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Lapidary wire saw

#1

I have run into a situation where I need a lapidary diamond wire saw
for a particular cut. my slab and trim saws will not work, and, due
to the geometry, I cannot use a ‘ring saw’ such as the taurus.

has any body had any experience making or using a wire saw? i need
about a 6" kerf.

Mark Zirinsky

#2

Hi Mark,

 I have run into a situation where I need a lapidary diamond wire
saw for a particular cut. my slab and trim saws will not work, and,
due to the geometry, I cannot use a 'ring saw' such as the taurus.

Have you tried the 'Cuti Pi"? It’s a scroll saw made by Taylor Mfg.
(paleoart.com/members/taylor). The saw can accept diamond coated
blades as well as jewelers saw blades & others. I’ve never used one,
but have seen it demonstrated.

Dave

#3

I purchased a Gryphon diamond bandsaw about 6 months ago for $175.
It will do a 6" kerf with ease in agate, psilomelane and other hard
stone. The Gryphon’s main market is stained glass cutters.

John Bozeman
It’s In The Works Studio
Little Rock

#4 
    I have run into a situation where I need a lapidary diamond
wire saw for a particular cut. my slab and trim saws will not work,
and, due to the geometry, I cannot use a 'ring saw' such as the
taurus.

g’day if you are interested in what can be done with a hard tough
material like jade, go to orchid archives ;-

http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/gallery.htm

and use the search engine to locate ‘te hei matau’ -john burgess

i found the diamond coated wire was inexpensive, and when water
lubricated and cooled, and used with a hand operated jeweller’s saw
frame lasted a considerable while. the slot made by the saw blade
[the kerf] was about 1/16 wide. a bit laborious; but it didn’t
last 3 minutes when used with a mechanical jig saw. diamond burrs
were used to give the final smooth shape. after sanding, it was
polished with tin oxide on a leather disc with water. 50,000 grit
diamond powder is faster, but i didn’t think i could afford that in
those days. i could now; i’m a ‘poor’ pensioner with no rent,
mortgage, car repayments, school fees, health insurance… bin
there, dun all that.

Cheers for now,
John Burgess; @John_Burgess2 of Mapua, Nelson NZ

#5

check out the gryphon wire saw. Very fine diamond wire that allows
you to cut very fine designs in stone slabs. Not recommended for
metal cutting.