xrdh
off to a rocking start
Member since December 2009
Posts: 4
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Post by xrdh on Dec 20, 2009 13:50:25 GMT -5
I have a 10 inch trim saw, but the vise will only expand up to 4.5 inches. Even without any padding or grips, it will only expand to under 6 inches. I need it to hold a 5 or 6 inch slab.
Has anyone made a vise for a rock saw? Has anyone modified a vise to make it larger? The metal on the existing vise is too thin to weld an expansion piece to it. :help:
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,456
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Post by Sabre52 on Dec 20, 2009 17:29:57 GMT -5
Hmmm. My 10 inch will only slab up to about four inches too because the flange would get in the way of a larger hunk of rock. Is yours able to get a rock 5-6" deep over the flange?. I thought that was the major reason for the vise to be that size.....Mel
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xrdh
off to a rocking start
Member since December 2009
Posts: 4
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Post by xrdh on Dec 20, 2009 18:20:46 GMT -5
I'm not quite sure what you mean, but I need to slice slabs that are not tall or bulky, just 5 inches long. I know not to try to cut rocks that are taller than my saw blade, but I would love to cut long, thin pieces for my projects. Since long pieces won't fit into my vise, I have to cut them by hand and by sight, which is tedious and does not provide as uniform results as using the vise unit does. (Plus, my fingers get sore from pushing on the edge of the rock for so long.) If the "channel iron" - looking piece were just 8" instead of 6" it would work, I think.
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Post by deb193redux on Dec 20, 2009 19:25:58 GMT -5
you can always get something built to bolt in where your present vise does, but it can get expensive
i would use a slab-grabber.
cut the rock in half by hand. then put the cut face in the slab grabber. there are several types some may bolt onto your saw. mt favorite will clamp in your vise. i will try to find a pic online
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Post by deb193redux on Dec 20, 2009 19:35:43 GMT -5
Hmmm. My 10 inch will only slab up to about four inches too because the flange would get in the way of a larger hunk of rock. Is yours able to get a rock 5-6" deep over the flange?. I thought that was the major reason for the vise to be that size.....Mel but a thin rock can be raised above the flange. sometimes i put a snall block under my slab-grabber to raise the work
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Post by deb193redux on Dec 20, 2009 20:30:12 GMT -5
I like these 4 screw models. they grab best. but I like the kind that have a 1" square piece on back to put in clamp. The holes on the one pictured below only fit Lortone large slab saws. It works ok for side clamps. but is a problem for top clamps. then there is the poor mans clamp. glue the rock to a block of wood that fits in the clamp.
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JEFFD
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since December 2004
Posts: 242
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Post by JEFFD on Dec 20, 2009 21:37:34 GMT -5
Gorilla glue or epoxy and a piece of 2 x 4.
Cheap,easy, and it works. Heat to remove the piece from the wood.
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number21
having dreams about rocks
Member since November 2009
Posts: 72
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Post by number21 on Dec 21, 2009 0:02:07 GMT -5
I don't know if this will help but mabey it will give you an idea. This is what I am using on the drop saw I am building. 2 long carriage bolts, couple wing nuts and some wood.
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Post by johnjsgems on Dec 21, 2009 12:54:03 GMT -5
Most 10" saws have a lip around table so vise travel is limited to table length. It seems like you would have to glue your rock to a block tall enough so rock clears the blade washer and table lip.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,456
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Post by Sabre52 on Dec 21, 2009 17:58:33 GMT -5
Sorry I misunderstood. My vice opens up and down so the maximum "depth" of cut is maybe 4 1/4 inches or so but the vice is mounted higher than the flange so there is no real limit on the length of the rock except the furthest run out of the vice along the table of the saw. Theoretically, if I could hold one narrow end in the vice jaw, I could saw a strip 4 1/4 inches deep by 5 1/2 inch long. The limit to the length of the cut is usually determined by how far in front of the blade you have, for the rock to be cut. Even if your rock clears the flange etc, you still can't cut a rock longer than what you can get in the vice and in front of the leading edge of the blade, even with a slab grabber......Mel
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joemojave
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since October 2009
Posts: 133
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Post by joemojave on Jan 4, 2010 1:24:02 GMT -5
Have you considered using a fence as if it where a table saw? If you can get one flat side on the slab this would be much faster than clamping the rocks for each cut.
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