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Post by broseph82 on Oct 23, 2014 18:30:35 GMT -5
In the older books about cabbing that I have, all of them say I don't need to go over 600 grit before the polishing pad/felt to get a mirror shine to it. Is this true? Anyone I see (online) that has mirror like finishes has a 1200 grit and at least a 3000 soft wheel.
I feel kind of lost. I have a 100grit diamond wheel which I feel is on its last leg, grinding stone (needs levelling), 2 expandable drums with 100, 220, 400, 600 grits (silicon carbide), and a leather polishing pad for the end of my cabbing unit. I feel very inadequate, but have to deal with what I have for the time being.
I read all the time on here and it seems like people go into great detail into what they have and what one needs, but a lot of it goes over my head right now.
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Post by mohs on Oct 23, 2014 18:45:41 GMT -5
Interesting question old school lapidary ended at that 600 grit and went on to buff w/ excellent results
I think that why buffing was the art
with the advent of the newer abrasives technology that took over in the 1970's I think a lot of folks have forgotten how to do it
nonetheless great results can be achieved w/ old school but going up to & past diamond 3000 as it definite advantages
grind on Ed
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Post by orrum on Oct 23, 2014 18:46:34 GMT -5
Use a well worn 600 sc belt to equal 1200 and a almost completely worn one for 2400 0r more sc. This is the old time sc belt way not the modern diamond. Bobby on here makes all those beautiful liquid shine cabs with old stype sc belts!
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Post by orrum on Oct 23, 2014 18:47:30 GMT -5
Hello Mr. Mohs u beat me to it!
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Post by mohs on Oct 23, 2014 18:50:43 GMT -5
Yo bud! I just got 800 gr & 1000gr s/c belts I didn't know the s/c belts went that smooth haven't really had chance to use them yet
I like belting stones and inexpensively w/ S/C ...
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Post by stardiamond on Oct 23, 2014 18:52:40 GMT -5
When I first started cabbing, my stardiamond machine had a worn 80 grit and 220 grit wheels. The person I bought if from also sold me a belt sander with worn 400? grit sandpaper. After the belt sander I used the leather polishing pad with tin oxide. I also tried cerium oxide. On some material I got a nice polish and with others I got undercutting. I was unhappy with the results and bought a Genie and I'm 100% diamond. I retrofitted the stardiamond with 8" wheels for cutting and sanding and use the Genie for polishing.
I guess the short answer is it depends on what kind of stone you cut.
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Post by orrum on Oct 23, 2014 18:54:10 GMT -5
Me too. Mohs you can get 800 and 1200 sc from North what you call em.... Hey Mark/ Marinedad where did you have me order those sc belts from? ??
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Post by johnjsgems on Oct 23, 2014 19:13:47 GMT -5
On the antique machine I learned on it was 100 and 220 10" SC wheels then 400 and 600 belts. I then used a worn out 600 belt dry before polish. I figured nothing harmful was coming off the stone by that point. You could tell by the almost shine the worn belt gave how well a stone would polish. Nowadays I would use a good respirator mask and plenty of ventilation just to be safe.
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Post by stardiamond on Oct 23, 2014 19:18:59 GMT -5
The guy that showed me how to cab used a spray bottle on the sander and a wet sponge on the trim saw. When I use a lap on my Genie, I use a spray bottle.
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Post by broseph82 on Oct 23, 2014 19:38:31 GMT -5
The guy that showed me how to cab used a spray bottle on the sander and a wet sponge on the trim saw. When I use a lap on my Genie, I use a spray bottle. I actually have a water system on my cabbing machine so no spray bottle needed, but I do have my convex wheel in my trim saw setup with a wet sponge that it hits to stay wet. My lab teacher told me to lightly touch the belts, but when I went to a local rock show the guy there was pressing all his cabs into the belts (he had Nova wheels though). So should I be lightly touching my SC belts or be digging into them with the cabs? thanks for the comments so far guys!
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Post by mohs on Oct 23, 2014 21:05:02 GMT -5
on an expandable with belts I only S/C I use lots of pressure matter of fact I really get into the elastic of the give then I start to lighten up as I'm starting to finish up on that particular grit
I might be wrong but I had scratch problems w/to light a pressure in the earlier days
I'm talking Nova & belting on the expando its just the opposite on hard wheels
if I'm wrong I hope it gets discussed ... mohs
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Post by mohs on Oct 23, 2014 21:47:31 GMT -5
Me too. Mohs you can get 800 and 1200 sc from North what you call em.... Hey Mark/ Marinedad where did you have me order those sc belts from? ?? do you know orrum when they came out with these? I was just having a discussion in jamesp thread bemoaning the fact that s/c only grains out at 600grit then I just found these 800 & 1000 belts at local rock shop geez why is the mohs always the last to know things? mostly
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Post by orrum on Oct 23, 2014 21:50:45 GMT -5
Mohs I feel like you, mushroom in the dark! I figure a well worn 1200 sc would be like 3000 maybe?
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Post by mohs on Oct 23, 2014 22:17:22 GMT -5
I'm not sure I'd go that far orrum the worn belts just do a more finesse polish but its still a 1200grt belt
although I may be wrong ha ha but there is something to be said for the fabric of the belt doing a certain amount of smoothing the stone to some extant
in sharpening the back of belt is great for polishing but that's metal totally different beast
honing on a stone tho it eventually shines
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Post by broseph82 on Oct 24, 2014 11:25:39 GMT -5
Me too. Mohs you can get 800 and 1200 sc from North what you call em.... Hey Mark/ Marinedad where did you have me order those sc belts from? ?? do you know orrum when they came out with these? I was just having a discussion in jamesp thread bemoaning the fact that s/c only grains out at 600grit then I just found these 800 & 1000 belts at local rock shop geez why is the mohs always the last to know things? mostly You can find them on eBay as well.
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Post by mohs on Oct 24, 2014 12:51:33 GMT -5
Thanks broseph82 ! Your kind of new but I'm known as a slom (rofl)hs mostly
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Post by broseph82 on Oct 27, 2014 10:19:59 GMT -5
Thanks broseph82 ! Your kind of new but I'm known as a slom (rofl)hs mostly What does that mean exactly?
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Post by mohs on Oct 27, 2014 10:28:46 GMT -5
exactly? your asking the wrong person bud! Ha Ha
slo mohs
anyway I was thanking you for telling me that 800 gr S/C belts were on ebay I'm a bit slow...mostly
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Post by johnjsgems on Oct 27, 2014 15:50:26 GMT -5
Covington has had the 800 SC belts for several years. They just added 1000 this year. Any Arizonans out there know of a belt manufacturer in AZ? A dealer told me she bought belts there and they were cheap (wholesale quantities). I've tried searching by the "I think they are called..." method but found nothing. They are supposed to be able to put logos, etc. on belts and be cheap enough to make money reselling.
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Post by mohs on Oct 27, 2014 16:25:39 GMT -5
I haven't ran into that company yet John
30 years ago when I was in the sharpening business there was a small abrasive company that made belts aluminum oxide...mostly
they may have been the company unfortunately they are out of business
I'll keep looking & grinding
edmohs
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