Cut down to size

[Bguild]

I have a handful of fossils on larger pieces of shale that I would like to cut down a bit. I don't have a fancy gas powered rock saw so I'm exploring other options. Plan B, would a hacksaw work for cutting through shale?

 

Thanks as always!

[caldigger]

How thick is your shale?  There's a lot of cheap tile saws on the market. One good place to look would be Craigslist or a certain store with the initials Harbor Freight.

 

Unless your shale is soft like chalk, you are likely going to wear yourself out ( and your blades ) hacking through stone with a made for metal hand saw.

[Fossildude19]

Hacksaw with diamond blades, or tile saw, or angle grinder with diamond blade would work as well. 

For thinner shale, I have used tile nippers, and a grout saw, to decent effect. 

[Bguild]

32 minutes ago, caldigger said:

How thick is your shale?  There's a lot of cheaply tile saws on the market. One good place to look would be Craigslist or a certain store with the initials Harbor Freight.

 

Unless your shale is soft like chalk, you are likely going to wear yourself out ( and your blades ) hacking through stone with a made for metal hand saw.

 Between 1 and 2 inches thick. I don't mind wearing myself out as long as the blades hold up haha.

 

Diamond blades seem to be the way to go. Got ya!

[Ptychodus04]

I've used a circular saw with a carbide blade. It lats fairly long on softer shale. If you have an angle grinder, you can get a diamond blade for around $30.

[FossilDAWG]

I have put a tile saw blade on a miter saw and it cuts limestone and hard shale quite well.  Be sure to wear a good dust mask or respirator, and eye protection, whatever tool you use.

 

Don

[RJB]

Hey @Bguild,, these guys have givin you some super good advise.  I can only wish that someday I can visit all these guys around a campfire.    

 

RB

[Ptychodus04]

1 hour ago, RJB said:

Hey @Bguild,, these guys have givin you some super good advise.  I can only wish that someday I can visit all these guys around a campfire.    

 

RB

 

I can vouch that Ron is a pile of fun around a campfire. The only problem is he goes to bed before the sun does. 

[Bguild]

Cheers guys! 

[cngodles]

Late to the game, but I've used various sized diamond blades on angle grinders to cut limestone this past year. I've even made a limestone sink using them. 12in, 7in and 4in are all effective, it's just the depth that differs per machine. I will say, anything in the 12in+ range is scary to use and should be used on very large pieces.

[erikajoan212]

On 6/24/2019 at 9:54 AM, Fossildude19 said:

Hacksaw with diamond blades, or tile saw, or angle grinder with diamond blade would work as well. 

For thinner shale, I have used tile nippers, and a grout saw, to decent effect. 

Hi! Would any of these work on shale that I took home from Florissant Quarry in Colorado? It’s a shale bed from the Eocene era. I want to try to make jewelry pieces using some of the fossils I found but am afraid of cracking the shale and fossil while cutting it down to size as it seems super fragile. Also wondering if using a wet saw would dissolve the shale and break it apart easier? Any insight is much appreciated!

[jpc]

wet bad... Florissant Shale is not water resistant like most rocks.  A hacksaw should work well as would a pair of pliers used to strategically nip the rocks down to size and shape. 

 

[Fossildude19]

Tile nippers, or wire cutter type pliers might be the way to go with the Florissant material.

[Randyw]

I use these round blades for the hacksaw for cutting down rock. They offer them in both carbide and diamond tipped. Not very expensive and cuts about anything. Does take a bit of elbow grease though

Edited October 27, 2023 by Randyw

[erikajoan212]

awesome, thank you everyone! 

[Ptychodus04]

I would go with the tile nippers for this material. It tends to delaminate with the slightest provocation. The reciprocal motion of sawing may encourage this behavior.