Ameritool Assistance Required

[James D. Farrow]

Hi! New member here.

I decided to get a Ameritool Grinder/Polisher. (Next month) Here's my list and a few questions.
(Sorry if they are obvious, but this is new to me)

1) Ameritool Universal 8" Complete

Includes one 180 grit diamond lap, 325, 600, & 1,200 mesh diamond sanding discs, polish pad with 14,000 diamond compound, and four backing plates.

2) 80 Grit 8" Diamond Facet Top Lap NON PSA

3) 8" Backing Plate
 
4) 8" Sponge Discs  x 4
 
In the package it jumps from a 1200 mesh diamond sanding disc to a polish pad
with 14000 diamond compound . Should I add another mesh/grit in-between?

On the sanding discs, do I have to stick them on the backing plates or can I just place them on and tighten down the
knob to keep them in place?  I've read they are a bugger to get on and if not placed exactly they will not be
balanced and cause problems. Yes?

On the sponge discs, I  can use these under all the sanding and polishing pads?

Anything else recommended? (besides winning the lottery to pay for it all - LOL!)
 
Thanks,

James

James D. Farrow
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada

[hulagrub]

The sponge pad goes under the felt polishing pad. No need for an extra lower grit polishing. Now I could see a felt with ZAM on it for turquoise and other soft stones. It is used dry. And yes you have to stick the different grits down.

[James D. Farrow]

The sponge pad goes under the felt polishing pad. No need for an extra lower grit polishing. Now I could see a felt with ZAM on it for turquoise and other soft stones. It is used dry. And yes you have to stick the different grits down.

Thanks for the reply!

Can I also put the sponge pads under the sanding discs?

O.K. I don't need the 3000.

Was thinking about another polishing pad (felt, or leather, or ...) Will look up ZAM.

Was hoping I didn't have to stick them down. I have seen PSA and Non-PSA discs. Do the Non-PSA
discs have a rougher backing so the don't slip not being stuck down?

Thanks again.

James

James D. Farrow
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada

"No more trains will be sold once the magazine leaves the station"

[Carol M]

The sponge pad goes under the felt polishing pad. No need for an extra lower grit polishing. Now I could see a felt with ZAM on it for turquoise and other soft stones. It is used dry. And yes you have to stick the different grits down.

Thanks for the reply!

Can I also put the sponge pads under the sanding discs?

O.K. I don't need the 3000.

Was thinking about another polishing pad (felt, or leather, or ...) Will look up ZAM.

Was hoping I didn't have to stick them down. I have seen PSA and Non-PSA discs. Do the Non-PSA
discs have a rougher backing so the don't slip not being stuck down?

Thanks again.

James

James D. Farrow
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada

"No more trains will be sold once the magazine leaves the station"

Well hello James, small world.....I'm in Toronto, Canada.....Leaside Area.....we're neighbors.
I have an Ameritool 8" Flat lap that's just like the one you're describing.
I tapped into Krystee [aka TNTMOM] when I bought mine, as she is the "Queen of Shine".  You could look her up in the contacts page and send her an email.  She's unbelievably helpful and nice.   Also when you go to her 'contacts page' [under 'members' near the top of this site] you'll be able to see all of her posts.  Worth reading.
Actually, seeing the stunning cabs she produced was the real reason that I bought the Ameritool Flat lap.

Re the sponge pads - she told me for years she didn't know about them, but once she discovered them she uses them under ALL her sanding 'discs'...especially the finer grit discs..... not the rigid 'grinding discs' though.
They make it easier to get smooth transitions as you shape cabs.

Re 'attaching them' YES - they come with a peel off back, that's VERY STICKY.  Once the back is attached....it's attached!!!  and you don't take it off till it's 'shot'.
Apparently, according to Ameritool, when they are shot....you soak the disk in warm water and the glue will soften, and then you can take the backs off without too much difficulty but don't expect to put them on and off once they're stuck. 

So.....to put them together, you take the black 'backing plate' and the gray 1/8 inch thick sponge disc with pressure sensitive adhesive backing, you peel off the backing and put that in place, and then you do the same to put the coloured diamand sanding discs on top of that.

Because I was ordering if from Ameritool to be delivered to family in the states, I asked them to verify that everything was 'working properly' with no 'issues' before they shipped it, and 'as a wonderful gesture of good will' they pre-stuck the coloured sanding discs on the backings for me and cut out the holes......but they didn't put the sponge discs I ordered in between....[ergh], so I mentioned it to Krystee and she just said [also ERGH] that I should just leave it that way and work with them [as she did for several years] until they wear out, and then put the 'whole sandwich' into place when that happens.  They still haven't worn out.

As noted by hulagrub, you also put the sponge pads under the white polish pad....and also under just a piece of scrap leather, depending on what you're polishing.
I bought some lovely leather scraps at a place on Spadina, called Leather & Sewing Supply Depot http://www.yelp.ca/biz/leather-and-sewing-supply-depot-toronto .  They have a 'scrap box' that's HUGE and the pieces are large enough to make several leather polishing pads [for various polishing compounds]. 
Those leather pads need to be glued on though with something like Gorilla Glue [which you can get at Home Depot].

Another neat thing to see are some Youtube vidoes that Krystee did for me, showing her method of [non-dap] holding cabs using the Ameritool Flat Lap.  Very helpful  -
and also Part 2


Krystee is a total doll and 'my guardian angel' when it comes to Flat Lap work on an Ameritool Flat Lap.

Boris [aka Gemmy] is also from Toronto, Canada, and very knowledgeable about Lapidary [but doesn't use a flat lap for cabs].
 
Good luck,
Let me know if I can help you with anything.

[James D. Farrow]

Thanks!

That's great info. And love the videos.

I guess I should get a couple of spare backing plates and sponge discs over and above what I need at first. That way if I get the leather or whatever later on I don't have to order form the US again and have to wait for them to arrive.

Thanks Again!

James

[Carol M]

Yep......Totally.  Especially with the cost of shipping to Canada. [gasp]

[Hummingbirdstones]

You can use 3M Feathering Disc Adhesive to attach non-PSA discs and leather or other materials to the rubber pads.  One advantage is that you can peel them off easily and re-stick them if you need to.  Lapidary supply places carry it and I've seen it in automotive stores. etc.  You should be able to find it in a store by you I would think.

[Carol M]

You can use 3M Feathering Disc Adhesive to attach non-PSA discs and leather or other materials to the rubber pads.  One advantage is that you can peel them off easily and re-stick them if you need to.  Lapidary supply places carry it and I've seen it in automotive stores. etc.  You should be able to find it in a store by you I would think.

Actually, you're totally right Hummingbirdstones......it WAS 3M Feathering Disc Adhesive we used.   
Boris [aka Gemmy] had some of it and I didn't so he told me to bring my disc and leather to a trade show [where he was manning a booth].  He used his glue to stick down my leather properly and then I trimmed it to size.  It wasn't the Gorilla Glue.  Thanks for recalling my memory.

[James D. Farrow]

Thanks!

Anyone use the Diamond Lapidary Faceting Flat Laps they have at Amazon?

They are sold by HANS LAPIDARY TOOL AND MACHINE.

Not the metal (aluminum I guess) ones.

1.1 oz., flexible, and stick to the regular backing plates so weight should not be a factor for the Ameritool.

I figure if I need more discs later I can get them there.

Thanks,

James

[James D. Farrow]

O.K. Making up my list and am still confused a bit on the discs. JS Gems has both PSA (sticky) and Non-PSA (non-sticky).

If you don't get the PSA ones do the Non-PSA ones just sit on top of the backing plate?

What keeps them from slipping if they aren't stuck down?

Thanks

James

[Carol M]

O.K. Making up my list and am still confused a bit on the discs. JS Gems has both PSA (sticky) and Non-PSA (non-sticky).

If you don't get the PSA ones do the Non-PSA ones just sit on top of the backing plate?

What keeps them from slipping if they aren't stuck down?

Thanks

James

Hi James,
I've only used the PSA ones but I'd think you'd HAVE to glue down the Non-PSA ones with your own glue.  Otherwise, I'd think they'd get all 'weird' and possibly flap around' when they were spinning that fast ....not to mention the water bath that would probably splash on you if they weren't affixed to the plate.
Personally, I'd get the PSA ones because that glue is not too cheap.
My2cents.

[James D. Farrow]

O.K. I see, they have to be glued down either way. The PSA come with the glue. The Non-PSA you supply your own glue.

Yeah, will get the sticky ones. Pre sticky and the glue evenly spread on the disc as well. 

Thanks!

James

[Carol M]

O.K. I see, they have to be glued down either way. The PSA come with the glue. The Non-PSA you supply your own glue.

Yeah, will get the sticky ones. Pre sticky and the glue evenly spread on the disc as well. 

Thanks!

James

You're very welcome, James. 
No worries!!!

[James D. Farrow]

O.K. Confused again. LOL!

The package deal comes with sanding discs. I am on JS Gems web site but I cannot find
any "sanding discs". They have "Diamond Facet Top Laps" in various grits. Is that what
they mean when they say sanding discs in the package?

Also, are the  "Sanding Discs" and/or "Diamond Facet Top Laps" flexible or rigid?

If they are rigid will the sponge discs still be needed?

Thanks,

James

[Carol M]

O.K. Confused again. LOL!

The package deal comes with sanding discs. I am on JS Gems web site but I cannot find
any "sanding discs". They have "Diamond Facet Top Laps" in various grits. Is that what
they mean when they say sanding discs in the package?

Also, are the  "Sanding Discs" and/or "Diamond Facet Top Laps" flexible or rigid?

If they are rigid will the sponge discs still be needed?

Thanks,

James

Hey James,
No worries....but my brain is 'totally fried on something else', so I'd suggest you compare the ones on JS Gems with the ones here at Ameritool Inc.  http://www.ameritool-inc.com/store/index.cfm/category/2/polishing--sanding-discs.cfm
I wouldn't want to steer you wrong....because of my 'fried brain' just now.    Good luck.

[James D. Farrow]

O.K. I checked them out. They have the set ( 325, 600, 1200 mesh and polishing pad) of color coded sanding discs that come in the package. They also sell them separately. Looks like they are the flexible type so the sponge discs are good to go. But it seems JS Gems doesn't sell the sanding discs separately from the package.

JS Gems also includes in the package a 180 GRIT 8" DIAMOND LAP which, according to their site, weighs 1 pound so I am assuming that is rigid and the sponge disc would not be needed (Yes? No?).

Would it be odd to have the following: 80 Grit and 180 grit rigid discs, 325, 600, and 1200 flexible discs, and a 3000 grit rigid disc set up?

Don't know if I am mixing apples and oranges. LOL!

Hopefully John at JS Gems will see this and chime in.

James

[johnjsgems]

The top laps I carry are rigid, facet rated laps.  For years I only carried non-PSA because facetors wanted those.  The Ameritool and High Tech units run much faster but the non PSA work fine if placed on an existing lap.  If they slip put a little water on the lap under the top lap.  I had so many people asking for PSA backed I transitioned over to them after giving up shows where I sold to a lot of facetors.  Everyone complained that the non-PSA worked fine and cost less so why don't I have those?  Now I carry both.  I stock a few Hi Tech brand sanding discs but don't have them on the website.  If you are doing domes the foam discs work well under the sanding discs.  For flat work you will have better luck without.  Another polish method is to use the spin on 5 1/2" or 6" polish heads.  They have same screw size as the bolt that hold down the laps but full face surface.

[James D. Farrow]

Thanks John!

Will be ordering soon.

James

[johnjsgems]

Ameritool quite often runs 10% off sales on laps and sanding discs.  They are really nice people to deal with. 

[James D. Farrow]

Thanks!

I figured if I, eventually, need replacement sanding discs I can get them there.

BTW, Is Canada considered international?

Can I use your on-line cart system?

James

[Carol M]

Thanks!

I figured if I, eventually, need replacement sanding discs I can get them there.

BTW, Is Canada considered international?

Can I use your on-line cart system?

James

Hi James,
Good question. 

If you're buying from Ameritool-Inc., if I recall correctly - I was told to put the things I wanted into my cart but don't 'check out' online.
Then I was to phone Wendell or whoever, and arrange for shipping on the phone.
I was having it shipped to family so that may be why I was told to phone to complete the order.

But in any event, I think if I were you, I'd phone and tell them you live in Toronto area [assuming you want it shipped here....and not somewhere in the US, like family you might be visiting].
Anyway, they'll tell you how to proceed.

They're WONDERFUL on Customer Service.   

[James D. Farrow]

Hi!

The main purchase will be from JS Gems.

Ameritool direct will be for any replacement sanding discs (which hopefully wont be for a
couple of years) as John doesn't have those listed separately on his web site. Of course
when the time come he may.

Anyway, almost ready, doing up my final list tomorrow.

James

[Carol M]

I'm sure things will work out fine with JSGems too.
Good Luck James.

[johnjsgems]

James, sorry but Canada as close at it is is still international so my website won't take your order.  Best to send e-mail and I can send a PayPal invoice.  Sorry for the inconvenience but I can't get my shipping correct for US much less out of US on my website. 

[James D. Farrow]

When I get your PayPal invoice I can pay that with a credit card through PayPal?

Sorry it's been years since I used PayPal. The account is still open (just checked) just can't remember
how to pay for things with it. Only used it for selling stuff.

James

[James D. Farrow]

O.K. Order is in.

Called John and paid for it.

Should ship this week.   

Look out Carol! When I get it I will probably have a ton of questions.   

James

[James D. Farrow]

Hi!

Received all my stuff today from JS Gems. 
Excellent Service! 

Here's what I got:

1 ea.     8" Universal w/ accessories
1 ea.     8" 80 Grit PSA Diamond Top Lap
1 ea.     8" Tech 10 Pad
1 ea.     8" Leather Pad
5 ea.     8" Backing Plate
8 ea.     8" Sponge Pads

Will set it up on the weekend and check it all out.

James 

P.S. In a couple of months I think I will get the Ameritool 4" Trim saw as well.