for beginners/cheapos like me

For the beginner or cheapo like me i went out looking all over i ended up driving 2hrs to my nearest lee vally and bought a norton 4k8k but as I've read every where even new they need to b lapped. Well i also read there's a cheap way saw a thing for the back side of a ceramic tile so i figured what the hell try it if it didn't work id by the lapping stone well i tried the back side of a tile that i picked up at home depo for 2 bucks hey it may not last as long as a tru lapping stone but hey it works just thought id put in my 2 cents

That's a long sentence. Wow.
Ummm...what are you asking?
You can use wet/sandpaper attached to the smooth side of ceramic tile

I think he found a "tile leveler".

If it works as good as the norton lapping stone, then...you'll hate it.

In your case (frugality) I recommend wet/dry paper against a reasonably flat surface, like glass or granite. Do you live near a cemetery? (i jest, but i do have a tombstone-for shop work)

In any other case, it makes a lot of sense to get the coarse, continuous diamond DMT. It's such a handy thing.

The thing about waterstones is that they need semi-constant re-leveling. This only takes a few strokes, many of us use the DMT product for that. See some vids.

Also, if you just wet the paper, it should stick well enough, glue is not necessary. Keeping it wet to flush swarf is, especially for the first leveling of the stones. Then be double dog sure no grit was lost "into" the surface of your stones before going to razortown.

A one dollar cookie sheet, a sheet of 325 wet and dry and a flatish piece of cement and some water if you really want to do it on the cheap.

If you want to get fancy buy a marble or granite tile.

Or a kitchen counter-top if you are not married or don't want to be much longer.

I have dmts and atomas. I use wet/dry. I use my lapping plates for touchup though. Lapping on a full sheet of wet dry on a flat glass plate or in my case a surface plate is superior IMO to dmts/ or atomas as you have a larger surface. And you have a broad range of grits to buy. JMHO. I dont lap this way because I dont want to spend, I do so because it does a better job.

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Originally Posted by bill3152

I have dmts and atomas. I use wet/dry. I use my lapping plates for touchup though. Lapping on a full sheet of wet dry on a flat glass plate or in my case a surface plate is superior IMO to dmts/ or atomas as you have a larger surface. And you have a broad range of grits to buy. JMHO. I dont lap this way because I dont want to spend, I do so because it does a better job.

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That's interesting. I have never hard anyone say that before. So buying wet/dry sandpaper instead doesn't have to be an inferior cheapskate way.

I saw a video where a guy lapped a synthetic on a garage floor (no wet/dry, no nothing). I believe the only cheaper way is to lap it on your palm strop. :p

Quote:

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Originally Posted by HaiKarate

I saw a video where a guy lapped a synthetic on a garage floor (no wet/dry, no nothing). I believe the only cheaper way is to lap it on your palm strop. :p

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Haha I would worry about grit contamination and an uneven surface :P

When you can do a great job for cheap its good, but a lousy job for free isnt worth it IMO.

I am almost the avatar for cheapskate-ness and will find ways to save money almost anywhere. With this said, I can't see your solution is better than wet and dry paper on a flat surface.

For really neglected natural stones (where wet and dry would take too long to make it worthwhile) i have a super-cheap 500 grit sharpening stone that i bought for $5 which i use. Draw a grid with pencil on the natural stone, place on top of the hone of death and rub until the lines are all gone. Admittedly I rarely have a hone that is so bad that this is necessary but it does seem to have work well.