jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,548
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Post by jamesp on Sept 6, 2020 12:38:40 GMT -5
Using the same $25 Advanta 7" tuck blade bolted to a $99 tile saw with water spray I ground this hammer broken chunk to near river rounded. The tile saw turns at 4500 rpm which really speeds up the grind. Nice 1.5 pound tiger eye. 16 minutes later Used this 30 year old cheap tile saw with the table removed This is the Advanta tuck blade after about 4 years of heavy tumble shaping. Has sharp diamonds, removes material fast. Diamonds have worn down to about half their original thickness. This is the blade when new Let's not forget my cuttie Kentucky bred neighbor whom commissioned me. She also bought a big piece of sodalite that I declined to tumble whole.
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RWA3006
Cave Dweller
Member since March 2009
Posts: 4,525
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Post by RWA3006 on Sept 6, 2020 14:25:57 GMT -5
jamesp I put together a rig like this because of a thread you had about it a couple years ago and I can attest that this is the "bomb." If a guy wants to save months of tumbling this is the ticket, especially if you use that blade to kiss the concave areas of a large stone that the grit tends to avoid a bit more. The only thing I can add is don't let your fingers contact that wicked blade. It's not hard to build a cradle or fence that surrounds the blade as a safety device. In fact, I might get ambitious and build several with different shapes to accommodate different stones shapes/sizes.
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Sept 6, 2020 15:34:21 GMT -5
That tiger eye is awesome! Can't wait to see the jamesp tumbling magic on it when it's finished.
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Post by HankRocks on Sept 6, 2020 15:53:17 GMT -5
Used this 30 year old cheap tile saw with the table removed This is the Advanta tuck blade after about 4 years of heavy tumble shaping. Has sharp diamonds, removes material fast. Diamonds have worn down to about half their original thickness. Being Tigers Eye it should smooth quickly, or at least quicker than Agate or Jasper. Next question, are you looking to have this picture entered in the OSHA "what not to do" Hall of fame? I see a nasty look blade with no guard on an improperly balanced machine, I see a water hose for spraying and an electrical cord that looks to be spliced. Man that's what I call living on the edge. My East Texas relatives would be proud!!!
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,548
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Post by jamesp on Sept 7, 2020 3:36:07 GMT -5
That tiger eye is awesome! Can't wait to see the jamesp tumbling magic on it when it's finished. Aww, I needed that and thanks. I may not be the best but I do try hard and take tumbling serious. That is a fine tiger eye hummingbirdstones. Not sure where Mona got it from but it sure would be nice to have another 100 pounds of it. It has a fault line in the middle of it that is geologically unique. The brown veins are often soft as if a poorly silicified clay but these brown areas seemed to have a healthy Mohs hardness. It will get tumbled all by itself in a small rotary barrel with small agates. Hope to get er rolling today. The Labor Day Tiger Eye and it won't be an imported tumble !
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,548
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Post by jamesp on Sept 7, 2020 3:52:24 GMT -5
jamesp I put together a rig like this because of a thread you had about it a couple years ago and I can attest that this is the "bomb." If a guy wants to save months of tumbling this is the ticket, especially if you use that blade to kiss the concave areas of a large stone that the grit tends to avoid a bit more. The only thing I can add is don't let your fingers contact that wicked blade. It's not hard to build a cradle or fence that surrounds the blade as a safety device. In fact, I might get ambitious and build several with different shapes to accommodate different stones shapes/sizes. I bought a 5 pack of these blades RWA3006. That was a mistake, can't wear one of them out ! Of all the diamond blade shapes this 1/4" wide set up at the normally higher tile saw 4500 rpm removes rock faster than all other shapes tried. It seems the smaller point of contact digs into Mohs 7 rocks about as fast as any arrangement. You mention the concave sections, they are slow to tumble shape and this wheel will sure dress them for tumbling. It takes a bit of practice to make wide contact due to the curvature of the 7 inch blade. As far as fingers are concerned small rocks should be done with the table top mounted and the blade set way low. This rock is 4" x 4" and I felt safe holding the rock well away from the blade. There is way to make a guard that allows longer smoother grinding passes some how. Maybe with rollers oriented some way... This rock could have been clamped in a Vise Grip as a handle. Maybe a special clamp would assist. Please post any such devise you come up with.
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