QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,640
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Post by QuailRiver on Feb 28, 2015 21:32:56 GMT -5
Wow! That is a beautiful piece of Petrified Wood! Larry C.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,640
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Post by QuailRiver on Feb 28, 2015 0:20:52 GMT -5
Just wanted to let everyone who bought from me know that I finally got everything boxed up and the roads cleared enough this afternoon that I was able to go to the post office and ship. It all filled up one of those canvas in metal framed mail rolling bins they use at the post office. I'm pretty sure that after shipping all of those heavy flat rate boxes filled with rocks this afternoon, that as far as the lady postal worker at the counter is concerned, I'm the least popular guy in my zip code right now! I've got a few more lots of cabbing and tumbling rough, including one more lot of Owyhee Flower Jasper, that I plan to list in another week or two. I'll post a notice here when I do. Thanks again everyone! Larry C.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,640
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Post by QuailRiver on Feb 27, 2015 1:04:45 GMT -5
Looks like AWESOMEite to me! Great Slab! Larry C.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,640
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Post by QuailRiver on Feb 26, 2015 1:30:00 GMT -5
and who beat me on the birdseye?! lol Missed the owyhee flower jasper... is it going back up?? I believe it was one of our mutual friends who beat you out on the Birdseye! And the buyer who bought the Dendritic Malachite lots asked me to relist the Owyhee Flower Jasper as a buy-it-now so he could fill-up his medium flat rate priority shipping box. Which I did and he's purchased it already. But I've got more I can list in the next grouping. I'll post a notice here when I do. Thanks again everybody! Larry C.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,640
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Post by QuailRiver on Feb 25, 2015 0:30:15 GMT -5
I'm happy with what everything brought tonight! Had a good finishing round with forty-four auction lots selling.
I'd like to thank everyone who participated and made it a successful sale!
Still have the Rock Rascal model "T" auction ending tomorrow night and fifty-four more lots of Jewelry Making tools, model making wax, Busch Burrs, Cratex wheels, felt buff tips, casting flasks, ingot molds, and many more items that are listed as buy-it-now lots all priced well below retail.
Larry C.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,640
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Post by QuailRiver on Feb 23, 2015 14:59:46 GMT -5
Not to be argumentative but the Kingsley unit (arbor assy.) is made in China and a copy of the Lortone unit. Made by same manufacturer as Cab King. As far as Baldor, they are still made in USA but company was bought by a European company a few years ago. Sorry John but not all of their motors are made in the USA anymore. The world is changing. From their website: "These products are produced at 26 plants in the US, Canada, England, Mexico and China." I'm pretty sure I read somewhere else that Baldor's smaller fractional AC motors are made in Mexico and/or China now. Larry C. www.baldor.com/about/
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,640
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Post by QuailRiver on Feb 22, 2015 23:52:18 GMT -5
I wouldn't get the Pixie unless you only plan to cut small or soft stones. The 4" wheels will cut too slowly and wear out too quickly on larger cabs of hard materials. And the smaller radius of a 4" wheel will be slightly more difficult to get a smooth flat or convex surface on larger cabs than a larger diameter wheel will. Aside from that IMO the most significant differences between the "ready to use" 6" wheeled machines on the market is the quality of the grinding and sanding wheels. For a beginner the Diamond Pacific Galaxy wheels or the Crystalite Crystal Ring Wheels are very good. I prefer the resin and diamond coated soft wheels to Expando drums for sanding (though either will work). And as far as the soft wheels go I prefer the Diamond Pacific Nova Wheels to the Chinese Imported Soft Wheels. I don't know much about the quality of the motor on the Cab King but I believe I read something recently where even Baldor is importing their small motors now too so there may be no significant differences there. I prefer a clean water feed to a recirculating type unless there is some type of filtering system being used for the recirculated water. Aside from those things most of the other features just come down to personal preferences. Larry C.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,640
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Post by QuailRiver on Feb 22, 2015 23:28:55 GMT -5
Me likes! Me likes! Man I'd love to have a five gallon bucket full of agates like that! Larry C.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,640
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Post by QuailRiver on Feb 22, 2015 23:24:27 GMT -5
Hello Sorg, MK, Star Diamond, and Vanguard all produced contracted custom diamond blades to be sold under other brand/distributor names. But they were usually a standard model blade that was just custom painted for the contracting customer. I know that MK made contract custom blades at one time or another for MLS (Minnesota Lapidary Supply) and Lortone, and there were probably others too. They nearly always still had the MK Blade model number stamped somewhere on them. Sometimes it's hard to find if the paint is thick. But there should be a 297 or 301 stamped on it somewhere. There is also frequently a production date code number too. Sometimes there will be a letter included in the model number like "C301". Look it over in good sunlight with magnification and you may be able to find it. If you can you will have your answer. Larry C. P.S. We like pictures of old saws .
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,640
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Post by QuailRiver on Feb 20, 2015 9:23:48 GMT -5
Thank you deb. Also can someone who was having trouble with the first link try this one and let me know if this link works with the systems the first one didn't? www.ebay.com/sch/m.html?_ssn=quailriver&_sop=1If it does I will add it to the OP. Thanks! Larry C.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,640
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Post by QuailRiver on Feb 19, 2015 13:07:14 GMT -5
I was puzzled about some folks having trouble viewing the link so I exited Mozilla and opened Internet Explorer and tried opening the link from Explorer and it wouldn't work for me either. Instead I got a dialog box saying:
"Please enable JavaScript - Our new search experience requires JavaScript to be enabled. Please enable JavaScript on your browser, and try again"
While still in Internet Explorer I then went to the eBay search page and typed in a seller's search for QuailRiver and got the same dialogue box. I'm not sure when they made this change but I do not recommend anyone change their browser settings to accommodate Internet Explorer's request on this. Enabling JavaScript makes you more susceptible to advertisers and spammers.
I'm not an I.T. guy but maybe one of our more I.T. savvy members can let us know how to get around this using Internet Explorer?
Larry C.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,640
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Post by QuailRiver on Feb 19, 2015 1:25:36 GMT -5
Just wanted to let everyone know that I have listed on eBay 124 lots including a used Ultra-Tec V2 Faceting Machine, a used Rock Rascal Model "T", lots of "old Stock" cutting rough from old estate collections, Casting Flasks and Ingot Moulds, Busch Cutting Burrs, Cratex Wheels, Ferris File-A-Wax, Castaldo Injection Casting Wax, Silver Smithing Tools & Supplies (much of which is New-Old-Stock from the remaining inventory of a jewelry supply house I bought out a couple of years ago) and more. You can view it all here: www.ebay.com/sch/Quailriver/m.html?_ipg=50&_sop=1&_rdc=1 or do an eBay seller's search for seller name QuailRiver . We do combine multiple purchases to save the buyer on shipping costs. If you have any questions you can email me through my eBay account or at QuailRiver@Northstate.net . Thanks for looking! Larry C.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,640
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Post by QuailRiver on Feb 15, 2015 2:54:31 GMT -5
I use a mildly worn 100 grit diamond wheel for the first grind and then move to a well worn 100 grit diamond wheel to smooth out the coarse grind divots. Then I go to a slightly worn 60 or 80 grit S/C belt to quickly get the shape and most of the dome material removed. I then go to a worn 220 S/C belt run dry to finish removing any grind or sand marks. This is followed by a slightly worn 400 belt run dry to get the final shape. Then to a well worn 220 and 400 and off to the polishing wheel. I learned many years ago on S/C wheels and belts. Early on I graduated from the split wheel "thumper" wheels to the expandos. After the price of diamond wheels started coming down I went to them. I feel quite comfortable with my method and the belts last me many years and they are still cheap. I am currently writing a monthly article for Rock and Gem about how I make my very large cabs with S/C belts. The first two articles have appeared in the January and February issues. Bob Respectfully Bob, I would like to point out to any novice lapidary hobbyists reading your post the dangers of grinding or sanding dry. Inhaling particles of rock dust can cause silicosis. Even if a dust mask is worn while doing the actual cutting, without a sophisticated air cleaning system, the silica containing rock dust settles everywhere in the shop and remains a health risk when disturbed enough to become airborne again. I know of two people who have died from breathing rock dust. Larry C.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,640
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Post by QuailRiver on Feb 13, 2015 20:38:11 GMT -5
Very Nice! Larry C.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,640
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Post by QuailRiver on Feb 13, 2015 20:32:31 GMT -5
I currently use an 80gt sintered diamond grinding wheel for pre-forming and rough shaping but leave some meat on the bone for the 220gt diamond wheel to remove for final shaping. While the 80gt is much faster, doing the final shaping with it will leave deep scratches on the crown that can be tough to sand out. And I really, really HATE having to sand out deep scratches! There are a couple of other sanding belt options to SC for the Expando drums. The least expensive are Crystalbelts www.kingsleynorth.com/skshop/product.php?id=100739&catID=1140 which can be charged with the diamond paste grit of your choice. www.kingsleynorth.com/skshop/products.php?keys=diamond%20paste&catID= These are inexpensive and I used Crystalbelts and Crystalpads for many years with good results. After applying the diamond paste to the belts/pads I used spray silicon for lube. When they start getting less effective just recharge them again with diamond paste. The Crystalbelt I had charged with 600gt diamond lasted over 20 years. You just have to be sure to clean the cab very well with a solvent like Naptha in between each grit so you don't carry coarser diamond paste to a finer charged belt and contaminate it. Then the other option, which is a more expensive than Crystalbelts but less expensive than the Nova wheels, are the pre-charged Diamond Resin Belts. I used these for several years too but the last couple of times I bought these they didn't seem to last as long as they used to and are getting so expensive that I decided the Nova wheels would be a better value and switched to them. Larry C.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,640
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Post by QuailRiver on Feb 13, 2015 12:17:28 GMT -5
Okay I understand now. 100gt diamond is pretty aggressive and leaves deep scratches. Most people do their finish shaping on 220gt (SC or Diamond)or even a 360gt diamond grinding wheel before going to the sanding belts. Also what may be happening with the glass is similar to a discussion that was held a few years back on the USFG yahoo group site where some facters who were doing their rough shaping on 100 grit and 180gt laps were complaining of having scratches follow throughout the rest of the shaping and polishing process. And regardless of how much more material they cut away the scratches remained. I remember one of the members explaining that he had studied this process under magnification and it was determined that the coarse 100/180 grit diamond particles were actually scoring the surface of high silica content faceting rough in the same way a piece of plate glass would be scored for cutting with a diamond tipped glass scoring tool. And the reaction was the same as with scored glass where fractures emanate from the scores (scratches) deeper into the subsurface of the stone and continue to run deeper throughout the entire cutting process. So this may be what is happening when you do your shaping of glass on a 100 grit diamond wheel. I would suggest adding a 220 grit grinding wheel to the process. And if the 220gt you add is SC then you could probably eliminate the 220gt and 320 SC belts. When cabbing exclusively with SC the normal line of progression would be 100gt, 220gt,400gt,600gt, and then a worn 600gt for pre-polish. Back in the mid 70s when diamond wheels started becoming more affordable the normal line of progression using diamond exclusively was 180gt (grinding), 360gt (grinding), 600gt, 1200gt, and then 3000gt and sometimes 8000gt pre-polish. I think probably the reason most folks started with 180gt back then was because industrial diamond production was still expensive and the larger growth of diamond crystals necessary to produce the 80gt and 100gt wheels made them much more expensive than the 180gt. But these days when cabbing exclusively with diamond the normal line of progression is 80gt or 100gt, and 220 grit grinding wheels. Then to 280gt, 600gt, 1200gt, and then 3000gt pre-polish. I hope this helps. Larry C.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,640
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Post by QuailRiver on Feb 12, 2015 21:23:57 GMT -5
My opinion; no oil. If a guy trying to sell me opal tells me they need to be stored in oil I would be highly suspicious that this variety of opal is very susceptible to cracking OR that the opal is already cracked and oil is being used to hide this fact. If the later was the case then cleaning the oil out would expose the cracks.
I keep most of my rough opal stored dry in air tight screw cap jars or in sealed zip lock bags. I do have a couple of jars of opal in water that I bought as part of old collections that I haven't done anything with yet. But before I do I will slow dry them out. If they are already stored in water then keeping them in it isn't likely to do them any harm. It's drying them out without drying them too quickly, or without getting them too dry that is tricky. Seems some opals are going to eventually crack regardless but we do what we can to prevent this. Larry C.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,640
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Post by QuailRiver on Feb 12, 2015 20:28:33 GMT -5
Thank you Larry for taking the time to pass all that valuable information along. Knowing the height of the vise blocks helps me understand the dimensions better. You would pay $575 even with the hood missing? Have you ever had problems with your bearings? I have a 14" saw for larger rocks, so going to the limit of the Raytech 10" shouldn't be necessary. I was just trying to get a feel for what it can do. Getting an extra sump bin might be a good idea if I get it to switch from oil to water in seconds. Thanks again. Will talk with the seller and ask about rust & wobble before I drive all the way down there. Happy to be of help! If there is nothing else wrong with the saw and it has only been used a few times to cut glass as they claim then I still wouldn't pay over $575 with it missing the hood. With shipping, a new hood is going to run around $125. So $700 total for this used saw would be absolute top dollar IMO. I would try to get it for less. I have had four or five of these saws over the years and have had to replace the bearings on two. With any brand saw frequently used you are going to have to occasionally replace bearings. Also it is so quick and easy to clean out the sump pan that having a second one would not be necessary. Larry C.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,640
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Post by QuailRiver on Feb 12, 2015 19:55:23 GMT -5
Diamond does leave deeper scratches than it's SC grit equivalent. So if you are going from a 220 grit diamond wheel to an SC belt then yes you may need an SC belt at least as coarse as 280 before going to 400 SC. Not sure if I have answered your question or not? Larry C.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,640
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Post by QuailRiver on Feb 12, 2015 19:44:08 GMT -5
I have an older version of this 10" Raytech saw so I'm not sure if the dimensions are exactly the same as on this newer one or not. But the vice on mine will hold a rock approximately 4-7/8" long by 3-1/8" tall. The wood blocks in the vise are 2" tall. But like with any saw, just because a rock will fit in it's vise doesn't necessarily mean that the saw will cut it. The Raytech vise will not as securely hold as large of a rock as the Lortone 10" saw with the over/under type vise will. But the flip side of that is the Raytech saw will more securely hold smaller rocks than the Lortone vise will. Which comes in handy when slabbing small lake Superior, Botswana, or Coyamito type Agate nodules. One of the positive features of the Raytech saw is it has a plastic lift-out slump container which makes it easier to clean. Due to this feature I like to use mine when using water based coolants when sawing turquoise, malachite, Howlite or any other porous material that I don't want absorbing oil. It's much easier to clean up an dry out the Raytech after using water in it. IMO the biggest negative feature of the Raytech is the type of bearings it uses. Most slab saws use standard insert type bearings which are inexpensive to replace. The Raytech uses a specially housed water pump bearing that is more expensive to replace. The Raytech is a good saw and it's nice to have the trim saw option but for slabbing alone the now out of production 10" Lortone is my first choice. I would not pay over $575 for that saw and if it has any sign of rust on the power feed rod or arbor, or the blade has any wobble, I wouldn't even pay that much. Larry C.
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