Inexpensive source for diamond lapping compound

[mrehmus]

I'm building a small airplane engine as a long-term build article in the magazine, Model Engine Builder.

In looking for a supplier for diamond compound, I looked at the 'normal' places like Enco and MSC. They want to sell 5cc tubes at about $20 each. OK, but an old friend, Bruce Satra, had sent me a 600 mesh syringe of compound from a company called Gesswein, a Jewelry maker's supply company. They had a set of 4, 1cc syringes of 230, 600, 1800 & 8000 mesh plus a small bottle of lube/wash for $25. More than enough for a few engines. I plan to use the 600 and then the 1800 to create a mirror-finish in the bore (compression ignition engine). Hopefully that won't be too big a jump in mesh for achieving the finish I want. The cast iron piston will then be lapped to to fit the tapered bore in the cylinder (it says right there in fine print).

They also have a large number of very interesting, if expensive, tools.

https://www.gesswein.com/p-915-diamond-compound-sets.aspx

 

[student_Machinist]

try www.ctctools.biz

 

[PerryRT]

Nice! Thanks for the link.

I've been a fan of www.eternaltools.com for diamond bits etc (I have an awesome set of gravers he made), but like the "big boys" he only sells diamond paste in 5 g tubes. (Plus he's in the UK, so shipping's not cheap.)

Rio Grande's got a similar kit for $31 -

http://www.riogrande.com/Product/Diamond-Abrasive-Compound-Kit/201422

I suppose it's in what you need/want. Rio Grande's kit is 5 g tubes in 325,1200 and 50,000 (which is close to the Gesswin "gem polishing" set) and the Gesswin sets are in 1 g tubes and the grit distribution is different.

 

[moconnor]

Hello Mike,

Glad to see you here. I haven't heard how your surgery and recovery went, I sure hope all is well. Will you be at N.A.M.E.S. later this month? I thoroughly enjoy your magazine and look forward to each issue. Thanks for all you do for our hobby, it is greatly appreciated.

Kind regards,
Mike

 

[mrehmus]

As you know, I did not make NAMES. At the time I would have had to make reservations, etc., I was not doing so well. That has all changed in the past month and I feel the 10 years younger they promised.

I ended up dealing with Gesswein who will sell 1 gm syringes of diamond compound for around $10 each and have a kit for $25 that includes 4 different mesh compounds and a spray bottle of lube. www.gesswein.com

Interesting and wide variation of to what degree people lap their cylinders. Some use a mesh as coarse as 230, some 600 and some step up from 230 to as high as 3,000 mesh. On the Humbug project, I used 600, 1200 & 1800 mesh compound to give me a nice finish on a 12L14 steel cylinder. Not too many more steps before it had better run!

I learned that no matter how well you scrub the work piece, there will always be an errant grain or two of the previous mesh diamond to cause great consternation. Next time I'll use the ultrasonic cleaner between changes in mesh size.

 

[picclock]

Hi

recently bought several grades of diamond lapping paste from richontools - best price I could find and reasonable endmills too.

http://richontools.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=10&zenid=d611ada97758ce035fe24f1cb3926e25

about $1.5 - $3 each per 5gms

Best Regards

picclock