How to Choose a Flat Lap Machine

Flat laps flatten and polish stone, glass and crystal. Compare rotary and vibrating laps and the disc sizes that suit your work.

What a flat lap does

A flat lap machine spins a disc that you charge with abrasive, so you can flatten the face of a stone, smooth a slab, or polish a flat surface to a high shine. It is used on stone, glass and crystal.

Rotary and vibrating laps

Rotary flat laps spin a disc while you hold the work against it. The Covington Maxi Lap and Rociprolap machines are examples, in sizes from 8 inches up to 36 inches.

Vibrating laps shake the work across the surface automatically, which is useful for flattening or polishing without holding the piece the whole time. See our Vibra Lap vibrating machines, for example the Covington 12 Inch Vibra Lap.

Choose the disc size for your work

Disc diameter sets the largest piece you can comfortably flatten. Small discs suit cabochon-sized work; larger discs are better for slabs and big flat surfaces.

Discs, grit and polish

Flat laps need abrasive discs or loose grits and a final polish. Budget for the lap disks and pads and the diamond compounds that go with your machine. If you are cutting cabochons rather than flat surfaces, a slant cabber such as the Hi-Tech Diamond Slant Cabber may fit better.