Cheap diamond plates for lapping

[Legion]

My Atoma 400 is about shot, and annoyingly the replacement sticker sheet is almost the same price as buying a whole new plate. Which is to say, a bit too much at the moment.

I see that Aliexpress has about a squillion different diamond plates for sale, and they are a lot cheaper. Has anybody here tried using any of them for lapping stones? I mean, I don't expect them to last as well as an Atoma, but they are about 10% of what an Atoma costs here, so...

Any recommendations for a budget Atoma substitute?

 

[kcb5150]

Dm. I didn't want to post something here when idk if they're a vendor

 

[Legion]

Dm. I didn't want to post something here when idk if they're a vendor

Thanks. I think it's within the rules to mention non vendor shops and retailers in the open forum.

I'm quite sure Aliexpress have not paid their dues lately.

 

[Herrenberg]

I assume that you know that your worn-out Atoma will be a great slurry-generating tool for years to come.

 

[Gamma]

If it's shot, then it's shot.
But sometimes some people think it's shot when it isn't.
Maybe try cleaning it with a very stiff tooth brush and scouring powder.
I lap a lot quite often, I have to clean my plates off regularly or they slow down. I use Barkeepers Friend powder, you prob don't have that available but I am sure there is an equivalent.

I also have a very old 400x that is very tired. I don't use it for making slurry, last thing I want is a diamond nub popping off into my finishing slurry. Yes, it happens. If I want slurry, I'll use a slurry stone.
But - for final finish lapping of just about any stone - the beat up 400 Atoma works great.

 

[Legion]

I assume that you know that your worn-out Atoma will be a great slurry-generating tool for years to come.

If it's shot, then it's shot.
But sometimes some people think it's shot when it isn't.
Maybe try cleaning it with a very stiff tooth brush and scouring powder.
I lap a lot quite often, I have to clean my plates off regularly or they slow down. I use Barkeepers Friend powder, you prob don't have that available but I am sure there is an equivalent.

I also have a very old 400x that is very tired. I don't use it for making slurry, last thing I want is a diamond nub popping off into my finishing slurry. Yes, it happens. If I want slurry, I'll use a slurry stone.
But - for final finish lapping of just about any stone - the beat up 400 Atoma works great.

Oh sure, I wont be throwing it out. The plan is to buy something around a 240 grit for quicker lapping, then use the old 400 to remove those scratches.

 

[Gamma]

DMT had/has a 220 ish grit plate that was my coarse stone, was half of a 220/325x combo, but dunno what they cost, I'd guess less than Atomas, but maybe not in Australia. I still have one of those plates and it has a few bald spots but it keeps on ticking.

 

[Legion]

The other thing I found while I was looking for this is a Chinese knock off of the Shapton Glass stones. They look exactly the same, but thicker, down to the box. The only thing that has stopped me buying one just to try is that I haven't started drinking yet.

 

[mr_houston]

I use the inexpensive CKTG Combination Diamond Plate 400/1,000

 

[Legion]

I use the inexpensive CKTG Combination Diamond Plate 400/1,000

CKTG would be a front runner, but the international shipping would double the price.

 

[rbscebu]

@Legion, not AliExpress but eBay AU. I have been using these for refresh lapping of my Chinese synthetic whetstones for a couple of years now. They are 170mm x 75mm and thin single sided.

Because they are thin, I mount them on composite ceramic tile/timber substrate like I use for pasted balsa strops and lapping films acrylic. They work well for me.

Thin Diamond Rectangle Knife Tool Sharpening Stone Whetstone 80 - 3000 Grits | eBay

Type: Whetstone. 1PC Whetstone. Due to the light and screen setting difference, the item's color may be slightly different from the pictures.

www.ebay.com.au

For initial lapping, I used W&D paper on marble slabs.

 

[JPO]

23.37US $ 53% OFF|180mm Professional 400/1000 # Diamond Whetstone Knife Diamond Plate Whetstone Diamond Stone Board Diamond Sharpening Stone - Sharpeners - AliExpress

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

www.aliexpress.com

 

[Legion]

23.37US $ 53% OFF|180mm Professional 400/1000 # Diamond Whetstone Knife Diamond Plate Whetstone Diamond Stone Board Diamond Sharpening Stone - Sharpeners - AliExpress

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

www.aliexpress.com

Have you tried one of these yourself? Any thoughts on how it might compare to an atoma? It's 3cm shorter, which isn't ideal, but also about half the price.

 

[JPO]

Have you tried one of these yourself? Any thoughts on how it might compare to an atoma? It's 3cm shorter, which isn't ideal, but also about half the price.

No, i have not tried it.

 

[luv2shave]

I use the inexpensive CKTG Combination Diamond Plate 400/1,000

Ditto and they seem like the Aliexpress rebrands to me. They are working quite well actually

 

[Chard52142]

Yes, I used similar... size...please see the pictures for a comparison against the Naniwa 12k. The 1000 side is kinda worn out and it gets rusty too...

 

[Pack line]

I like the lapidary plates if i am looking for coarse and cheap. Just contact cement to a flat backing. The definitely last longer then the rectangular honeycomb plates. I have also tried the 120/180 plates with the diagonal groves. One was mounted to plastic one was aluminum, both where not even close to flat.

 

[Wid]

This is what I bought for quick clean up of my stones

 

[Frank Shaves]

I have been using a cheap Chinese 400/1000 plate for something like two years that is now worn out. I recently bought an Atoma 140 from a large web retailer for less than I expected. The Atoma is amazing. I like it so much that I then bought an Atoma 400 and 1200. I would look around to see if you can find an Atoma for less than you think.

 

[Empire straights]

My Atoma 400 is about shot, and annoyingly the replacement sticker sheet is almost the same price as buying a whole new plate. Which is to say, a bit too much at the moment.

I see that Aliexpress has about a squillion different diamond plates for sale, and they are a lot cheaper. Has anybody here tried using any of them for lapping stones? I mean, I don't expect them to last as well as an Atoma, but they are about 10% of what an Atoma costs here, so...

Any recommendations for a budget Atoma substitute?

I've had good luck with the double side 220/1k ones off of ebay. They have like a foam core between the layers.