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Post by gmitch067 on Feb 13, 2019 23:01:44 GMT -5
I am new to using a flat lap and am currently setting up a new Diamond Hi-Tech "All-U-Need" Flat Lap
three questions:
Q-1: The screw that holds the lap disc on the spindle has two steel/rubber washers that come with it… both are nested within each other and can easily be mistaken for a single washer (or spacer?). Should these be separated and put on both top and bottom of the lap disc… or left together on top?
Q-2: Should the sticky paper on the BOTTOM side of the thick black acrylic master lap (used as backing for the electroplated diamond disc and the smoothing disks) be removed before it is placed on the arbor?
Q-3: The arbor has a clear plastic sleeve (slightly beveled in cut). It is designed to help keep water from entering the motor through the shaft. Occasionally the arbor is removed to refresh the lube keeping the motor shaft and arbor from seizing together. When the arbor is replaced, how far down the shaft should it be positioned (almost touching the drain plate... or X-number of inches above?
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Post by MsAli on Feb 14, 2019 0:30:10 GMT -5
I can help with 2 of these 😁
The 2 washers stay together. Although I found out you need to remove one if you added a foam pad
The paper gets removed on both sides of the backing plates. Use a hair dryer on high heat and they peel off easier
You're last question I dont have an answer for but I found thier website has a technical support if no one can answer it on here for you
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Post by gmitch067 on Feb 14, 2019 2:08:00 GMT -5
I can help with 2 of these 😁 The 2 washers stay together. Although I found out you need to remove one if you added a foam pad The paper gets removed on both sides of the backing plates. Use a hair dryer on high heat and they peel off easier You're last question I dont have an answer for but I found thier website has a technical support if no one can answer it on here for you Thank you MsAli. Good to know about the washer removal when utilizing the foam padding. I got a link error when I tried their web site Support, so I came here instead.
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Post by MsAli on Feb 14, 2019 8:14:08 GMT -5
I can help with 2 of these 😁 The 2 washers stay together. Although I found out you need to remove one if you added a foam pad The paper gets removed on both sides of the backing plates. Use a hair dryer on high heat and they peel off easier You're last question I dont have an answer for but I found thier website has a technical support if no one can answer it on here for you Thank you MsAli . Good to know about the washer removal when utilizing the foam padding. I got a link error when I tried their web site Support, so I came here instead. You'll have to let me know how this works for you So far I am liking it. Its quiet and doesnt splash water very much. I did have a hell of a time getting the water to flow at 1st, but have got that figured out now and the drain "pan" doesnt drain all that well. So it takes a little extra time making sure that's cleaned up when done
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Feb 14, 2019 9:28:59 GMT -5
gmitch067 according to the instruction manual it doesn't matter. It says you can move it up or down to keep the disc below the black splash shield.
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Post by gmitch067 on Feb 14, 2019 11:22:58 GMT -5
gmitch067 according to the instruction manual it doesn't matter. It says you can move it up or down to keep the disc below the black splash shield. Thank you hummingbirdstones. I thought the top screws were used to adjust the height of the splash shield(?).
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Post by gmitch067 on Feb 14, 2019 11:29:23 GMT -5
Thank you MsAli . Good to know about the washer removal when utilizing the foam padding. I got a link error when I tried their web site Support, so I came here instead. You'll have to let me know how this works for you So far I am liking it. Its quiet and doesnt splash water very much. I did have a hell of a time getting the water to flow at 1st, but have got that figured out now and the drain "pan" doesnt drain all that well. So it takes a little extra time making sure that's cleaned up when done MsAliOn the Slant Cabber, I was wondering if you had a drain hole in the center of the catch pan or side(s)... maybe changing the tilt of the machine to allow drain water to puddle more over the drain hole might help you (a couple of felt pads on one side???). The only reason I chose the All-U-Need model was because the foot print was smaller and fit my work bench better.
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Post by MsAli on Feb 14, 2019 11:33:00 GMT -5
You'll have to let me know how this works for you So far I am liking it. Its quiet and doesnt splash water very much. I did have a hell of a time getting the water to flow at 1st, but have got that figured out now and the drain "pan" doesnt drain all that well. So it takes a little extra time making sure that's cleaned up when done MsAli On the Slant Cabber, I was wondering if you had a drain hole in the center of the catch pan or side(s)... maybe changing the tilt of the machine to allow drain water to puddle more over the drain hole might help you (a couple of felt pads on one side???). The only reason I chose the All-U-Need model was because the foot print was smaller and fit my work bench better. Mine is on the side. I actually siphoned the water out as much as I could and then used a sponge to soak up the rest and then wiped dry
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Post by gmitch067 on Feb 14, 2019 11:43:23 GMT -5
I haven't tried any cabbing yet (still doping a few stones to use as test subjects) ... so I do not know how much water my flat lap will sling around. I thought I would try it out in my garage first before bringing it indoors to the kitchen counter... and more warmth.
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Post by MsAli on Feb 14, 2019 11:49:46 GMT -5
I haven't tried any cabbing yet (still doping a few stones to use as test subjects) ... so I do not know how much water my flat lap will sling around. I thought I would try it out in my garage first before bringing it indoors to the kitchen counter... and more warmth. I set mine up on the kitchen counter top I stayed dry and the floor did too. Very little water splash (which I love) My hands cannot handle cold very well so it was really nice
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Post by gmitch067 on Feb 14, 2019 12:00:11 GMT -5
Goofed a bit in sticking the 325-grit Smoothing disc on the master lap... used the sides of the smoothing disc to align the placement and ended up off center... the arbor holes didn't match up and the overhang was more on one side than the other... not good. I had to remove it and try again... not so easy!
I ran off with my daughter's hair dryer (now I have to buy her another... Darn!) to help loosen the adhesive and peel the disc off the acrylic master lap. It was a VERY strong bond which required much tugging from all sides. I hope I didn't ruin the disc ($30+ Ouch!)... have to put it on and see if I have too much wobble. (I hate expensive mistakes... that hair dryer is gonna cost me a mint!)
I found that I could get a better alignment using the arbor holes.
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Post by MsAli on Feb 14, 2019 12:05:09 GMT -5
Goofed a bit in sticking the 325-grit Smoothing disc on the master lap... used the sides of the smoothing disc to align the placement and ended up off center... the arbor holes didn't match up and the overhang was more on one side than the other... not good. I had to remove it and try again... not so easy! I ran off with my daughter's hair dryer (now I have to buy her another... Darn!) to help loosen the adhesive and peel the disc off the acrylic master lap. It was a VERY strong bond which required much tugging from all sides. I hope I didn't ruin the disc ($30+ Ouch!)... have to put it on and see if I have too much wobble. (I hate expensive mistakes... that hair dryer is gonna cost me a mint!) I found that I could get a better alignment using the arbor holes. Sneak it back in, she will never know
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Post by gmitch067 on Feb 14, 2019 12:08:25 GMT -5
I accidentally banged it on the side of the workbench and dinged the rear fan guard... only a ding... itti bitti ding! I think she is using that as a lever to get a new one out of me... Oh well...
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Feb 14, 2019 13:56:04 GMT -5
gmitch067 according to the instruction manual it doesn't matter. It says you can move it up or down to keep the disc below the black splash shield. Thank you hummingbirdstones . I thought the top screws were used to adjust the height of the splash shield(?). Yes, they are. Sometimes the laps are different thicknesses (depending on the rubber backer you might use behind the smoothing disc) and you'll have to adjust up or down. I always put my spindle back on pretty close to the bottom, but I don't have the slant cabber and don't know how much room there is on that spindle.
As long as you can move both up and down a bit to accomodate what you're using without it splashing all over is good.
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Feb 14, 2019 14:01:06 GMT -5
Goofed a bit in sticking the 325-grit Smoothing disc on the master lap... used the sides of the smoothing disc to align the placement and ended up off center... the arbor holes didn't match up and the overhang was more on one side than the other... not good. I had to remove it and try again... not so easy! I ran off with my daughter's hair dryer (now I have to buy her another... Darn!) to help loosen the adhesive and peel the disc off the acrylic master lap. It was a VERY strong bond which required much tugging from all sides. I hope I didn't ruin the disc ($30+ Ouch!)... have to put it on and see if I have too much wobble. (I hate expensive mistakes... that hair dryer is gonna cost me a mint!) I found that I could get a better alignment using the arbor holes. If the disc doesn't stick well enough when you put it back on, get yourself some disc feathering compound and use that to stick it back on. That's what I use to make up my leather polishing laps. Just made a new one and used the feathering compound to stick the rubber backer onto the plastic disc and then to stick the leather on the rubber.
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Post by gmitch067 on Feb 14, 2019 16:18:36 GMT -5
If the disc doesn't stick well enough when you put it back on, get yourself some disc feathering compound and use that to stick it back on. That's what I use to make up my leather polishing laps. Just made a new one and used the feathering compound to stick the rubber backer onto the plastic disc and then to stick the leather on the rubber. I have some Krylon Easy-Tack™ Repositionable Adhesive spray coming... is this the same idea?
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Feb 14, 2019 16:54:01 GMT -5
Yes, same idea. I don't know how waterproof that is, but I guess you'll find out.
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Post by gmitch067 on Feb 17, 2019 15:49:53 GMT -5
If the disc doesn't stick well enough when you put it back on, get yourself some disc feathering compound and use that to stick it back on. That's what I use to make up my leather polishing laps. Just made a new one and used the feathering compound to stick the rubber backer onto the plastic disc and then to stick the leather on the rubber. How best would you use a leather polish disc? Is there a particular type of stone that benefits most, and what polish would you charge it with? I only have one free backing master plate and intend on using it for leather. I have a pre-charged cerium Oxide polish disc (already mounted to a dedicated back plate), and a T11 polish pad (also mounted to a dedicated back plate) that is not charged with anything yet. I am trying to decide my best usage for the T11 and leather discs...diamond or Tin Oxide??? I am using a 3 inch cotton polishing wheel (on a variable speed grinder) for ZAM. I don't want to even contemplate use of Chromium Oxide on anything other than a dremel polishing pad... yuk! Lol! Which leather would be best for polishing on a flat-lap... hard leather split or suede (real... not faux suede)?
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Feb 17, 2019 20:08:12 GMT -5
I always had the Tech-10 pads charged with diamond (no Tech-11 pads when I got mine). I always used CeOx on my leather. I'm a CeOx girl, but Vince likes AlOx, so we have both. I prefer the smooth side of leather with Cerium, and I originally had an Elk hide disc which was phenomenal. It is pretty impossible to find them anymore. When I needed to replace my leather, I ended up with a cow leather, I believe. I had the rough side up on that one. It worked ok, but I missed my elk. Luckily, last year we went to a leather working show in the hopes of finding some elk leather to make laps from and we were lucky enough to find some.
You will get all kinds of thoughts on which leather and what side to use for what type stone. I will be using the smooth side of the elk hide on the lap I just made. I also do use the Tech-10 with 14K and 50K diamond on opal. Felt laps also work well with oxides, but they get hot quickly, so you have to be careful with them with heat sensitive stones.
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Post by gmitch067 on Feb 17, 2019 21:25:57 GMT -5
hummingbirdstonesThank you Robin for the advice. Heat will be an issue in my future plans to polish some jade pendants. I was concerned that the T10 or T11 would be too hot and cause orange peel surface problems... that is why I was looking at the leather pad.
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