QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,623
|
Post by QuailRiver on Aug 28, 2014 22:34:17 GMT -5
Thanks Mel! It may very well be one of the flame agates. I've lost count of how many times I've picked this rock up thinking about slabbing it, but sat it back down because it's so dang hard to get a read on that haven't been able to decide which direction I wanted to cut it. One direction and I'll get several slabs that have the golden moss in white sandwiched between the lacy bands of clear, yellow and white above, and the white and red tubes below. Or the other direction I only get two or three slabs of all red and white tubes. But my curiosity is getting the best of me so I guess I'm going to have to cut into it to find out what it's going to look like. Did you see the pictures of the Arizona Picture Rock I posted...any thoughts?
|
|
QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,623
|
Post by QuailRiver on Aug 28, 2014 19:20:58 GMT -5
I picked up several pieces of this material at a living estate sale of an old rockhound last spring. It was labeled "Arizona Picture Rock". It resembles a material called Arizona Sunset Jasper that I have found on the web. The texture and hardness reminds be of Chicken Track Picture jasper but looks like it might take a little better polish. Does anyone have any information about this material and where in Arizona it comes from and is it still available? Larry C.
|
|
QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,623
|
Post by QuailRiver on Aug 28, 2014 19:12:15 GMT -5
Tommy's post of his piece of Wingate Agate brought to mind a piece of Agate I've had sitting around a while that I have not been able to figure out what it is. It looks similar to the photo of the agate Tommy posted. It weighs about 4.25 lbs and I am showing a side view and bottom view below. Anyone know what this is? Larry C.
|
|
QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,623
|
Post by QuailRiver on Aug 28, 2014 17:26:32 GMT -5
Come to think of it I haven't seen Miander post anything lately. I hope everything is okay with her and her family?
|
|
QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,623
|
Post by QuailRiver on Aug 27, 2014 10:34:48 GMT -5
Maybe I misread but it seems like you're intending to use the visor to examine the stone while cutting the girdle with your face close to the wheel? If I am reading that correctly please keep in mind that the mist coming off the wheels will have stone residues including silica that shouldn't be breathed. I few years back I developed a rare eye condition called Central Serous Retinopathy in my dominant eye. Fortunately I was one of the 20% who recovered without surgery but it left me with mild distorted vision in that eye. When faceting I was having to wear magnifying visors and cut with my face close to the lap to be able to see well enough. Even though mist wasn't really that visible I noticed that after cutting for a while I would begin tasting the rock swarf so I knew I was breathing it. Having been a potter too I was aware of the dangers of silicosis. So I had my eye doctor write me a prescription for a pair of low magnifying bifocals that have focal ranges at 18" for use while cutting, and 6" for close-up examinations. On a normal pair of bifocals the shorter range of focus is on the lower half of the lenses and the long range at the upper half which would be awkward for gem cutting. So the optometrist who made the glasses was able to calculate the prescription where the longer 18" range was on the lower half of the lenses and the 6" range on the upper half. These work well for what I need but when doing any lapidary work that kicks up a lot of mist I still wear a disposable dust mask. I like these the best: www.zoro.com/i/G0660974/?gclid=CJKErvbhs8ACFa_m7Aod2HEABg
|
|
QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,623
|
Post by QuailRiver on Aug 26, 2014 12:09:49 GMT -5
Loooves me some Guadalupe Poppy Jasper! Larry C.
|
|
QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,623
|
Post by QuailRiver on Aug 26, 2014 12:02:12 GMT -5
I see a humanoid face connected to an animal type body! With fire coming out of his head!! Yes, quite a disturbingly sad, big face on a four-legged creature, haha. That's a relief! Donnie and bcrockhound you are seeing what I see in that last one, so maybe my wife is wrong about me! Larry C.
|
|
QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,623
|
Post by QuailRiver on Aug 26, 2014 2:54:11 GMT -5
|
|
QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,623
|
Post by QuailRiver on Aug 24, 2014 15:16:27 GMT -5
Thanks to all. I will follow your cumulative advice and take a pass on the 6 in saw. I promise to save my pennies(000) for a bigger saw with a good vice/power feed. Without starting a ford vs chevy debate, does anyone have a preference to suggest- up to 10 in. blade? If you are looking for a combination trim & slab saw I would suggest one of the following three: The least expensive would be the "Rocks 10" slab/trim saw by Polaris which is a very well built machine. It is a gravity fed machine and has one of the best designed vises of any of the 10" saws. Also the whole table tracks towards the blade which is a good feature to have when trimming slabs. www.polaristool.com/catalog/item.php?unid=4616&prodpa=0If you prefer a new saw with a power feed the Raytech Deluxe 10" saw is a good one that has a removeable coolant sump for easy cleaning. www.kingsleynorth.com/skshop/product.php?id=87940Or the Diamond Pacific TC-10 is also a good power feed saw with a good depth of cut. www.inlandlapidary.com/singleproduct.asp?search=Diamond+Pacific&partnum=DPTC10 However if are going to use your 10" saw for slabbing only, then a Lortone LS10 is hard to beat. They are out of production now but good used ones are still out there and usually sell in the $450 - $600 range. Larry C.
|
|
QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,623
|
Post by QuailRiver on Aug 24, 2014 0:23:53 GMT -5
I still think its to high,Check eBay prices for tumblers and vibs, never saw that kinda of saw on there yet even Highland parks prices have gone down for 20 inch saws. Ofer 1800. or 1900.00 I bet he would take it. I'm not sure on used prices (And you may be right). I just know what they go for new. If I had the extra shop space And cash I probably would go for this deal, After some negotiating of course. I buy and sell a lot of used equipment. A good "rule of thumb" for average used lapidary equipment that is clean and ready to use is never pay more than half of what it currently sells new for from the lowest priced dealer you can find a listing for. If the piece needs cleaning, or maintenance or parts, then less. If it's rusted badly then MUCH less! However if a piece has barely been used and shows little to no sign of wear then maybe up to 75% of the price of a new one. The Rock Shed sells the Lortone Panther for $1,6600 new. The one picture on the CL you show does have a little rust showing but doesn't look too bad. If I were selling that saw I wouldn't expect to get over $750 - $800 for it IF everything works properly and the blade is still in decent shape. When it comes to older cabbing machines be careful not to over pay for a machine with SC wheels and expandable drums. Too often people who aren't lapidaries themselves but have inherited daddy's rock collection or found some at an auction to resale price theirs based on what they see the similar looking diamond wheel equipped machines sell for. And there is a HUGE difference in price due to SC v.s. Diamond and Expandable Drums v.s. Nova Flex Sanding Wheels. So don't be talked into paying too much for S.C. wheels and rubber drums. Another thing to consider when buying anything that uses loose grits like tumblers and vibrating laps is contamination from coarser grits. If a tumbler or vibrating lap has a lot of dried up rock sludge and grit on it assume the previous owner wasn't very careful about contamination from variuos grit sizes and pay less. If the equipment looks very clean and well maintained then maybe pay a little more. Hope this helps! Larry C.
|
|
QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,623
|
Post by QuailRiver on Aug 23, 2014 2:00:40 GMT -5
When you mention "school samples" could you be more specific. Are you wanting to cut slabs for a lapidary class or thin sections for a geology class? $300 for a used Lortone 6" trim saw seems a little high to me. The only used 6" saw I can see bringing that much is the now out of production Raytech 6" trim/slab saw that had a powerfeed system on it for slabbing. It's an identical design but smaller version of their 10" slab saw. Let us know more specifically what you are cutting and we will better be able to help. Larry C.
|
|
QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,623
|
Post by QuailRiver on Aug 22, 2014 18:13:04 GMT -5
Yeah that looks mostly like lower grade material. Larry C.
|
|
QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,623
|
Post by QuailRiver on Aug 22, 2014 15:28:59 GMT -5
There has been a lot of lapis brought into the U.S. over the last 13 years and that has made prices drop very low compared to before. I've seen fairly good grade 95+% blue lapis rough with some pyrite sell in the $45-60 range. And I have seen lapis speckled with white calcite that is refereed to as "denim" sell as low as $25 per pound here in the states. Afghanistan is a very dangerous place right now for westerners. I have a brother-in-law working over there now. Before he went he asked if I wanted him to try to find me any lapis and I told him no. I would rather he keep his mind on his work and his safety and make it back home alive and in one piece. Larry C.
|
|
QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,623
|
Post by QuailRiver on Aug 19, 2014 3:55:36 GMT -5
I'm talking about the motor itself binding up at a point without having the blade on or cutting.. i'm just glad it freed itself Well then that doesn't sound good! Larry C.
|
|
QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,623
|
Post by QuailRiver on Aug 19, 2014 2:48:58 GMT -5
Continuous Duty rated 1/3 hp 1725rpm motors are pretty common. They were used on old clothes washing machines and are still used on a lot of hobby grade wood working equipment (drill presses, lathes, jointers, belt sanders, etc), squirrel cage fans, and industrial pedestal fans. I have found used ones for $10-$20 (including the squirrel cage fan) at local auctions. Or if you want to spring for a new one Zoro Tools has several models starting just under $100. A 1/2hp motor will work just fine too. www.ebay.com/sch/m.html?item=221492462594&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_ssn=zorotools&_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=1%2F3+1725+motor&_sop=15Check all grinding wheels and sanding drums you will be using to see if they have a Maximum RPM rating on them and never operate the machine faster than that rating. A grinding wheel or a sanding drum breaking apart at 1725rpms can be serious shrapnel. Also if the Lortone machine arbor has a three step pulley then, it works out best to put a three step pulley on the motor as well so when you change speeds the belt will track smoothly. Larry C. Larry C.
|
|
QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,623
|
Post by QuailRiver on Aug 19, 2014 2:13:57 GMT -5
I think i may need a new motor for my slab saw some time... it was moving today but bound up at a point... unless something got stuck in it i'm not sure why that happned... I got it running in a few min of moving it to the point where it finally went to the 360 rotation... seemed fine after that. When a slab saw binds up it is usually one, or a combination of more than one, of the following: A) A dull blade that needs dressing. B) Too fast a feed rate for the size and type of rock being cut. C) An inadequate saw oil/lubricant. D) The rock has slipped in the vise. E) The rock vise carriage is misaligned and is not traveling perfectly parallel with the blade. Larry C. PS. Congratulations on your cabbing machine acquisition and welcome to the hobby!
|
|
QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,623
|
Post by QuailRiver on Aug 11, 2014 0:43:48 GMT -5
The arbor Flanges and Flange Washers on my 18" Lortone and 20" Covington Saws are 3" in diameter. If there is enough depth between the bottom edge of your blade and the bottom of your oil reservoir to lower the arbor an inch or so, you could just remove the bearing/arbor assembly on yours and replace it with a Lortone or Covington arbor mounted in standard pillow block bearings like the Lortone 18" saws use. Other than drilling new mounting holes for the pillow block bearings the only other modification you would have to make would be to cut a new hole in the sheet metal where the arbor protrudes though the side and screw a small piece of sheet metal or acrylic over the old arbor hole. And yes the masonite does soak up some oil but that doesn't hurt anything. Larry C. Maybe it's just photo distortion but the arbor flange and flange washer do look small for a 20" blade. What is the diameter of the flange on this saw? Also when I have a rock that hangs down a little and looks like it might hit the flange washer I place two or three pieces of 1/4" thick masonite underneath the rock in the vise to raise the elevation of the rock a little. Larry C. The flange is only 2.5" (well...2 a shy 7/16" after colliding with the rock I mentioned)...not nearly large enough for the blade size. The other thing I considered was possibly replacing the bearing block assembly. I just got it removed, having used a heat gun to remove about 10 lbs of silicone that was used to mummify the bearing block. It would require a modification of the sheet metal but not that big a deal. I think I could possibly lower the assembly about 1", perhaps a bit less if I did so. Hate to go to that extreme if I could just raise the carriage up about the same amount. That should give me a comfortable 3.5" - 4" flange before it runs the risk of being on the same plane as the carriage surface. Thanks for the tip on the masonite, does it tend to soak up oil?
|
|
QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,623
|
Post by QuailRiver on Aug 9, 2014 16:35:09 GMT -5
Maybe it's just photo distortion but the arbor flange and flange washer do look small for a 20" blade. What is the diameter of the flange on this saw? Also when I have a rock that hangs down a little and looks like it might hit the flange washer I place two or three pieces of 1/4" thick masonite underneath the rock in the vise to raise the elevation of the rock a little. Larry C.
|
|
QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,623
|
Post by QuailRiver on Aug 5, 2014 1:02:43 GMT -5
Congratulations on getting the saw and welcome to the mutually shared addiction! Larry C.
|
|
QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,623
|
Post by QuailRiver on Aug 5, 2014 0:57:49 GMT -5
Very Nice Cabs! That TeePee Canyon and Ocean Jaspers #1 & #3 are top shelf keepers! Larry C.
|
|