ontariojoe
off to a rocking start
Member since October 2014
Posts: 24
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Post by ontariojoe on Nov 7, 2014 20:35:37 GMT -5
While waiting for my flat grinding discs to arrive i started work on another project. I wanted to cut rock! So did some research and learned some people use a ceramic tile saw to cut rocks. My local Canadian Tire store had a small 4 1/2" wet saw on sale for $39. It's only good for small jobs but seeing i'm new it will work well for the time being. Comes with a diamond tipped blade which is a bonus. It works great but water gets everywhere. Decided i needed a splash shield. So i used a plastic drawer from a storage bin.
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ontariojoe
off to a rocking start
Member since October 2014
Posts: 24
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Post by ontariojoe on Nov 7, 2014 20:43:41 GMT -5
I cut holes in both sides for my hands and another up top cause the blue plastic is rather hard to see through. I will glue in clear plastic so i can see my work. I used a hot glue gun to hold the top clear plastic to the top of the bin. It works great! I stay nice and dry and so does my work area. The clear plastic window is still a bit hard to see through but better then the blue plastic These are just ordinary rocks i found in my back yard. I'll work with these to get some experience under my belt.
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ontariojoe
off to a rocking start
Member since October 2014
Posts: 24
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Post by ontariojoe on Nov 7, 2014 20:44:37 GMT -5
Comments or suggestions always welcome
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Post by Pat on Nov 7, 2014 20:54:47 GMT -5
I use a 3", 7", and 10" tile saw. I like tnem all.
If you are getting too wet, I think you are filling them with too much water. Water should just barely cover the tip of fthe blade. Check the water level periodically.
I wear a plastic apron just in case.
Good luck! It's fun to slice rocks.
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ontariojoe
off to a rocking start
Member since October 2014
Posts: 24
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Post by ontariojoe on Nov 7, 2014 21:02:24 GMT -5
Oh! Thank you Pat. I followed the instructions that came with the tile saw. It said to fill to the top of the water line. Makes sense if there is too much water it would spray all over. I will check the water level with the tip of the blade tomorrow.
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Post by Peruano on Nov 7, 2014 21:52:15 GMT -5
Start with a dry blade and rotate it by hand to see that the water is coming up onto the rim of the blade (essentially where the diamond is). At that level it should throw a bit in front of the blade but not much else unless it splatters off of the piece being cut. Enjoy. Tom
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Post by Peruano on Nov 7, 2014 21:52:36 GMT -5
Start with a dry blade and rotate it by hand to see that the water is coming up onto the rim of the blade (essentially where the diamond is). At that level it should throw a bit in front of the blade but not much else unless it splatters off of the piece being cut. Enjoy. Tom
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Post by iant on Nov 8, 2014 12:34:31 GMT -5
I also use a tile saw. I don't get wet because a very smart person on this forum (sorry I can't remember who) told me to stand at the other side and draw the rock towards the blade, rather than pushing.
My tile saw was designed to use a 6in blade, but I have made adjustments and it now accepts an 8in blade. Whilst obviously giving a better cutting depth this now means I can buy affordable, very thin diamond blades from China.
All the best Ian
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ontariojoe
off to a rocking start
Member since October 2014
Posts: 24
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Post by ontariojoe on Nov 14, 2014 15:47:22 GMT -5
Thanks for the advice everyone. I checked my water level and it was too high. I lowered it so just the diamond grit on my blade was in the water. Very little water now sprays and my t-shirt stays dry I read about how some will stand behind the blade. Haven't tried it yet.
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Post by pghram on Nov 14, 2014 16:41:17 GMT -5
Nice mods, looks like you're having some fun.
Rich
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ilyakubus
off to a rocking start
Member since November 2014
Posts: 6
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Post by ilyakubus on Nov 27, 2014 19:03:35 GMT -5
Personally, I have access to a 10in MK-101 tile/stone saw. Out of all tile blades I would recommend MK "Hot Dog" the most. The red sintered blades almost everyone carries are also decent, as is Covington Engineering.
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Post by Peruano on Nov 27, 2014 19:59:21 GMT -5
I agree with Ilyakubus, if you don't have a 301 or 303 blade the MK 225 (Hot Dog) blades are great. I have a 12" version that has cut agates, chert, wood, and anything else that hard that I have thrown at it for nearly 2 years, and its still going strong without dressing etc. I'm thinking of buying another for my 10" saw just because I know I can abuse it. For $60, I'm not very tempted to buy a cheaper blade with less of a known track record. Tom
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Post by glennz01 on Nov 28, 2014 2:46:33 GMT -5
I use one as a trim saw only.. the blades tend to dull fast on thick material due to the high rpms
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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 Nov 28, 2014 7:46:41 GMT -5
Yep, I use a tile saw for trimming slabs into preforms and cutting open small nodules and geodes for the kiddies. I just wear shorts and work in the driveway. Get soaked from head to toe so I only use it in warm weather. Blades are cheap, cuts real fast. I really like mine a lot and so far, knock on wood, I've had my little cheapo saw for over eight years......Mel
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riverrock
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since April 2010
Posts: 1,395
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Post by riverrock on Jan 23, 2015 22:56:59 GMT -5
I also stand on the other side . Eazy to see and eazy to shape and never get wet. Now when I frist started to cut i also asked the question do I have to wear a rain coat. But I had that ahh ha monument and stood on the outer side.. Don,t get those monuments to offen. Now are you in the GTA ? Or why up north in gods land?
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Post by Rockoonz on Jan 23, 2015 23:59:32 GMT -5
I agree with Ilyakubus, if you don't have a 301 or 303 blade the MK 225 (Hot Dog) blades are great. I have a 12" version that has cut agates, chert, wood, and anything else that hard that I have thrown at it for nearly 2 years, and its still going strong without dressing etc. I'm thinking of buying another for my 10" saw just because I know I can abuse it. For $60, I'm not very tempted to buy a cheaper blade with less of a known track record. Tom Tom, where do you get them? In 8 inch diameter the 303 blades cost less on ebay. I was thinking of trying one at the rock club lap shop since the trim blades are so abused there.
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Post by Peruano on Jan 24, 2015 10:44:13 GMT -5
Lee, The 10" mk 225 I bought from Lowe's on line but delivered free to store. I've heard that occasionally the price drops drastically for Lowes. For the 10" it varies from 65 to 49 or so. I'm not sure they carry other sizes, but many folks do carry the mk 225 on line so I'd just shop for the best prices for a week or so. Please excuse the potentially lengthy qualifier that follows. I too thought that folks in the lapidary class were too likely to abuse mk 303 and 301s and hence took in my Mk 225 10" as an alternative. I like it because 1. Its thicker kerf make it tougher; 2. Its segmented rim potentially carries more oil to keep the cutting surface covered. 3. It has lasted a long time on my slab saw under rigorous conditions. Note: most lapidary blades less than 14" do not have such segmented design, but masonry / porcelain blades do. The Mk 225 is a porcelain blade. Factors to consider: Tile saws run at faster rpms than lapidary saws. Is this why they throw more water? I'm going to use it at lapidary speeds and monitor lubricant levels carefully to reduce excess throw. Tile blades are often segmented. Is this why they throw more water? Lapidary blades are segmented in larger sizes which are almost always slab saws that are covered thus water/oil throw is not important. Importantly slab saws are power fed and hence slow fed. A friend who I respect greatly says that one disadvantage for the segmented 225 for the lapidary class situation is that the masses will tend to crowd the blade (pushing the rock through too fast) and potentially cause it to throw particles of stone or leave a rougher cut surface than a continuous edge blade would, but . . . in his eyes, the blade if fine to use if fed slowly and if used with eye protection (something we should do anyway). If I understood him correctly, he said that certain stones with a fibrous nature might tend to catch on the segments and be microscopically torn and throw stone particles and leave a rougher surface. But my recollection was that he felt this was the exception. Why has the 225 performed so well for me in my slab saw on agates, petrified wood, and miscellaneous rock hound material? Slow feed rate, no problem with oil throw due to covered use, and its a tough blade with lots of diamond. I'm going to continue using my 12" MK 225 on the slab saw; and put a 10" on an HP saw that I use hand fed to cut smaller rocks and exploratory cuts. So the short answer is the MK225 might not be appropriate for class situations unless you can get folks to listen about not crowding the blade and safety issues. It will last, but may be better for home use in the hands of an experienced person rather than for noobies in a class/multiple user situation. I hope this helps and potentially even raises some other perspectives as to why some blade perform in some situations and not in others. Tom
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ontariojoe
off to a rocking start
Member since October 2014
Posts: 24
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Post by ontariojoe on Feb 7, 2015 17:17:38 GMT -5
Up north, about 5 hours north of T.O in Sudbury ON. i haven't had time to do any work but the tile saw works great!
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