As anyone who has ever fragged out more than a few corals knows, one of the key tools of the coral farmer is a good heavy duty “wet” band saw with a diamond blade. For many years the only choice (for coral farmers) was the Inland ReefKeeper DFS-100. Originally designed for lapidary and stained glass applications, the Inland ReefKeeper proved to be a good workhorse and rapidly became the favorite of many a fragger. Over the years Inland’s saw has undergone several modifications from its original format to accommodate the stresses and strains exerted by cutting corals and as such rapidly became a “must have” tool. However, now there is a serious contender for the crown made by the Gryphon Corporation – the model C-40 Diamond Band Saw is set to become the preferred tool of the coral farmer requiring more than the occasional cut.
The Gryphon C-40 band saw looks like it was designed with the saltwater market in mind. We recently had the opportunity to see one of the Gryphon saws in action, and based on our limited access we have to say, this baby rocks. The key feature to our mind is the heavy duty construction and large coral cutting platform. With its extended footprint and under-table water reservoir, it is extremely stable when cutting corals. Couple that with the saw blade that speeds at upto 40mph, you have a serious cutting tool.
Unlike the Inland ReefKeeper, the Gryphon’s motor is housed above the unit behind the upper wheel which makes for more torque and a more stable cutting action as well as removing the electrics away from potential water spills. The lower water chamber also allows for a larger reservoir that bathes the blade more efficiently and may well help in the post-cutting cleanup process as it likely catches rock particles better. The deck, which is one square foot, is covered in a series of holes which facilitate the return of to the reservoir- unlike losing it as waste, as is the case with the Inland unit.
The gryphon Corp have very nicely put a demo video on their website that really shows off this unit (even if they are only cutting glass) which can be seen here. If you want to check one of the Gryphon C-40 band saws out yourself, they are commercially available at multiple outlets online for as little as $300. Considering the Inland DFS-100 sells at about the $250 mark, the Gryphon C-40 may well be the new King.
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