rockbiter
having dreams about rocks
Member since October 2019
Posts: 60
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Post by rockbiter on Oct 24, 2019 11:58:09 GMT -5
I have a 10" and a 16" slab saw. I want to get rid of one due to space constraints. I mostly use the 10" due to the kerf being much thinner. Thick kerf means you are grinding a third of every rock into dust. That dust combines with the oil to make sludge. Thinner blade means more slabs per rock, fewer saw clean outs, and less oil wasted as sludge. The saws are both homemade but the 16" is better quality and obviously can handle larger rocks. The vise is also a lot more user-friendly.
So two questions.
First, how thin a blade is it realistic to get away with on a 16" saw? I know how to align my blade to the vise, and I don't mind sharpening. (side note - if you haven't tried tapping the edge of a bastard file on the blade to sharpen it, do yourself a favor and try it out. I fought dull blades for years and this works great!)
Second, what thin 14-16" blade do you recommend? Does anyone have experience with the HP Thinline Agate Eater blades? 0.055 kerf thickness.I wouldn't trust ordering one without hearing from someone who has used one. What about Ukam smart cut blades? Way more expensive, made in America. Worth the price?
Thanks. First post, by the way.
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Oct 24, 2019 12:41:52 GMT -5
The best blade I have ever used on my 14" is an MK301. The kerf is .085". I think that blade is also available in a .065" thickness but thinner blades flex more which could lead to damage. The MK301 16" only has one kerf option and that is .085". My second choice would be the MK303 blades and those are .070" in 14" and .085" in 16".
Chuck
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Post by parfive on Oct 24, 2019 12:58:56 GMT -5
Never had a problem with .050 in 14” drop saw.
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Post by stardiamond on Oct 24, 2019 13:02:07 GMT -5
In 2008, my wife said that I should buy a slab saw. I ended up buying a Covington 16 inch combo saw. It sat in the box until I retired in 2014. When I was working I had limited free time and would rather spend it making cabs. I had a 8 inch trim saw with an mk303 blade that was fine for slabbing small rough freehand.
I believe that a new slab saw owner should take something like driver's education. I learned the hard way. I wrecked my 16 inch Covington blade. I decided to replace it with a 14 inch MK303 because it cost less, had a smaller kerf and I didn't have anything that required a 16 inch blade. I just added more oil. I wrecked the MK303. It probably could be trued. Covington recommended an MK301 because it would last longer. I regret buying the Covington because of the clutch. I probably ruined the clutch by not understanding it. I didn't have any rough that required a 14 inch blade and considered buying either a 10 inch or 12 inch rebranded HP. I also decided that I didn't need a slab saw because I had very little to cut. I'm hoping to have my clutch replaced tomorrow and have bought some material appropriate for the 14 inch blade.
Sorry for the long answer. To summarize; use the smallest blade with the smallest kerf that will address you slabbing needs. The only blades, I've bought are MK. The 301 I bought has .065 kerf.
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Post by stonemon on Oct 24, 2019 13:08:27 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum!!
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rockbiter
having dreams about rocks
Member since October 2019
Posts: 60
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Post by rockbiter on Oct 24, 2019 13:18:44 GMT -5
The best blade I have ever used on my 14" is an MK301. The kerf is .085". I think that blade is also available in a .065" thickness but thinner blades flex more which could lead to damage. The MK301 16" only has one kerf option and that is .085". My second choice would be the MK303 blades and those are .070" in 14" and .085" in 16". Chuck I usually cut my slabs at about 0.2" thickness. If I lose 0.085" per slab (not even accounting for the first cut), that means I grind 29.8% of the rock into sludge buildup. That's too much. My 10" blade has a kerf of .045" for a loss (again ignoring the first cut) of 18.4%. The difference means that with a rock with 3" of lateral cutting width, the thick kerf would create 160% as much sludge while getting two slabs less out of the rock (10 instead of 12). Hoping to keep kerf <.06". If this is unrealistic I will probably keep the 10" saw. |
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Oct 24, 2019 13:34:03 GMT -5
The best blade I have ever used on my 14" is an MK301. The kerf is .085". I think that blade is also available in a .065" thickness but thinner blades flex more which could lead to damage. The MK301 16" only has one kerf option and that is .085". My second choice would be the MK303 blades and those are .070" in 14" and .085" in 16". Chuck I usually cut my slabs at about 0.2" thickness. If I lose 0.085" per slab (not even accounting for the first cut), that means I grind 29.8% of the rock into sludge buildup. That's too much. My 10" blade has a kerf of .045" for a loss (again ignoring the first cut) of 18.4%. The difference means that with a rock with 3" of lateral cutting width, the thick kerf would create 160% as much sludge while getting two slabs less out of the rock (10 instead of 12). Hoping to keep kerf <.06". If this is unrealistic I will probably keep the 10" saw. That is understandable. I have thinner blades on my 10" and 12". Just keep in mind there is blade deflection when your rock hits the blade at an odd angle and the thinner the blade the more of an issue that becomes. I cut .25" thick and a majority of that is self hounded material. If I were paying top dollar for rough I might be more concerned about kerf and less concerned about blade longevity. Chuck |
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rockbiter
having dreams about rocks
Member since October 2019
Posts: 60
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Post by rockbiter on Oct 24, 2019 13:55:26 GMT -5
In 2008, my wife said that I should buy a slab saw. I ended up buying a Covington 16 inch combo saw. It sat in the box until I retired in 2014. When I was working I had limited free time and would rather spend it making cabs. I had a 8 inch trim saw with an mk303 blade that was fine for slabbing small rough freehand. I believe that a new slab saw owner should take something like driver's education. I learned the hard way. I wrecked my 16 inch Covington blade. I decided to replace it with a 14 inch MK303 because it cost less, had a smaller kerf and I didn't have anything that required a 16 inch blade. I just added more oil. I wrecked the MK303. It probably could be trued. Covington recommended an MK301 because it would last longer. I regret buying the Covington because of the clutch. I probably ruined the clutch by not understanding it. I didn't have any rough that required a 14 inch blade and considered buying either a 10 inch or 12 inch rebranded HP. I also decided that I didn't need a slab saw because I had very little to cut. I'm hoping to have my clutch replaced tomorrow and have bought some material appropriate for the 14 inch blade. Sorry for the long answer. To summarize; use the smallest blade with the smallest kerf that will address you slabbing needs. The only blades, I've bought are MK. The 301 I bought has .065 kerf. There's definitely a steep (and sometimes expensive) learning curve to saw ownership when you don't have a mentor! I've owned three over the last eight years and they have all been used homemade saws. I've fought them all in most every way possible. Very frustrating at times. Most all my problems have stemmed from excess pressure on the blade due to improper sharpening, blade alignment, blade speed, or oil viscosity. Finally feel I know enough to mostly keep one running fairly smoothly as long as I don't have a rock slip out of the vise and tweak the blade. |
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rockbiter
having dreams about rocks
Member since October 2019
Posts: 60
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Post by rockbiter on Oct 24, 2019 14:14:06 GMT -5
Thanks! I am actually scaling back on lapidary right now, but rockhounding is in my blood and I have to do something other than build up buckets of rough. Sold off a 20" saw, two trim saws, my expanding drums grinding wheel and polishing wheel. I was always fighting my junky polishing equipment so it just wasn't fun and took too much space. And the trim saws used oil and were just a nasty mess I never wanted to use. Keeping one saw and might try making a tile saw into a water trim saw. I have a couple rotary tumblers and a vibe that I want to get back to using. And I probably need a grinding wheel for rough shaping. Shouldn't have sold that. Ah well. |
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Oct 24, 2019 19:46:52 GMT -5
Welcome from Northern Arizona!
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