butcha
off to a rocking start
Member since January 2016
Posts: 21 
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Post by butcha on May 7, 2017 11:54:01 GMT -5
Hey folks,
I've just finished restoring a Beacon Star TC1 10" to it's former glory, and spent this afternoon testing it on some petrified wood. It cuts like a knife through butter!
My eventual aim is to make spheres, I know the first step it to make a perfect cube. I had a go at this today and struggled to get all angles to 90° and each face a perfect square.
I didn't expect perfection on my first attempt but any advice on how I could be more accurate in measuring/cutting would be appreciated
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Post by vegasjames on May 7, 2017 12:45:27 GMT -5
I think there are some old posts showing jigs people made to cut cubes for sphere making.
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sphereguy
having dreams about rocks
Hello all I've been lurking for months now
Member since March 2017
Posts: 73
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Post by sphereguy on May 7, 2017 13:13:22 GMT -5
Sphere products . Com has some cool jigs. And Richardson rock ranch may have some preform jigs. I make hundreds of spheres and you don't have to be absolutely perfect in your performs but the closer the better.
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butcha
off to a rocking start
Member since January 2016
Posts: 21
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Post by butcha on May 7, 2017 13:22:45 GMT -5
Thanks guys, someone just messaged me a link to these templates
covington-engineering.com/lapidary-equipment/sphere-machines/sphere-machine-accessories/set-of-8-metal-stone-marking-templates/
but not sure they ship to the uk. I was about .1-.2" off my my measuring so I will try and trim a little off the edges to make it more uniform
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butcha
off to a rocking start
Member since January 2016
Posts: 21
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Post by butcha on May 7, 2017 13:30:02 GMT -5
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Post by 1dave on May 7, 2017 15:47:00 GMT -5
Build it yourself. Remember, PERFECTION is a matter of opinion, and perfect is good enough. |
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metalsmith
Cave Dweller 
Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on May 7, 2017 17:16:55 GMT -5
Their products look to be pretty much diy anyhow (no disrespect to them). Clearly a decent piece of kit, but not something you couldn't make with some effort. BTW it's good to see another Brit here butcha There have been a few in the past but come and gone and now just me for the last couple of years. |
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metalsmith
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on May 7, 2017 17:25:34 GMT -5
My eventual aim is to make spheres, I know the first step it to make a perfect cube. I had a go at this today and struggled to get all angles to 90° and each face a perfect square. BTW Cutting of square cabs is considered to be really difficult. Cutting a cube will literally take that degree of difficult and add a whole new dimension. A facetter would help nail those 90 degree angles down but in the UK particularly ...  £££! |
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Post by Rockoonz on May 7, 2017 23:22:22 GMT -5
I've known Rod Riehl (sphere products) for about as long as I've played with rocks,
he designs tools that do the job without being overly complex, and they are bulletproof.
He built these alongside heavy duty stuff for the logging industry until the spotted owl
and environmentalist wackos shut down the forest products industry in the NW.
He's getting older, won't be doing it much longer, get it while you can.
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juzwuz
has rocks in the head
Member since April 2010
Posts: 526
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Post by juzwuz on May 8, 2017 0:01:52 GMT -5
I've bought one of those jigs but I haven't used it yet because it doesn't fit in my 10" saw. I'm waiting to get my 18" saw operational. In the meantime I've just used a small piece of aluminum angle (equal length legs) to either get a 45 or 90 degree cut.
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,722
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Post by Fossilman on May 8, 2017 8:39:41 GMT -5
I cut a few cubes,but just by sight and measurement......I guess it helped that I ws a carpenter for 12 years.. Got pretty good at eyeballing something and getting it right... I cubed this thunderegg......Will leave it just as it is too,kind of looks nice... flic.kr/p/TnRKQ6 |
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on May 8, 2017 13:42:01 GMT -5
Cubic perfection ain't not required. Definitely not. Perfect is good. Good is good enough.
Make sure your saw vice travels perfectly parallel to the blade. Then when resetting the stone the first time, put the cut on the table. Make sure table is clean and free of debris. Make second cut. Put the second cut against the vice. Make third, fourth and fifth cuts by simply turning the stone 90°. Now make your last cut.
Measure twice cut once.
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Post by Jugglerguy on May 8, 2017 13:53:59 GMT -5
Cubic perfection ain't not required. Definitely not. Perfect is good. Good is good enough. Make sure your saw vice travels perfectly parallel to the blade. Then when resetting the stone the first time, put the cut on the table. Make sure table is clean and free of debris. Make second cut. Put the second cut against the vice. Make third, fourth and fifth cuts by simply turning the stone 90°. Now make your last cut. Measure twice cut once. Does this assume that your vice tightens horizontally? My vice (Lortone ST-10) clamps vertically. |
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on May 8, 2017 14:02:40 GMT -5
Cubic perfection ain't not required. Definitely not. Perfect is good. Good is good enough. Make sure your saw vice travels perfectly parallel to the blade. Then when resetting the stone the first time, put the cut on the table. Make sure table is clean and free of debris. Make second cut. Put the second cut against the vice. Make third, fourth and fifth cuts by simply turning the stone 90°. Now make your last cut. Measure twice cut once. Does this assume that your vice tightens horizontally? My vice (Lortone ST-10) clamps vertically. Yes. But I'm sure the principal can be applied 90° off. Never worked a saw like you describe. Sorry. |
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Post by captbob on May 8, 2017 14:07:34 GMT -5
juzwuz I've bought one of those jigs but I haven't used it yet because it doesn't fit in my 10" saw. I'm waiting to get my 18" saw operational. How wide of a vice opening does that indexing head need?
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butcha
off to a rocking start
Member since January 2016
Posts: 21
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Post by butcha on May 9, 2017 9:22:29 GMT -5
£££ is right, I've imported both my tumbers and my saw from the US and much poorer for it! I'm tempted to try to make my own indexing machine but it sounds out of my skill range, guess I'll just do as advised and cut good enough for now! My eventual aim is to make spheres, I know the first step it to make a perfect cube. I had a go at this today and struggled to get all angles to 90° and each face a perfect square. BTW Cutting of square cabs is considered to be really difficult. Cutting a cube will literally take that degree of difficult and add a whole new dimension. A facetter would help nail those 90 degree angles down but in the UK particularly ... £££! |
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butcha
off to a rocking start
Member since January 2016
Posts: 21
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Post by butcha on May 9, 2017 9:25:47 GMT -5
I cut a few cubes,but just by sight and measurement......I guess it helped that I ws a carpenter for 12 years.. Got pretty good at eyeballing something and getting it right... I cubed this thunderegg......Will leave it just as it is too,kind of looks nice... flic.kr/p/TnRKQ6That looks amazing, I'm no carpenter so rely on precise measuring! |
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Post by 1dave on May 9, 2017 9:33:46 GMT -5
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Post by captbob on May 9, 2017 9:59:32 GMT -5
That build/thread belongs in the new DIY section! ( Tommy ) I had missed that thread. VERY cool Need updates on that core drill Scott. You were worried about the pinion, did it last? Have you been using this core drill and come up with any new tips? Any changes you would make on the build after using it? Gonna use it to make coasters out of your sandstone chunks I reckon. |
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Post by captbob on May 9, 2017 10:15:44 GMT -5
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£££!
