Thin slabs? what material?

[Freeform]

Plaster cast was the way to go. Thanks for the suggestion and reminder.

 http://freeformcabs.com/2012/03/thin-slabbing-success/

Got a few killer bots from team CJ and manage thus far one 2mm thick,  full slab, and one 1.7mm slab! I'm gonna start doing this more often just for better yield too. I fit bout 7the stones in a plastic jug, with 2the pounds of art plaster. Set it for one day and that was it. Besides lining up the rocks the way I want to slab them.

[mehoose]

Hey neato Shain, 3 slices in one! 

[3rdRockFromTheFun]

Awesome! I told you I'd heard about it being done but this is the first time I'd actually seen it - that is way cool! 

[ScarlettoSara]

Dang that a nice slice of bot too:)

[skystone]

Yep some times all it takes is a reminder of something we hadn't done in a long time. Comes in handy for heel pieces & very oddly shaped chunks. I have some squareish plastic containers I use. The plaster just pops right out & you're good to go for the next chunk. Old pint, quart or 1/2 gal waxed milk cartons work good to.
Mike

[39don]

I just ran up on this link today.......

With my 18" Lortone and 303s blade with a knerf of .080" I can slab jade as small as .050" wide, maybe smaller I haven't tried. The jade end size, face, was approximately 4 square inches or 2"X 2". I tried some charoite at .050" but it melted away. At 2mm most any rough will do ok on mine but I did a complete rebuilt less than a year ago and added a 5"OD driven pulley to the worm shaft of the carriage/vise feed screw. This slows down the feed rate but I donot have to start and restart to get the saw to track straight, I have only a small offset cut. The saw blade gets back on line within 3/16". On hard rocks the faces of the slab has a shine coming off the saw and my slabs parrellism is usually +/- .003 or less on slabs as large as 4"X8"or less.

[Auntie Rocks]

Might the "dinamite" be hydraulic cement?

[skystone]

 What we called "dinomite" (sp?) was 50/50 mix common cement & plaster of paris. Sets up very fast & hard but won't just melt in the water like just plaster will.
Mike