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JoeM
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Polishing Slabs and Other Flat Surfaces
Dec 17th, 2015 at 7:34pm
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Great topic for discussion.
An often asked question with many answers.
To me, polishing a larger than 3" square flat rock surface is one of the hardest things to do and a true art.
Of course the path to the perfect polish is how good of a job you do removing all the scratches from the surface to be polished.

So to start with, a "Good Clean Cut" will save you an infinite amount of time.
The less deep and fewer scratches there are from the blade that cut the slab, obviously, the better.


Rotating Flat Laps; Like a Faceting machine, only bigger.
    Many choices here. A horizontal, angled, or vertically mounted
flat rotating surface for interchangeable
diffrent grit discs, or laps. Most used with water.

Vibrating Flat Laps; These are the suggested machines for the job.
It's an initial investment and you have to be very patient to see a return.
I say that because it will take on average 6 - 12 weeks to finish polish your slabs so there's a pretty long "learning-curve" to it.
A good solid flat foundation is critical for fine-tuning the operation.

About the quickest and easiest way I've found to do multiple slabs
is the Wet/Dry Angle Grinder like granite and marble counter installers use.
You can usually find the grinders on sale for $100-150 and another $60-100 for the set
of different grit diamond grinding and polishing discs.

Keep in mind that the routine procedure for using the angle grinder,
specially when installing granite and marble counter tops, is a final step of using a thin solution "sealer"
to fill all the fine little scatches and make it shine.
Of course there will NO talk of "Sealers!" here!
Instead, for that quarter inch deep all natural polish I would suggest,
after going thru all the grits with the angle grinder, doing a final polish series on the vibrating lap.
That system would probably be pretty close to the cat's meow!

To be con't.




  
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dirtslanger
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Re: Polishing Slabs and Other Flat Surfaces
Reply #1 - Dec 27th, 2015 at 1:04am
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Great topic.  Great info.  I think you can get a grinder and disc set 5-inch on Amazon for $225.  Do you recommend a particular size for the angle grinder Joe?

If you already have a motor I see old well built flat laps going at auction on eBay regularly for less than a hundred bucks.   I am about to probably nab a small one for $50 but I am wondering how much diameter I will ultimately need.

I am blown away by the amount of time vibratory machines take?  How long would it take if you only use it for final polishing?  They seem kind of pricey.
  
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JoeM
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Re: Polishing Slabs and Other Flat Surfaces
Reply #2 - Dec 29th, 2015 at 4:10pm
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Sorry about the delayed response, dirt. Been out of town for a couple days.

I went with the 4" angle grinder discs. I just don't see where that extra inch is going to help that much.
Maybe it does, I don't know. That extra inch might help you keep the disc flat against the surface while using it?
And about $225 is what I paid for mine with one set of 8 discs.

So, the flat laps you see on eBay for under $100; I take it they are homemade rotating laps? And what kind of laps do you use and where do you get them.
I have a homemade 18" rotating flat lap. I use 12" silicon carbide peel-and-stick paper sanding discs on it and use every bit of the space the 12" allows.
If you get one, I would think about a larger one. One size fits all. Wink

Yes, the vibratory laps take about as long as tumbling a stone.
That's why I was thinking about using them for the last few steps to polish.
And the learning curve to using them is as long as tumbling. Those pans have to be level and not "dished" in the middle from previous use, if you get a used one.
  
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dirtslanger
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Re: Polishing Slabs and Other Flat Surfaces
Reply #3 - Dec 29th, 2015 at 5:47pm
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The ones I see going for less than $100 are pretty small and I think are for smaller rocks and gems.  I am possibly going to get this one:

eBay item 401043741006
You can just copy paste to look it up in the eBay search form.

I see quite a few of those.

I will probably get a larger one when I can afford it or just build one if it is feasible.  Until then I like the idea of bringing the wet polisher to the larger rocks but it probably gets a bit messy.  You have Inspired me to keep an eye out for a used wet dry angle grinder.
  
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dirtslanger
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Re: Polishing Slabs and Other Flat Surfaces
Reply #4 - Jan 1st, 2016 at 10:25pm
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Joe do you think that the following conversion kit would work for polishing?

http://www.nssusa.com/Wet_Blade_Cutting_Kit_for_Grinder_p/wbckit.htm
  
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JoeM
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Re: Polishing Slabs and Other Flat Surfaces
Reply #5 - Jan 2nd, 2016 at 6:08pm
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Not sure what you're asking, dirt.
That's a kit for cutting, so I'm not sure how you would polish with it.
And if you already have the grinder, then the only piece this kit adds is the cool blue and orange super snappy water hose.
The rest of it comes included with the purchase of the grinder and discs.
  
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dirtslanger
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Re: Polishing Slabs and Other Flat Surfaces
Reply #6 - Jan 2nd, 2016 at 8:08pm
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I was just wondering if the kit works for cutting could it also work for polishing? If not why not?
  
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JoeM
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Re: Polishing Slabs and Other Flat Surfaces
Reply #7 - Jan 3rd, 2016 at 11:36pm
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Basically this kit supplies you with what you need to turn and use the grinder vertically,
which would be a better angle for cutting, like a skill saw.
And I don't believe it comes with a blade. Cutting blades are for cutting.
The grinding/sanding discs are made to use horizontally, and it'll sling some water.
Some of the disc grits you would use for grinding your way up to polish are 50, 100, 200, 400, 600, 800, 1000, 3000, 6000.
  
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Re: Polishing Slabs and Other Flat Surfaces
Reply #8 - Feb 3rd, 2016 at 10:41pm
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JoeM wrote on Dec 17th, 2015 at 7:34pm:
Great topic for discussion.

About the quickest and easiest way I've found to do multiple slabs
is the Wet/Dry Angle Grinder like granite and marble counter installers use.
You can usually find the grinders on sale for $100-150 and another $60-100 for the set
of different grit diamond grinding and polishing discs.



Please forgive my ignorance, but are you talking about polishing large slabs or something like a cab?  (with the above item)
  
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JoeM
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Re: Polishing Slabs and Other Flat Surfaces
Reply #9 - Feb 4th, 2016 at 7:46pm
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We are talking about large flatt surfaces.
  
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