snowdog
fully equipped rock polisher
RIP David Fildes, aka: snowdog
Member since January 2005
Posts: 1,527
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Post by snowdog on Apr 14, 2007 21:38:20 GMT -5
As most of you know ---last week Rainey put a cab on ebay and I was lucky enough ( or rich enough) to hold on and win it ! --- This is the story of it's "survival" to illinois ----- Gaetz said he would fill a frb to go with it --- well, it got here today and as you can see the box went thu some of the storms that's in the midwest this week --- tornados' , wind , and prob dropped out of a plane from 30,000 ft --- they were really trying to destroy this one !! ( or else they knew that "cab" was in there ) someone did manage to get it to the "box" hospital and get it taped up tho! ;D--- before they all fell out ! after cutting all the tape I was scared of what I'd find inside --- would it even still be in there ?? --- or would that be the one that went " missing" !!------- as I looked thu the rocks I saw something that looked a little different --- here was a small ring box , somewhat tattered! and upon opening it , parts were falling out --- this box was almost destroyed too. but there was a little bundle of cotton and inside it was the prettiest "bots cab" !! without a scratch on it !!!!! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D!! Thanks Rainey, and Gaetz, and I think you said Stoner cut it!! so thanks Stoner, too!---------- Snowdog
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snowdog
fully equipped rock polisher
RIP David Fildes, aka: snowdog
Member since January 2005
Posts: 1,527
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Post by snowdog on Apr 14, 2007 21:46:24 GMT -5
Like the rest said --- just that 14" saw is worth more than that --- all these little "oil" spills wouldn't of happened if you'd said --- "no here's a 1000 --- 500 is too cheap !" ;D ;D ---but I'll take a mess any day to get a good deal too!! ;D
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snowdog
fully equipped rock polisher
RIP David Fildes, aka: snowdog
Member since January 2005
Posts: 1,527
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Post by snowdog on Apr 15, 2007 23:05:25 GMT -5
mine fit tight enough I had to tap them on -- absolutely nothing to hold them in place ( no set screw collar) ---- if they have alot of play then it's either like Pho said , the center hole in the wheel is worn or could it be that the shaft is 7/8" and the wheels are 1" ( after setting mine like I did, I put on a same size pulley and spun them at about 1700 rpm and they stayed in place ,so I figured at about half that speed they would do fine)--------can you get a close up pic of the wheel and shaft from the side of the wheel ( to show how much play there is ?
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snowdog
fully equipped rock polisher
RIP David Fildes, aka: snowdog
Member since January 2005
Posts: 1,527
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Post by snowdog on Apr 15, 2007 20:03:06 GMT -5
how tight are the wheels when you slid them on ? ---- you may want to get a little bottle of " locktite" --- take the set screw out and put a drop in then return the set screw and tighten it up --follow bottle directions for drying and they won't come loose again ----- something else sounds wrong tho if the wheels wobble --- could they be bent ?
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snowdog
fully equipped rock polisher
RIP David Fildes, aka: snowdog
Member since January 2005
Posts: 1,527
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Post by snowdog on Apr 14, 2007 8:43:24 GMT -5
Dan --- shouldn't need collars on the expando drum --maybe a small( short) spacer to keep it off the bearing -- then when putting on the polish head on the shaft just slide it on until it is against the expando -- that set screw can be used to hold both in place ---( if the set screw bushing part of the polish head is a couple inches long)
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snowdog
fully equipped rock polisher
RIP David Fildes, aka: snowdog
Member since January 2005
Posts: 1,527
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Post by snowdog on Apr 12, 2007 23:53:00 GMT -5
Dan- they are just a friction fit --- expando's usually have a nylon bushing that is tight fitting ( may have to tap it on the shaft) -- so do alot of the diamond wheels ( under normal use MOST will never move) but to be on the safe side I would put spacers in between
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snowdog
fully equipped rock polisher
RIP David Fildes, aka: snowdog
Member since January 2005
Posts: 1,527
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Post by snowdog on Apr 12, 2007 11:56:25 GMT -5
sheri, I just cleaned one up exactly like that --- one little trick you may want to do is --- slip the shaft back on the bearings and bolt it down , put the pulley back on and the belt -- just run the shaft by itself --- with it spinning you can take a piece of steel wool and clean the shaft of rust ( pull the steel wool pad out a little longer then slip one end of it behind the shaft --hold each end with two fingers and use like a sanding belt ) --using only two fingers to hold will allow it to pull out of your hand if something gets caught ( getting to close to the bearing or heavy nick in shaft) but will shine up the shaft without alot of " rubbing"---- I got some set screw collars at our tractor supply store ( alot of farm machinery use these type collars)-------- otherwise a small wire brush on a electric drill will save alot of time when trying to clean everything else up. --- also think those bearings have an "oil" cap not grease --if you have one of the "old" oil cans (small container with tube out the top ) -- just lift the lid on the bearing , stick the tube in and give it a couple drops you could also take that shaft into a machine shop and have them cut some threads on each end ( have it cut down to 3/4" ) --only far enough to screw on the threaded polish plates ( just remember to have left hand threads cut on the left end and right hand on the right side ( this will make the end plates thighten up as it spins ) as far as taking both bearings off --- just measure where the one end is now ( with the one left on) and after shining up 90% of it with the steel wool then you could take it apart and only have a little spot where the bearings were to do by hand ---- you could always slide the shaft a little one way or the other to get a expando drum to fit too -- just remember to tighten down the collars by the bearings to hold it in place later when running
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snowdog
fully equipped rock polisher
RIP David Fildes, aka: snowdog
Member since January 2005
Posts: 1,527
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Post by snowdog on Apr 10, 2007 13:59:16 GMT -5
Your Welcome! ;D ---- just wish my last daughter would of stayed home and had her wedding here ( jamaica ! ) -- I could of gave out alot of "rocks" (rubies & emerals) ;D ;D and been cheaper!! --- what is the exact date ? I know the "end of May" ( may have to send her one more rock! ;D)---- or does she get half of your collection now?
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snowdog
fully equipped rock polisher
RIP David Fildes, aka: snowdog
Member since January 2005
Posts: 1,527
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Post by snowdog on Apr 9, 2007 22:38:25 GMT -5
;D ;D your "Welcome" !! now if you would of said you were wanting "brazilians", I would of just sent a box, but I didn't have any " Bots" ! ;D ;D so I just "bid on bots", bid on bots, bid onbots. bidonbots --- hope you get some more pretty ones!! ;D
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snowdog
fully equipped rock polisher
RIP David Fildes, aka: snowdog
Member since January 2005
Posts: 1,527
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Post by snowdog on Apr 9, 2007 22:40:49 GMT -5
didn't take long to pass the first hundred $$$
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snowdog
fully equipped rock polisher
RIP David Fildes, aka: snowdog
Member since January 2005
Posts: 1,527
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Post by snowdog on Apr 9, 2007 18:42:32 GMT -5
and according to "google map" I'm only 182 miles!! ;D ;D
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snowdog
fully equipped rock polisher
RIP David Fildes, aka: snowdog
Member since January 2005
Posts: 1,527
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Post by snowdog on Apr 8, 2007 21:12:40 GMT -5
sometimes it is the type of rock you are trying to polish ----one of the few things I see is that you may want to do is change to a 400 "or" 600 stage ( just one of them ) then go on to a 1000/1200 grit ( prepolish ) before the polish --- there are several different grades of cerium -- so you may have one that is a little "courser" and if the rock is a little grainey then it may not polish as good --- also less polish is usually better than more ( or add a bit more water to thin it out) could you put up a couple pics of the rocks ---- may help with some more answers
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snowdog
fully equipped rock polisher
RIP David Fildes, aka: snowdog
Member since January 2005
Posts: 1,527
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Post by snowdog on Apr 7, 2007 20:57:19 GMT -5
I got to thinking about that after I wrote it -- about the belt --- he said "mini-sonic" not "vibra- sonic" ;D
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snowdog
fully equipped rock polisher
RIP David Fildes, aka: snowdog
Member since January 2005
Posts: 1,527
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Post by snowdog on Apr 7, 2007 17:00:18 GMT -5
more than likely it is the belt --- may have stretched out just a bit after warming up ( running) or else there is too much water -- the vibs don't like alot of water like the rotories do . just damp plus a bit is enough for the vibs -- standing water will have little points on the top from the "vib" --- just pour off any excess and see if that makes the rocks start to move -- if not then the belt is prob a little loose and it's not getting the full "vib" force --- sometimes I like the o-rings better than the regular belt because you can get one a bit smaller then stretch it to make it stay tight.
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snowdog
fully equipped rock polisher
RIP David Fildes, aka: snowdog
Member since January 2005
Posts: 1,527
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Post by snowdog on Apr 6, 2007 21:06:33 GMT -5
lot of gold panners use them ! ;D ( when dredging )
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snowdog
fully equipped rock polisher
RIP David Fildes, aka: snowdog
Member since January 2005
Posts: 1,527
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Post by snowdog on Apr 6, 2007 20:47:27 GMT -5
here's a pic of what I'd say is typical --- this is dry
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snowdog
fully equipped rock polisher
RIP David Fildes, aka: snowdog
Member since January 2005
Posts: 1,527
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Post by snowdog on Apr 6, 2007 21:03:16 GMT -5
Sherri --- I'd say it's a brazilian too --- and they don't care much how you cut them ! ;D ---if they have layers of rings then no matter which way you cut it it will have rings all around -- from the third pic I'd say it's more like this one --- the edges look to be somewhat transparent in the pic try holding a big flashlight up to it or bright light-- if it glows a creamy or light brownish color then it will be full of quartz crystals or maybe hollow with a 1/2 -3/4 inch skin around it -- the only difference in cutting it is the shape of the slabs when you're done -- like -- a few more if you cut it across the short way against less slabs and be bigger if cutting the long way ---
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snowdog
fully equipped rock polisher
RIP David Fildes, aka: snowdog
Member since January 2005
Posts: 1,527
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Post by snowdog on Apr 3, 2007 23:03:56 GMT -5
I friend of mine does it --- is a regular jeweler -- he keeps saying he will teach me but we've never found the time --- if you wanted to try it without spending alot of money --- get one of the old craftman flat laps ( like the one I just sold ) -- they are egg shaped and if all the parts are there they had a post and arm (vise ) for sawing --- some had a faceting piece that fit somehow on that same arm or else it fit on the floor of the lap ( I've got one but haven't figured out how it all works yet) ---you want to try it? let me know ! ( it's old and rusty !!)--- you can sometimes find a faceting head handpiece on ebay and could set it up to use on any flat lap ------- one of the biggest things is knowing how the grain of the rock is running to get the most out of it --- need a good magnifying microscope to see that
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snowdog
fully equipped rock polisher
RIP David Fildes, aka: snowdog
Member since January 2005
Posts: 1,527
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Post by snowdog on Apr 3, 2007 23:09:44 GMT -5
looks like everyone had fun!! --- did they hit you with fifty questions at the same time ?? ( like is this really just a rock ? ) ;D
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snowdog
fully equipped rock polisher
RIP David Fildes, aka: snowdog
Member since January 2005
Posts: 1,527
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Post by snowdog on Apr 2, 2007 12:46:02 GMT -5
Hi, and welcome!! -- what kind of rock are you looking for ? -- just agate to tumble or jaspers or certain ones? if you put a list here or in the" for sale or trade" section of the forum I'm sure someone will prob have something --- might also state what size your looking for -- like for what size tumbler
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