QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,640
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Post by QuailRiver on Dec 18, 2019 19:28:19 GMT -5
 This item is now SOLD. Thank you! Additional photos can be seen on my flickr page linked here: www.flickr.com/photos/quailriver/This is a used Frantom model F-3 14" slab saw for sale. It is a bench top model that was manufactured in the 1970s. Frantom made very good saws and though they are no longer in business, Highland Park Lapidary does still make some aftermarket parts for the Frantom brand saws if in the future any are ever needed. I purchased this saw a few years ago with the intent of doing a complete restoration but never got around to it. Rather than continue to leave it sit unused I have decided to sell it. So I recently cleaned it up, and built a wooden stand to mount it and an electric motor on so it could be tested first. And after mounting an unused new-old-stock MLS 14" diamond blade (labeled for Minnesota Lapidary Supply but was manufactured by Star Diamond) I then test cut several 4.25" x 3" agate slabs and cut open a 3.5" by 3" thunder egg all with no issues. These bench top model Frantom saws were originally sold without motors, stands or belt guards and this one did not have any of those with it when I purchased it. Modern 14" slab saws normally use 1/2hp motors but I didn't have an extra 1/2hp to use to test this saw with but did have a spare 1/3hp motor so that is what I mounted under the saw to use to test it with and it seems to operate fine with it. But if you plan on cutting a lot of larger maximum sized (for this saw) hard materials like agates or petrified wood then you might end up needing to upgrade to a 1/2hp motor. This 14" Frantom slab saw can also be used with a 12" blade. With a 14" blade it requires approximately 2-3/4 gallons of saw oil. And with a 12" blade it would require approximately an additional 3-1/2 gallons of saw oil. As can be seen in the flickr photos linked above, the clear acrylic window in the lid is cracked and cosmetically this saw isn't the prettiest. But in testing it does function properly. This saw is being sold with the wooden stand, 1/3hp motor, and 14" MSL diamond blade that it is shown with in the photos. This saw is being offered with local pick-up only in the High Point, NC area. The price is $700 with payment being made either in cash at the time of pick-up, or via Pay Pal in advance of pick-up. If interested in purchasing message me. I will also be listing this saw on other venues as well, so the first person to make a firm commitment to purchase gets priority. Larry C. |
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Post by HankRocks on Dec 18, 2019 21:01:51 GMT -5
QuailRiver What's the purpose of the extra bolt through the movable clamp plate, have never seen that on any of those type clamps.  9 by Quailriver, on Flickr Just drove through your area back in Oct to visit my son in Durham. Henry
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Post by HankRocks on Dec 18, 2019 21:29:11 GMT -5
QuailRiver What's the purpose of the extra bolt through the movable clamp plate, have never seen that on any of those type clamps. Henry The bolt is used to keep both faces of the vice jaws parallel when clamping rocks that are too short or too uneven to do so themselves. And for medium to large sized rocks the bolt is usually used in conjunction with a block of wood to help span the difference in space. My Lortone 18" and Covington 20" saws have a similar type vice clamps but without the horizontal through bolt. So with those I just have to use blocks of wood and pieces of Masonite to span the spacial difference. Larry Cashatt Was suspecting that was the purpose of it. My 24 inch Highland Park has the same type clamp and no extra bolt. I have had issues with short and uneven rocks and the clamp getting out of parallel and the rock coming loose. I started using blocks that are just a bit under the width of the shorter rocks. That or I am resorting to gluing really flat rocks to wood. Of coarse that does add glue drying time to the process. Not a big deal if I plan ahead. Thanks Henry |
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Post by Rockoonz on Dec 18, 2019 23:20:58 GMT -5
The bolt is used to keep both faces of the vice jaws parallel when clamping rocks that are too short or too uneven to do so themselves. And for medium to large sized rocks the bolt is usually used in conjunction with a block of wood to help span the difference in space. My Lortone 18" and Covington 20" saws have a similar type vice clamps but without the horizontal through bolt. So with those I just have to use blocks of wood and pieces of Masonite to span the spacial difference. Larry Cashatt Was suspecting that was the purpose of it. My 24 inch Highland Park has the same type clamp and no extra bolt. I have had issues with short and uneven rocks and the clamp getting out of parallel and the rock coming loose. I started using blocks that are just a bit under the width of the shorter rocks. That or I am resorting to gluing really flat rocks to wood. Of coarse that does add glue drying time to the process. Not a big deal if I plan ahead. Thanks Henry Sorry for the hijack but... I make these things I call "jaw jacks" out of coupler nuts and various length bolts, adjustable to keep the jaws parallel, easy to adjust with one hand.  |
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ldh314
off to a rocking start
Member since April 2017
Posts: 7 
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Post by ldh314 on Dec 19, 2019 11:08:13 GMT -5
Hi ALL, I bought a used 14' Frantom from QuailRiver about 5 years ago. He stands by his word. If had a place to put two 14" saws I would buy this one. Larry Huffman
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NevadaBill
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2019
Posts: 1,332
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Post by NevadaBill on Dec 19, 2019 11:56:46 GMT -5
Pretty much exactly the kind of saw I am looking for right now. Except the NC part. Thanks for posting!
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Post by rockjunquie on Dec 20, 2019 6:56:21 GMT -5
Saw this on ebay- great deal! I would love it and might even make the drive, but I have no room for it.
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