lunker
Cave Dweller 
Member since April 2021
Posts: 430
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Post by lunker on Apr 22, 2021 16:02:16 GMT -5
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lunker
Cave Dweller
Member since April 2021
Posts: 430
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Post by lunker on Apr 22, 2021 16:11:49 GMT -5
  Also a lap that I put together over the weekend. Seems to work ok. I am going to go to 8 inch discs though |
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lunker
Cave Dweller
Member since April 2021
Posts: 430
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Post by lunker on Apr 22, 2021 16:14:54 GMT -5
Cool! I’d like to see more photos of the saw, what make/year is it? I’ll also say that you’re choice of stone to cut would put a smile on grandpa’s face, beautiful Montana agates! I'm not sure of the make or year. I know it's from probably the 70s or early 80s. It's a 16 inch blade and autofeed |
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Post by miket on Apr 22, 2021 16:39:33 GMT -5
I really like that idea for a lap...
And that's a cool saw and some nice slabs too!
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pizzano
Cave Dweller
Member since February 2018
Posts: 1,390
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Post by pizzano on Apr 22, 2021 17:05:16 GMT -5
Also a lap that I put together over the weekend. Seems to work ok. I am going to go to 8 inch discs though I put something together much like that........awhile back..........I use both 6" and 7" diamond faceting disc's with a 1/4" thick alum backing plates custom made by Covington Engineering...........word to the wise, typical bench grinder rpm's tend to be a bit to fast and heat the material up quickly, so I use a two speed....slower rpm's for 120 thru 200 dics's.......faster for 60 thru 120 in order to quickly knock out the rough shaping..........then vibe everything afterwards......! forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/thread/83161/latest-endeavor-pics-learned-tricks |
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lunker
Cave Dweller
Member since April 2021
Posts: 430
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Post by lunker on Apr 22, 2021 17:18:41 GMT -5
I plug it into a speed control. It doesn't really slow it down but does reduce the torque so it slows down when you're grinding
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Post by jasoninsd on Apr 22, 2021 19:43:45 GMT -5
Pretty cool homemade lap...and nice that you got grandpa's saw cutting some material. That last picture really shows an amazing looking agate!
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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 Apr 22, 2021 22:32:41 GMT -5
It looks to me like that saw may well be a homemader, whatever it is you made some good cuts on really nice rock.
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lunker
Cave Dweller
Member since April 2021
Posts: 430
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Post by lunker on Apr 22, 2021 22:52:30 GMT -5
It looks to me like that saw may well be a homemader, whatever it is you made some good cuts on really nice rock. It could very well be. Gramps was a farmer and could build just about anything. I wish he was still around to answer the million questions I have. When I go on my days off I will get some more pictures of the saw and the inner workings |
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Post by Peruano on Apr 23, 2021 6:37:13 GMT -5
I'd tend to vote homemade. Its really interesting that both bearings for the arbor are outboard of the tank. Even more curious is having the drive pulley further out on the shaft to accommodate the motor on the side of the saw. The outside bearing has two embedded screws which facilitate moving the bearing forward and back (essentially making the alignment of the blade both precise and easy). Unless the photograhy is fooling my eye and interpretation it is a left handed saw (the work is held to the left of the blade and the finished slab falls to the right side. I would love to see the inside. A great thing to be explored.
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lunker
Cave Dweller
Member since April 2021
Posts: 430
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Post by lunker on Apr 24, 2021 12:32:43 GMT -5
I forgot this picture. That old saw was stuffed in behind all this. Gramps was a rockhound I'd say. He farmed some pretty gravelly fields.  |
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Post by jasoninsd on Apr 24, 2021 22:01:24 GMT -5
I forgot this picture. That old saw was stuffed in behind all this. Gramps was a rockhound I'd say. He farmed some pretty gravelly fields. I can only imagine how many little "treasures" you're going to find in those buckets!!!  |
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lunker
Cave Dweller
Member since April 2021
Posts: 430
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Post by lunker on Apr 24, 2021 22:28:48 GMT -5
I have 4 more days of work then I will be digging into them. It's sure exciting to cut one open to see what's hiding in there
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lunker
Cave Dweller
Member since April 2021
Posts: 430
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Post by lunker on Apr 29, 2021 17:44:59 GMT -5
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lunker
Cave Dweller
Member since April 2021
Posts: 430
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Post by lunker on Apr 29, 2021 17:45:34 GMT -5
Any idea what brand that blade is
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Post by holajonathan on Oct 6, 2021 10:52:26 GMT -5
Your grandpa would be proud of you for using his saw and cutting his rocks! No doubt that saw is homemade by someone with some fabrication skills, taking design cues from commercially available saws. What is most impressive is the homemade vise / carriage / auto feed system. Welding up a steel box isn't that hard, but the other parts require a lot more precision.
As for your blade, it is the predecessor to the MK Diamond 301 series. I believe that MK Diamond purchased the rim design from Regal -- a manufacturer of diamond blades and grinding wheels. Regal used to make lapidary blades, but got out of the business, it seems. If you compare the rim on your blade to an MK 301 you will see that they are the same.
That is a good blade that should last a long time if used properly. I have at least a few hundred hours of cutting on a 14" MK 301 blade. It has not worn much, and makes very smooth cuts. Others get years of regular use from them.
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Post by Peruano on Oct 6, 2021 15:05:03 GMT -5
I'm hoping grandpa always tucked his shirt in because he had to stand fairly close to a rotating belt to look in the side window if the saw was running. The vice is well done but having a jaw closure mechanism that is entirely threaded prevents quick adjustment from large to small or vice versa in terms of rock size to be secured. The ratchet wrench is a good partial solution to that one. It appears the cover opens (is hinged) from the side, but much of the business end of the saw is yes at the end (not side). That said its a cool saw. Cut on!
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quartzilla
Cave Dweller
Member since April 2020
Posts: 1,240
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Post by quartzilla on Oct 11, 2021 20:39:13 GMT -5
Holy mackerel that blade is almost big enough to cut a petrified sequoia!
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Post by perkins17 on Oct 11, 2021 22:39:58 GMT -5
awesome that you got your grandpa's saw. My great great grandparents were like that. I wish I got to meet them and see their equipment. That generation fabricated a lot of equipment I think. |
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