www.tomaszewski.net/Kreigh/Minerals/Homemade.shtmlA brief history of lapidary equipment makers
You have found this (old) lapidary machine and need a part or manual, or just some more information, to get it going again. You have a name and a model number, and a good description. Whatever happened to...
Abrasive Technology
made the Crystalite faceting machine.
The Addexton Company
at 530-666-4817, in Woodland, California, makes automated cabbing systems, flat laps, grinding systems, and rock lathes.
Addington Co.
at PO Box 73585, Davis, CA 95617 (530-753-3753) makes a Jamb Peg Faceting Unit.
Altamont Manufacturing Inc., in St. Joseph, IL, manufactured a Sensor II automatic cabbing machine.
Amber-Werx, at 75 Forest Lane, Wolcott, CT 06716 (203-879-1912) manufactures the EZ-Kutter line of lapidary equipment and accessories.
Anand Engineering Works
at 72-A, Diamond Bazaar, Trichy - 620008, India (91-431-704101) makes Faceting machines and accessories.
B & I Mfg. Co., in Burlington, Wisconson, made the Gem Maker in the 1960s and 70s .
Barranca Diamond Products Inc., in Wolcott, CT, manufactures the EZ-Kutter line of lapidary polishing equipment.
Beacon Engineering Co. was acquired by Diamond Pacific Tool Corporation some years ago.
They were in Rothsay and Moorhead, Minnesota, and made Beacon Star grinding units and saws. They also made a Winkler Star tumbler.
Cab-Master was acquired by Diamond Pacific Tool Corporation some years ago.
Cab-Master made the Cab-Master Tool, a slab grabber.
Comco, Inc. is in Burbank, CA, and makes micro abrasive blasters for cleaning or drilling of fossils or stones.
Contempo Lapidary was acquired by Diamond Pacific Tool Corporation (800-253-2954) in 1997.
Contempo Lapidary in Sylmar made combination lapidary units and saws.
Covington Engineering has been making lapidary and glass forming equipment since 1848.
Crown Lapidary Equipment Company
in San Marcos, CA, made a multi unit with four diamond wheels and two buffing stations, and the Crown Bead Mill.
Crystalite
Crystalite made Demon machines (the Demon Master had a 6" diamond blade and wheel) before going out of business.
Crystal Mark
is a manufacturer of micro sandblasting systems in Glendale, CA.
Diamond Pacific Tool Corporation
in Barstow, CA, makes a complete line of diamond lapidary equipment.
Dunbar
in Vancover, BC, Canada, made a trim saw and a arbor.
Eastwind Lapidary, Inc.
in Windsor, VT, distributes a complete line of diamond lapidary equipment and manufactures flexible diamond abrasive belts and discs.
Edus
in Idar Oberstein, Germany makes automated cabbing systems.
Exata
in Covina, CA made faceting machines.
Fac-Ette Manufacturing, Inc.
at P. O. Box 550, Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480 (910-256-9248) makes GemMaster faceting machines and accessories.
Frantom was acquired by Contempo Lapidary around 1981.
Frantom made saws and grinder/sander units. Tom and Fran ran the business and put their names together to make the brand.
Fulmers
Fulmer's Quality Lapidary Products, of Seattle, WA, made a 15" flat vibratory lap, and a larger one (18-20"), before going out of business.
Gem-Lap
of Fennville, MI, made horizontal units with interchangable laps, and trim saws.
Gemstone Equipment Manufacturing
GEM, 750 E. Easy St., Simi Valley, CA 93065, makes a drop trim saw. They also appear to make the Gy-Roc tumbler. I am told Tagit's son is now running the operation.
Glen Engineering
af Everton Park, Australia made Topaz Tec faceting machines until they went out of business in 2003.
Graves Co.
at 1800 Andrews Ave. Ext. North, Pompano Beach, Florida 33069 (800-327-9103) makes Mark faceting machines, lapidary equipment, and accessories.
R & W Hall
at 57 Anderson Street, Cairns, Qld. 4870 Australia (61-7-4051-6672) makes Faceting machines and accessories.
The HDM Manufacturing in E. Helena, MT (P.O. Box 931, 59635, 406-933-5737) makes the HDM Faceting Machine (aka, HDM Faceter), and lapidary equipment
Highland Park was acquired by Contempo Lapidary around 1985.
Highland Park made combination lapidary units and saws.
Hillquist Inc.
in Denver makes rock saws and thin section grinders. They used to make an arbor grinder.
HiTech Diamond Products Inc. in Moorpark, CA, makes a complete line of lapidary machines and saws.
H.O.P.E (Hiring Older People Enterprises)
of Riverside, California, made an outstanding chop style, preformer, trim saw in the mid to late 1970s that could also be used for carving.
Imahashi Mfg. Co., Ltd.
at 533 Hino, Hino-shi, Tokyo, Japan (0425-82-1508) makes Faceting machines and accessories.
Imperial Gem Instruments
at 2455 23rd Street, Santa Monica, CA 90405 (310-450-8725) makes Alpha Taurus faceting machines and accessories.
Irv's Facet Machine
at 11907 E. Trent, Spokane, WA 99206 (509-924-5464) makes Irv's Facet Machine and accessories.
Jarvi Tool Co.
at 780 East Debra Lane, Anaheim, California 92806 (714-774-9104) makes Facetron faceting machines and accessories, including a CNC model.
John Lahr
at PO Box 94, Mt. Vernon, OH 43050 makes the Lap-Lap hand lapping device.
S. E. Landon Company made the Slik tumbler in three sizes (tilted hexagonal barrel with open top, the small one was called the 'baby slik'), and a 14" slab/trim saw, in Joshua Tree, California from the late 1950's to the late 1960's. They also sold 'Slik' tumbling grits and polishes.
Lapidary Arts
in Fresno, CA, made the Gem Master.
Lapidary Hobby Crafts
made the Gemlap horizontal grinder/polisher.
Lee Lapidaries, Inc.
at 3425 West 117th Street, Cleveland, Ohio 44111 (216-941-7458) makes the Lee Faceter faceting machine.
Lortone
in Washington makes tumblers and a full line of lapidary equipment.
Lux
in Idar Oberstein, Germany makes automated cabbing systems.
LWD Engineering
at 56 Heysen St., Weston ACT 2611, Australia (02-6288-7752) makes the Drabsch faceting machine.
Maxant Industries, Inc.
in Ayer, MA, made full lines of lapidary equipment, industrial sewing machines, honey processing equipment, and wax processing equipment. They made the old 'Bull Wheel' flat polisher from 1997 (when Ray Rock died) to 2007, when they focused on honey and wax processing, and sold their lapidary line to Polaris.
MDR Manufacturing, Inc.
at P.O. Box 6951, Kingwood, TX 77325 (281-358-3027) makes MDR faceting machines and accessories.
Millers Falls was acquired first by Ingersoll Rand and finally by the Gorilla Glue Company around 1950.
Millers Falls made grinding arbors (and a lot of other {power} tools, all highly valued by antique collectors now) beginning around 1868 before ceasing all operations after they were bought out.
O'Brien
O'Brien made a Faceting Machine.
Poly
in Monrovia, California, made grinding units before going out of business.
Polaris Tool and Machine
Polaris took over Rock's line (Bull Wheel, etc) from Maxant, and the Cab-O-Matic line, in 2007.
Poly-Glo
Poly-Glo made "GEA TEC" multiple wheel (4") grinding units with changable (diamond?) grinding rings before going out of business. Poly-Glo appears to have been based in Germany.
Poly-Metric Instruments, Inc.
at P.O. BOX 400, Clayton, WA 99110 (509-276-5565) makes Scintillator, Xristal-Tek, and O.M.F. faceting machines and accessories. The O.M.F machine is used to cut concave facets.
Prismatic
made Faceting machines and heads.
Raytech Industries, A Div. Of Lyman Products
at 475 Smith Street, Middletown, CT 06457 (800-243-7163), makes ultraviolet lights, diamond products and gem finishing equipment, Faceting machines and accessories, and metal finishing equipment.
Roc
made automated cabbing systems.
Rockette
of Denver, Colorado, made vibratory tumblers.
Rock's of Texas was acquired by Maxant Industries, Inc. (978-772-0576) some years ago.
Rock's of Texas made multi-station cabbers, saw units, and combo saws with cabbers, and the bullwheel polisher.
Rose Enterprises
made rociprolaps. They were acquired by Covington.
Part of Scott-Murray was acquired by Diamond Pacific Tool Corporation (800-253-2954) some years ago.
Part of Scott-Murray was acquired by Lortone (425-493-1600) some years ago.
Sears Roebuck & Company
sold combo grinding units and flat laps under their own brand. These were believed to have been manufactured by Star Diamond.
Shor International Corporation
at 20 Parkway West, Mt. Vernon, NY 10552 (914-667-1100) makes Shor faceting machines and accessories.
Star Diamond was acquired by Barranca Diamond Products Inc. (310-532-5867) some years ago.
Star Diamond made combination lapidary units and small saws.
Star Engineering, Inc.
in Moorhead, Minnesota, made combo grinding units.
Stone Master
Stone Master in Kansas City, MO, made four wheel grinding units before going out of business.
Tagit
in Pico Rivera, CA 90660, made the Gy-Roc line before turning it over to Gemstone Equipment Manufacturing. Johnson Brothers in Tarzana, CA was the dealer that handled the Tagit line.
Ultra Tec Mfg., Inc.
at 1025 E. Chestnut Ave., Santa Ana, CA 92701 (714-542-0608) makes Ulta Pol and Ulta Tec faceting machines and accessories.
Vermeer
makes heavy equipment and monster rock saws (rockwheels).
VJ Engineering
at VJ Engineering, 200 Frenchville Road, Rockhampton NTH 4701, Australia (079-28-2119) makes the VJ faceting machine.
Winter
in Idar Oberstein, Germany makes automated cabbing systems.