Buying your first cabbing machine and rock saw

A rock saw cuts a stone into flat slices. A cabbing machine grinds one slice into a smooth, domed cabochon. You need both, and the cheapest new pair from Highland Park Lapidary comes to about $1,975 at the November sale prices read on Nov 4, 2026 ($2,194 at list price). That's before rock, supplies, or a place to put them.

None of these machines has been run for this site. What's here comes from the maker's own pages and manual, a few retailers, and what hobbyists say on public forums. Every number links to its source, with the date it was read. Where two sources disagree, or something couldn't be confirmed, the page says so.

Start with the question you have

• Which cabbing machine?Two Highland Park models side by side, and where their prices sit next to other brands.
• Which saw to buy firstTrim saw or slab saw, oil or water, and whether a tile saw will do.
• What will the whole setup cost?A calculator. Pick a machine and a saw, add your own numbers, see the total.
• Which wheel, in what order?The six-step grit chart, and what each step is for.
• Where does all of it go?Water, drains, power, dust, and floor space.

Before you spend $2,000

1. Try one first. Highland Park's own beginner article says to join a local lapidary club. Two people on a public rock-hobby forum say the same. A club lets you cut a few stones before you buy anything. HP blog, forum thread, both read Nov 4, 2026.
2. Used is a real option. One forum poster paid $350 for a used two-wheel cabbing unit, ran it for five years, and sold it for $350. That's one person and one machine, not a rule. But it shows a cheap way in exists. Same thread.
3. The machine is only part of the bill. Saw coolant, spare wheels, safety gear and water setup add up. The cost calculator has a spot for each.

How this site works

Prices change, and Highland Park was running a 10% Black Friday discount on Nov 4, 2026, with no end date shown. Every price on this site carries the date it was read. Check the store page before you buy.

Store links are plain links. No store pays this site, and the how this site works page explains the checking.

Page updated 2026-11-04. Prices on this site were read Nov 4, 2026.