whyofquartz
spending too much on rocks
So, Africa is smaller than I expected...
Member since December 2019
Posts: 318
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Post by whyofquartz on Dec 11, 2019 13:24:13 GMT -5
i have big rocks with lots of character, I don't want to mangle them on my Hazard Fraught 7" tile saw and i doubt i have the patience to hand slab anyway.
in metal shops they use a horizontal band saw with a adjustable gas shock to control the fall of the blade. is this method not used in slabbing? if not, Why?
i have found a saw new for about $250 i can get the blade for $101 and i imagine even with the three speed motor i would have to add in a coolant system for some dollars.
i don't want to carve out complex figures i just want to get inside these blasted rocks and get at their beauty. I can't afford this at the moment but I also can't afford for it to be a dumb idea (like when i tried to cut rocks with a sawzall and didn't have enough hands for the water hose)
am i better off just buying a slabbing saw?
or offering a fair split to someone on here(for instance I just want 1 slab of each you can keep the rest)
or going to a waterjet company
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Post by stardiamond on Dec 11, 2019 14:27:28 GMT -5
The first question is how big are your rocks and that dictates the size of saw you need. Smaller slab saws are less expensive, the blades are less expensive and they waste less material. For most of the years I did lapidary work, I slabbed with an 8 inch trim saw. The disadvantages are accuracy of cut and blade wear. If the rocks you cut are not large, I would look for a used 10-12 inch slab saw. There are a lot or lapidary band saws in the $300-400 range new, but I don't know how good a job they would do slabbing and the blade wear.
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whyofquartz
spending too much on rocks
So, Africa is smaller than I expected...
Member since December 2019
Posts: 318
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Post by whyofquartz on Dec 11, 2019 15:28:00 GMT -5
Well i have a bunch of rocks that are too big to cut in 1 pass and i think i see scenes in there and i don't want to wreck them with my impatience and inexperience. i will make a big post of my big stones this weekend, i am trying to catalog everything i have found so far.
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Post by stardiamond on Dec 11, 2019 15:49:17 GMT -5
One of the techniques used here for larger rocks is to rotate the rock against the blade instead of going straight at it. I also do this to split thick slabs once they have been cut down to a preform. My execution is not that great and the cuts need to ground a little but they are relatively even.
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NDK
Cave Dweller 
Member since January 2009
Posts: 9,440
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Post by NDK on Dec 11, 2019 23:00:44 GMT -5
Another way to open them up is tap around the circumference with a hammer & cold chisel. Eventually it'll fracture open approximately where you've been hitting it. This would allow you to split them to at least see inside.
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,359
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Post by quartz on Dec 11, 2019 23:37:42 GMT -5
What kind of bandsaw blade are you looking at? A steel blade isn't going to cut rocks, need diamonds on the blade edge. Yes, it will need coolant too.
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whyofquartz
spending too much on rocks
So, Africa is smaller than I expected...
Member since December 2019
Posts: 318
|
Post by whyofquartz on Dec 12, 2019 7:08:07 GMT -5
That $101 is for a diamond blade that i would have to custom order. For context metal and wood blades can be had over the counter for around $30. It just seems that the falling action of the band saw is simpler than a screw driven carriage but all the slab saws i see use the carriage.
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NRG
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2018
Posts: 1,688
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Post by NRG on Dec 12, 2019 9:41:14 GMT -5
That $101 is for a diamond blade that i would have to custom order. For context metal and wood blades can be had over the counter for around $30. It just seems that the falling action of the band saw is simpler than a screw driven carriage but all the slab saws i see use the carriage. Slow down turbo. We have all the knowledge in the world in this particular arena. Please, be more specific. How big of a rock is the largest rock you wanna cut? From that we can help guide you forward. To answer your first question: Yes, what you called a guillotine we call a drop saw. It's the least expensive rock saw method but feed must be carefully controlled so the blade doesn't bounce. |
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whyofquartz
spending too much on rocks
So, Africa is smaller than I expected...
Member since December 2019
Posts: 318
|
Post by whyofquartz on Dec 12, 2019 10:27:07 GMT -5
That $101 is for a diamond blade that i would have to custom order. For context metal and wood blades can be had over the counter for around $30. It just seems that the falling action of the band saw is simpler than a screw driven carriage but all the slab saws i see use the carriage. Slow down turbo. We have all the knowledge in the world in this particular arena. Please, be more specific. How big of a rock is the largest rock you wanna cut? From that we can help guide you forward. To answer your first question: Yes, what you called a guillotine we call a drop saw. It's the least expensive rock saw method but feed must be carefully controlled so the blade doesn't bounce. I respect your knowledge and acknowledge my ignorance that i why i am asking here. probably the biggest rock have that I want to cut is a semi-circle of petrified wood 6 or 8 inches long by 2 or 3 inches tall and about 2 inches thick that I (think) would want to cut in to cut into moons, that is it is D shaped and i would want to make the most D's possible. some of the others may be larger in other dimensions but i doubt it. and to be perfectly clear, were i to try this it would be well down the road. i just wanted to know if there was a road there, i may just spend the $60 to buy the plans off ebay and fab up a 10" circular slab saw myself. I have access to a welder, drill press, plasma cutter, a mechanic, and a good relationship with my scrapyard owner |
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NRG
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2018
Posts: 1,688
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Post by NRG on Dec 12, 2019 10:59:58 GMT -5
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