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Thread: $20 cast iron lap for 1µ diamond

  1. #1
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    $20 cast iron lap for 1µ diamond

    While too soft for forging and just about anything else, these cheap 15lb. cast iron anvils from Harbor Freight make acceptable laps for diamond honing and most of the work is already done. The milled face is easily scraped flat in little time, even if you've never scraped anything before, and with a good charge of 14,000 mesh diamond paste from eBay or otherwise you're good to go for a fast, really sharp final honing step. And since these are in the local HF stores, you can avoid shipping costs.
    Last edited by David Barnett; 08-26-2014 at 2:35 AM.
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  2. #2
    Excellent idea - retains its own mass, too, and mass always makes sharpening stones nicer to use.

  3. #3
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    Well, some people don't have an extra plane sole lying about or an old shop machine to scavenge. A few months ago, before my hospital stay, I showed someone how to scrape one they'd bought for some jewelry work. While unsuitable for that, at least it's now good for something besides a doorstop.

    The mentions of 1µ diamond in the two sharpening threads reminded me of it. Easy way to try scraping and lapping and if it turns out to be not to one's liking, paint flowers on it and put it next to the landscaped handsaws.

    And yeah, it'll stay put.
    Last edited by David Barnett; 08-25-2014 at 10:35 PM.
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  4. #4
    I have that anvil. I've had it for some 20 years. I now have bigger and better, but I got a lot of use from it, and still do. Yes it's cast, not forged, and time and use has rendered it's face less than perfect, but for the kind of light bench work I smack it with it's more than adequate. I have used it as a base for the jeweller's anvil.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by bridger berdel View Post
    I have that anvil. I've had it for some 20 years. I now have bigger and better, but I got a lot of use from it, and still do.
    Perhaps they were better when you bought yours than the more recently made Harbor Freight anvil in this short video. Although this is their 55lb. rather than the 15lb., I can assure you the 15lb. is at least as soft. No ring, no rebound. Anvils really shouldn't take an imprint when a petite woman hammers copper wire or cold fastenings, work-hardened or not, nor should the bick crack under such light use. Hardly 'rugged' as titled nor 'steel' as stated on the label. Sure holds diamond tenaciously, though.

    I'm glad you got value out of yours.
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  6. #6
    Or you can fix the cheap anvil: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vPnRcoUeiE


  7. #7
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    Well, it makes it better but it still doesn't make it good, unless what you want is an anvil shaped object under a piece of steel. Big or small, the steel face should be hardened and properly tempered. My 200lb Trenton has a rather thick steel face over a forged iron body and rebounds energetically. Even my smallest anvils have sprightly rebound and can take errant hammer blows without damage.
    Just welding, brazing or cold fastening a steel plate to a cast iron body won't improve its action to any great extent but if the casting doesn't crack, at least it will have a harder work surface.
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  8. #8
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    Is there any differance between the various diamond pastes? Mono/poli or quality (if that even applicable)

  9. #9
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    You can have fun with anvils also

    https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...anvil+shooting

    Some people will do anything.
    Chris

    Everything I like is either illegal, immoral or fattening

  10. #10
    I believe you David. I know almost nothing about anvils and still feel stupid about when I could but a nice old small one, perfect for my shop, for almost nothing. I make do with a piece of 4 cm thick mild steel.

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Matthew N. Masail View Post
    Is there any differance between the various diamond pastes? Mono/poli or quality (if that even applicable)
    For the very small particle sizes, it doesn't make much of a difference on tools (at least in my opinion, i doubt I could tell - especially with loose diamonds when you always have a fresh supply). I've gotten norton oil base paste and it worked fine, but I don't know much about the various pastes and have instead favored the powder. You get more for your money, but it's a little less convenient.

    I've gotten most of mine from a seller on ebay who uses the ID yuriy06. 100 carats (about 3/4ths of an ounce or so) is a little under 30 bucks shipped here. I don't know how much international shipping costs, but unless you lose the bag, you'll never need more.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by David Weaver View Post
    For the very small particle sizes, it doesn't make much of a difference on tools (at least in my opinion, i doubt I could tell - especially with loose diamonds when you always have a fresh supply).
    I agree, especially on steel tools.

    I've gotten norton oil base paste and it worked fine, but I don't know much about the various pastes and have instead favored the powder.
    The biggest differences between pastes for sharpening is concentration, and I'd buy the cheap stuff and use more if needed. Although crystal size ranges can vary with manufacturers, for honing from 3µ through 1µ and finer, steel's not as demanding as gem faceting, polishing and carving, where I beef up concentration by making my own stickier paste vehicle and adding more loose diamond.

    Diamond paste is convenient for most uses, of course, but I, like you, prefer loose for sharpening and it can be far cheaper.
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  13. #13
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    Thanks, I have some dmt paste and a old plane body that can make a nice 6x2.5 lap. I'll give it a shot soon. Does it matter how finely I polish the lap before adding diamonds?

  14. #14
    finer is better, but as long as the surface isn't beat up and jagged, it should be fine. It needs to be flat, though, of course - if it's close to flat already, it won't be much work.

    Try to run your last scratches (if not going to a pretty fine level) perpendicular to the direction your iron travels on the lap so that you work the iron across the scratches and not with them.

  15. #15
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    Got it. I'll probably do 80, 150, 220, 300 PSA paper just because I have it. The scratches thing I guess ill do at an angle because I free hand on hollow,micro or convex depending on the blade...

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