WarmGlass.com

I can't find it, but I could swear there was a kit to make a wet lap sander, that was talked about years ago her made from a tire... am I nuts or did I dream it??
Help me please!!!!
Thanks in advance.

His Glassworks has plans on their website to make one but I don't recall any kit. Others might

http://www.hisglassworks.com/files/lapplans.pdf

Yes ... years ago a site member built one and posted many great photos of his excellent work. I think that person no longer posts here.

DonMcClennen wrote:Yes ... years ago a site member built one and posted many great photos of his excellent work. I think that person no longer posts here.

That person was probably Ron Coleman, who unfortunately passed away a couple of years ago. His old website is no longer online.

Ok thanks guys!!

If you use HIS' plans, consider not using the tire- if I ever re-do mine it'll be with brushes.

With brushes?? What do you mean??
Did you use those plans?? Can you post a pic, of what you have, please??
Thanks for the tip!!

If someone remembers his old website URL........ Go to http://web.archive.org and type it in there. You'll pull up old copies that they've archived for sites that go down just like this. It's like looking back in time.

Awesome... hope some remembers!

I also made one (my own "plans"), and posted here about that experience. That was about 4 years ago, I think. I love my lap grinder, but if I were to build another here's some features I'd be sure to include this time:

1. Mine is 18" - I'd definitely go 24" next time
2. I'd spend the money on some slowing/stopping resistors
3. I would not spend extra money on variable speed motor control - I bet I use that less than 1% of the time, and I really don't need it then
4. Mine is made to work standing up. I might seriously consider lowering it so that I can work sitting down. Dunno - not real sure about that one, I guess.

Good luck with your project.

Definitely 24", not worth bothering for less.
I use a stick for a brake (from underneath, not on the plate!)- cheaper than resistors.
Variable speed is needed if you'll be going to cerium.
Rather than lowering the machine, raise the operator. There are times I want to be close to eye level so I sit on something low. Sometimes I'm standing on a box so I can get leverage above the plate.

There was never a kit, just plans, and a photo of mine will add nothing to the plans. I do have a serious spray shield around the back, made out of corrugated plastic sheet, and there's a kitchen exhaust hood over the whole thing to keep the mist out of my face. Warm water!
The brushes are what comes with the Covington lap- they keep most of the spray in but let you run larger pieces off the wheel. The tire is good if you never plan on doing big stuff.

Any competent machinist should be able to take HIS plans and photos of the machines available and make you a great flat lap for less than half what the manufacturers charge.
When you start buying diamond pads for your new lap, you'll get what you pay for. Chinese plates are cheap, will have a wider size range of stone in the same plate (is that denier?) and won't last as long. I've stuck with HIS over the years.

beninfl wrote:If someone remembers his old website URL........ Go to http://web.archive.org and type it in there. You'll pull up old copies that they've archived for sites that go down just like this. It's like looking back in time.

Great suggestion. Not all of Ron's old site is online, but there is a folder with a lot of the information from the lap wheel he built. It's here: http://web.archive.org/web/200207050344 ... m/grinder/

Or go directly to a pdf with the design: http://web.archive.org/web/200306290908 ... rinder.pdf

Ron was an incredibly talented and generous person and was one of the first people to visit this board, going back to 2000. His fused glass boxes were magnificent (and totally fused, no glue): http://web.archive.org/web/200210221334 ... essel.html (I actually have a set of slides detailing Ron's process for making these boxes.)

i built both ron's 24" flat lap and his blasting cabinet. i have the plans and parts list if anyone's interested.

That box Ron made is incredible. And how generous it was of him to share his techniques.

Brad,

Will you pull these photos and the PDF off of the archive site and store them locally? It's rare that we get a chance to reach back and revisit history.

Tony

Tony Smith wrote:Will you pull these photos and the PDF off of the archive site and store them locally? It's rare that we get a chance to reach back and revisit history.

I've pulled as much of Ron's information as I could off the archive site, except of course for his personal family photos. It's on my hard drive, along with some other photos and such that Ron sent me before he passed away. Perhaps I can put it together in some way to make it available to others.

Could someone please explain the firing rates. He lists "120 minutes - 1000f, 20 minutes 1000f, 60 minutes 1450f, 60 minutes 1450f, anneal 4 hrs @ 950f, 4 hrs to 750f, off. I don't understand the first four. Thanks, Georgia

Georgia Novak wrote:Could someone please explain the firing rates. He lists "120 minutes - 1000f, 20 minutes 1000f, 60 minutes 1450f, 60 minutes 1450f, anneal 4 hrs @ 950f, 4 hrs to 750f, off. I don't understand the first four. Thanks, Georgia

Take 120 minutes to get to 1000.

Then hold at 1000 for 20 minutes

Then take 60 minutes to get to 1450

Then hold at 1450 for 60 minutes

Some controllers use this method of entering the information instead of rates.

Thank you Brad. It went completely over my head. Georgia

Following the link supplied by beninfl I searched for old WGB posts and found posts starting in 2000, and going till 2005 until I ran into 404 errors. Lots of good stuff there and I'll no doubt be poking about there when I should be doing other things.:

http://web.archive.org/web/200009260321 ... /config.pl

I was looking for a thread from 2008 about DIY glassworking tools and equipment which had quite a lot of activity. Maybe it's time to start a new one. Jen