Setting up a home lapidary bench
Plan for water first. The machines are easy to place. The wet part, where the water comes from and where the muddy runoff goes, is what people tend to forget.
The numbers on this page come from the Highland Park CB6V manual and product pages, read Nov 4, 2026. Nobody has set up this bench for the site, so anything marked "Reasoning" is a judgment call, not experience.
Water
Highland Park's cabbing machines use a drip feed. A fitting on the back takes 6 mm tubing and sends water to a valve over each wheel. The manual says you can run it from a reservoir bucket, a 5-gallon bucket with a pump, or a water line. If you plumb it to a line, it warns about dripping when line pressure is high. The machine has two large drains at the bottom back. Highland Park sells a water reservoir kit separately. Manual, product page.
Reasoning: the drains are a bigger deal than the supply. Whatever they empty into has to handle gritty water. A sink trap is a bad place for stone slurry. A catch bucket you can empty outside is safer. Pick the spot with that in mind.
Power
- The manual recommends a circuit rated for 8 amps.
- If you use an extension cord, the manual says no longer than 12 feet, at least 14-gauge wire, with a ground.
- Highland Park's 6-inch and 10-inch trim saws are each 1/2 horsepower on 110V.
Water and electricity share a table here. Plug the machines into a ground-fault outlet, the kind with the test and reset buttons. The manual doesn't say that; it's standard practice around water, and an electrician can confirm what your garage or basement needs.
Gear you wear
The manual lists safety glasses, hearing protection, and a NIOSH-certified P95 dust respirator. It also says to unplug the machine before changing wheels and never to leave it running unattended. A separate supplier guide says to cut wet and wear eye protection at the saw. Source.
Space and weight
| Machine | Size | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| CB6V cabbing machine | Not stated | 78 lb (manual) |
| 6-inch trim saw | Cutting deck 8½ by 11½ inches, 8 inches tall overall | 50 lb shipping weight |
| 10-inch stainless trim saw | Base 15 by 28¼ inches | Not stated |
Highland Park doesn't give overall dimensions for the cabbing machine on either of its pages. Before you buy, measure what the manual's photos show, or ask them. Your bench needs to hold 78 lb of machine plus water weight and vibration.
A sensible order of operations
- Pick the spot, with a drain plan.
- Confirm the outlet and circuit.
- Get the safety gear before the machine arrives.
- Buy the saw, then the cabbing machine. You can practice on slabs from a rock shop while you wait for either.
Next: what the whole setup costs, or the wheel order.
Page updated 2026-11-04. Prices on this site were read Nov 4, 2026.