|
|
Post by mountainshadowrocks on Jan 4, 2018 19:23:36 GMT -5
Thanks to my personal interest and local geology, I am slabbing jasper, agate, and a fair amount of petrified wood that is insanely hard.
I bought a Lortone Panther and understand it isn't ideal for the harder rocks due to cutting speed, but it seems to zoom right through even the hardest rocks without issue. Lortone says it shipped with an MK/BD 303 blade.
I want to buy a replacement blade or two to have on hand since I am already about 50 hours in on this blade..., and I wonder if anyone has run the BD 303P blade on this saw? Why is it a cheaper blade yet claims to do a better job on hard rocks? Is that just because it is thicker?
I'd love some input and advice on this...
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 4, 2018 20:12:21 GMT -5
Thanks to my personal interest and local geology, I am slabbing jasper, agate, and a fair amount of petrified wood that is insanely hard. I bought a Lortone Panther and understand it isn't ideal for the harder rocks due to cutting speed, but it seems to zoom right through even the hardest rocks without issue. Lortone says it shipped with an MK/BD 303 blade. I want to buy a replacement blade or two to have on hand since I am already about 50 hours in on this blade..., and I wonder if anyone has run the BD 303P blade on this saw? Why is it a cheaper blade yet claims to do a better job on hard rocks? Is that just because it is thicker? I'd love some input and advice on this... I can't answer your exact question. Humble apologies. What diameter is the blade? My 24" had half left still. It's got 100 hours on it since then. I can't tell if it's worn or not. Just as a reference point. I dunno know smaller blades wear faster. |
|
|
|
Post by mountainshadowrocks on Jan 4, 2018 20:24:01 GMT -5
The blade diameter is 14".
I read somewhere you can get about 125-150 hours on a blade depending on what you cut. I cut hard rock and dress the blade periodically, so I assume it will have a shorter life than if I was cutting serpentine or something.
|
|
aksockeye
off to a rocking start
Member since December 2017
Posts: 14 
|
Post by aksockeye on Jan 4, 2018 23:26:38 GMT -5
I own a Panther also,an old timer told me you can install a rheostat switch that will allow you to adjust cutting speed. A lot of people said it wouldn’t work. I brought motor/model number to commercial outfit and they confirmed it could be done. I opted to update my worn switch with lortone 12 inch switch that feeds at a slower rate. I also would like to know what other 14 inch blades people are using.
|
|
|
|
Post by roy on Jan 5, 2018 12:43:06 GMT -5
i own a 14" panther have not had a problem with it at all after 30 or so slabs i put in some obsidian cut 4 or 5 slabs to fresh up the blade and off i go i have up to 3 slab auctions a week so my saws get really tested
|
|
|
|
Post by Jugglerguy on Jan 7, 2018 8:23:52 GMT -5
johnjsgems might know the answer to this question.
|
|
Fossilman
Cave Dweller 
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,723
|
Post by Fossilman on Jan 7, 2018 10:25:39 GMT -5
I think as with any blade, it's how you take care of it as you cut... Lots of oil and dress it every so often... I also cut the harder material, but also will take a day and just cut Obsidian......
Most blades from different Companies are good...To me its like a Ford or Chevy.. Its all about what kind of taste you have and cash...
All my cuts are with the MK 303 and MK 301.....
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 7, 2018 12:10:54 GMT -5
The blade diameter is 14". I read somewhere you can get about 125-150 hours on a blade depending on what you cut. I cut hard rock and dress the blade periodically, so I assume it will have a shorter life than if I was cutting serpentine or something. I determine blade life by when the blade has no more diamonds left. Hours is kind of odd to me. Hours of cutting full height stone versus cutting tiny pieces will be different. How much diamond remains? |
|
|
|
Post by broseph82 on Jan 8, 2018 13:03:54 GMT -5
I think as with any blade, it's how you take care of it as you cut... Lots of oil and dress it every so often... I also cut the harder material, but also will take a day and just cut Obsidian...... Most blades from different Companies are good...To me its like a Ford or Chevy.. Its all about what kind of taste you have and cash... All my cuts are with the MK 303 and MK 301..... I used to have a 1/2 day of cutting obsidian too and would always notice a better sound cutting harder stuff after. Would def help with dressing IMO |
|
|
|
Post by johnjsgems on Jan 9, 2018 14:00:31 GMT -5
I sell a lot of 301 blades to Lortone owners. The 301 in the 10" I use des sail through the hardest materials better than 303C. The 303P is a porcelain tile blade. I was not overly impressed with it on a 7" tile saw I had but I really don't like thick blades. Any good thick blade will cut slower than a good thin blade since you are pushing a larger hole through. If you are happy with the 303C I would stay with it. If you think it doesn't work well on super hard materials try a 301. Cost is higher but the rim is 20-25% taller so you are buying more diamond. Should be longer life too. If you want a thick blade I think the 305 Agate Kutter would be better than 303P. I have heard of many people replacing the Panther feed motor with the 12" feed motor. Slow smooth cuts always best for te blade.
|
|
|
|
Post by mountainshadowrocks on Jan 12, 2018 21:57:59 GMT -5
johnjsgems When I look at my saw's blade, I see the diamonds in the matrix on the sides and the cutting edge of the blade. Is that whole edge diamonds in a matrix, or is there the other blade material under it? In other words, when dressing the blade will the blade keep wearing down in diameter until you hit the inner edge of that outer ring of diamonds or do you hit the steel of the blade itself at some point? I'm having a hard time deciding when my blade needs to be dressed and just how much of it is actually there... I can see some diamonds on the cutting edge and I also see the "matrix burn" from cutting hard materials too fast. I had been dressing the blade with obsidian, but I am not sure it did much and switched to a fire brick. I see that made more diamond visible and got rid of the black matrix covering them. However, I am getting a lot of clicking sort of noise when I cut things like agate or jasper. Yesterday I cut some Williamsite and had an issue where the rock slab was hot when I pulled it out. Not sure why, since it is a relatively soft stone. I'm not getting blade marks on my slabs, but I am also not sure how much blade wear I have left... And, how often to dress the blade because I am cutting mostly hard as Hadies rocks but I know if I dress too often I will roach the blade too early. 
|
|
