[meteorite-list] Water Jet Cutting

[Marcin Cimala]

>I am wondering if anyone has had success getting a meteorite sliced by a
> commercial water jet cutting machine? A friend of mine has a high grade
> machine that cost him about a million dollars. If any water jet could do 
> it,
> I would imagine his could.
>

Hi again
I have in nearest city water jet cutting and laser cutting options.
Once I try cut full slice from few kilo SAU 001. It was disaster. Cutting 
line was like V from 2 to 6mm wide :D Huge cut looses, and double cut looses 
after nightmare grinding.
This kind of cutting types (water or laser) is build to cut elements from 
ironplates, and not for cutting blocks into slices.

Laser we have here can cut only up to 1 or 2cm of pure iron plate. Water jet 
can ofcourse cut much more. As I remember, this equipment that we have here 
can even cut up to 20cm (according to specification - bullshit anyway) 
but.... aluminium or similar soft materials. Iron meteorite is mostly not 
solid piece. Its not the same *iron* as  industrial iron plate. Meteorites 
have Widmanstatten pattern and inclusions that make them difficult to cut by 
water, becouse this will split water stream. Also meteorites have no shapes 
of square block and every change of specimen surface will change water 
stream direction. So its completly dissapointing.

The best way is to buy slices :D if You need slice or buy complete specimen 
and leave it in this stage.
And at all, I haaaaaaaaaaaaaaate cut irons...............so Im happy that we 
have Mirko Graul who do this for us and produce his super etched specimens.


-----[ MARCIN CIMALA ]-----[ I.M.C.A.#3667 ]-----
http://www.Meteoryty.pl             marcin(at)meteoryty.pl
http://www.PolandMET.com       marcin(at)polandmet.com
http://www.Gao-Guenie.com      GSM: +48 (793) 567667
--------[ Member of Polish Meteoritical Society ]--------