DIY Lap machine

[Bro-crispy]

So has anybody actually built the lap from the HIS plans?

[Bro-crispy]

Just stumbled on this discussion. Granted they are talking about very large wheels, some good info. Plus some laughs.

http://talk.craftweb.com/showthread.php?t=7574&page=2

[skip]

I have a core you could start with. 8 In housing. needs a motor and lap wheels. Hit me up if your interested. It's all aluminum. I never got around to restoring it.

[Bro-crispy]

Skip- I pm'd ya. Did you get it?

[OracleGlassArts]

very nice glad to see i wasnt the only one crazy enough to try this

[B.C. Creations]

thats funny skip.....that the same one i trade to you back in the day? the old craftsman. i still have my old lee set up. just havnt had the ambition to pull it out and use it. coyles right......that shit is messy!

jake....you could always use my machine if you want. youd just have to buy the new laps for it. its got the faceting head and the whole nine.

[Greymatter Glass]

I have a couple homemade flat laps, a 6" and a 24" both look like they're built the same as the His plans. I can say that if you want something bigger than 6 or 8" you're going to spend serious money building it... probably at least half what anyone sells them for premade.

You can get steel plates from any major lapidary equipment supplier, usually have to call and talk to someone, rare you'd see a plate listed on a website. I would try ASW or Covington first.

Or have a decent machine shop make one. All it takes is a decent sized mill, a plasma cutter, and a sheet of heavy steel... Either way that's going to be the most expensive part on anything bigger than an 8" machine.

[B-Rye-oNeR]

I wish I had Mcgyver skills like yall... ):

[Bro-crispy]

nice. I haven't got around to building mine yet, but we have a cnc plasma cutter and a full-size bridgport mill here in the shop, as well as a lathe with a drop-bed, could probably fit 20"+ diameter on there. I'm thinking of a 12" - 18" for mine. Who knows, maybe I can go into production on some wheels for ya'll . . .

[ReLo442]

I have only looked into this a lil but it seems like a motor to spin a 24" disk is gonna be min $300....

I think ill stick to a smaller one. Big wheels are for the fournace guys anyway right?

[Greymatter Glass]

nope, I have/use an 18" to grind and polish small pendants, marbles, etc... Bigger disks are more economical long term...