How to stop facetting stones.

[mirkaba]

I cannot imagine trying to use a hard steel disc or wheel for anything other than course grit sanding/shaping. ie 100 and 220 grit hard wheels on my old Crown. Not saying it can't be done. Just that I don't want to do it.  I have a 600 grit Crystalite wheel sitting on the shelf that I Removed from a Ring Leader a while back. If I ever get to it I will try to trade it off.

[vitzitziltecpatl]

Yeah, there are people who can produce good cabs on hard laps, but the amount of time to learn those old-school skills must be huge. I chose early on to use the tools that let me cut opal faster and better.

Harder stones are easier, but I'll still do it the most time-efficient way. I don't think I'm lazy, but just figured if someone could show me in person how to cut perfectly smooth cabs on hard laps I'd try it. Until then, I'll keep using foam backers and flexible laps.

[Back]

Hi All

Wow does that bring back some memories. In the late 70s when I was a young teen I started cabbing with a old flat lap and hard disks.I took some of my lawn mowing money and bought a subscription to rock and gem magazine. It did not take long to figure out if you are going to cab on a flat lap a rubber backing is a must. Mt dad cut me some disks out of wood and found some rubber and I started making my flat laps with wet dry sand paper.

I have a jenie for a while now and it is a monster for shaping i still go to the flat lap for finishing.

Thanks for the memories
Happy Easter
Bless
Shawn

[BluetangClan]

Some questions, where do you guys get your rubber plates from? I found a set on Ameritool-inc which is fairly costly but they do not have very high grit. Are the rubber pads re-usable when I get new. Wet dry sand paper an effective means of doing things? Would definately take down costs.

Like this? http://www.ameritool-inc.com/store/index.cfm/product/25_2/sponge-pad.cfm

[Hummingbirdstones]

Use the rubber pads under the resin diamond discs.  They have PSA on the back and you stick them on the plastic lap.  You stick the resin diamond discs on top of the rubber to make the sanding process more smooth.  I found the rubber pads at Kingsley North for less than Ameritool and there is a quantity discount.

http://www.kingsleynorth.com/skshop/product.php?id=46556&catID=187

Smoothing discs go from 220 to 3000 grit.  Don't know if you have an 8" or 6" machine, but here's the link for the 6" discs:


http://www.kingsleynorth.com/skshop/product.php?id=97048&catID=109

Eastwind makes high grit polishing discs, but note they are expensive (but really good):

http://www.kingsleynorth.com/skshop/product.php?id=46659&catID=182

You can use silicon carbide wet/dry sandpaper, but I've never used it.  Somebody else would have to tell you what to get in that department.

[BluetangClan]

It doesnt say whether the pads are reusable or not? When it says pressure sensitive adhesive, does that imply it can be swapped out easily? I have an 8" machine.

[stonemon]

There is a re-usable adhesive that I used for polishing pads on my LU6X in the old days... seems like a number 537 or 357 or something... I will look for an old tube of the stuff.
I could change pads on the buffer and switch from say, tin oxide to rouge or cerium by just pulling off the one, and then press the other on...
To be continued.....
Bill

[vitzitziltecpatl]

Feathering Adhesive is the stuff you can use to make your laps easier to swap out. It's commonly found anywhere you can buy automotive paint and body supplies.

For ease in swapping the Eastwinds I cut some scrap stainless sheet metal into 6" rounds and put a foam backer and lap on each one. They can then be swapped right out when used with an aluminum master lap.

The Eastwinds are costly, and any 8" option is a lot more than 6" ones, but if you can set up something like I did they will last a very long time.

Just use light pressure with the Eastwinds and be careful not to gouge them with a point or edge. They're tough as nails, not like the "film" types by others, but nothing will survive edges digging in very well.
 

[Hummingbirdstones]

Feathering Disc Adhesive will allow you to change your discs.  http://www.kingsleynorth.com/skshop/product.php?id=87780&catID=594

The rubber pads are pretty permanent once you apply them to a disc.  I have never taken one off (never needed to yet), so just swapping out the actual cutting discs would work.  If you were going to use just one disc and keep changing the cutting discs, I would not peel off the paper on the PSA backing of the discs and just use the feathering adhesive on the backs.  I use the feathering adhesive for applying my leather polishing discs to a lap.