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.
Each guide here puts the makers' published specs, prices and grit orders side by side: Highland Park, CabKing, Diamond Pacific and Covington, plus Kingsley North's shelf prices. Every number links to the page it came from, with the date it was read. Where two sources disagree, or a figure couldn't be confirmed, the page says so. None of these machines has been run for this site, so nothing here is a hands-on verdict; the rest comes from manuals and what hobbyists post on public forums.
Adding it all up? The starter bench cost calculator totals a machine, a saw and your own supply numbers on one screen.
Start with the question you have
- Which cabbing machine?Highland Park's CB6V and CB8V, then CabKing, Diamond Pacific and Covington machines at each maker's own price.
- 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?The cost calculator. Pick a machine and a saw, add your own numbers, see the total. Most people start here.
- 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Three quick answers
What beginner lapidary equipment do I need first?
A rock saw to slice the stone and a cabbing machine to grind and polish it. A small trim saw is the usual first saw.
What does a first rock saw and cabbing machine cost new?
About $1,975 for the cheapest new Highland Park pair at the Nov 4, 2026 sale prices, or $2,194 at list. The CabKing, Diamond Pacific and Covington machines on the cabbing page ran $1,595 to $2,950 on their makers' stores on Nov 5, 2026, and only one of those comes with a saw blade.
Can a tile saw stand in for a rock saw?
Sometimes. Its stock blade is thick and coarse, so most people end up buying a thin lapidary blade anyway. The saw guide covers the other catches.
How this site works
The site compares what the makers publish: specs, prices and grit orders, lined up and dated. 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 2026-11-05. Prices on this site were read Nov 4, 2026 (Highland Park, Kingsley North) and Nov 5, 2026 (CabKing, Diamond Pacific, Covington).