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[R.U. Sirius]

Why aren't multi-blade circular saws more common? You could create multiple, uniform and flat slabs in one pass. The only obvious problem I see is the pieces getting jammed between the blades, but this could be avoided by not cutting all the way through the rough.

I see online some examples of large masonry saws of this type, but nothing for lapidary scale (multi-wire saws are a different beast).

Does it sound too crazy/dangerous to try stacking several blades onto an arbor, with proper flanges and spacers, and giving it a try? Will shaft suffer from unacceptable torsional forces?

[Kaljaia]

Someone built one of these to mass-cut opal, not sure if it'd work with harder materials. I will find the link later... or maybe someone described it on this forum or the old one?

[irockhound]

If it was the Opal cutter who shared his saw with us a couple months ago his saw was with custom flat blades almost like a drag saw miniaturized and with the opal he said the blades were 1mm thick and only lasted one or 2 cuts and this is cutting opal.  The saw was custom made many many years ago.  The sawing made sense as he mentioned he was cutting up to 40k of opal at a time on the machine.  The way the saw worked it appeared that the stones were fixed/glued/dopped? to the base and the blades which were adjustable for thickness were brought down on top of the Opal and as I remember it was a vibratory saw using 600 grit fed from overhead. I believe because it came from overhead it could be stopped at the end of the cut without going thru the base.  He said there are no more blades available but he had a stockpile to keep him and his kids busy going forward.  He was here for only a short time and then went silent.

I think if you made your own machine it would be possible.  The vise/sled or whatever your material was affixed to would be below the bottom edge of your blades and the material would start just at the edge of your blades and as such would have the base support all the way thru the cut not allowing (unless one broke free) to jam up the blades.  I think it you are dealing with thin kerf blades as I would assume you would the flex of the blades might cause issue.  The way the opal cutters saw worked the blades were held taught on both ends keeping them from shifting.

Looked up his post that has pics and descriptions of his machine and the process  "Opal Mike" here on the forum but as I mentioned haven't heard anything from him in some time.  http://lapidaryforum.net/group/index.php?topic=5521.msg41131#msg41131

[R.U. Sirius]

Yes, I am aware of the reciprocating multi-blade saw described in this forum. It was stated that it could only cut opals, obsidian, variscite, etc. - not harder materials like agates.

There are also multi-wire saws used for dicing ingots of silicon or various ceramics for production of thin wafers for solar cells, microelectronics, and research, but these cost many tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars, as they provide the precision and throughout ways beyond what a lapidary might be needing.

Back to my original question of multiple saw blades on a shaft - this might be a more affordable, DIY approach to achieving consistent thickness of slabs and saving time when working on intarsia.

[irockhound]

My 2nd paragraph addressed a shaft design if you read it my apologies.

[R.U. Sirius]

Thank you, Steve - you make good points as to why it might or might not work.

One day I might give it a try - just a matter of spending several hundreds of dollars on blades, mounting them onto an arbour, and devising some sort of feed system.

[charles]

Instead of a feed mech. Why not build it as a drop saw? A lot easier I would think. 

[nrcamo]

Being an old sawmill worker, the sawing system you describe is the same as the Sash Gang saw used in sawing logs. Not the same but you may be able to use it for a reference.

[catmandewe]

I have one that someone built using 10" blades inside of a metal box and I believe there are about 8 or 10 blades on one shaft and it is a drop saw. I cut a few things with it when I first got it then stuff got piled on top of it and I havent played with it since.
I might have to dig it out and play with it some more.

Tony

[R.U. Sirius]

That's very encouraging, Tony - thank you! If you ever get to try it again, please share some photos in here.

[R.U. Sirius]

Bumping this old thread up with an example built in China:

https://youtu.be/JzjQoRJgMW4