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Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2004 2:27 pm
by Brock
. . . Brock, interesting to hear that some stained glass folks take offense to ring saws. I wonder if they also eschew carbide wheel cutters, but instead scratch their glass and use heat to run the scores. If a tool increases my speed and/or quality, broadens my artistic options, and does not sacrifice any design ideals or work preferences that I may hold dear, I'll use it.

I know, it is kind of strange, it's some kind of psuedo purist/elitist attitude. The main criticism seems to be that a saw will enable SG artists to produce pieces that are structurally unsound, and that these pieces will subsequently break. There is an element of truth in this, but saws do have their uses, even in stained glass, cutting heavily rippled drapery glass for one. Brock

Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2004 4:35 pm
by dee
fun5oh wrote:HAAAAAA HAAAAAAA HAAAAAAAAA, Is that light enough for you Brock?
Truth to the matter is, Vickie asked for some feedback, but I don't think she expected to be called a "tool junkie" when she did it, Secondly you made the comment that she could NOT compete with those who were already flooding the market with water jet cut, fused bowls, plates, platters etc.... I don't think she asked for any info on what was considered saleable, or for that matter what YOU considered competition??
And IN MY OPINION, your last degrading remark was the one left about the pasta maker. Also Brock, for future refrence, I am one of the most OPEN MINDED people you could ever know, I very much appreciate the info I have gathered here, and I also am entitled to an opinion.......

Robin
well some of us ARE tool junkies and shouldn't be afraid to admit it 8) - there's lots of kewl stuff for working with glass, what will be most usefull nd the best spending of $$] to any one person will depend on what their ideas/focus are - and as far as his pasta comment, i figured it was one of those things bought with great intentions that didn't work out as planned - i have a food processor collecting dust upstairs....

btw, brock's other comments are quite usefull and valuable for many of us, and if we don't think they are, we can leave them behind....

just because there's a new tool out that is being promoted heavily or that some people think is the greatest thing since sliced bread doesn't mean that is so for everyone and this is the place to ask for the type of input brock gave....

D

Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2004 4:44 pm
by Judy Schnabel
Tony,

I'm with you. If it makes my job easier I'm all for it. I did buy a tile saw just recently but I know it will never do for me what my Taurus ring saw will do.
Maybe there aren't a lot of people who cut angel fish, dolphins, manatees, etc. so they won't appreciate what a ring saw can do. But I happen to be one of them who does appreciate it.

As I've said before, to each his own. We all have different needs. That's what makes our world so diverse.

Judy

Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2004 2:22 pm
by Kathie Karancz
Hey guys: I too am thinking about the Taurus III cuz I have no problem admitting that I am also a tool junkie. I realize that the ring saw would be something that I probably would use every couple of months, but my question is: I have a tile saw and my experience with it is that it makes a hell of mess. I just built my brand spankin' new studio and wonder whether the ring saw would be less messy. I hear that it may not be as noisy, but what about the mess. Also, is the ring saw really able to cut through pattern bars as easily as the tile saw?? - or could it wreck the blade easier than a tile saw???

Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2004 2:30 pm
by charlie
less messy, less noisy, slower, not as good a job at straight and thick cuts as a tile saw. then again, you can use a tile saw to cut curves pretty easily, but you generally have to start with a straight through cut first.

what did I start!

Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2004 7:40 pm
by Vickie
Hi All,
Thanks to everyone who responded to my question, lot's of comments...didn't think I would create such a fuss!!!! Oh well, guess what. I went ahead and got the Tauras, and can't wait to create some masterpieces!!!! Creativity never ends! I'll let you all know if I made the right choice, or if this will be another "dust catcher."
Thanks,
Vickie, the "Tool Junkie"!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2004 8:37 pm
by Judy Schnabel
Congratulations, Vickie.

One word of advice. Take it slow and let the blade do the work. Don't feel you have to use it every day for it to be valuable.

Judy

Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2004 1:54 pm
by Kathie Karancz
Hey Vickie:
Please let me know how it goes and what you think about it, cuz I am in the same boat as you. I am particularly interested in finding out how messy it is. The tile saw makes quite a mess and I want to avoid as much of that as possible. Good luck and thanks for asking the question in the beginning.
Your fellow tool junkie

Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2004 2:27 pm
by Judy Schnabel
Kathy,

As a regular user of the Taurus II, I can tell you it is NOT messy.
It's noisey and you get tiny bits of glass on you. Be sure you wear eye protection (not just regular glasses) and wear protection over your eyeglasses, if you wear them.

I've cut hundreds of angel fish, manatees, dolphins. starfish and seahorses with my Taurus. For me it was worth the money.

Judy

Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2004 2:33 pm
by Kathie Karancz
Thanks Judy: Looks like this tool junkie is heading off to buy a Taurus III. (Is there a 12 step program out there for tool junkies, cuz I don't think I am ever going to quit work if I don't get HELP!!!)

Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2004 3:45 pm
by dee
Kathie Karancz wrote:Hey guys: I too am thinking about the Taurus III cuz I have no problem admitting that I am also a tool junkie. I realize that the ring saw would be something that I probably would use every couple of months, but my question is: I have a tile saw and my experience with it is that it makes a hell of mess. I just built my brand spankin' new studio and wonder whether the ring saw would be less messy. I hear that it may not be as noisy, but what about the mess. Also, is the ring saw really able to cut through pattern bars as easily as the tile saw?? - or could it wreck the blade easier than a tile saw???
kathie - to contain the mess of the tile saw get some plastic drop cloths from lowes/home depot and xlarge pushpins and tack the drop cloths up to the ceiling around the tile saw to form a booth to keep the mess contained ;) i did that with my sandblaster cabinet ;) tile saw has a backdrop of plastic drop cloth to protect the walls....
D

Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2004 4:52 pm
by Kathie Karancz
Hey Dee: It always amazes me how someone can suggest something so simple (that I hadn't thought of my own) and VOILA!!! - problem solved. Thanks for the suggestion
P.S.: Checked out your website - love your stuff. I also love to bead..

Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2004 6:44 pm
by Alecia Helton
I set my Taurus in a deep plastic tub. It contains moist of the mess.

Alecia

Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2004 7:48 pm
by Kim Bellis
Dee, what a creative idea - I am going to go to Lowe's this weekend.
Thanks

Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2004 9:06 pm
by dee
Kathie Karancz wrote:Hey Dee: It always amazes me how someone can suggest something so simple (that I hadn't thought of my own) and VOILA!!! - problem solved. Thanks for the suggestion
P.S.: Checked out your website - love your stuff. I also love to bead..
LOLOL necessity breeds simple, no engineering required, cheap solutions around my studio, it's in the former garage and when we sell the house a few years down the road i don't want to have to replace the sheetrock due to the tile saw ;P

thanks ;) where are you located? i do bead shows in various areas, including tucson in 2 weeks.... am gonna debut a bunch of new pendants and 2 new looks in beads....
D

Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2004 9:07 pm
by dee
glassaddict wrote:Dee, what a creative idea - I am going to go to Lowe's this weekend.
Thanks
lolol certain depts there know me ;P and now we have home depot next door to lowes, if i can't find it one place, i can find it at the other usually ;P
D

Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2004 4:22 am
by Stuart Clayman
With the deep plastic tub,, you can cut a "U" shape out of the front to make it easier to work with. This technique can also be used for grinders, ect.

Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2004 1:49 pm
by SAReed
For my grinder and Taurus saw I bought 3 acrylic 12"x16" sheets and duct taped them together to make a screen around the sides and back. My intent was to hinge them together so they would fold up, but used the duct tape in the interim. This was 1.5 years ago and the duct tape has held up so well that I haven't hinged them yet, and they fold up so I can store the screen between my work bench and wall when not in use. I just bought a tile saw and I'm thinking I'll use the same method.

Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2004 2:32 pm
by charlie
a ten gallon fish tank tipped on it's side is good for grinders. they're very cheap, act as a glass shield on the top so you can look down at your grinding, and have a lip on the front edge to contain liquids.

Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2004 3:10 pm
by Kathie Karancz
Darn..... I just gave away my fish tank!!!! You know.... it's true.... NEVER throw anything out. That's an awesome idea!!! Now if I could only have a husband that gets why I want to keep everything.....