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Post by Peruano on Nov 10, 2020 7:32:34 GMT -5
I sympathize with you. Green rocks can be tough to identify. They have a ricolite pattern but to my eye they are not "soft" enough to be that. There is a whole family of metamorphics called green stone that apparently blend through a wide array of minerals together with olivines. I have a lot of similar material from a beach in Guaymas Mexico and likewise lack a trustworthy id. Welcome.
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Post by Peruano on Nov 9, 2020 8:24:45 GMT -5
One of the most fun days in lapidary play for me was tearing apart and cleaning up an old HP saw (mine was the 14/16" model). If I recall correctly nearly everything took a 1/2" wrench and things came apart and re-assembled just as they were supposed to. Using locktite on pulley set screws is a good idea. Enjoy.
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Post by Peruano on Nov 6, 2020 15:33:08 GMT -5
I know it sounds strange, but I seem to recall that the blade runs backwards on these saws so they take total advantage of the overhang of the 3 plane of the vice. Check it out! It is the perfect vice for thundereggs and other round specimens.
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Post by Peruano on Nov 6, 2020 7:14:03 GMT -5
It's a Gnarly agate. I've seen those before.
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Post by Peruano on Nov 4, 2020 7:29:11 GMT -5
I'm no expert but did produce results. I felt like I had to watch it longer than any tumbler so it seemed slow. I've never done slabs by themselves. I have polished flat faces on larger rocks. You could glue flat faced rocks onto your slabs with paper sandwiched between them to facilitate separation later. Having a slight bevel on the edge of the slap could help that grit to get swept underneath the specimen. I know saw marks are difficult to remove.
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Post by Peruano on Nov 3, 2020 7:28:17 GMT -5
Thanks for those thoughts. I'll look at some restructuring instead of just adding the barrel.
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Post by Peruano on Nov 2, 2020 12:28:19 GMT -5
I obtained through trading slabbing jobs, a rotary tumbler lacking a barrel. The rollers are spaced at 3" on center, and are about 10.5" long. The rollers are rubber coated, and driven by a variable speed controller and motor both Dayton Mfr. Its a bit complex rating the strength of this motor but one notation is 1/35 - 1/6 hp. I want to get a barrel but would like guidance on how big of a barrel would fit (and or work) on this frame size. I seem to recall that someone suggested barrels could be as much as 25% bigger in diameter than the roller spread. Anyone have a suggestion. Obiviously I'd like to use a barrel able to accommodate the largest rocks. BTW I'm not really a tumbler but do often rough finish and polish with the vibe. So I'm in new territory here.
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Post by Peruano on Nov 1, 2020 14:52:28 GMT -5
It will never blow away so thats one thing not to worry about. The vice looks to be substantial and thats a good attribute. Show us more as you resurrect it. Fun and games.
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Post by Peruano on Oct 30, 2020 15:19:22 GMT -5
I understand. I had to assemble and reassemble after the initial bearing placement was not quite correct (when I changed wheels between the bearings on one occasion). Once you know there is a position problem you can correct before you lock everything down.
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Post by Peruano on Oct 30, 2020 11:13:46 GMT -5
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Post by Peruano on Oct 30, 2020 6:31:14 GMT -5
Btw the amphibian you depicted is a tiger salamander. They are part of a group called the mole salamanders and like to live in cavities in the ground and under rocks and logs. Neat animals. Congratulations on the new source (s) and good luck in scoring some keepers.
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Post by Peruano on Oct 30, 2020 6:12:28 GMT -5
I have that unit without the saw. I'll try for a photo soon.
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Post by Peruano on Oct 28, 2020 6:19:22 GMT -5
It really should not be mounted to a motor or arbor unless it has a special shaft (with a shoulder against which a flange washer, then your wheel, then another flange washer, then an appropriately threaded nut are installed. All wheels need to be sandwiched between special washers that keep the wheel straight on the spinning shaft (and spin with the wheel). BTW its also important to orient the expando correctly so that the momentum of the spin causes it to increase in circumference, and to never run one without a belt or at higher speeds than recommended (they can explode). I'd suggest you look for an inexpensive arbor that has the added benefit of separating your water from the motor's electricity.
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Post by Peruano on Oct 22, 2020 13:37:24 GMT -5
My reading is that jet is a mineraloid, basically wood that has taken on coal like characteristics because of extreme pressure, not necessarily fire. One source compared it to a low form of lignite. Either way it probably has carbon and can give off similar odors to burnt wood or other wood products. We find a lot of small pieces of jet in the alluvial deposits in Central New Mexico. It is really soft but can be polished.
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Post by Peruano on Oct 21, 2020 16:24:56 GMT -5
I have worked on opalized wood that seemed to have a pine pitch smell in some sections. Its hard to believe that oils and biological products remain trapped in the mineralized specimens we work on but it happens.
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Post by Peruano on Oct 15, 2020 17:54:00 GMT -5
Botswanas are easy to love and some are so special that they stand above most rocks. For jewelry maybe not, but for just having a rock to have, hold, and love, give me a Botswana.
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Post by Peruano on Oct 14, 2020 7:26:48 GMT -5
Looks good. Stainless steel is a premium. You will have some folks who will praise HP in general and others who will bad mouth them. Part of that is comparing the "old" days with the "modern" ones. I'm sure you will able to do great work with the machine. Having quick access to changing wheels and a motor that is not locked into the middle of the machine are additional advantages. Enjoy.
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Post by Peruano on Oct 14, 2020 7:04:58 GMT -5
Welcome from New Mexico where we worry about having enough water to drink on our hikes, rather than whether it will rain too much today. We are in extreme drought for the year. You have the right attitude and energy for the job. Keep us informed of your frustrations and successes. Oregon has wonderful resources in the rock world.
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Post by Peruano on Oct 13, 2020 6:29:46 GMT -5
It seems like not too long ago, Cigarbox Lapidary had something along those lines for not too much money.
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Post by Peruano on Oct 10, 2020 7:39:08 GMT -5
It may be too late for the initial machine, but I would not be afraid of it. The suspect expando near the switches may have initially been a site for a buffer. My similar HP machine had such an arrangement. I modified the pan underneath and it now houses an 80 grit wheel. The idea of having the saw run off of a different motor than the arbor is also a great advantage. Saw does not have to run when polishing and no clutches involved as in some HP machines. My unit is similar. There is probably (depending on your preference) for a 4th wheel in the main gang area as well as a nub of the shaft for a buffer on the end. Wheels and bearings can be replaced as long as the rest of the structure is good (mountings, trays, main abor shaft). Most machine of this age are still wearing the old sic wheels that you know you will replace, if this one has some diamond so much the better. There's always the possibility of a better bargain, but if you see something that you want within your price range, its better to buy it than to wait months or ??
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