ajs76
off to a rocking start
Member since November 2020
Posts: 24 
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Post by ajs76 on Nov 26, 2020 18:36:44 GMT -5
Hey all I picked up a 10 inch harbor freight wet tile saw used for cheap. Got it up and going and it’s running great with decent water coverage on one side and my wife spraying the other side manually. So I cut two test stones (easier stuff and nothing special). Then I went for a bigger agate piece (like 3 inches tall?) I made it halfway through and the blade just said “nope. No more”. I didn’t want to use a ton of pressure I pulled out the half cut stone and ran a brick through (cut it like butter). I then tried again and made it maybe another .5 inches before the same issue? So my question: Did I get a ghetto counterfeit blade off Amazon? Do I need to man up and push more? Is this all folly and should I get a real lap saw  I saw the other guys thread and he cut lots of cool stuff with a tile saw so what gives? |
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Post by Starguy on Nov 26, 2020 18:47:40 GMT -5
ajs76 I use a silicon carbide dressing stone. I have heard that bricks work but I haven’t tried that method before. I usually make three or four cuts through the SiC stone.
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ajs76
off to a rocking start
Member since November 2020
Posts: 24
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Post by ajs76 on Nov 26, 2020 21:17:32 GMT -5
Interesting. What grit? I can pick one up
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RWA3006
Cave Dweller 
Member since March 2009
Posts: 4,640
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Post by RWA3006 on Nov 26, 2020 23:05:45 GMT -5
Peen the cutting edge of the blade with the edge of a big bastard file all the way around it's circumference. This will swage the cutting surface to cut a bit wider kerf and prevent the blade from being pinched.
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ajs76
off to a rocking start
Member since November 2020
Posts: 24
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Post by ajs76 on Nov 27, 2020 0:01:54 GMT -5
Sorry rwa I wasn't being clear. The blade still spins at full speed but it just stopped making forward progression so I am going to try and deglaze and reverse the blade tomorrow
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Post by Starguy on Nov 27, 2020 0:32:52 GMT -5
ajs76I just buy the cheapest ones I can find at the hardware store. They are made for sharpening knives. They usually have a coarse side and a fine side. If you saw straight across with thin slices, they last quite a while. I’ve also had luck just sawing through worn out bench grinder wheels meant for grinding steel.
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Post by stardiamond on Nov 27, 2020 12:32:59 GMT -5
Larger slabbing should be done with oil lubrication. I slabbed small rough for many years using my water cooled trim saw. The best technique is to rotate the rock against the blade and pushing straight when the cut is almost complete rather than trying to cut it straight on.
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ajs76
off to a rocking start
Member since November 2020
Posts: 24
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Post by ajs76 on Nov 27, 2020 14:46:51 GMT -5
Aha. So my technique might be terrible as well! I actually bought a drill press vice to install on the moving tray to keep the cuts straighter but if I’m supposed to rotate that’s a different issue
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,640
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Post by QuailRiver on Nov 27, 2020 16:13:41 GMT -5
Make sure that your blade isn't bent. A bent or cupped blade may not perform well or sometimes not at all once the cut gets to a certain depth into the blade. And if the shipper doesn't know how, or care enough, to package a diamond blade properly for shipping then the blade can easily get bent in shipping. And even a slight bend can be a big problem.
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