Est. 1998 — 27 years of woodworking knowledge
Shapton DRLP?
Bart Goldberg
>Went to the Woodworks show in PA this weekend and saw the Diamond Reference Lapping Plate by Shapton. I was floored when I saw the price of almost $500.00. Is this just outrageous or am I the only one who thinks you got to be out of your mind to spend that kind of money on a way to flatten a water stone.
FYI - decided that the Veritas Mark II was a better use of my money.
Bart in Flemington
Re: Shapton DRLP?
Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX
>It also works for blade back flattening if you flip it over, and it works to flatten Shaptons without charging with various powders. It's highly rated by those in the know, largely professional and/or very rich woodworkers.
However, it's way too much for my wallet.
Pam
Re: Shapton DRLP?
Moses Yoder in White Pigeon, MI
>Doesn't Woodcraft have the cast iron lapping plate for $125? I noticed they atarted selling Shaptons; I debated selling some of my nicer tools to get a set, but then said, Nah! Sooner or later I'll have a set anyway. It seems like it would be nice to use the best.
Re: Shapton DRLP?
Ted Owen, Pittsburgh
>The cast iron lapping plate and the reference plate are two different animals.
Harrelson Stanley's opinions on sharpening carry great credibility with me, and he's a big believer in the reference plate. But it's just too expensive for me to justify, as I have the cast iron lapping plate.
Best, Ted
Re: Shapton DRLP?
Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX
>Yes, I sprung for the lapping plate, and I have no doubt the reference plate is wonderful; but...
Pam
Yep, exactly
Ted Owen, Pittsburgh
>
Re: Shapton DRLP?
steve knight
>as soon as I pay for my last batch of plane irons I will get one. flattening the hippo stones takes some work with the lapping plate. and you have to be careful not to get the plane out of true. I flatten enough to justify the cost. plus it saves wear and tear on my body.
Re: Shapton DRLP?
Bob Hackett
>For those of you who have the cast iron lapping plate and are looking for something more agressive,why not just charge your current plate with diamond?
I think I`d try that approach before I`d spend $500 for the new diamond plate only to let the $150 lapping plane sit idle.
Mainely,Bob
because loose diamond is more expensive
Tim of Dublin
>and you tend to go through a bit of loose grit material when flattening stones.
silicon carbide loose grit is dirt cheap....$5 to $15 gets you a pound (454 grams) of it (finer grits are more expensive) while you might get ONE gram of loose diamond powder for that price. arrowhead lapidary supply is one of the places I've used.
Also, I don't think diamond powder is available in coarse enough grit for use with coarse and medium stones. But I really would pin the reason on economics.
Tim
What size diamonds?
Bob Hackett
>What mesh or micron size are used on the reference plate?Is it greater than 50 micron?
I just bought a tube of 50 micron diamond paste for less than $5 so it seems like it might be worth a try.
Then again I`m just guessing because I have no idea what either of these plates look like.
$500 is still a big chuck of change no matter how you cut it.$150 for a cast iron lapping plate seems a tad excessive too for that matter,but then again you`re talking to a guy who has access to shipyards and prefers to make his own or buy old industrial solutions(translation=I`m wicked cheap,chummy).
Mainely,Bob