You can do very nice cabs on a flat lap too.

Do you have a updated version you have made?

Have you had any issues with the stone dust that enters the water system? I was wondering if the pump may become clogged or damaged over time because of that..

I'm really concerned that you weren't wearing an appropriate welding mask whilst making this, I worry about the damage to your cornea and retina from the U.V. light caused by welding.

Welding eye protection and dang son, welding galvanized metal gives off poisonous fumes

Glad I looked through replies. I watched the first part of the video with my mouth open. Your comment should be pinned at the top

The grinding part wasn't a beauty neither. Safety first, ALWAYS

Glad the video was able to help you Vanessa. In my opinion they are vastly over priced so building one is good option.

Glad you mentioned this, I ended up making a few cuts in the hose below the water line as I didn't want to burn out the pump. Thanks Samuel.

Hi Ryad, I've made a lot of modifications since I built it, check out the updated part 2. I've also updated it a bit more since that second video and now use a deeper bowl with a sealed edge. Thanks for the comment!

Rough Market I had checked out the second video, the updates seem much better, i think it would be very helpful to put a link to it in the description or at the end of this video. You can do that in the video manager. I myself am having a look at rotary tools with flex shafts and arduino controlled boards....home made cnc. The hardest part really is no work area/place. It is disheartening to have to pack up one project to work on another and/or pack it up to have a place to put a dinner plate.

Thanks for the insight! I've heard of this concept before and was interested to hear some feedback on functionality. Good stuff. I have another project coming up and I might see if I can grab one of those motors. The speed adjustment would be perfect.

Glad you liked it, was a fun build for sure! It's still going strong and we use it a ton. I've just started building the cabbing machine and filming as I go, finishing soon I hope, lots on the go!

Thanks Mychael Lee, check out part 2. All issues were updated and fixed.

Ya for sure, my welding helmet was several hours away at the time. Eyes closed for spot welding, not ideal but got the job done.

Thanks Jhon, I was surprised how well it turned out. We've got quite a few hours on it now and I've made a few small changes, but it works great.

Actually quit a few changes.. water was escaping and mist was covering everything, I had the disk mounted too high. I made a new deeper basin from a 5 gallon bucket so the motor, backing plate, and disk sit about 2 inches lower now. That controled the spray I was getting. I also added a sponge filter on the black drain hose to help the life of the motor. I added a solid tube and valve for the water feed to control the flow. So far that's all I found that I wanted to change. I've also started making foam backed disks with sand paper. They don't last very long but they are great for cabbing softer stones.

thank you

Rough Market for the polishing and the

Rough Market I tu the most important thing

Thanks for watching. Welding covered in comments.

Thanks! So far it's been a work horse for sure and still going strong.

Hi Joe, yes covered a few times in comments. It wasn't ideal and I do have a helmet but it was out of town and I had to get the job done. Thanks for watching!

Thanks for the kind words! : )

Thank you Deborah. I've made a few tweeks and always looking for ways to make it better!

I have been thinking about using a two part water system with the same setup that runs fresh. I now have a filter in place but might test to see how much of a pain it is to run with fresh and a separate drain container. As far as rusting, everthing that touches water is plastic for the most part, all good. The purpose of this lap is just a workhorse for pre-shaping material like agate and common material, not faceting. Eventually I would like to start faceting but I would buy something off the shelf for that possibly. Thanks for the tips and comment!

georgewocosky thanks so much for the tips. Cheers.

Thanks eugene. Yes that might be something to look into.

You're right :) I updated that shortly after. I cut the hole a bit bigger and it fits a small plastic round tub with a lip you can buy at the dollar store. I also used an epoxy to seal the bare wood edge as well so it wouldn't swell if it came in contact with water. It's still going strong! Thanks for watching and the insight!

Originally I glued a wire along side the tube to allow it to be shaped and bent. I've since scrapped that and I now use a small metal tube with a valve. So far so good. A wire running through the plastic tubing is a really good idea as well, I should have tried that.

Thanks Craig!

I didn't want a gravity fed system. Check out Part 2 the Updates: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/qN-gocZ-nrOUYIE.html

Thanks TinaJewelers, was a fun project!

You're welcome. I love your video great help Thank you.

I was waiting for a comment about that. My welding mask is several hours away unfortunately. For small tack jobs I close my eyes which is not ideal but works in a pinch.

I attached my phone to a helmet as welding glasses, worked a charm, just turn on the camera and voila, no direct site for the light to damage.

That's a neat trick lunaislife! Reminds me of the VR headsets... nice one.

Thanks for the tip Bob, that's actually a pretty intersting idea for the motor. I'm going to have to see if I can get one to test for some of the upcoming projects. Great idea.

Hi Paul, cutting the hole a bit smaller holds the water well in place. If you look at a 5 gallon bucket it's smaller at the bottom than it is at the top, so cutting the hole a bit smaller then your top edge holds it in place. I have since updated this to a plastic bowl with a lip on it from a dollar store that works amazingly well and still going strong. The arbor shaft I bought off of amazon, but you can find them in all hardware stores. Just be sure to pre-measure the motor arbor shaft diameter as there are several sizes out there.

Rough Market Can I buy such a machine from you and how much is the price and send you my email and agree on the price and send you money how you want and thank you so mach

It does yes, I changed that system a few days after. Check out part 2 the updates - kzfaq.info/get/bejne/qN-gocZ-nrOUYIE.html

Thanks! Was fun too build.

No leaking at all thankfully. The centrifugal force keeps the water moving away from the shaft and allowing it to seep downwards. The washers I use came with the arbor shaft so when you snug them down they fit pretty tight. You could possiby use a black rubber "O" ring that fits around the shaft for 100% confidence, but for me so far so good! Hope that helps.

Seal it in a plastic bag

Glad to hear your taking on a project like this :) as long as you keep your overflow tube lower then shaft you will never get a water leak. I also used a bit of silicon for extra measure. Don't put anything around your motor, plastic etc. as it will melt or catch fire. It can get very warm after a half hour or so.

eBay of course 😉

Thanks Tim. Ya I get asked that a lot haha

Hello, and yes you are right, it does build up in the pump. I quickly switched to draining the water into a different reservoir and add fresh water to the pump reservoir. Not only will it clog the pump, but it can contaminate the water into your grinding surface and scratch the stone. Thanks for watching!

Already covered in part 2 the updates.

No the speed is perfect for what I use it for. It's a flat lap for cabbing not faceting so it's good.

180, 600, 1200, and 3000. Final polish with cerium oxcide and an old dvd or cd.

It depends on the material. Agate you should start around 80, as where with Welo Opal I start around 200-600. I finish most up to 3000, but Amber you can get away with stopping at 2000. All get polishing after the wheel. Hope that helps.

Rough Market thanks brother great vid and it will be mostly for turquoise maybe some opal

Hi Nemanja Pajic, no issues with water getting onto the motor at all. As long as the drain is below the center shaft level there's no worries. For sure a pulley system would get the motor away from the water, but it's a bit bigger machine and I didn't want that. Disks vary how long the last by several factors... price/quality, and the stone itself. Amber or Opal a disk will last almost forever, Quartz or Agate, maybe only a few cabs.

@@RoughMarket thank you so much for quite precise answer. I was afraid of water dripping issues but also I have seen many designs such as yours. The fact that you can cut just a couple of quartz or agate cabs per disc amazes me since the price of a disc is approximately 10 USD at lowest and producing just a few cabs won't pay off cause I do not think they can be sold for more than a couple of bucks a piece. I suppose that Pacific wheels are more suitable for cabs and have longer life, and discs should be used for more precious stones only since they to not last that long or as you said for softer ones? Would you care to share your thoughts about the subject.

@@990nemanja I 100% agree, it's not profitable to only get a few stones out of a wheel. I focus mostly on Opal these days as I have very little time and they are rewarding to me. I do think you can buy a sintered flat lap disk that will last a long time, but they are expensive. Best thing to do is start with cheap disks and work your way up until you find what you need within the budget. For me this is just a hobby, but for production for sure need higher end disks.

@@RoughMarket thanks for the advice. It is just a hobby for me also, but we hunt our own stones so we are figuring out some way to use our creativity, love for the nature and our workshops just to get a fuel refund for our field trips to make it self sustainable. :)

Thanks Greg. Comment about welding already covered in comments.

glad to see your patience and control when faced w/ smart-ass comments from people, Rough Market. You ran with an idea, were kind enough to show us an alternative to expensive equipment. I knew you (we) would learn along the way ways to improve via self-discovery and advice from experts. Many DIY'ers are out here loving the help of inventors and innovators such as yourself. There's always someone sitting with watchful eyes on their pedestals of perfection fervently waiting for an opportunity to rate, judge, find fault and criticize. Helpful hints, offered with tact and coming from a place of kindness, fall much more gently than those meant to belittle. Admiration to all you brave souls willing to open yourselves up to insult. Thankfully, the arse-holey comments are countered by those presented out of a place of positivity, to encourage and build upon, not to humiliate or tear down. Hey, keep your eyes open for floor lamps with snake shafts for directing light source. For those with money and desire, you can always pick up a task lamp from Home store or craft store; as offered for quilters, crafters, embroiderers, etc. I picked up a cool old brass floor lamp w/ adjustable head at a yard sale for $3.00 I use for my jewelry work. Also, as a water shield and higher wall surround, get some liquid "Weld-On" (PVC glue) cut some squares of clear or white plexi or lexan (stronger) and bond together a removable 3-sided shield to serve as a splash-guard. This was a tremendously helpful video. And I KNEW you'd get some extremely valuable hints from generous posters. Thank so much to you for the share and to those volunteering constructive criticism!!

Thanks for the kind words moodylicious and the tips! Yes there will always be a few in the crowd who find negative in the positive. I've been around Industrial equipment ever since I was a kid and have a great respect for tools and the dangers, and know the limits. I was even an Industrial Welder for several years making Truck Axels. Silly comments are easily brushed off and are everywhere you look. Life is not about being in bubble wrap haha. All the best with your jewelry work, checked your channel but didn't see any videos yet. I subscribed so if you post any I'll have a look. Have a look at some of my others videos as I touch on Jewelry a bit, and lots more to come.

thanks for the direct to your other vids, RM. I am sure to benefit from watching. I don't plan on producing any videos; though I am immensely impressed and gratified by all of you who DO. I have learned so much on such a broad array of topics over the years! And I regain some faith in humanity in seeing the eagerness of guys and gals always offering helpful hints or alternative ideas. It becomes a shared project as we can all become collaborators & contributors. So many bright, inventive minds!! Thanks everybody! (btw, I do realize in making my first point, I became unbecomingly snarky. I'm sorry.)

the entire engine is welded to the frame using gum cement. you can get it by mixing 2 parts epoxy to 1 part big league chew grape flavor and chew it until mixed completely. you then apply to the mounting points in and the engine will be fixed permanently. the hp is not very important but the turning radius is very important. you need an engine capable of 2.88 radial turns per quadrant. any less and you risk sub-stoic anomalies. good luck 👍

In the video I used the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket. I updated it shortly after with a plastic bowl that has a lip edge around it. Works a lot better.

@@RoughMarket that's a lot cheaper than the HDPE lab tray I was looking at.Thank you for the response and video. I am going to make one for inlay work in silver.

He must’ve gone blind since he didn’t see this

Hi Manuel, sorry I won't be making them to sell. They are easy to builld, for a basic one all you need is a motor, disks, and a water supply.

$500, or for that price you can just shop Ailbaba. Happy spending🙂

The disks and water pump you can find on Amazon. The rest you have to find or build yourself. Thanks for watching.

Hi Mitch, I think the total cost was under $200. The most expensive part was the Aluminum backing plate and disks.