...like a Ridgid #276 or Reed SC49-6. What are the cutting wheels made of? How easy are they to ruin?
My brother is a school teacher and wants to get a bunch of geodes (hollow rocks) for the kids to break open. From what I've read, they are commonly cracked using a soil-pipe cutter, which start at $350. If he rents one, is he probably gonna ruin the cutters and have to buy a new chain for it when he turns it in?
Thanks, regards, Bob
Hmmmmmm. A soil pipe cutter wouldn't have been my first choice for cutting rock (though I haven't tried it...)
For a really low-budget operation, how about a masonry (abrasive) saw blade in a circ saw or even a chop saw?
Better, a diamond blade with water cooling to control dust.
Either way, just cut partway thru and split with chisel.
Jim
You wont ruin the cutters on the chain. They are pretty tuff. I've used them on clay and cast iron pipe with no troubles. I have also cut clay pipe by filling it with compacted sand and using a cold chiesel and carefully going around the pipe several times till it cracks. Works like a charm in a bind.
Wouldn't a rental tile saw work pretty well for this?
Jow
That's what I thought at first.
A saw is too slow, and it can damage the crystals inside the geode worst than cracking them open. Pipe-breakers, or homebrewed crackers built out of hydraulic shop presses seem to be what's used in most rock and gem shows.
Bob
On Tue, 21 Sep 2004 15:53:50 -0700, zxcvbob wrote (in article ):
The cutters are very tough. Hardened steel of some sort. Haven't done any soil pipe for 10 years but IIRC they're not particularly sharp - made to break cast iron & clay pipe neatly rather than cut it. I can't image the geodes would hurt them.
Tell us how it goes ... Not the sort of project you hear about every day!
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