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Homemade cabbing machine from scrap.

Upnorth said:
Nice: I plan on making one of these later this year. I bought a used set of wheels that were about 1/3 of life used. Do you know what the metal is that you used for the main shaft? I was planning on putting a bearing on each outboard end also so 4 in total. After that I need to make a trim saw.
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I would use 1018 cold rolled. All the lapidary machines use that? They dont seem to rust. Someone suggested stainless that would be primo
 
justin1 said:
After Seeing the rock tumbler thread I felt like a few may enjoy looking a lopsided and not very thought out cabbing machine

Made from the finest of random stuff I had laying around only thing that was purchased was the cabbing wheels.View attachment 59113

Stuff on bottom shelf is some stuff I need to process I pulled from some equipment that was getting scrapped and figured some of the parts could be handy
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Looks real good man. Thats like a $3000 usd machine from a reputable company.
 
Downwindtracker2 said:
How are you going to feed the water ? At the club shop we use a siphon with a shelf on the wall above the machines. At home, a couple of machine use a pond pump. On the third try, I got one powerful enough . The trays should slope to the drain. The slash guards can use a piece of carpet and your wife a vynil apron.

I've found used equipment in need of a millwright's magic touch quite reasonable. Nevr-Sneeze is your friend for shafts. All manufactures just use plain steel. Her rock and gem club shop has 6 double wheel polisher/grinders. All old equipment. I have worked on every one of them at least once. The club has a 6" trim saw, 10"trim/slabbing saw, a 14" drop slabbing saw and a 18" feed slabbing saw. The same can be said of the saws . I was just informed the 14" is making a noise.
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I use a 5 gal bucket, siphon system
I can grind for hour and a half on 5 gal. I put in a couple teaspoons of dish soap it really makes cutting better.
Plus it makes some cool bubbles and smells nice :) lol
Ill post pics later on
 
wmetfab said:
I would use 1018 cold rolled. All the lapidary machines use that? They dont seem to rust. Someone suggested stainless that would be primo
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I have a piece of 1" 304 stainless. It's what I'm going to use for the cabbing machine shaft. I can't see how 1018 wouldn't rust because the coolant used in a cabbing machine is water. I might get away with 1018 in my slab saw because the coolant is oil. The ideal solution would be to find out where a place like cabking gets it's grinders from. Motor and shaft in one.
 
Downwindtracker2 said:
Mercury. Made in Edmonton, I was told. One of the double wheel grinder/polisher at the rock and gem club shop is Mercury. They were considered very good units. The grinder/polisher unit reminds me of the Frantom unit I redid. The Frantom is an interesting name, Tom was the owner and his wife was Fran.

The club's 10" is ( if memory serves me right) is an original Highland Park as is my wife's. They use a pulley, weight, and wire for feed. I wonder how that Mercury does the feed.

The club's 10" gets a lot of use and abuse. Members pay by the square inch and the 10" is is the least expensive. They member try to speed things up by pushing. Thin lapidary diamond blades get quickly warped.You can't push !!! Even thin construction blades die. This time I put a HD "turbo" construction blade on. It cuts for a diamond blade a wide kerf .

We use food grade mineral oil,. It's also used as laxative for cows. Dairy equipment suppliers are one source. It doesn't mist much. and is safe. The Langley club uses hydraulic oil , it's cheaper. From working with hydraulic oil, it can cause rashes and stuff. It's the additives.
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I use petro canada FG 10 10w food grade oil. Like $140 per pail. Some people even use diesel. I saw a redneck guy running it in a 24" slsb saw.
Having said, even with the 10w viscosity its kinda heavy
 
20240427_121026.jpg
 
Thats my 30" wet saw. The jade is from Mt Ogden northern bc. It weighs 180 kg. 1 large cut takes about an hour
 
This is what got cut out of it.
Note the beer can and the loonie for scale the white lines in the black crack is magnesium. The best part of green is worth $300 a pound. The rest is worth between 30 and 150 per pound.
Ive cut up 6 of these Ogden stones now things now smallest was 90 kg
 
wmetfab said:
This is what got cut out of it.
Note the beer can and the loonie for scale the white lines in the black crack is magnesium. The best part of green is worth $300 a pound. The rest is worth between 30 and 150 per pound.
Ive cut up 6 of these Ogden stones now things now smallest was 90 kg
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Nice: Any chance of buying a few small pieces?
 
Some slabs. Cut and polished to 3,000 grit They sold from $1,200 and up. The bookmatch one is for sale for 4 k.
They went in the bc lapidary show 2 yrs ago
 
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