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 Post subject: Where to find Dops with these dimensions
PostPosted: Mon Aug 03, 2020 4:23 pm 
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I'm looking for dops that will fit my MDR 102, most sites I've seen have dops for specific equipment, but I haven't found any that are keyed quite like mine. Is my only option to go through the manufacturer, or does anyone know of a place where I can find these?

Diameter of shank is 6.3mm or 1/4" (Normal among most dops)

Flat keyed part is 5mm or 1/5" (This is the part I'm having trouble matching)


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 Post subject: Re: Where to find Dops with these dimensions
PostPosted: Mon Aug 03, 2020 4:34 pm 
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I think the facetron dops may fit, try one.


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 Post subject: Re: Where to find Dops with these dimensions
PostPosted: Mon Aug 03, 2020 5:54 pm 
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Check Facetron for that same style. Is your quill set screw flat-head or conical. MDR were originally conical and used v-groove dops and tad bit longer in length.

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 Post subject: Re: Where to find Dops with these dimensions
PostPosted: Mon Aug 03, 2020 5:58 pm 
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I use Facetron, Poly-metric, Graves, Lee and several more brands in my Poly and MDR machines. Any 1/4" (6.3mm) diameter works fine. Ultra-Tec are to short. Poly-Metric are aluminum as was MDR, others were mainly brass. Also check ebay I have seen recently a number of people manufacturing aftermarket dops.

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 Post subject: Re: Where to find Dops with these dimensions
PostPosted: Mon Aug 03, 2020 6:05 pm 
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My set screw is flat. If I look down the barrel of my quill, there is a flat piece that's pushed forward by my set screw - I would not be able to insert a round dop very far into my quill.

I'll check out Facetron dops though - it's just odd that I can't seem to find a product page where it shows the insertion-end of the dops they're selling. I'd think that would be somewhat important #-o


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 Post subject: Re: Where to find Dops with these dimensions
PostPosted: Mon Aug 03, 2020 6:10 pm 
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There in the business of selling machines not dops. Majority of the time there may be a wait time. Give them a call.

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 Post subject: Re: Where to find Dops with these dimensions
PostPosted: Mon Aug 03, 2020 6:17 pm 
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The facetron dops look pretty much exactly like the MDR dops. Facetron is really only making dops to support their own machine owners. Dops are most often a backordered item. So to them, if you are ordering dops it is for a Facetron machine. Why show details?

I will be at the Facetron factory next Saturday on some other business. If you need some dops, PM me a list of sizes and I will try and pick them up for you.


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 Post subject: Re: Where to find Dops with these dimensions
PostPosted: Tue Aug 04, 2020 9:26 am 
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My set screw is flat. If I look down the barrel of my quill, there is a flat piece that's pushed forward by my set screw - I would not be able to insert a round dop very far into my quill.


Sounds like a very bad feature to me. Unless you're doing production work and swapping dops in and out all the time, you're better off without a key.


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 Post subject: Re: Where to find Dops with these dimensions
PostPosted: Tue Aug 04, 2020 9:33 am 
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AlBalmer wrote:
Quote:
My set screw is flat. If I look down the barrel of my quill, there is a flat piece that's pushed forward by my set screw - I would not be able to insert a round dop very far into my quill.


Sounds like a very bad feature to me. Unless you're doing production work and swapping dops in and out all the time, you're better off without a key.


I have cut with and without keys. I much prefer keyed setups. Why do you say that?


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 Post subject: Re: Where to find Dops with these dimensions
PostPosted: Tue Aug 04, 2020 11:26 am 
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It takes all of the guesswork out of aligning the dop though. The two inconveniences are that it's not immediately apparent which dops to order (looks like Facetron though) and that the dops are a little hard to remove from the quill.


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 Post subject: Re: Where to find Dops with these dimensions
PostPosted: Tue Aug 04, 2020 2:40 pm 
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azrugger wrote:
It takes all of the guesswork out of aligning the dop though. The two inconveniences are that it's not immediately apparent which dops to order (looks like Facetron though) and that the dops are a little hard to remove from the quill.
yes it does to a degree no pun intended. But there will come a time when just relying on the keying of the dop to the quill will lend itself to chasing your tail using the cheater to get a stone realigned after popping off the dop. Learning to align a stone without a key is a plus as well. Like 1bwanna stated the wax impression method is an option when offset irregular pears, shield shapes do not quite fit the round conical dops as intended, and can be implemented in all dopping if one wants to. In the beginning stages of learning the quarks of faceting, dopping is and can be contraversial in nature. Some rely only on a epoxy based dopping so in fear of the stone coming off or just never learned to use wax properly. We all have are reasons why we do. Essentially they all work.
I have to say though I have spent many years researching the MDR machine looking for parts and accessories and have not seen a quill on a MDR with a keying mechanism like Facetrons Flat key. They all had a set screw pointed, which is easily replaced with a flat headed Allen screw which allows the flat keyed dop to work. I am sure I haven't seen them all.
You might take a look at the dop sizes Facetrons offers in the set that comes with new machine and start there.

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 Post subject: Re: Where to find Dops with these dimensions
PostPosted: Tue Aug 04, 2020 4:21 pm 
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Attachment:
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Just stumbled across an old MDR catalog.

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 Post subject: Re: Where to find Dops with these dimensions
PostPosted: Wed Aug 05, 2020 2:46 am 
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Interesting. I have that dop transfer jig, but I’ve never used it because my other transfer jig (presumably not my MDR one) works so well.


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 Post subject: Re: Where to find Dops with these dimensions
PostPosted: Wed Aug 05, 2020 2:06 pm 
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azrugger wrote:
Interesting. I have that dop transfer jig, but I’ve never used it because my other transfer jig (presumably not my MDR one) works so well.


I had the same with the newer MDR I sold. Its design with flat hold down bars allowed it to the flat dops, worked well but a slight to small in overall size. I think the Facetrons Acculine jig is one of the best although I have not personally tried UltraTecs it was always a little to pricey. I have several models but let go of the last Acculine I had as there is always someone looking for one, sometimes begging, just like the dops always backordered or a wait list through Facetron.

I honestly believe a previous owner retrofitted your machine to use the flat dop. The knob on yours is reminiscent of the old quills on MarkII machines and others, not on MDR. You mentioned your dops being tight and hard to remove. I found on my machines it was caused by buildup of calcification or corrosion on the aluminum surfaces inside the quill from standing water over time. You can clean it by taking a smaller diameter rod wrapped with some 600 grit wet dry black sandpaper just large enough it fits spin it lightly not to much you only want to clean it not to make it out of round, just back the key out first. Then spray some rubbing alcohol in while inverted to clean and drain, then take qtip and rub the inside with some oil Wd40, mineral doesn't matter not to much just lubricate the inner walls. Here I go again way over this covid shutdown. Blah blah blah.......

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 Post subject: Re: Where to find Dops with these dimensions
PostPosted: Wed Aug 05, 2020 3:21 pm 
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I appreciate the covid rambling. I'm learning a lot from it.

The story of my machine (according to craigslist) is that the guy who sold it used to work at GIA, and when GIA ceased their faceting classes, allowed their employees to purchase their machines at cost. He bought one thinking he would learn to facet, but then just never got around to it. When I bought it, aside from wear on the laps (I need to buy some new ones, my 600 grit lap cuts like a 1200 grit lap) I couldn't tell it had ever been used. I have no idea how to get it back to that clean that doesn't involve a toothbrush and a lot of patience.

It's possible that it's been retrofit to accept those flat keyed dops. I just have to figure out where to pick them up. I guess I'll shot in the dark and buy some facetron ones... What I'd really like to do is just buy a whole block with a bunch of different sizes, but without knowing what will fit yet, that isn't really feasible. I guess I'll buy just one and then wait a month for USPS to get their act together before buying a whole set.


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