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[nwbeachrocker]

I've been cutting smaller beach rocks open and making cabs out of them for a bit now, but have found my 7" tile saw to be of limited use for this.  Can't cut anything larger than an inch.
I think it's time for a proper slab saw, but am not sure what I'm looking at.  I am looking at a few used ones or maybe a new one. 
Any feed back on the following options?

Found a used Lortone ST-10 for $250

st10-1.jpg (15.68 kB . 299x450 - viewed 4130 times)

st10-2.jpg (29.78 kB . 600x399 - viewed 4577 times)

Found a used Lortone LST-12 for $425

lst-1.jpg (20.9 kB . 337x450 - viewed 4139 times)

lst-2.jpg (18.96 kB . 337x450 - viewed 3755 times)

But what about a NEW Highland Park HT-12 for $995. Seemed pretty reasonable for a new one.
http://www.hplapidary.com/en/highland-park-12-inch-slab-saw-model-ht12

Pros and Cons?
Thanks

[jakesrocks]

If you can afford it go with the new one. At least it should have some sort of warranty with it.

Most 12" saws can still be used as a trim saw too, which is a plus.

You may soon find that the 12" saw is too small for your larger rocks. Keep an eye out for a clean used larger saw. 16" or larger.

As you get deeper into the hobby you'll find that lapidary equipment is like rabbits. It multiplies until it gets completely out of hand. 

[nwbeachrocker]

I could talk myself into spending the extra for a new one, but is Highland Park a good brand?  They are at least $500 less than a similar Lortone or Covington.  Do I get what I pay for?

[jakesrocks]

The new Highland Park saws are built in China, but are supposed to be built to the same standards as the original US made HP equipment. It's my understanding that parts are interchangeable between the original & the new saws.

The original HP equipment was the best you could buy.

[55fossil]

   A few things come to mind. 
If you can buy new I would.
The used 12 inch is a great saw and might be worth buying if you have the extra room. You may want to try it and sell it later if you need more saw. That one is not going to lose value. You can still get all the replacement parts for it from Lortone. That saw is small enough to store easily when empty and not used.

SIZE:   Consider how big of rocks you are going to be cutting over the next few years or longer. Is a 12 inch saw going to be big enough? 

[Jhon P]

Bigger is better. I started with a 10". Wasn't big enough bought an18" started doing spheres and it wasn't by enough so I bought a 24".  They all Get used, you can never has enough saws!

[bilquest]

Here's my .02...

I'd buy the 10" Lortone for $250. That's a smokin' good deal and will whet your taste for stone cutting. Then, as the affliction grips you'll want to cut bigger rocks, say along the lines of an 18" to 20" saw. With the money originally saved you purchase the bigger HP unit and have two saws. Let's face it, the difference in what you can cut between a 10" and 12" is minimal, and IMHO, a 10-12 inch saw is required shop equipment anyway.

From personal experience, I paid 350 for an old LS-12 (Lortone) basket case. After some re-assembly/furbishing it has become a real workhorse. I have no regrets and it will probably continue to be used even after I eventually procure an 18" (or bigger) saw.

[nwbeachrocker]

Excellent info all, thanks.  Buying used now and applying the savings to an eventual larger saw sounds sounds like sage advice.  I might go with the 12", it looks to be in a little better shape. Cheers!

[ToTheSummit]

That Lortone ST-10 is the workhorse in my shop.  It is a fantastic place to start out when looking for a first slab saw.  Eventually I had to get a bigger saw (18") to satisfy my desire to cut the bigger stuff, but I still cut most of my really nice slabs on the 10" saw. Surprisingly I find that most of the rock I cut is small enough to fit the 10" saw.  Pretty much anything the size of a baseball fits perfectly in a 10" saw, and a lot of what I cut is in that range.

[peruano]

All of your options are good.  As someone who has been cutting with a 7", any of those will feel like a giant step forward.
I have a 12" slab saw and do not find it terribly limiting, but I tend to cut material collected from alluvial deposit and beaches.  If I was quarrying bigger rough, I'd be less satisfied.  Bigger saws take blades that cost more too and used more oil so maintenance costs increase with size.
You can use any of them but Covington is the least preferred from my perspective and HP would win a design and durability contest. 
Actually you are lucky to have all three options (used slab saws don't appear all the time and often are over priced when they do) so to have alternatives that are reasonable makes you a blessed one.  Enjoy the decision. 

[vitzitziltecpatl]

A friend of ours has a 12" saw he uses 14" blades on. If you can do that - by using shim blocks to give more clearance between the bottom of the blade and the pan - you can slab slightly larger rocks. The capacity of the vice will still be a limiting factor. Our 14" drop saw will only take about 6" max diameter rough.

[kent]

..."The new Highland Park saws are built in China".....

Really ??

[55fossil]

   Built in China just means they are using our scrap metal and cheap labor. I have heard of no quality issues from people who have bout them.

BUT:  I spent my life working in electronics from design, manufacture and repair to management. After being laid off from 3 jobs and moving cross country to find a new job because of CHEAP overseas import I do have issues with Made in China. I try to buy American Made but really have no idea about the content of my Lortone, Covington and other machines that are said to be American Made, but I try. No F'n Yugo in my driveway.

My stuff is handmade in America by a Veteran, old grumpy and slightly disabled if you could not tell.   

PS:  I do not care what other people do or buy, we all make choices.    Happy Holidays to all.  Neal

[irockhound]

Well my input is the HP doesn't deserve the business.  I don't want to get in to deep on it but if you look at the new HP and the old HP they are quite similar in design and then compare the Lortone Designs with the new HP 12" and 10" designs.  Diamond Pacific said they own the original HP design and in talking to them it was how much would it cost to take them to court.  Then the new HP came out with almost identical units to the Lortone Ls-12 and st-10.  Lortone didn't sell them the designs either.  Call Lortone or Diamond Pacific and ask them their thoughts on the matter.  I had bought an 18" HP saw when I had thought they had the rights to the old HP and when it wore out after 1 year - the half nuts that are in the dog legs (the 2 half nuts grab the screw feed rod) are made of Brass and of course the first thing that would go out.  Without them you have a paper weight.  It took me 4 months to get them from HP and I can't tell you how many phone calls.  That was when I called Diamond Pacific to get parts for the new HP since they sell parts for HP saws and have the original molds and from talking to them the rights to the original Highland Park name and saw, and they told me of the parts not fitting.  If you look at the about us page on HP Lapidary's site it tells you they have no relationship to the original HP manufacturing which is who originally made the saws.  Draw your own conclusions on the ethics of business.

[finegemdesigns]

I have 3 slab saws:

Lortone LS-10
Lortone LS-12
Covington 16 inch

If that LS-10 doesn't have too much rust (especially on the inside left table) I would get that in a heartbeat.
But first make sure that Lortone will continue to supply parts for it. I replaced my drive motor and also the vise assembly 2 years ago and Lortone had all the parts.
My LS-10 is 30 years old and a workhorse. Plus the design is simple and has a relatively small footprint. Also there is a guy on eBay selling new old stock Lortone parts.

http://www.ebay.com/usr/bfdgems

Note: You should check the machine for slop and wear especially the vise assembly which has a frame made of aluminum. You can see my retrofit of this vise here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0HIZToM3tU