grinding and polishing glass supplies in melbourne
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I was wondeing if any one there knows a good supplier of glass grinding and polishing equipment in melb? If so could you leave the details here on web site. My name is Rob Hayley.
Previously Robert Hayley wrote:
I was wondeing if any one there knows a good supplier of glass grinding and polishing equipment in melb? If so could you leave the details here on web site. My name is Rob Hayley.
Hi Rob, this is Peter Riley. Thanks for the enquiry. Have been a bit slack with some of the content.
The answer to your enquiry depends to a great extent on the size and quantity of work you wish to do. If small, hand held pieces then the techniques used with shaping and polishing cabochons may be appropriate.
Like glass, gem minerals need to be kept cool when polishing otherwise they will craze and develop surface imperfections. Similar techniques and equipment can be used for polishing cabochons and small glass objects. There are a number of outlets in Melbourne who can supply small volume needs, but a major supplier is in Adelaide. Lapidary clubs in Melbourne will be able to point you in the right direction.
For shaping larger pieces, any abrasive wheel disc or belt which is water resistant is suitable, and these are available from most outlets supplying the machinery or tools on which they are used. For safety, either air driven tools or those using a flexible shaft between motor and grinding head are most suitable.
The basic principles applicable to grinding and polishing metals, masonry, gemstones or any other material are applicable to glass; with the one overriding principle of keeping it cool. It is the amorphous structure of glass which makes it more susceptible to heat damage than any other material.
In the pipeline is a paper on readily available tools either suitable for or which can be easily modified to machine grind and polish glass.
Gday Peter Just found a fantastic small wet diamond pad angle grinder ,runs off a compressor from a Swiss Co called Suhner. They have an office in Sydney. It was a bit expensive but what a fantastic tool. Diamond pads attatch with velcro and range in grit fromm 60 to 8000. yes thats right. I will let you know how it performs after I have used it for a while. Suhner sell flexible shaft grinding tools but they are really out of my price range. I have more info if you need ,just contact me .Chow for now Rob Hayley
Previously Robert Hayley wrote:
Gday Peter Just found a fantastic small wet diamond pad angle grinder ,runs off a compressor from a Swiss Co called Suhner. They have an office in Sydney. It was a bit expensive but what a fantastic tool. Diamond pads attatch with velcro and range in grit fromm 60 to 8000. yes thats right. I will let you know how it performs after I have used it for a while. Suhner sell flexible shaft grinding tools but they are really out of my price range. I have more info if you need ,just contact me .Chow for now Rob Hayley
Previously Robert Hayley wrote:
Gday Peter Just found a fantastic small wet diamond pad angle grinder ,runs off a compressor from a Swiss Co called Suhner. They have an office in Sydney. It was a bit expensive but what a fantastic tool. Diamond pads attatch with velcro and range in grit fromm 60 to 8000. yes thats right. I will let you know how it performs after I have used it for a while. Suhner sell flexible shaft grinding tools but they are really out of my price range. I have more info if you need ,just contact me .Chow for now Rob Hayley
Robert,
I found a Shuner distributor in the U.S. Can you give the model number or name of the angle grinder?
Thanks!
Monique
