sawing

["Clive Murray-White" <clivemw@zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz>]

Dear Bill,

I have exactly what you need. Having the same problem I asked a professional
saw sharpener how we could solve the problem of regularly having to cut
through large (over 1 metre) pieces of marble. The cost of a modern
production machine to do the job was ridiculous $45000.

I had seen pictures of Indian marble workers using something that looked
like a wooden bow with a braided wire for a blade, my first thought was to
make a modern version this using diamond wire but the saw sharpener came up
with much better idea.

First find what they called a drag saw here in Australia, used in the 1930's
it was a petrol driven device that could be wheeled up to a log, the blade
over 6" long would rest on the log, they'd start it up and it would move
backwards and forwards cutting in exactly the same kind of way as a hand saw
would.

We took the old motor off replaced it with an electric one, re-cut the blade
and diamond coated it and now it quietly cuts my marble, takes over a day to
get through a metre but who cares when you can be doing other things all it
needs is the smallest dribble of water to keep the diamonds cool.

What's even better is that its cut is much finer and cleaner than the big
high speed circular saws.

All this was achieved for just over AU$1000  ($US740).

Best place to see one of these old saws is probably at a vintage
agricultural machine show.

good luck!

Sculptor Clive Murray-White
Cowwarr Art Space
Cowwarr Gippsland Vic. Aus.
Ph: 03 51489321 Fax 0351489498
E-mail: clivemw[AT]optusnet.com.au
Web: www.cowwarr.com