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Author Topic: 60 grit nova sanding wheel  (Read 1822 times)

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lithicbeads

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60 grit nova sanding wheel
« on: September 28, 2018, 07:47:52 PM »

Aggressive ! I need to keep those delicate fingers of the G man away from this wheel.I have been using a Eastwind 60 grit sanding wheel since I discovered they offered them and loved it because it made things quicker which means less time on the wheels and less stress on my worn out hands. This wheel is not made to replace hard wheels but it allows you to fudge a bit and it is beyond quick.The Eastwind 60 is well broken in and spins beads pretty well but Eastwinds are a smother wheel than nova wheels in any case.This nova is a knuckle deformer, very sharp  and when working next to it you can be bleeding from inadvertent contact and not even know it.I have been using this shop a year now and having experienced a winter in it I feel comfortable in moving my most used machine , the Titan , into it.The walls are just dead air space as the walls on the inside are sheathed with plywood and there is no insulation other than the dead air space.A very small heater maintained the temps inside at just below 50F even when it was ten outside for a few days in a row last winter.At zero who knows.I like cold so 50 is fine for me if I use hot water in the drip through system. Nova hubs are now 1/4 inch wider which screwed up my drip system. I am moving more plants in for the winter as I am confident in the building and have  an automatic propane generator for when our power goes out which it does quite often on this wind tortured sand dune. Spinning beads on a new sanding wheels is a waste of time but I had to try it. You can see in one picture that I am holding the bead on an axle parallel to the wheel face and it is bouncing. I have holders that hold the bead on both sides to  stabilize it when really working but this wheel is far too rough and bouncy for that to work. When it is broken in perfectly for spinning beads it will never be used for anything else and  a new 60 will be put on a machine in the other shop for general shaping.Have fun cutting.
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hummingbirdstones

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Re: 60 grit nova sanding wheel
« Reply #1 on: September 28, 2018, 07:58:59 PM »

OW!  I can feel that just by looking at the picture.  Heck, I made myself bleed on a new 600 a while ago when I inadvertently caught my knuckle on it while I was working on the 1200.  Took the skin right off.
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Robin

vitzitziltecpatl

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Re: 60 grit nova sanding wheel
« Reply #2 on: September 28, 2018, 08:15:57 PM »

Your comment about the Eastwind wheels being smoother was interesting. Eastwind flat lap disks are also smooth, with less drag than other types. I've always used Eastwinds for the flat lap (they used to make up to 100,000 grit) and now might have to try their wheels. Thanks!

lithicbeads

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Re: 60 grit nova sanding wheel
« Reply #3 on: September 28, 2018, 09:04:22 PM »

When I cut commercially I could not afford nova wheels so I wore out huge amounts of eastwind wheels.They were more aggressive at a given grit but did not last as long as nova. As long as they were appreciably cheaper I stuck with them.I dress my wheels when they get worn  and I would wear the wheel down bare.Nova wheels dress better and last longer when they are very worn. I have ripped eastwind wheels after dressing them but doubt if you could do that with novas without a chainsaw. I am used to novas now and prefer them but compared to my old volumes I can barely call myself a lapidary.
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vitzitziltecpatl

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Re: 60 grit nova sanding wheel
« Reply #4 on: September 29, 2018, 08:02:11 AM »

Coming from a commercial cutter that's a valuable review of the Eastwind performance and longevity. Looks like their pricing now is so close to Novas it wouldn't be such a good deal.

Novas will cut (more slowly) right up until the rubber backing starts showing through. Well worn Novas are so good for softer stones they're worth keeping around just for that.

lithicbeads

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Re: 60 grit nova sanding wheel
« Reply #5 on: September 29, 2018, 10:01:56 AM »

Your correct about worn out novas they remain valuable and useful.
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yukonjade

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Re: 60 grit nova sanding wheel
« Reply #6 on: September 29, 2018, 10:48:02 AM »


   How do you dress the nova wheels ?
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gemfeller

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Re: 60 grit nova sanding wheel
« Reply #7 on: September 29, 2018, 12:15:14 PM »

I have a question too.  By using a soft 60 wheel for fast stock removal is there the same problem with sub-surface fracturing you get with a hard wheel of the same grit?  I've tried very coarse grits in the past to speed things up but found I spent any time I saved at that stage sanding away the micro-fractures the coarse wheel left. What's the next grit size you use after the 60? 
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lithicbeads

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Re: 60 grit nova sanding wheel
« Reply #8 on: September 29, 2018, 05:33:19 PM »

Hard 220 after the 60. I suspect the fracturing is  greatly reduced but  the wheel ,leaves big scratch marks. I use  an old , or new as they are cheap, 8 mm ball bit with a light touch and plenty of water. Dress and try and dress agin if need be. Especially good on my flat pads.
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Gergis

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Re: 60 grit nova sanding wheel
« Reply #9 on: October 06, 2018, 09:51:40 AM »

"I need to keep those delicate fingers of the G man away from this wheel"

Hey!!

Sent from my SM-J327VPP using Tapatalk

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lithicbeads

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Re: 60 grit nova sanding wheel
« Reply #10 on: October 06, 2018, 12:07:16 PM »

 Retail ? Getting soft man.
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