Gryphon C-40 vs. Taurus 3

pking · #1 2009-08-21, 6:01pm

A nice person pm'ed me and asked about my thinking regarding Taurus vs. Gryphon. Since I am really interested in others' experiences, too, I thought I'd open this up for discussion here.

I am a fuser, and have been wanting to get into pattern bars for a long time. I got one of the little Harbour Freight tile saws I've read about and am dissapointed that the first time I tried to cut a piece of glass that was just over 1/4" thick it just chewed it up and spit it out. I find that I would have to buy a $70+ blade for it to get it to do a better job - More than I spent for the saw.....

I've learned a few things in my research:
Ring Saw vs. Band Saw......It's possible that a ring saw (like the Taurus 3) would be better for what I want, because I've read the band saw might have a tendancy for the saw blade to bend working on thicker pieces. Something about the blade on a band saw expecting to be used to cut non-straight shapes???

HOWEVER,

Glass Thickness The Taurus 3 really isn't going to accomodate pieces as thick as I imagine I might want to cut. I may buy a piece of milli stock that is a bit over 1" thick - then I won't be able to cut it on the Taurus. But the Grypon should be able to handle it. Although I really wouldn't want to go much bigger than 1" thick.

The Gryphon is much faster, from what I see.....Up to 40" per minute. I probably won't get that speed with a thick piece, but it's lots faster than other saws I've researched.

The Gryphon Design: Seems much easier to maintain.... Video on Gryphon site shows the electric parts are all in the top, which you remove, take the base outdoors and just hose it off.......I like easy! I've also read an opinion somewhere about the Taurus being expensive to maintain????

The Taurus has an accessory that can be used to cut very thin strips - down to 1/16". That is also something I want to be able to do. But the Taurus site says the accessory can be made to fit almost any band or ring saw. Either saw I get, I expect I will get that accessory.

These are my thoughts to date....I am VERY intersted in any comments other peeps may have with cutting pattern bars,etc. I've also posted this question at: http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/sh...26#post2632926

bousky · #2 2009-08-21, 6:04pm

I am interested in what people have to say about these machines too.

Reenie · #3 2009-08-21, 6:18pm

Me too as I'm in the market for a ring saw. Thanks for posting this!!!

chrisann · #4 2009-08-21, 7:13pm

Here is my .02 FWIW. I own the taurus II.2 and like it but certainly not for thick glass, you are just asking for blade breakage. Even tho I don't own the Taurus 3 have used them and same goes for it. Both are a bit sensitive as well, the II.2 more so. If you want to cut pattern bars you need a fairly good tile saw, not top of the line but OK with a good thin curf blade you can use the thicker blades but you loose more glass. I think you can get a brace so the blade doesn't bow but I haven't put one on mine yet. I have this http://www.mkdiamond.com/tile/saw_370exp.html saw. My latest toy is a flat lap I have http://www.aswdiamond.comASW/Glass_Beveling2.asp tool Ho that's me LOLOL.
Anyway if you want to work with thick glass you really want a good tile saw, if you just want to cut murrini and the like I would go with maybe an ameritool trim saw.
If you are doing stuff like fused pendant etc the ring saw works good for cutting your shape etc before fire polishing. I think it really depends on your needs and budget. If you are doing smallish stuff you can get by with a grinder and ring saw and then slowly add and move up from there. You can find pretty good tile saws all the time on craigs list.
chrisann

Beckah · #5 2009-08-21, 7:26pm

I've been thinking about this http://www.wireddesignsstudio.com/os...ils.cfm?ID=328 for pattern bars and to cut annealled beads in half.

pking · #6 2009-08-21, 7:58pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beckah

I've been thinking about this http://www.wireddesignsstudio.com/os...ils.cfm?ID=328 for pattern bars and to cut annealled beads in half.

Yeah, I like the idea of that little saw.....I have an ameritool lap sander, and i think they really know their stuff.

pking · #7 2009-08-21, 8:01pm

wow, nice toys....A bit out of my price league though. I have Ameritool's 8" lap which I am just beginning to learn to use.

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrisann

Here is my .02 FWIW. I own the taurus II.2 and like it but certainly not for thick glass, you are just asking for blade breakage. Even tho I don't own the Taurus 3 have used them and same goes for it. Both are a bit sensitive as well, the II.2 more so. If you want to cut pattern bars you need a fairly good tile saw, not top of the line but OK with a good thin curf blade you can use the thicker blades but you loose more glass. I think you can get a brace so the blade doesn't bow but I haven't put one on mine yet. I have this http://www.mkdiamond.com/tile/saw_370exp.html saw. My latest toy is a flat lap I have http://www.aswdiamond.comASW/Glass_Beveling2.asp tool Ho that's me LOLOL.
Anyway if you want to work with thick glass you really want a good tile saw, if you just want to cut murrini and the like I would go with maybe an ameritool trim saw.
If you are doing stuff like fused pendant etc the ring saw works good for cutting your shape etc before fire polishing. I think it really depends on your needs and budget. If you are doing smallish stuff you can get by with a grinder and ring saw and then slowly add and move up from there. You can find pretty good tile saws all the time on craigs list.
chrisann

chrisann · #8 2009-08-21, 9:18pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by pking

wow, nice toys....A bit out of my price league though. I have Ameritool's 8" lap which I am just beginning to learn to use.

We used the Ameritool lap in a class I took with Andrew Brown. It worked great! I bought most of my toys back before I retired and I still actually had some "disposable" income LOLOL.
chrisann

PaulaD · #9 2009-08-22, 7:18am

I have a Taurus and it won't cut blocks of glass. ALso the blades snap every three minutes and are very expensive to replace!
Paula

JoeDeM · #10 2009-08-22, 9:02am

I have the Taurus 3 and the taurus II.2, the Taurus 3 with a slitting blade will cut thick bars, the regular blade you can forget it, they also have a mega blade which i haven't used, which they claim is their strongest blade. The other thing about the ring saw is the maintenance is very high, you have to replace the grommets all the time as well as the belt, so I always have spares. I also have a tile saw with a 7" continuous blade that I use all the time, and I have no problems cutting thick bars with it, but you can't cut 1/16" thin slices, 1/8" no problem. I have used band saws, and the trick is to make sure your upper guide is as close to the glass as possible, and let the saw cut, don't push, or the blade will wonder, the problem is the blade is not wide enough. Personally I would invest in a better blade for the tile saw before spending money on another saw, and would stay away from the Taurus unless you also need to cut shapes.

edit: the band saw i have used was a Diamond Laser 3000XL Bandsaw.