aghear
off to a rocking start
Member since October 2012
Posts: 5
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Post by aghear on Oct 9, 2012 18:55:36 GMT -5
Has anyone converted a metal cutting band saw to cut stone? I have an opportunity to buy a used 12" x 7" metal cutting band saw for $250 (for a $1600 saw) and was wondering if it would work if I put a diamond blade in it. Attachments:
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Post by johnjsgems on Oct 9, 2012 19:22:32 GMT -5
Why not buy a wet diamond band saw for $289 and spend your time cutting rocks instead of engineering, screwing up a nice metal saw, electrocuting yourself, etc?
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aghear
off to a rocking start
Member since October 2012
Posts: 5
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Post by aghear on Oct 9, 2012 19:25:30 GMT -5
The diamond band saws I find in Canada for cutting stone are tiny.
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itsandbits
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since March 2012
Posts: 825
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Post by itsandbits on Oct 9, 2012 20:15:08 GMT -5
I had the same thought the last time I was in P.A. ;not pennsyvania either, aghear. I think they would make great rock saws and because they allready have an oil feed on them the only thing you need is a blade to fit. I'm looking. Lloyd
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The Dad_Ohs
fully equipped rock polisher
Take me to your Labradorite!!
Member since September 2012
Posts: 1,860
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Post by The Dad_Ohs on Oct 9, 2012 20:17:59 GMT -5
It can be done... and you can use metal cutting oil too... but unless you have some really B I G rocks to cut I would say it's not worth it....If you do have large enough rocks to make it worthwhile, then you have to ask yourself.. .am I only going to do really big rocks?? This saw will not work well for slabbing... the blade tension is not going to be high enough to cut thin slabs without breaking them if the blade twists while cutting, that is just the nature of that beast!! I too agree that a band saw for rocks might be best... or a large slab saw, I have an 18" that is overkill for what I am doing but the price was right with everything I got with it and I intend to get some really big rocks to use on it!!
just my :2cents:
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Post by deb193redux on Oct 9, 2012 20:53:34 GMT -5
a diamond blade would be very expensive, and you cannot really slab. i think it is a dead-end idea.
also, unless there was an autofeed you would need to spend one or two hours manually operating the saw for each cut.
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Post by jakesrocks on Oct 9, 2012 21:00:34 GMT -5
I agree with the others. I think that if you have big stuff to cut, your money would be better invested in building a drag saw.
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aghear
off to a rocking start
Member since October 2012
Posts: 5
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Post by aghear on Oct 9, 2012 21:13:25 GMT -5
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Post by deb193redux on Oct 9, 2012 21:28:59 GMT -5
so it is several hundred for th eblade, and I am not sure you have spec'ed the balde wide enough. the UKAM website recommends 1.25 to 1.5" of blade height to cut through 6" of granite. they also say average blade life is 40-80 hours. a good radial blade with proper coolant can last years.
it is also not clear that the blade travel speed can be adjusted/optimized for stone, nor the coolant flow rate. there may be so many points of engineering to adjust.
a lot of folks have thought a lot about how to cut rock. you never hear about this type of conversion.
if you take the project on for fun and education it could be a good way to spend time and money. I doubt it will be a very effective or inexpensive to operate saw. depends on what your goals are.
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Post by johnjsgems on Oct 10, 2012 8:00:39 GMT -5
I wasn't thinking slab saw, more like band saw for cutting shapes. I think a used slab saw would serve you better. If you are mechanical, find a very used one and refurb it.
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Post by deb193redux on Oct 10, 2012 8:41:04 GMT -5
the lapidary band saws are tiny because they only work for trimming up slabs.
they do not make diamond band saws for blocking larger pieces of rock, or for making slabs. the physics is not favorable.
it seems like you think you found a cheap back door sort of way to get a diamond slab saw. most here have doubts and reservations. so you decide. clarify your goals, make a decision.
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aghear
off to a rocking start
Member since October 2012
Posts: 5
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Post by aghear on Oct 10, 2012 9:34:05 GMT -5
The decision was made for me. The saw was sold before I could get to it. I am not crazy enough to do this to a new $1600 saw.
Thanks for the advice folks, but I have to choose another project for now.
I enjoy building and experimenting with new things so will build or adapt most of the equipment I will use for this new hobby.
I'm just starting out in lapidary so all of the cool projects are ahead of me.
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Post by deb193redux on Oct 10, 2012 9:47:13 GMT -5
there are various plans and DIY advice here and on the net.
If you clarify whether you priorities are to block large rough, make slabs, trim slabs, cab preforms, or polish flats ... etc, then likely there would be some advice about where to start making stuff or where to get used items to refurbish.
I's still not clear what part of the hobby where you want to spend your time.
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Post by jakesrocks on Oct 10, 2012 10:05:04 GMT -5
If your goal is to reduce very large material into smaller pieces for a conventional slab saw, you'll be time and money ahead by investing in the build of a drag saw. Drag saws are slow cutting, but can handle very large pieces, depending on how large a saw you want to build. Plans for drag saws are few and far between, but they can be found on the internet.
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Post by deb193redux on Oct 10, 2012 10:14:53 GMT -5
yes, but anything that could have been lifted up and set on that saw w/o injury not damage is not so large to need a drag saw.
IMO, a large radial saw just for blocking is not cost effective. notch it with a grinder and split it with a chisel. Much cheaper way to get chunks to put in a smaller conventional saw.
But, if anyone wants to sell me a 42" drag saw for a ridiculously low price, I am listening.
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aghear
off to a rocking start
Member since October 2012
Posts: 5
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Post by aghear on Oct 11, 2012 12:00:41 GMT -5
There are several parts of the hobby that I am interested in. I am currently building 2 mantle clocks - 1 Jade and the other Black Slate.
I love rock and the beauty that the partnership between time and nature creates.
I want to build my own equipment for this - cabbing, polishing, slabbing.
The reason I am interested in converting/building a large saw is that I have recently been given access to some large BC Jade. Of course some of it is WAY to large for the saw I was proposing in this thread, but I could have started with the pieces that would have fit on this saw.
I have looked into building a large drag saw (Gas engine) to use on site, (looks like a fairly simple machine to build from scratch), but, that will have to wait until I build some smaller tools for my shop to advance me in this hobby.
Thank you again for tour time and advice in this. I am glad that I found this forum and look forward to participating here.
Dave.
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itsandbits
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since March 2012
Posts: 825
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Post by itsandbits on Oct 11, 2012 14:52:02 GMT -5
Hey Dave didn't notice your location before, I'm just up the road 200kms in Kumpclups; if you speak Shushwap. Lloyd
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