What grit diamond pads do you use?

Steph Mader · Post by **Steph Mader** » Fri Mar 14, 2003 1:38 am

For you guys who use diamond flat lap pads, what grit pads do you use? When do you go to pre-polish pads? When do you go to a cerium or pumice polish?

Thanks for the advice.
Steph

Steph Mader · Post by **Steph Mader** » Fri Mar 14, 2003 2:10 am

I found the answer to this question in the archives - Marty says he uses 60, 120, 270 and then a finishing pad. Is that right, Marty?

Steph

watershed · Post by **watershed** » Fri Mar 14, 2003 2:25 am

Umm some, like HIS, don't have grit levels on their diamonds. I asked Bob Stephan, and it's pretty much diamond, then choose a grit. Not an expert, but Bob is. As I understand it, diamonds will dull, therefore making the grit size change.

Greg

Brian and Jenny Blanthorn · Fri Mar 14, 2003 6:01 am

Steph Mader wrote:For you guys who use diamond flat lap pads, what grit pads do you use? When do you go to pre-polish pads? When do you go to a cerium or pumice polish?

Thanks for the advice.
Steph

There was a whole thread on this over craftweb

As I recall with diomond they tend 2 wear in one bit if U not carefull

Also they scratch realy deep like a glass cutter

So some finish on grit

I think used carefully they R cost effective it U got the volume of work

But 4 hobby / little use expensive

We use diomond grinding wheels n grit on flat bed

Marty there was a real good bit from Bob ( his ) on refreshing a diomond pad

The jist was using this method u got a faster cut over its life but it wore out quicker

But with ur time was cost efective

Glenda Kronke · Post by **Glenda Kronke** » Fri Mar 14, 2003 11:37 am

120,220,400, (or Silcon Carbide (80) on steel wheel and vibralap for 4-5 hrs) then pumice,cerium. Works for me.

Marty · Post by **Marty** » Fri Mar 14, 2003 11:47 am

It's an expensive habit: yesterday's UPS delivery had one 45 grit x24" and one 140 grit x 24" diameter pad from HIS. I'm scared to open the invoice but it'll be close to US$1300.

I'm turning out a lot of work and time=money so I can justify the expense. I don't have room for 3 SiCa loose grit machines (yes, Brian, there are limits to my space larceny!) and I don't want to risk the contamination from one machine to the next.

My current grinding regimen, subject to change without notice, is to rough cut the edge of my bowls on the diamond tile saw, then go to the lap: 45, sometimes 80, 140, sandblast with 180 SiCa. If I want a sort-of-polish, I'll go from the 140 to 270, pre-polish (600?), and cerium on a synthetic felt pad. It ain't perfect, but it's close enough for me, now.

Robert (at HIS) suggests that when you get disgusted at the slow cutting speed of the diamond pads when they start to wear out, that you take a carborundum stone and rub it forcefully across the pad: do it dry and make "spokes" from the center out all the way around the pad. This breaks new fractures in the diamonds and exposes new sharp edges. Then turn the machine on and flush with lots of water. He says it shortens the pad's life, but if you were cursing the damned thing anyway, what kind of life was it, eh? And it does work for a while, then you do it again. And again until it doesn't cut at all.

One of the frustrating things is that the used up 45 grit pad does not automatically become a new 80 grit pad. I'm thinking of hanging them from the trees to scare the deer.

Steph Mader · Post by **Steph Mader** » Fri Mar 14, 2003 3:32 pm

Okay, to be honest we're really talking laziness now. I have at this point about even brains/money. So I'm interested in taking material off pretty quick on the first pass. I cast stuff, so I'm grinding the feeder gate area after I haven't cut it just perfect, and sometimes the rim of a vessel, stuff like that. But sometimes I want to take a lot of material off as soon as possible. Someone mentioned that a 100 carbide is more like a 50 diamond... true? How coarse would you start to take the material off?

Steph

Brian and Jenny Blanthorn · Sat Mar 15, 2003 9:08 am

Steph Mader wrote:Okay, to be honest we're really talking laziness now. I have at this point about even brains/money. So I'm interested in taking material off pretty quick on the first pass. I cast stuff, so I'm grinding the feeder gate area after I haven't cut it just perfect, and sometimes the rim of a vessel, stuff like that. But sometimes I want to take a lot of material off as soon as possible. Someone mentioned that a 100 carbide is more like a 50 diamond... true? How coarse would you start to take the material off?

Steph

We used 2 use a 26 grit silicon carbide wheel we now use a 30/40 diomond wheel

Its better faster less fractures cleaner

Diomond gives a faster finer cut than a courcer silicon carbide

There is more chat on this over craftweb

charlie holden · Post by **charlie holden** » Sat Mar 15, 2003 7:15 pm

If you're looking for a disc for stock removal on an angle grinder rather than a flat lap you should look at this page.

http://www.granquartz.com/gdwheels.htm

There's a disc in the tornado group that is 36 grit diamond. It's built for hours of heavy grinding. You have to have the right kind of backing mount for it.

Suzan · Post by **Suzan** » Mon Mar 17, 2003 12:28 pm

Could anyone discuss brifely what a "flat lap" is, as well as the other grinders and polishers mentioned in this thread? I'm not familiar with any of these tools. Are these large, expensive machines?

Thanks,
Suzan

Tony Smith · Post by **Tony Smith** » Mon Mar 17, 2003 12:59 pm

Hi Suzan,

A flat lap is a large wheel similar to a potters' wheel that has an abrasive disk or loose abrasive in a liquid slurry on it. As the wheel rotates, the edge, base, or other portion of a glass object is brought in contact with the wheel where the contacting surface is subsequently ground flat. These cost from $1000 to several thousand dollars depending on size, configuration and the number of diamond abrasive disks that you want to invest in. http://www.hisglassworks.com/pages/20grind.html

The hand grinders are right angle electric or pneumatic devices similar to drills that have abrasive pads attached to the spindle. Water is sprayed onto the worksurface either through the spindle or from the side to keep the diamonds cool, the glass wet and to keep the dust under control. http://www.mytoolstore.com/mk/1503.html

I hope this helps.

Tony

Suzan · Post by **Suzan** » Mon Mar 17, 2003 1:30 pm

Thanks, Tony. This is what I needed to know (the flat lap ain't in my budget for now

)

However, the angle grinder is a possibility. So far, all my slumped pieces have a rough surface from contact with the mold; will the angle grinder get the glass back to the same glossy surface you usually get on the side of the glass that doesn't contact the mold?

Hi Suzan,

A flat lap is a large wheel similar to a potters' wheel that has an abrasive disk or loose abrasive in a liquid slurry on it. As the wheel rotates, the edge, base, or other portion of a glass object is brought in contact with the wheel where the contacting surface is subsequently ground flat. These cost from $1000 to several thousand dollars depending on size, configuration and the number of diamond abrasive disks that you want to invest in. http://www.hisglassworks.com/pages/20grind.html

The hand grinders are right angle electric or pneumatic devices similar to drills that have abrasive pads attached to the spindle. Water is sprayed onto the worksurface either through the spindle or from the side to keep the diamonds cool, the glass wet and to keep the dust under control. http://www.mytoolstore.com/mk/1503.html

I hope this helps.

Tony[/quote]

WarmGlass.com

What grit diamond pads do you use?

What grit diamond pads do you use?

Found the answer in the archive

Re: What grit diamond pads do you use?

grinding

Does the 80 grit take off material pretty fast?

Re: Does the 80 grit take off material pretty fast?

tornado