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Archive for April, 2005

PRODUCT REVIEW: The BEST job site light ever!

Friday, April 29th, 2005

My partner (tile side of the house) bought this light a few months ago at Home Depot or Lowes (he cant recall which) we went to both to look for more. No luck! This is the final solution for jobsite lighting. It burns two flourescent bulbs that work great! The light is color corrected so you don't feel like you are in a dentist office. No glare. Amazing!

We want to purchase more of these gems…if any of you know where we can order more let me know! The picture above shows the light in the standby mode. I think they put the blue party light on for when you leave and come back at night. It makes a dim blue light. You simply pull the light out of the sleeve and wham instant awesome lighting.

The thing store compactly and even has a shoulder strap. It sucks to review a product and not be able to tell you where to get one.

I GIVE THIS PRODUCT 5 DIAMONDS (out of 5)

If you have specific questions post them in the forum and I will try to answer them.

Mark Lauzon

Stone Cutter

Posted in Product Reviews | 1 Comment »

PRODUCT SHOWCASE: Fab Saw from Granite City Tools

Friday, April 29th, 2005

Mark Eisenwinter submitted this product for us to take a look at!

The Fab-Saw is the most advanced and practical Stone Rail Saw for the counter-top fabrication market. It is fully manufactured in the US. This portable rail saw is made of T6 aluminum for durability and strength. The Fab-Saw is designed for cutting stone slabs in fabrication shops or on site locations. It is fully GFI protected and comes 2 HP / 120 Volt or 3 HP / 240 Volt.

We stand behind this new saw with a full one year warranty of workmanship which includes the motor and all electrical components.

The excruded aluminum rails are straight to .020� in 13 feet. The bottoms of the rails contain vulcanized poly that will not let go. The Fab-Saw was designed for simplicity and strength. The Fab-Saw will accept a 14� blade that is sold separately. Testing has proven the Fab-Saw cuts faster than our competition with a comparable motor.The Fab-Saw comes with 3 � 6�.5� rails. Two of the rails join to make one sturdy continuous rail, with a total length of 13�.

Standard items included with saw:

3 sections of rail

Drip proof motor

Waterfeed attachment

Standard water connections

Built in GFI

Anodized aluminum finish

Specifications:

2 or 3 HP drip proof motors

14� blade capacity � 60 mm arbor

4 cm cutting depth

Weighs only 82 pounds

Plunge cut capability

Easy set-up and portable

Direction of cut is counter clockwise to reduce chipping

Roller guide system

You can find out more about this tool at www.granitecitytools.com!

Editors Note: We set up this portion of the blog to allow makers and suppliers of equipment and supplies to showcase thier products. This is a free service. www.stoneadvice.com does not endorse these products specifically, nor have we tested them.

Posted in Product Showcase | 3 Comments »

CNC ADVENTURE Day 3 and 4 of training

Thursday, April 21st, 2005

Day 3 & 4 of training. We have continued drawing more and more complicated shapes. On day 4 we started training on the Wear Vector software. It tracks the actual bit size at it is consumed and compensates for the wear. We also learned how to do tool set up, management and testing.

On the fourth day, we actually started using the equipment. Woot Woot! after buring brain cells drawing, that was a blast.

We fired up the laser and started positioning the pods…the laser beam is not hard to see…it simply does not show up well in photos.

After the the pods are lined up and locked, we hit a switch and it tells you were to put the component. It shows where you line up the piece.

Then you hit the green start button..wow I am digging this…a machine has replaced a few employees…I don't think this thing will ever have a hangover or call in sick!

The image below shows the tool changer with the bullnose bits you can also see the vacuum manifold for the blick blocks

The Images below were taken on the end of day 3. It shows the progress on my cnc while we conducted training. They got the bed installed and tons of other minor things.

The next set of photos were taken on day 4 right before lunch…they are almost done. On friday (day 5) they are going to mill the table. The machine mills itself. The guys promised they would get me when they start milling so I could take some pics.

All of these photos were shot at the assembly plant which is where we do our training. Tommorow, Bob Alsup is going to take me to the main plant where all the welding and fabrication takes place. I will try to have day 5 online by monday.

Till next time,

Mark

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CNC ADVENTURE: Day 1 & 2 of training.
Tuesday, April 19th, 2005

DAY 1

After getting a good nites sleep we went to the factory. I had the chance to speak with Richard. He is the engineer that designed the machine we are purchasing. He took the time to chat and let us pick his brain for awhile…fascinating.

The Images below show the frame and main beam of MY machine. It's nuts, they are doing final assembly on my 138sw while I am here for training. How cool is that? .

These machines are HUGE!

You are looking a my our new CNC…LOL they need to get busy!

We spent the 1st day in a classroom learning how to draw shapes in the CAD/CAM software. It is much more difficult than I imagined…there is so much to learn. Be prepared for some frustrating hours of hard work…toward the end of the day you begin to realize that CNC is no joke. I am pleased with the training and everyone here is helpful friendly and knows thier business

DAY 2

Another full day of CAD/CAM training. It is starting to get a little easier. Tommorow we wil learn to export our drawings to the machine. I wanted to see the laser pod placement in action. The image below shows how the pod/part position laser shows you where to place the suction pods…this system will revolutionize CNC fabrication. After seeing it I am certain I have seen the future..It simply works and makes alot of sense…other manufactures will surly incorporate this technology one day.

If the pods were actually in place with a chunk of granite on top the image you see below is what you whould see projected on the stone.

Here is a picture of the 138sw that we are using for training…tommorow we will get to fire it up and make something. Woot Woot

This image shows the motor and spindle assembly

At the end of the day I walked to the factory to see if they made any progress…check it out! HOW DAMN COOL IS THAT?

See ya tommorow!

Mark Lauzon

Stone Cutter

Posted in The CNC Adventure | No Comments »

The Big CNC Adventure
Thursday, April 14th, 2005

And so begins my big cnc adventure.

We decided that we would need a "clean" room for our digitizer and template storage. It is going to double as a production control office. The framing, drywall etc will take place while I am in Kentucky learning how to run our new CNC machine.

The hidden costs are stacking up..good thing we planned for it

I am leaving on the 17th to go CNC training…keep checking in…I will do daily updates as time allows.

Thanks for checking in.

Mark

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PRODUCT REVIEW: Twister 97 Router
Thursday, April 14th, 2005

Our reviews are based on our direct experience with tools that we use every day. We don't get free tools to test, we're just simply telling you what we have found to work well for us. You may have something better….If so, Let us know. Write a review, send a few pictures and we will post your article here and give you the credit.

In the picture above you see the front door to our 40 foot storage container…we refer to as the "conex" or "The Cave". It is where we store crap that we don't want to throw away but never use. If we have tools in there, they probably suck. I will pull items out of "The Cave" from time to time to review for you….This months "Cave" Item is the Hydraulic Twister 97 router.

This contraption is an interesting concept…it is a router…it is a saw. You can "twist" the configuration and use it with a 5" blade to cut stone. We did not buy it for this reason but it was a cool idea on the surface. We went to order a blade we almost fainted when the Italian man that sold it to us said the blade was over $400. That ended that cool idea on the spot.

The picture above shows the 8000 lbs hydraulic contraption that you have to lug around the shop to run the router. Understand this…the router works…it will router stone. We used it for 3 or 4 jobs. The lines that go to the machine are stiff and annoying as hell. I would assume that is the case for all hydrualic routers. We ruined a kitchen when the stiff ass line snagged the corner and caused the router to dive. We mothballed the $4500 error and rebuilt our Sector 93.

If you must have a hydraulic router…go ahead get this one it works…but man it is not what I would reccomed.

Pros: Cool concept, looks like someting from battlestar gallatica.

Cons: Stiff lines, heavy pump to haul around, we have never polished with routers but if you were to do so there is no way to tell how fast the bit is spinning…I can see chunks of rubber sailing across the shop as the booger eater spools it up to 10000 rpm

I give this product 2.5 DIAMONDS out of 5

If you have specific questions, post them in the forum and I will try to answer them.

Mark Lauzon

Stone Cutter

Remember: Send in a product review for us to post so we can keep the rest of the community informed of what sucks and what rocks! You will get the credit and your contribution will be in the archives from now until I go broke.

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ODDS & ENDS: You thought you had a bad day…
Friday, April 8th, 2005

Hmmm look at this picture closely..our 4 door chevy is on a tow truck while the tow truck is towing the trailer full of slabs…ouch!

We had to have the rig towed 40 miles!

Thanks for visiting

Mark Lauzon

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PRODUCT SHOWCASE: Alpha 500 Bridge Saw
Wednesday, April 6th, 2005

Curtis Reichhold submitted this for us to take a look at.

Alpha500 Bridge Saw

Fully motorized machine, total power 22 HP, with tilting disc up to 46 degree

controlled by Panel with auto increments and manual mode. Control Panel

in mm/inches with Laser light, digital position on turn table, manual cutting

step cutting, auto cutting up to 162 cuts. Separate Panel for Turning table

with locking positions every 45 degree, plus braking system for any position.

Table tilts up to to 85 degree for loading slabs, powered by hydraulic system.

Table may spin in both directions, speed can be also regulated.

Remote control with 6 buttons.

Max Disc size is 20" with 50mm core.

Steel Legs: heavy duty, 1,500 lb weight each leg.

All major electric and electronic parts are available worldwide. We use only the

the best brands such as Toshiba, Siemens, Telemecanique and Omron.

Curtis can be reached at curt@reichholdmachinery.com

Editors Note: We set up this portion of the blog to allow makers and suppliers of equipment and supplies to showcase thier products. This is a free service. www.stoneadvice.com does not endorse these products specifically, nor have we tested them.

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PRODUCT SHOWCASE: Northwood CNC 138s
Tuesday, April 5th, 2005

Bob Alsup from Northwood CNC submitted this item for us to take a look at.

We developed the NW-138S to satisfy the demanding needs of the contemporary stone fabricator.� The machine's large work envelope (156" x 96" x 14") will easily allow processing an entire slab.� With the current trend in the Natural Stone Counter top industry to be larger parts (islands and peninsulas) and fewer seams, it only seemed sensible to design a machine tool that would permit machining an entire granite slab if needed.� This machine has the ability to produce the largest part that granite slab can yield!� The large table also makes it possible to set-up multiple parts and our industry exclusive StoneVision� software automatically optimizes toolpaths to minimize the number of tool changes needed.� The machine's 32 tool position automatic tool changer easily handles four (4) complete profiles with additional space for finger bits, drills, etc.

We designed this machine with special attention to the needs of the operator.� When the machine completes a program, the massive machine gantry retracts to the rear of the machine providing total access to the machine's worktable.� This provides the necessary clearances for material lifting equipment as well as a "clear view" for the StoneLaser Pod/Part location system.� Even the water collection tank in the front was designed to serve as a "step" to provide easier access for the machine operator, for loading and unloading the machine.

Our Northwood Engineers used the latest "Finite Element Analysis" (F.E.A) design software to produce a machine frame that consist of only four (4) major structural components, the base frame, the gantry, and the gantry transition elements (2).� The frame structure is so rigid that the entire machine can be lifted by a single (large)forklift and positioned in the shop.� Please note however, that the massiveness of the Northwood NW-138S prohibits it from fitting into a shipping container.� For this reason, the machine is not being made available overseas!

Northwood's Industry Leading StoneLaser Productivity Package IS available with the NW-138S!

Bob Alsup

502-267-5504

http://www.northwoodstoneworks.com

Editors Note: We set up this portion of the blog to allow makers and suppliers of equipment and supplies to showcase thier products. This is a free service. www.stoneadvice.com does not endorse these products specifically, nor have we tested them.

Posted in Product Showcase | No Comments »

TIPS: Making Diamond Blades True and Sharp
Tuesday, April 5th, 2005

I know a little about this topic…our shop consumes about 15 5" Turbo blades, at least 1 10" tile blade and 1/2 of a 14" bridge saw blade PER MONTH!

Blades go out of round or get dull for many different reasons…why…not important..you cant do much about it…it happens. (happens less with softer matrix and more with a hard…eg porcelain blade.)

Most folks in the biz know that running the blade thru concrete, carburundum or similar medium will de-glaze and sharpen a blade…this method does not do much for solving the out-o-round issue…you simply wind up with a sharp blade that cuts a little better. Remember an out of round blade will only be cutting at 50% or so if its out of round.

Another common issue is the face of the blade will become shaped like a bullet…this can cause the blade to "travel" as they cut. Diamonds grind there way through stone & tile.

Ever notice that a new blade always cuts better when it is new? Why? The face of the blade is square and the "grinding action" simply works better.

This is how we rectify out-of-round and bullet leading edge shaped blades:

1. Put on some serious eye protection!

2. Get a variable speed grinder with a 120 grit (or so) carburndum stone..go visit a slab shop, they can show you what I am talking about we call em "stones" or "big wheels" (see if they can give you one that is mostly used up…they are alot smaller than a new one)

SAFETY NOTE: Stones have a lower safe RPM than most grinders! DO NOT exceed safe rpms…the damn things can blow up!!!!

3. Turn the water off on your saw and start it up.

4. Take the grinder with the wheel and hold it ninety degrees to the face of the blade. If your blade is out of round the tool will bounce like mad at first. Be smooth and steady. You will find it interesting if you stop after a few seconds and closely examine the blade. Part of it will start to square up and the other part will still look like a bullet. You will also notice pronounced comets on the newly exposed diamonds…those babies are ready to cut some stone! Keep grinding until the entire face of the blade is square and true. You now have a blade that will perform at its best. We rectify blades on a regular basis….they don't last as long…but who gives a damn about that?

To dress turbos…do they same process…put a grinder blade on your 10000 rpm grinder and have some one hold it steady and run it 90 degrees to the face…same system different tool.

I hope you have found this helpful…It really does work amazingly well.

BE SAFE!! PLEASE WEAR SAFETY GEAR..I WAS DOING THIS AND HAD TO GO TO A HOSPITAL TO REMOVE A PIECE OF CARBUNDUM OUT OF MY EYE..THAT SUCKED! WEAR YOUR EYE GEAR OR DON'T TRY THIS…NO JOKE! dont forget the dust mask…and be sure to decontaminate your equpment…carburundum grit will scratch about anything.

Mark Lauzon

www.stoneadvice.com

slab fabricator heaven

OH! one more thing…you can corrrect a chattering stone with a turbo blade on a grinder…same process…sharp true blade and a non chattering stone at the same time!

how the hell does one spell carburundum correctly?

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