Saw to cut thundereggs, recommendations

[mangoat]

Hey Guys,

My wife and daughter have just got into the thunder egg thing, and omfg, we have loads of them, and they are dying to know whats inside.

I am looking to buy a used or new (if its not out of the $ range) saw that i can use.

What are recommended to use?

Thanks
ManGoat

[mangoat]

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/NEW-Coscut-CCWS180-Electric-Tile-Wet-Saw-600w-Hardware-Tools-/162554096717?hash=item25d8faac4d:g:n6gAAOSwcgNZCA2q     could i use something like that?

http://www.navimportsaustralia.com.au/product_info.php?products_id=3659

also, with sanding/polishing....... can i use something like that with 800/1200/1500 wet and dry paper to acheive a finish?  or how do i do that successfully?

note:  this is to please a child, not to sell stuff that i find/cut/finish.

[Aussie Sapphire]

You can use a tile saw like that to cut your stones but be aware that the tile blade included will be very thick and not great for cutting lapidary material (lots of wastage and they tend to chip at the cut).


Typically a tile blade will be about 70-80 thou thick (approx 1.8 to 2mm).  A more suitable lapidary blade will be more at the 25 to 32 thou thickness (less than half a tile blade) - they are designed to cut lapidary stone and will do a better job.  That saw as a 7/8" shaft size (22.2mm) so you need to be aware of this when purchasing replacement blades - usually you will need to ask for a 1" bore blade bushed down to 7/8" - check pricing and availability of these so you are making an informed decision on operating cost over the whole life of the saw.  But otherwise, it is ok.


Re the belt sander - probably better for others to comment.  I would suggest there are probably better options out there.  You are likely to have restricted choice on belt type with that type of machine.  Not sure if it can be used wet (which is better when grinding stone). If you are on a budget and your stones are only small, might be better to go for a small flat lap.


Cheers
leah

[Shivan]

Before getting a saw look at the overall diameter of the rocks you are cutting. Nothing worse than getting a saw too small for what you want to cut.

You can get away polishing small halves on some toughened glass with 220, 600 and 1200 grit with some water and detergent.
Flat lap and oscillating laps are handy if you have a lot to do or bigger bits.

[MakkyBrown]

If they are small, say less than 100mm round I just by hand cut on a wet tile saw with a cheap lapidary blade.(as Leah suggests I think). Spin the larger ones around as you cut. You might endup only polishing a small % of them depending on if you like them.
To polish the good ones you could join you daughter up to a club. Don't cut thundereggs  at a club as their sawing cost are too expensive when you are cutting and throwing away a heap of them.
Cheers
MB

[Aussie Sapphire]

If they are small, say less than 100mm round I just by hand cut on a wet tile saw with a cheap lapidary blade.(as Leah suggests I think). Spin the larger ones around as you cut.

yes - correct.  In most cases, you dont need an expensive saw but replace the thick tile blade with something more suitable (ie. thinner).  Depth of cut for a 7" saw is usually around 30mm so you need to rotate the rock to cut right through.  For larger stones that wont fit with this method, you will need a larger saw and more $$.  But tile saws are cheap so good as a starting point.

cheers
Leah

[mangoat]

what sort of $$$ do i look at for a "proper" saw to use for the right application?

i am just trying to weigh up if i buy the right thing from the get go, and if in a few years time, its not getting used, sell it off, i know i wont make money, but id rather like to look at the right application saw rather than just try to go cheap to start with...... 

what would a flat lap be worth as well, and where is the best place to look???

as well, what sort of search names would i use when going through gumtree and ebay for used products?  or is there somewhere else to hunt for second hand gear???

cheers
goat

[Aussie Sapphire]

what sort of $$$ do i look at for a "proper" saw to use for the right application?
cheers
goat

It would be a proper saw - you just need to fit an appropriate blade.  We sell lots of different types of saws and the tile saw option is really popular and very suitable for many customers.  A dedicated lapidary trim saw will be much more expensive but will have a separate motor which could be replaced or repaired if necessary down the track - you may even be able to fit a sliding vise or weight feed to some of them to make them a bit more useful.  With the tile saws with an integrated motor, when they eventually give up the ghost, you just chuck it away and get another one.  But you have saved quite a bit by going cheaper in the beginning so you dont really lose out if you go that way.

What you really need to do is work out what cutting depth you need and go from there.  If you need to go larger than a tile saw (even allowing that you can rotate the stone while cutting), then you need a larger saw.  Simple as that.  Just assess what your needs are and pick the best saw to suit.

Re a flat lap, just search on that term or any variant.  You might be lucky to pick something up cheap or second hand.  We can offer a complete 6" flat lap with all laps to get you started for $795 - very compact All-U-Need with 6" laps.  But this kind of gear is pretty simple to make or you might be able to pick something up second hand if you put the word out.  Wont cost much at all to use Makky's suggestion of silicon carbide grit on glass in the meantime.

Hope this helps.

cheers
Leah

[Gemster]

To give you an idea on 'What' you could use in Lapidary...
   My Flat-Lap is Made from an Old Victa Lawnmower Base...
There is a 14" Saw available on here, Plenty Big enough for your Eggs for $2000 Brand New..   And you can sell it for that when you have cut your Eggs... And Mine too..

  Gemster......

[mangoat]

https://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/Mjk5WDQwMA==/z/iokAAOSw5jpZhpSQ/$_20.JPG

sooo........ i committed to this......

i hope it will do the trick.

do i fill the reserviour up with oil or water ??

will need to get a thin blade from that sapphire mob and a bush.

[Ghost]

Good place to learn what you need, and a possible source of second hand equipment, is to join a lapidary club with your wife and daughter and see what other people there are using and recommend, as well as how it is done.
Welcome to ALF, and to this wonderful, rocky, hobby.
Ghost.

[mangoat]

cheers, i will buy a diamond blade for this saw i got in the next couple of weeks, and ill test and cut a few chunks of each...... wish me luck

whats the best lubricant to use?  oil or water?  if oil, what sort?

thanks for everyones help, this is turning out to be a little fun

[FlashGP]

I am not sure what sized saw you bought.  But if it is 7 inch or smaller you can use water as a coolant.

Otherwise any non toxic cutting oil such as used in lathes, soluable oil that you mix with water,  baby oil, Kerosine if you have a well ventilated room and fire is not a risk.  Etc..

Don't use radiator coolant, the base material, ethylene glycol, is poisonous.

There's a discusion on the forum on coolants, Leah may be able to send a link.

Regards
Flash

[Aussie Sapphire]

A 7 inch saw can be run with water - that will be fine.  You may choose to add a coolant concentrate (eg. Tool Cool or Koolerant #1 or similar product) - this will inhibit rust and improve cutting performance but it not essential.


You may also choose to use oil - often people dont with these smaller saws as it can be a bit more messy as it splashes/mists compared to a saw with a hood but is definitely fine to use oil  We recommend a light mineral oil - baby oil is an example of this type of oil but there are other products available.


We do NOT recommend kerosene or diesel/kerosene mixes - these are really unpleasant to use, potentially dangerous and not great for your skin or to breathe.   The light mineral oil type is much safer all round, nicer to use (not smelly and kind on your skin) and will perform better.  You can get cutting oil suitable for lathes - these work but often have other ingredients which again are not necessarily as safe in this situation compared to the light mineral oil which is just as cheap and readily available.


As flash mentions, standard radiator antifreeze is toxic - do NOT use it.  Sometimes on US sites, you will see them recommend RV antifreeze (ie. the non-toxic version) but again, the light mineral oil is readily available, safe and works well.


But for smaller saws, water is fine.


cheers
Leah

[FlashGP]

I checked out the oil we are using at Waterloo Bay LC.  It is an oil used for lubricating food equipment where food may come into contact with the lubricant.

http://www.masterolfoods.com.au/products/lubricating-oils/arbell-mineral-white-oil

We are using the most viscous oil, Arbell 68.  It costs $4 to $5 a litre in a 20 liter container.

Regards
Flash