by deb193redux on Apr 19, 2017 0:53:20 GMT -5
I think the HP14 ffor sturdy. But the HighlandParkLapidary are not bad. Company is in China, but American owned. Even US built saws likely have some Chinese steel.
I got the HT12, which has made several improvements over the LS12. Vise carriage is better. Tank has a drain. Price is super low.
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