I ordered a self sticking Hook and Loop pad and stuck it to an Aluminum Backing plate and then ordered a supply of all the sandpapers that stick to the velcro. The hook and loops let the stones sink in so that there is more surface contact and the cut lines and dimples are no longer an issue.
perfect home made lapidary wheels. cheap, and effective!! Don't throw out those scraps though!! They can be used on your 1 inch dremel discs for fine details and finishing Nice to see I'm not the only one that pre shapes my stones then finishes them in the tumbler. I like that controlled randomness!!
Good idea. Just a couple observations to make things a bit easier... 1. Trim the foam just like you did the sandpaper (after mounting to disk). Just use your razor knife against the edge of the disk. 2. Give your scissors a spritz of WD-40 (or whatever oil/lube you have) so adhesive dosen't stick to them. Overall good work.
Hi John, thanks for the comment. I've tried applying the sandpaper to the foam first then sticking them both on the disk and only trimming it once to shape. The problem with that was it's a bit trickier to line up as the sand paper is almost the same size as the disk and you can't see it on the backside. Also the adhesive on the foam backing is very strong and really sticks to the scissors, so I cut it while the backing is still on to save that grief. Others might have more luck with different material as you can us regular foam and use spray adhesive on the just the paper and the disk, then there wouldn't be any stickiness for the scissors to jam up on. Anyways, all good. Thanks for watching and the tips!
Just an update John, I tried the oil on the scissor trick and it worked great!! The adhesive didn't stick at all, nice! Thanks for that, saves a lot of headache.
Thanks Tess, ya this method saves some cash for sure. I find soft disks work best for cabs but I wish they last longer. Looking forward to some videos with your new Vibratory Lap!
Oil would almost for sure destroy any sandpaper unless it had a durable fiber backing. You might be able to find some on amazon that could work with oil. Personally I avoid oil and rocks as it can be tough to get out on porous minerals. The Wood Opal I get comes soaked in oil (which is crazy) and it's a nightmare to get it all back out.
Hi James, They hold up for whatever stone you are working on. Softer amber and opal they work really well. Agate or quartz and they wear out pretty quick. I had a hard time finding a supplier for soft disks so that's why I made my own. Only adds about $1 per stone all finished up.
