10thumbs
spending too much on rocks
I want to be reincarnated as a dog.
Member since March 2009
Posts: 480
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Post by 10thumbs on Jul 21, 2009 16:13:41 GMT -5
I have absolutely made a decision to buy some diamond belts as I have a huge backlog of dull, dopped cabs that I've taken through 600grit SiC. I have over 70 cabs dopped now at various points of completion. Now on to the next decision - what brand?
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drjo
fully equipped rock polisher
Honduran Opal & DIY Nut
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,581
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Post by drjo on Jul 21, 2009 19:30:36 GMT -5
Sorry, you need one more choice.."What's on sale" ;D
Dr Joe
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10thumbs
spending too much on rocks
I want to be reincarnated as a dog.
Member since March 2009
Posts: 480
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Post by 10thumbs on Jul 21, 2009 21:44:09 GMT -5
Sorry, you need one more choice.."What's on sale" ;D. So in your experience the difference in quality is negligible between the different brands?
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rallyrocks
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2005
Posts: 1,507
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Post by rallyrocks on Jul 22, 2009 12:55:13 GMT -5
From my experience, the differences in composition and construction yield an almost direct correlation between cost and quality- and by quality I think mostly I mean longevity, good results can be obtained with just about any system, but how long the belts will last and thus how soon you will replace them is where the ROI for the more expensive belts lies.
For that reason, drjo isn't really being as facetious as it might seem, whatever is on sale will probably be marginally the better deal at any given time.
Having been through most of those options one time or another myself, these days I use Raytech tru-circles from 240-8000 then compund charged resin belts for 14K, 50K and 100K.
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drjo
fully equipped rock polisher
Honduran Opal & DIY Nut
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,581
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Post by drjo on Jul 23, 2009 15:30:56 GMT -5
Last ones I got (3500/8000/14000/50000) were from Graves Lapidary www.gravescompany.com/beltsand.htm and were Eastwind Diamond. I'm not hard on my belts unless I'm in a crunch to get alot done in a little time (which I stay away from now). Dr Joe .
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10thumbs
spending too much on rocks
I want to be reincarnated as a dog.
Member since March 2009
Posts: 480
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Post by 10thumbs on Jul 23, 2009 21:51:06 GMT -5
I used my 320 SiC belt on probably about 20 cabs last night. When I was done, or realistically sometime before I was done, the belt was smooth as a baby's butt. I don't think there is a bit of grit left on the thing. I have to get some diamond belts. If I get a full set though (220/400/600/1200/1800/3K/8K/14K/50K) I'm looking at $405 bucks for the Eastwind belts, $540 for Raytech belts, and more for the Crystalite polyester backing and still more for the Crystalite kevlar backed belts. Dang. I am agonizing about this purchase. That is a lot of green.
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Post by parfive on Jul 23, 2009 23:43:51 GMT -5
10thumbs: "If I get a full set though (220/400/600/1200/1800/3K/8K/14K/50K) . . . "
Too many unnecessary steps in there. Skip the 400/1800/8K/50K and you'll never know the difference.
Don't know what kind of machine you have (re: ease of changing wheels), but for that kind of money, you could buy five Nova wheels or Kingsley knock-offs.
Rich
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10thumbs
spending too much on rocks
I want to be reincarnated as a dog.
Member since March 2009
Posts: 480
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Post by 10thumbs on Jul 24, 2009 8:38:36 GMT -5
Don't know what kind of machine you have (re: ease of changing wheels), but for that kind of money, you could buy five Nova wheels or Kingsley knock-offs. I have an old GP6. Previous owner really torqued on his allen wrench such that the arbor is in rough shape. I have to use a rubber mallet to get the weeks off and on. I'll check and see how easy it is too pop off the expando on the end. I could probably swap different wheels on there. Especially if these Nova wheels last longer then diamond belts. It looks like the Kingsley Flexwheels are $85. So $425 + $25 sales tax since Kingsley is here in Michigan.
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Post by johnjsgems on Jul 24, 2009 9:40:30 GMT -5
You can carefully file any dings in the shaft and fix that problem. Nova wheels are great but won't last long unless you are very gentle. Pro cutters get from 6 months to 3 years. Diamond belt lifespans are all over the board as well. You should have an 80 and 200 or 220 grinding wheel (diamond). You can then go to 400, 600, 1200 and 3000. From there you could go to polish. I don't remember if you have a 6" by 1.5" or 2.5" expando drum but 4 belts (1.5") will cost half or less than 4 of the Kingsley (Cab King "Soft Wheels" or Eastwind "Flex Wheels)) and 1/3 the cost of Novas.
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drjo
fully equipped rock polisher
Honduran Opal & DIY Nut
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,581
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Post by drjo on Jul 24, 2009 19:09:55 GMT -5
Johnjsgems is right, lay a fine file on the vacant shaft and smooth it down while it is running as if it were a lathe.
If they're all tight, clean the end of the shaft and remove the first one and work your way thru the rest. ONLY REMOVE THE RAISED EDGES OF THE GOUGES. If you remove too much (trying to remove the gouges completely) the wheels will mount out of balance and could chatter.
Grave's CAB6 used an aluminum shaft that could get badly screwed up on the first attempt at wheel removal... at the tune of $150.00 a shaft (they never would admit it was too soft of a material).
Dr Joe
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Post by Woodyrock on Jul 30, 2009 3:09:35 GMT -5
If you are not comfortable with holding a file on the turning shaft, you can draw file the raised bits out very easily. In draw filing a round object such as a shaft, you rock the file away from the shaft as you push it forward. If you try to follow the shaft surface with the file, you will file flats in it. This is actually much harder to describe than do. Woody
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Post by johnjsgems on Jul 30, 2009 8:19:49 GMT -5
Great explanation Woody. I still have a file in my tool pouch I used before retiring from the AC/Refrig. trade. Every time you tighten a set screw you will leave a mark in shaft stock. It is always easier to take it apart if you smooth out the raised edges. A liberal dose of WD-40 helps a lot too. I'd be real careful trying it with the shaft turning.
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drjo
fully equipped rock polisher
Honduran Opal & DIY Nut
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,581
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Post by drjo on Jul 30, 2009 11:38:33 GMT -5
No Pain ... No Gain Besides chicks dig scars, it says so in the song! Filing with the shaft turning is very safe since there is nothing to catch the file on. Putting your fingers 1/4" from a spinning 80 grit diamond wheel and then pressing towards it sounds more dangerous . But always do what you feel comfortable with. Dr Joe .
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cabjunky
has rocks in the head
Regency Rose Plume
Member since November 2008
Posts: 683
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Post by cabjunky on Aug 10, 2009 20:22:49 GMT -5
I use 3M SIC belts through 800 grit and then switch to 3M diamond for 1200, 3000 and then use tin oxide or cesium oxide and buff the final product. Most material will glow after that. The SIC belts at the 320 grit last between 30-40 cabs before there wore out but at around $3.50 a belt you have to go through a lot of them to equal a diamond belt. 600, and 800 belts last well over a year, and diamond polishing belts last me around 2-3 years. I cab around 200-300 cabs a year.
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Dave Austin
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since January 2008
Posts: 104
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Post by Dave Austin on Aug 17, 2009 2:40:17 GMT -5
I used my 320 SiC belt on probably about 20 cabs last night. When I was done, or realistically sometime before I was done, the belt was smooth as a baby's butt. I don't think there is a bit of grit left on the thing. I have to get some diamond belts. If I get a full set though (220/400/600/1200/1800/3K/8K/14K/50K) I'm looking at $405 bucks for the Eastwind belts, $540 for Raytech belts, and more for the Crystalite polyester backing and still more for the Crystalite kevlar backed belts. Dang. I am agonizing about this purchase. That is a lot of green. Hi, for what it's worth I have started using resin imregnated belts which you charge up with diamond paste, I am getting very good results with these and they are a whole lot cheaper than diamond wheels. Cheers Dave
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Post by rocklicker on Sept 1, 2009 17:53:32 GMT -5
Up until recently I was using eastwind diamond belts. They flaked and split but luckily the place I got them from replaced them. Those went bad also. The 600 grit split and started to come apart. The 325 wore down too fast due to the diamond resin flaking off. The 1200 held up pretty well. I had an OK experience with eastwind belts. I guess you get what you pay for. If I had to get new ones I would probably get the true-circle type due to some recommendations. But as of last weekend I replaced them all with used but OK fixed nova wheels. It was like night and day. No more fussing around, the wheels outperformed the belts hands down. The results were better in half the time, even when compared to when the Eastwind belts saw better days. I'm switching to wheels and not looking back ;D I will probably try out those Cab King wheels from Kingsley North when the time comes. Steve
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Post by stoner on Oct 2, 2009 0:16:29 GMT -5
I've tried all of them, and they all suck in one way or another. The Raytech belts were by far the best, but lately their quality has gone down the tubes. The 600 and 1200 belts wear out FAST. I have an old 600 belt of theirs that I bought 5 years ago that still has more diamond on it than the one I got 4 months ago. I bought an 8k belt from them and within 2 months it started de-laminating, sheet of the diamond resin were peeling off. They replaced it and the new one is now starting to do the same thing. Going to start getting the resin wheels and screw the belts!
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