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 Mar 10, 2007 21:47:56 GMT -5
I'd trade rocks with any of them too -- or send some "surprises " -- just let me know --- as for penpals -- there are members all over --South America , Australia, Canada , Serbia, Romania, England, to name a few , and of course "right here in the States" so I'm sure you could find a variety ! if you need anything --just say " I need this " !! ;D and it will prob show up !! ;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 Mar 10, 2007 19:54:56 GMT -5
well, let's see -- you're now up to a dime ( here's another 2 cents) ;D the borax is just to wash your stones and the barrel at the same time --- let it fit your time schedule -- if you're home alot then a hour or two is fine -- if your working then let it run while you're gone ( 8 hours) or even until the next day --- the longer runs will get them cleaner but is not necessary -- in the end if you have a little polish in tiny cracks ( it is hard to get out ) so a two or three day run may be necessary --- I would say that you prob would want to run the borax after every grit ( if only using one barrel ) or else just wash them good in a bowl/pan and only do the borax after the polish if using extra barrels oh, and those are looking good for a first batch of " picked up" stones !! ;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 Mar 10, 2007 21:55:46 GMT -5
;D ;D you can grind those little "buggers" down with a vib from the start if you want --- just try throwing in twice the grit ! ;D ;D-- they'll round off and in a hurry ! ;D--- may even disappear
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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 Mar 10, 2007 20:24:18 GMT -5
I've got two of those flat laps right now -- they should be a 10" --- is there a heavy ( @1/2" thick ) plate with grooves in it ? -- if so then you can just apply grit to the grooves ( wash good between grits --- the thinner laps can be used with sand paper disks or foam rubber pad ( rubber cement glue ) and leather or material for polishing --- soft stones you want a little give when grinding them so the foam pads are easier ---- then the one arm ( has a vise on it ) is for sawing --- put the blade on (flat) --hang the stone down a 1/4" ( or more ) and the rope is weighted ( run over the pulley in back ) to make an "auto-feed"
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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 Mar 10, 2007 21:15:59 GMT -5
Hey, glad to see you met each other ! ;D ;D --- I talked to "gwalys" a couple times when he first joined and thought of last year when you joined ( so i sent him a few rocks too!) ;D ;D-- was going to mention to him about you but then hadn't seen you post for awhile --- forgot about school being out and starting a new class ! ;D ;D --- don't forget new class pics !! --- either of you need more rocks ?? ( or anything else? more samples? ;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 Mar 8, 2007 23:46:38 GMT -5
Lori, --- when I read this -- I was thinking -- it's like when you were a kid with cookies --- if you can get it in there ( mouth ) then you're good to go!! ;D ;D -- three oreo's at a time !! ( or more ) ;D --- two whole ones and some crumbs !
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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 Mar 8, 2007 23:40:56 GMT -5
sounds to me like tomarrow should be a "saw" day ! ;D --- as long as you can stand it, I'd say you could get some cut !
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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 Mar 10, 2007 20:01:28 GMT -5
forgot the other day but a bit of dish soap ( regular or borax) sometimes will help too -- something to make them a little slicker so they aren't quite so "sticky"---- but the vibs tend to dry out quicker than rotories so I like to add a "squirt of water" a couple times a day if possible
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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 Mar 8, 2007 23:53:18 GMT -5
it's just drying out a bit to much --- when mine start doing that I just take a squeeze bottle ( dish soap bottle ) full of plain water and squirt the sides a little --- ( I do it with it running ) and they fall back down real fast --- and that is about how much it needed to bring the water content back to what was needed
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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 Mar 6, 2007 1:22:47 GMT -5
glad to hear it was only the computer --- I was afraid a big green rock had got you !! ;D -- so what's the ideas?? huh ? huh? ;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 Mar 4, 2007 16:39:38 GMT -5
Congrads' Tweetiepy !! ;D ;D --- well I would say you won on workmanship and beauty !! --- I know I had two or three more pics I sent in so it wasn't just "luck" !! --- ( I reduced the price of a blade for my 18"er with my winnings ) -- no fun there!
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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 Mar 2, 2007 14:59:07 GMT -5
saw them both ---- Please don't make me push the "buy it" button !! ;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 Mar 1, 2007 22:30:09 GMT -5
I've got one that I've used about 25 years -- haven't had a prob but then it prob could use a little help!-- you could prob get just the bearing at "Grainger's" if you wanted or you can get a replacement arbor here -- www.raytech-ind.com/gem.htm -- about half way down the page it list replacement parts for the l-10s --------- what's wrong with your's ? --- the bearings are just pressed on the shaft ( some car mechanics replace wheel bearings ) so they usually have a press or you can do it yourself -- I've done a few at home ---- think the new arbor is $90 so just bearings would be cheaper
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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 Feb 27, 2007 12:39:35 GMT -5
Blarney --- it's an 18" 'er for my big saw --- wore the old one down to where I could see three layers looking at the edge and it wouldn't slice the butter I wanted to put on my bread either! ;D had some rocks sitting here patiently waiting for me to finally decide to spend $350 for a new one --- got it from "Stone Age" since I won the contest and it was on sale too --- made it easier on the pocketbook but still takes a "bite" out!
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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 Feb 27, 2007 12:18:12 GMT -5
WooooooHoooooo !! that new blade got here yesterday so I just looked at it -- watching all those diamonds sparkle ! ;D ;D I managed to keep it spotless for 12 hours but when this morning came I had to put it on and get it dirty !!!! --- cut two slabs this morning so maybe in the next week or so I'll have some pics to post!! ;D ---- cutting, cutting, cutting !!! away I go !!! ;D ;D -- oh, do you have to pay the visa bill ??
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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 Mar 1, 2007 23:34:04 GMT -5
might as well wish "BIG" -- I'd settle for the "deed" to a little rock chunk called "earth" and whereever I went people would just walk up and ask if I wanted this rock for myself or could they keep it for me ;D ;D -- course I wouldn't want the biggest of any of them -- but 2nd or 3rd in size wouldn't be bad !
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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 Feb 25, 2007 21:57:36 GMT -5
Wow, ---- hey, aaah, -- say would you loan her out next december --- just for a day ? ;D ---- mine lets me go but she won't take me !! ;D ( have to spend my own money !! ;D) looks like some nice stuff there ---I'd say those agates are prob montana's -- the little blk specks look like them --- blk skinned india's are alot darker ( can't see into them )
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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 Feb 24, 2007 13:22:59 GMT -5
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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 Feb 22, 2007 15:50:02 GMT -5
bet it is cheaper than the 8000 diamond paste maybe ? -- would prob be good to use on opals too --- some jades like to go way up on the grits before they "shine" too --- the diamond paste go on up to 100,000 or so , so this is pretty big compared to those ;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 Feb 21, 2007 23:39:17 GMT -5
I have a question here --- could it be the grit ? the only times I've ever noticed it was when the grit had completely broken down ( like micron size)--- like after a week run in the vib -- but have used a different brand of grit with the same type of rock and never get any foam ------ thought maybe it was something that was added to make the grit ------ any thoughts on this ??
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