rockrockrock
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since August 2016
Posts: 91 
|
Post by rockrockrock on May 2, 2021 18:15:51 GMT -5
Hi, I am not grinding, lapping or polishing rocks or gems. I am lapping and polishing a simple industrial plastic that is similar to Delrin.
I had read several places that I can make a simple, light-duty 6" polishing disc out of plain ol' Corian? Is it worth experiementing with?
I appreciate your insights, plus any other suggestions you may have for a low-cost or DIY lapping disc.
Excuse my ignorance, but I assume you would charge this disc with lapping paste. Could you also use cerium oxide powder?
Thanks Very Much,
RRR
|
|
standles
spending too much on rocks
Well all I got was a rock ... Cool!
Member since February 2021
Posts: 325
|
Post by standles on May 2, 2021 19:40:30 GMT -5
Other than the 2 coarsest grits on the slant cabber they are all acrylic discs with stick on diamond discs. Works there. matter of fact look at the 6 inch models and you might not have to reinvent the wheel  Discs |
|
rockrockrock
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since August 2016
Posts: 91
|
Post by rockrockrock on May 2, 2021 19:56:06 GMT -5
Hi, I am not grinding, lapping or polishing rocks or gems. I am lapping and polishing a simple industrial plastic that is similar to Delrin. I had read several places that I can make a simple, light-duty 6" polishing disc out of plain ol' Corian? Is it worth experiementing with? I appreciate your insights, plus any other suggestions you may have for a low-cost or DIY lapping disc. Excuse my ignorance, but I assume you would charge this disc with lapping paste. Could you also use cerium oxide powder? Thanks Very Much, RRR |
|
rockrockrock
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since August 2016
Posts: 91
|
Post by rockrockrock on May 2, 2021 19:57:51 GMT -5
Forgive my ignorance, but do you happen to have a direct link or two you could post for that? Also, a few questions. I need to run these wet, with water, to work with my materials. It seems to me the self-adhesive is not waterproof. What I've been using very successfully is discs that use the hook and loop Velcro system. I've also purchased discs without that feature and glued a Velcro pad to the back of the disc. Works like a champ.
Thanks Very Much,
RRR
|
|
standles
spending too much on rocks
Well all I got was a rock ... Cool!
Member since February 2021
Posts: 325
|
Post by standles on May 3, 2021 8:03:15 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by hummingbirdstones on May 3, 2021 9:51:34 GMT -5
Have a look at the Darkside lap manufactured by Jon Rolfe (Gearloose). He produces products for the faceting world. This lap can be used with oxides (Jon actually makes what he calls a Battstik in oxides for charging the laps without the mess).
Since what you are doing is not lapidary-related you may want to contact Jon from the main website and see if he can give you better advice than we can. He's brilliant and may be able to help you figure out the best way to do what you want to do.
Good luck!
|
|
gemfeller
Cave Dweller 
Member since June 2011
Posts: 4,047
|
Post by gemfeller on May 3, 2021 17:02:43 GMT -5
rockrockrock , While I agree that getting advice from Jon "Gearloose" Rolfe is an excellent idea, polishing faceted stones with Corian laps is also done. I have 2 of them I use for specialized situations. I suspect you'll go in another direction after talking with Jon but if you decide on Corian I'll check my archives -- if asked -- to try to find directions. One method developed by the late Merrill O. Murphy requires the use of floor wax on the lap along with a polishing medium.
|
|
|
|
Post by rockjunquie on May 3, 2021 17:16:29 GMT -5
The width and breadth of knowledge found at RTH never ceases to amaze me. I learn something new everyday.  |
|
rockrockrock
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since August 2016
Posts: 91
|
Post by rockrockrock on May 3, 2021 23:34:01 GMT -5
rockrockrock , While I agree that getting advice from Jon "Gearloose" Rolfe is an excellent idea, polishing faceted stones with Corian laps is also done. I have 2 of them I use for specialized situations. I suspect you'll go in another direction after talking with Jon but if you decide on Corian I'll check my archives -- if asked -- to try to find directions. One method developed by the late Merrill O. Murphy requires the use of floor wax on the lap along with a polishing medium Gemfeller, if you don't mind (but no terrible rush), I'd welcome the opportunity to learn more on the Corian option. Before I elaborate, I'd really love to hear how to use the Corian. Are you charging them with diamond paste from syringes? Okay, here's the deal, folks. I'm cheap. I don't mind spending a little $$$ to solve my issue, but only after exploring and looking at the cheapest possible way to do a job and /or DYI it and save myself a bucketload of money. I'll give you an example. All these flat lapping machines that Rio Grande and everyone else sells for $500-600? I started thinking. I bought a $40 Harbor Freight car buffer/polisher with variable speeds, turned it upside-down, covered it with plastic to protect it from water, then lashed it to a $10 IKEA end table. Voila -- a $600 flat lap for $50. I've been using it for 18 months and it works like a champ. By being cheap and creative I've been able to put a lot of money in the bank and have very healthy cash reserve, zero debt, and low operating costs. In short, I like the Corian approach, if viable, because I can try it for about $20. Thanks! RRR |
|
gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 4,047
|
Post by gemfeller on May 5, 2021 15:22:29 GMT -5
rockrockrock , Your setup sounds a little scary to me from the standpoint of electrical shocks but I'll assume you've got that situation handled. This is a thread from Gemologyonline on the subject of Corian laps. I'm pull-quoting my contribution on how the laps are prepared and charged. I've used them with both diamond and oxide polishes. Corian Laps www.gemologyonline.com/Forum/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=5160No guarantees but here's my method (first described to me by the late well known faceter and gem prospector, Merrill O. Murphy): Get a tin of Trewax. It's a carnauba-based floor wax sold by Tru Value Hardware stores, I think. I've heard other carnauba-based waxes will work but haven't tried them. Apply a small amount of wax to the lap with a clean cloth, spreading it around over the lap surface. Sprinkle a *small* amount of optical grade cerium oxide over the lap and use a clean sponge or fingertip to mix them together until the cerium can be seen all across the lap's surface. Then wait an hour or so for the wax to set. Then buff the wax with a dry cloth just as if you were polishing wood. You want just a thin coating. With the lap rotating slowly, start a slow water drip. The lap should move just fast enough to "grab" a little when the stone is polishing. Too much friction will remove the wax/cerium mixture quickly. Too little water will cause the stone to heat; too much will allow the stone to skid over the surface. Some people report excellent results with this method; others prefer the same approach but use diamond up to 200K instead. Repeat the process as necessary.
|
|
rockrockrock
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since August 2016
Posts: 91
|
Post by rockrockrock on May 5, 2021 15:33:44 GMT -5
rockrockrock , Your setup sounds a little scary to me from the standpoint of electrical shocks but I'll assume you've got that situation handled. This is a thread from Gemologyonline on the subject of Corian laps. I'm pull-quoting my contribution on how the laps are prepared and charged. I've used them with both diamond and oxide polishes. Corian Laps www.gemologyonline.com/Forum/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=5160No guarantees but here's my method (first described to me by the late well known faceter and gem prospector, Merrill O. Murphy): Get a tin of Trewax. It's a carnauba-based floor wax sold by Tru Value Hardware stores, I think. I've heard other carnauba-based waxes will work but haven't tried them. Apply a small amount of wax to the lap with a clean cloth, spreading it around over the lap surface. Sprinkle a *small* amount of optical grade cerium oxide over the lap and use a clean sponge or fingertip to mix them together until the cerium can be seen all across the lap's surface. Then wait an hour or so for the wax to set. Then buff the wax with a dry cloth just as if you were polishing wood. You want just a thin coating. With the lap rotating slowly, start a slow water drip. The lap should move just fast enough to "grab" a little when the stone is polishing. Too much friction will remove the wax/cerium mixture quickly. Too little water will cause the stone to heat; too much will allow the stone to skid over the surface. Some people report excellent results with this method; others prefer the same approach but use diamond up to 200K instead. Repeat the process as necessary. This is great info. Can't thank you enough. I'm on the run right now so I read this quickly. I will likely have a quick question or two in the next 24. Thanks Again, RRR |
|
