one80mike
freely admits to licking rocks
@(-_-)@ Princess Leia!
Member since February 2007
Posts: 908
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Post by one80mike on Mar 5, 2007 6:52:18 GMT -5
Ok, so I finally got a grinder over the weekend. It's not a low speed one but it came in at just over $50. Much more affordable than the $200 plus for anything around 1500-2000 rpm. I have spent more than a few hours chewing through jaspers and agates over the last few days. My hands are cramped, my fingernails are nearly worn through, I have sores on my fingers and I have been having a great time! I have been dipping the rocks in water to keep them cool and to minimise dust and have set up a small container under each wheel to catch as much water and dust as possible. The original wheels are 2/3 -3/4 worn out already and I am trying to source some SC wheels. All I am trying to do is get rocks ready for tumbling.
So, does anyone have any tips, ideas or lessons learnt that will help me to get the most out of my grinder and keep the use of my hands at the same time? (I am wearing a dust mask and protective glasses...safety first)
Thanks for your responses folks, Mike.
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RockyBlue
fully equipped rock polisher
Go U.K.
Member since June 2006
Posts: 1,719
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Post by RockyBlue on Mar 5, 2007 8:13:17 GMT -5
Hey Mike! I got the 100 grit green wheels from Kingsleynorth,green wheels are for rock,and they do a great job. Bikerrandy has a great set up with a shop vac attached to his grinder,the way i solved my skinned knuckles was to wrap them with masking tape,even if your just planning to see 1 little rock looks like Hope this helps................Rocky
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Terry664
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since March 2005
Posts: 1,146
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Post by Terry664 on Mar 5, 2007 8:23:18 GMT -5
Mike my experience with preparing rough for tumbling, was that the SC wears out quicker than the Aluminum, but works faster, with less chipping. I do mostly shapes on the SC, and i am just very careful and take my time, I do a lot of small pieces. I usually don't work more than an hour at a time. I had a lot of nicks on fingers and nails when I first started, but I haven't got one in about 6 months now. Some people use dop on a dop stick, but I have never used it or seen it for that matter. Terry
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yogi
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2006
Posts: 175
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Post by yogi on Mar 5, 2007 9:09:22 GMT -5
Hi Mike, For a course wheel take a look at www.mcmaster.com/ catologe page 2561. They have SiC wheels for a reasonable price up to 100G, and they come with bushings to fit most shafts. For a second wheel at about 220G youll need to go to a lapidary source, try Kingsley, they have good prices on most things. Some sources sell bushings seprate so check when you order. Another tool you may want is a dimond wheel dresser, to square up the face. You'll tend to ware the center faster then the sides, which gives a concave profile. After awile its hard to work a stone, the dresser grinds the high points and flattens the face. If your grinder is like the one I have, the cover only exposes about a third of the wheel in front. I found that the nasty finger grinds came from when my pinkies got trapped between the wheel and the guard. You might think about modifing the guard, cutting the lower 1/4 off. This way, if your finger hits the wheel, your finger will spin down and away from the wheel. If you do, file the cut edge and sand it smooth; dont want you finger hitting a jagged edge. It's alot of fun grinding and iwith a saw, a grinder and a tumbler you can make some really cool stuff! Bill
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one80mike
freely admits to licking rocks
@(-_-)@ Princess Leia!
Member since February 2007
Posts: 908
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Post by one80mike on Mar 5, 2007 18:32:37 GMT -5
Thanks for the tips and ideas, guys. I appreciate you taking the time. One of the things I was find was that it was pretty easy to do grind away at larger rocks (around the size of a golf ball, give or take) but anything smaller was pretty tricky. Trying to hold something small with a wheel spinning so fast was a challenge andthat was what caused most of the little nicks and grazes to my hands. Mike
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Post by Jack ( Yorkshire) on Mar 7, 2007 3:18:12 GMT -5
Hi Mike ,
Sooooooooooooooo pleased you found a cheap grinder after all its the grinding wheel thats the important bit
Yes we all get that feeling at the end of our fingers and the ground off nails part of the plesure !!
Have a good time with the grinder
But dont forget to use a good dust mask, very very important,
Jack Yorkshire UK
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maryann
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since February 2007
Posts: 145
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Post by maryann on Mar 7, 2007 22:12:01 GMT -5
Mike - A friend recommended that I use a vise grip on my rocks when grinding. Haven't done it yet, but intend to experiment with it. Good luck. - MaryAnn
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Post by Jack ( Yorkshire) on Mar 8, 2007 4:00:56 GMT -5
Hi Maryann,
Be Very carefull using Vise grips
1--- if you tighten the stone to much you will fracture the rock
2 --- If you put in some rubber in the jaws it will be in the way,
3 -- better to use your hands CAREFULLY.
4 -- OR use dops (the proper way)
AND a water drip to take the heat and dust away.
A grinder is a dangerous machine it could grab your vise grips, smash your wheel and do a lot of damage to your health,
Treat it with respect and think out your grinding moves before you do them . Please !
We want you to enjoy your hobby not resent it for causing a accident !!
Jack Yorkshire UK
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one80mike
freely admits to licking rocks
@(-_-)@ Princess Leia!
Member since February 2007
Posts: 908
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Post by one80mike on Mar 8, 2007 20:07:52 GMT -5
Thanks for caring Jack. I don't mind the nicks, grazes and mauled fingernails...it makes me feel tough...hahaha. I think if I was to used anything else to hold the rock, I wouldn't feel like I had very much control. I must get those SiC wheels. The orginal ones are disappearing fast. Mike
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blizzofoz
off to a rocking start
Member since December 2006
Posts: 22
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Post by blizzofoz on Mar 9, 2007 10:04:29 GMT -5
Jack, What type of mask should be used?
I asked this on another thread and was told those white, pinch at the nose, masks would suffice. I'm not conviced of that...
Is there a type of mask for this type of work?
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Post by deb193 on Mar 9, 2007 10:52:58 GMT -5
I think the point is to use enough water to hardly need the mask. having a pan to catch the dust keeps it from getting all over the shop. but the smaller particles are floating inthe air and getting into your lungs. It can be toxic. Word to the wise.
I also often throw rock into my biggest tumbler (a 10# vibe) and let it knowk off a lot of sharp edge and porous matrix. Then I take the stone to the grinder and see what it needs. Sometimes I even cut the stone on a saw and also grind it a bit. thenit is back to the tumbler.
This may use a little more tumbling grit, but is spares my grinder wheels.
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RockyBlue
fully equipped rock polisher
Go U.K.
Member since June 2006
Posts: 1,719
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Post by RockyBlue on Mar 13, 2007 19:16:00 GMT -5
Hey Mike! You want to be careful and not let your rocks get hot or it will cause fractures ,that`s what happened to me i ruined a tumbler full of Blue Lace Agate every rock ended up with fractures,when you think your using enough water,double it...............Rocky
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one80mike
freely admits to licking rocks
@(-_-)@ Princess Leia!
Member since February 2007
Posts: 908
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Post by one80mike on Mar 13, 2007 23:10:10 GMT -5
Thanks Rocky. I'm not finding there is a whole lot of heat. I tend to grind for for no more than about 5-10 seconds before dipping again. I do that to rinse of the sludge so I can see more than for heat. Maybe that means I'm dipping often enough.
I'm finding the grinding great fun. It gives me something to do with rocks rather than just sitting and watching my tumbler go round and round and round and round...and opening it every 45 seconds to see if anything has happened. Next on my list...a tile saw.
Thanks again mate, Mike
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Post by Jack ( Yorkshire) on Mar 14, 2007 3:51:02 GMT -5
Hi Mike, Sorry for the delay I have been away for the w/end I use a mask with changeable filters. DRAGER X-plore 3300 Made in Germany www.draeger-safty.comis the web site , or Even better put in DRAGER X-plore 3300 into Goggle comes straight up. I also use it when putting in glass fiber insulation Its got 3 strap fixing a lower one holding the mouth piece on from the back of the neck and one either side from a head piece to adjust the tention to the nose area Works great and long lasting. Jack Yorkshire UK
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lsmike
spending too much on rocks
Maxwell's demon lowers tumbling entropy
Member since January 2007
Posts: 468
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Post by lsmike on Mar 29, 2007 18:32:56 GMT -5
The recomended speed for a lapidary grinder is about 1,750,probably so it won't grab so hard or chip or undercut so badly.Can you slow your's down[rheostat?]?Also diamond wheels are actually cheaper in the long run because they last so much longerand you don/t have to true them like carbide .They also do not make dust unless you run dry.Any wheel should be wet whenever it is running lapidary stores carry gravity drip systems or' better yet, geysers that pump water onto the bottom of the wheel from a drip pan[or get one from any aquarium supplier].In either case you will want to rig a simple splash guard over the wheel to keep from getting too wet.Do always wear eye protection!P.S.,Minnesota Lapidary supply sells a pricy dia. wheel with a thick matrix that the owner says will last 10 times longer than a standard one.
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