Diamond sawing.

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I have a Gemmaster slabbing saw with 10" diamond blade.
It has two white nylon pads below the cutting table, which i presume should be adjusted to touch the blade with gentle pressure.
Auto feed table which is set to slowest feed using existing pulley combinations.
Problem is that it is not cutting straight, the blade is favouring to cut/ wander off
to one side?
As i am only slabbing in preperation to cut/grind/ polish a cabision from the stone, should I be concerned about a little thing at this stage?
Or, are there any suggestions as to why the saw will drift a little through the cut?
 
MH.
Pretty much all cuts.

I have noticed since posting this, that if i let the cut start and cut a little say 1/2 inch into the rock, then stop the blade, withdraw it from the cut and gently push the saw table back in to re-engage the blade back in the cut, then the cut is allready out by the width of the blade? ie. The blade won't renter the cut cleanly.
 
Ive encountered this on my machine. Thin blades or deep cuts. Wanders more if i push harder rather than letting the blade dictate the cutting speed.
 
SC.
Thanks for comment, at least i now know i'm not alone.
I am doing both, thin blade and deep cut.

Perhaps i should change the driven pulley for a larger Dia to slow the feed even more, it is on slowest now according to pulleys fitted.
 
What lubricant are you using? Some blades overheat with water and need oil, also the blade compound has an impact, hard stone needs a soft compound and soft stone needs the opposite. Hard compounds on hard stones skate and overhead badly resulting in more pressure being applied causing thin blades to distort.

Sometimes you can see the heat effect on things like Agate when doing thin cuts, the translucency allows you to see the cutting contact point and it can be white hot with the wrong lub and or blade compound.
 
Dihusky.
Lubricant is Isopro l, have been using it for quite some time and havent noticed any problems with it?
 
Hi Muzza this problem can be the result of a blunt blade . All diamond blades need too be sharp . Dress it up with a peice of silicon carbide wheel if you have a bit . Or an aluminium oxide dressing stick .If your machine has not been altered the pulley set up should be exact too the manufacturers specks .And some blades are not reversable check too see if it has an arrow for direction of travel . Be carefull not too push hard on the dressing stick . They eat blades . Good luck .
 
Dihusky said:
Not familiar with it, is it a soluble oil?
No. It is a mineral oil with a lot of use in the cosmetics industry but is a very fine oil similar to sewing machine oil.
 
Slabman.
Ok thanks, to dress a diamond blade is it the same method as dressing a grinding wheel? ie a light touch on each side ond a pass over the top edge?
 
Muzza said:
Dihusky said:
Not familiar with it, is it a soluble oil?
No. It is a mineral oil with a lot of use in the cosmetics industry but is a very fine oil similar to sewing machine oil.

Di Propylene Glycol is the magic oil for prepping a lap surface, all laps. After a dressing coat, with drops of diamond powder, rub in. You can either lightly clean the lap surface with a 'wipe', or do a round of angles with your stone in your quill - by the time you get back to your first angle it will be polishing as you want it to, the rest of the angles are merely a swipe to finish.
 

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