Building a Low Dollar Lapidary Machine

Building a machine with y;" shaft to hold 6~ or 8" flat laps, expanding ~ Diamond wheels or saw blade

Find a used motor 1725 RPM 1/3 hp to % hp is best W' or 5/8" shaft. If You want your lap on the right side (as shown above).
You will need a motor that turns counter clock wise looking at the shaft end. This will require a shaft adaptor (shown below) with
Right hand threads. And W' or 5/8" hole to fit Your shaft. If your motor shaft turns clockwise you will need a adaptor with left
hand threads. Some motors are reversible and some are not. These adaptors cost from $7.00 to $26.00 for the same adaptor
depending on who You buy it from. I suggest; www.riogrande.com part# 333-%1 motor shaft 1,6" with 'h" RH threads.
Part# 333-066 motor shaft 5/8" with W' RH threads.
For LH threads; Part# 333-%0 for 'h" motor shaft and part # 333-065 for 5f8"motor shaft

Buy a $2.00 Plastic dish pan at Wall-Mart and a $2.00 cooler drain at the hardware store. The drain has W' pipe threads inside so
You can run a drain into a bucket. Install it in the comer of the dish pan as shown.

By Mike Spicer 12/13/2009

 Building a Low Dollar Lapidary Machine
Make a motor base. Do Not attach motor yet! Measure from motor housing to end of threaded shaft
add 1" and mark the bottom of a 5gal bucket. Cut off with a saber saw or hand saw.

Drill a hole in center of bucket 1132" smaller than Motor shaft Cut a piece of ~" plywood to act as a spacer for
the lip on the bottom of bucket

Cut Your dish pan out to clear the motor bearing. Make sure drain is in the front. Put plywood spacer on bottom of
bucket

2 By Mike Spicer 12/13/2009

 Building a Low Dollar Lapidary Machine
lywood between bucket and dish pan Cut out bucket as shown leave 1" at bucket bottom
•

Install 1 screw trough bucket, plywood spacer and dish pan into motor base with fender washer. Put silicone RTV
behind washer. Bolt e Motor Down ow. Cut a piece of the so bucket and attach with a screw as shown,

Install electric switch in cord going to motor. If You do not know how. Please have a Electrician do it
ALSO THIS AND ANY EQIPMENT USED AROUND WATER MUST BE PLUGGED INTO A GROUND
FAULT PROTECTED CIRCUIT

3 By Mike Spicer 12/13/2009

 Building a Low Dollar Lapidary Machine
Install a water supply. I use 1,4" drip irrigation tubing and valves hooked up to house water. The drain pipe shown goes
into a five gallon bucket that acts as a settling pond for rock sludge. Then water is piped out on the ground. Do Not
pipe into your house drain system. It will Plug Your pipes up. Shown with 6" Flat Lap. Can also use 8"
I mostly use this one as a flat lap. If wbeels and flat laps are used, Turn, it 90deg on;"'l,..;"tho;...e;...be.,r;n;;.;c~h.;;......,.-
.....•...
_.....",

6" x 1 V7~Diamond Grinding Wheel 6" saw blade.

1

Saw blade mounted with ~" machine washer and W' ID x I" OD bushing s.eacer

4 By Mike Spicer 12/13/2009

 .....
Building a Low Dollar Lapidary Machine
~" threaded back Polishing Pad with~" female threaded shaft
~----~~~~

PLEASE DO NOT IISE THIS OR ANY TOOL WITHOIJT GROUND FAULT P OTECTION
GROUNo.f=AULT QRClJITINTERRUPl'ERS

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PartsL' t sing Rio Grande as Supp ·er. www.riogrande.com

W' threaded adaptor for motor shaft. See page 1 above for part numbers. $7.00
1,4" threaded female adaptor for Y4 rear studded polishing pads(see this page)
For W' shaft Order#20 1-448 $7.00
For 5/8 shaft Order#201-453 $7.00
Yz"ID x 1"OD red plastic bushings spacers package of 12. Order#201-031112 $9.95
These bushing are also used on all wheels as they have a 1" hole
Please shop around for Diamond flat laps/wheels, expandable drums, polishing pads and belts
NOTE: There will be some run out of the wheels and flat laps compared to a commercially made equipment.

Sawing Free Hand SAFTEY ISSUE; Always saw with your hands below your elbow and wrists (saw
pulling on wrist). If you saw with hands above your wrist (saw pushing on wrist) the rock will go into
saw blade and bind up bending blade. And Your hands. It would be better to build a table in tub for
rock to set on.

5 By Mike Spicer 12/14/2009