Couple different types of agates from my spot..

[Steve1236]

Just thought I'd share some photos of different types of agates from out at my fire agate spot, there's still a lot of different types I need to check out one day but it's hard when the fire is calling, also I was thinking about using a tile saw to cut slabs of some of these, anyone have good or bad results with a tile saw?

 

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[fuss]

I have no results with any kind of saw, but a lapidary friend of mine said to avoid those cheaper portable tile saws..said something about they can grab and fling sometimes..

 

[Steve1236]

And that's exactly the type of tile saw I have lol..
Can it be dangerous or just a pain to work with?

 

[DDancer]

Some nice stuff there, I like the red plummy one and think it'd make a nice cutter. As to cutting with a tile saw as long as you have your material securely clamped and cut it wet you should not have much of a problem but you'll loose a bit more material than with a lapidary saw. A number of you specimens show a lot of fractures so there is the possibility they could come apart under the saw so wear protective gear and have a hand on the off switch.

 

[Steve1236]

Thanks DDancer, I dont even have a clamp currently, I was just gonna go at it free hand holding it, I figured if a peices of rock hit me it will sting at worst and I'll wear plastic safety goggles and a mask, I was gonna cut all but the first agate shown but now I'm faced with the dilemma of it being a drill master 4 1/2 inch with a 7/8 inch depth so even if I flip them I might not even be able to cut them ya know. I took that paradise agate I got from an old collection and had some slabs cut but the place didn't do a very good job and it took them almost ten days to finish before they called me to pick it up, atleast they only charged a buck a slab.

 

[A2coins]

Those are so cool wish I could find them around here. Thanks for sharing those

 

[gunsil]

Good looking material there! I do slab and cab, I would recommend a used lapidary saw. AZ is a good place to find good used ones, look around on craigslist and/or find a local gem & mineral club, they often know of decent used ones for sale. I think you can get a decent 10" slab/trim saw with vise and power feed for 2 hundred or less. Sometimes way cheaper. The big rock meet is on right now in Quartzite all month, I have seen good used saws for sale there at very reasonable prices. Feb is the big rock meet in Tuscon and there are probably deals on used equipment there but Quartzite might be better since Quartzite is more rough material and Tuscon is more finished material.

 

[Steve1236]

Thanks gunsil, I'll look into it, I'd have a lot of fun if I could cut open my own material.