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[Newbie123]

I have a friend who is about to make me a home made flat lap machine, for grinding and polishing cut wine bottles (he is very cluey).  What I need to do, before he can start, is buy a flat lap master and a diamond pad so that he can make the machine around it, and then I can buy further diamond pads of various grits once the machine is finished.  My questions:  Is it better to go for a magnetic master, (because they all appear to be aluminium).  And if magnetic, any recommendations on where to get it from, as I was hoping to get a 12 inch and they seem to be rare!  Or is it easier to go for an aluminium master lap and forget the ease of having a magnetic setup?

[Stonemon]

Welcome to the forum! I am no help on the flat lap but someone here should be able to advise you.

[Felicia]

That larger size is commonly used by glass artists. Have you tried any sites for glass working equipment?

[Newbie123]

I have briefly looked at a couple of glass places, particularly lead-lighting sites, but maybe I need to look a little more in depth.  Thanks for that idea, I will have a look.  Meanwhile I have purchased an 8 inch magnetic master lap and one diamond pad in Australia, just so that my friend can begin designing.  I think he will be able to make an allowance size-wise for a 12 inch lap wheel size in the future.  (Excuse me if I have the lingo all wrong, I'm new at this!) 

[lithicbeads]

 12 inch is very large and pricey and is not standard lapidary tools. Six and 8 inch pads are lapidary standards. Magnetic pads are for crystal cutters and glass folks and tend to be  expensive as are the machines. An inexpensive way to get in it is to  borrow someones  pottery wheel . Lapidary pads  have stickum on the back and can be glued to  cheap bats that fit on a potters wheel. Be warned that glass is very brittle and soft so it scratches easily  and is very hard to polish.

[Newbie123]

12 inch is very large and pricey and is not standard lapidary tools. Six and 8 inch pads are lapidary standards. Magnetic pads are for crystal cutters and glass folks and tend to be  expensive as are the machines. An inexpensive way to get in it is to  borrow someones  pottery wheel . Lapidary pads  have stickum on the back and can be glued to  cheap bats that fit on a potters wheel. Be warned that glass is very brittle and soft so it scratches easily  and is very hard to polish.

Thanks, Lithicbeads, I am finding that out!  I have been using diamond hand pads (wet), which is very labour intensive, so anything that saves me some time would be a bonus.  I will see what my friend comes up with, he is very clever (in his 80's) and provided I have the master lap and a diamond pad to go on it, he will be able to organise the rest.  I never thought of the pottery wheel idea, wouldn't that be a bit slow?