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Post by shelbeeray on Dec 23, 2005 18:47:46 GMT -5
I saw the thread on the tile saws that people are using and thought it would be neat to see what everyone is using in their shops. For a newbie like me (I freaked when I saw how much some of the "lapidary" equipment costs) it's good to see I can start with an inexpensive wet tile saw and a dremel drill...how about grinders, tumblers, etc? I think it would be fun to see what the experienced people use
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Post by Jack ( Yorkshire) on Dec 24, 2005 6:01:00 GMT -5
Hi. Have a look at some of the things andy has made www.agatehouse.co.uk/I made one of these also another of my own design. and on making another from a frame of a photocopier machine !! Also if your interested on making stuff tomaszewski.net/Kreigh/Minerals/Homemade.shtmlThis is a fabelous site with a abundance of machines and geological information Yours Jack Yorkshire UK
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,095
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Post by stefan on Dec 28, 2005 14:55:27 GMT -5
I have the following in my shop: 1 single barrel CE tumbler 1 dual Barrel CE tumbler (dead) 1 Thumlers Model T 1 Thumlers AR-2 dual barrel Dremel tool with diamond burrs Workforce 7inch tile saw 3 Lb crack hammer 3 rock hammers 5 rock chisels Lortone dual 8inch expandable drum grinding unit various belts, grits, polishes, brushes, water trays, drip systems, o-rings, containers 100's Lbs of rough rock A few shiney pebbles to show for it!
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Debs
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2005
Posts: 1,252
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Post by Debs on Dec 28, 2005 15:26:53 GMT -5
Look into swap sheets and newspaper adds. I know how expensive some of this equipment is. I kept watching and found an add in a swap sheet. I was able to get a huge slab saw, grinders, you name it all for $500 bucks! It was a good deal as I could never afford buying all new equipment. As for tumblers I have 2 lortone 33b. I really like them and I think they are a good value and well made.
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Post by shelbeeray on Dec 28, 2005 16:56:40 GMT -5
I've been watching our swap sheet - I live in a kind of remote area and I'm just waiting for an old rockhound to give up his/her gear! It sounds like you got an awesome deal Debs - I hope I end up as lucky!
I got the Lortone 33b and am ready for another. I've also gotten a couple of rock & mineral ID books, chisels and a mineral id set (one with the samples). I'm having fun. I got a dremel drill for christmas and am now trying to find one of those home depot saws on the Home Depot website for a birthday present.
Jack, thanks for the direction to those sites - really intersting. My husband is nervous now - not only am I playing with sharp stuff but I am now also considering playing with electrical and making those modifications...(I'm a wee bit accident prone.)
In the end, I'm sure it will cost way less than my sweetie's model airplane/helicopter habit!! :-}
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offbeat
no posts
Member since May 2010
Posts: 0
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Post by offbeat on Dec 28, 2005 22:56:01 GMT -5
Shelbe,
I started out kind of backwards to the norm. I found a cabbing machine and slab saw at an estate sale, they also tossed in two vibrators. I slabbed and cabbed for a long time before I started tumbling (in my case vibrating). I also had a friend give me a little 6" trim saw. If I were starting out now knowing what I do I would pick up a 6" trim saw. Doesn't matter how big your slab saw is, you still will be needing a trim saw to cut out cabs and such once slabbed. You can get a 6" ROCK RASCAL MODEL J TRIM SAW for about $125 or a Lortone 8" Model TS8 Trim Saw for $175, you will still need a blade and motor but the blades aren't that bad and you should be able to come up with a used electric motor pretty easy. With reasonable care both of these should last a life time! Just not that much to go wrong with them. My little 6" slices through most any rock slab like butter!! Plus if you decide that you want to get rid of them they are very easy to sell, as you have found out, there are not a lot of them out there used for sale.
Just my 2 cents!! Bill
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,095
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Post by stefan on Dec 30, 2005 15:07:28 GMT -5
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Post by shelbeeray on Dec 31, 2005 3:39:14 GMT -5
Thanks for the link Stefan.
I'm going to add that to my shopping list when I go to Fargo, ND in May for my son's university graduation...rock shops and Home Depot are on my list (can't get that particular saw in Canada and the shipping & customs on it SUCK). I might even sneak some rocks across the border in the trunk of our car and try out one of those flat rate boxes (just cuz)!!!
Hmmm...I'd better check on how much I'm allowed to spend... my baby really doesn't need a graduation gift does he? I bet he'll be THRILLED with some pretty, shiney rocks... ;D
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,095
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Post by stefan on Jan 4, 2006 15:53:27 GMT -5
LMAO- Sorry I saw you were from B.C. CA and thought California (duh Stefan) On the Flat Rate Boxes- Well they only are for the Domestic USA (man that would be cool if we could ship stuff up to Canada for $7.70! Lots of good ROck hounding in the Dakotas Do some research now so when you get done there you can optimize your hounding time!
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Post by shelbeeray on Jan 6, 2006 22:22:08 GMT -5
My hubby just got me a really cool work bench and a cut-off saw he's going to modify for me to cut rocks. It has a 14# blade. We'll be working on that this weekend! I am so excited that I don't think I'll get ANY sleep!
Stefan - that's okay. I met my hubby online (8 years ago today) and when he said where he was from (British Columbia) I had to look it up on a map - I started looking in SOUTH AMERICA! At least you were on the right continent!!!!!
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