Checked 22 September 2026
Highland Park cabbing machines
Highland Park's CB6V and CB8V have variable-speed motors and six-inch or eight-inch wheels. Their water equipment can cost extra. The older CB6 has different parts, so check its model before ordering replacements.
CB6V & CB8V
Highland Park lists two cabbing machines, the six-inch CB6V and the eight-inch CB8V. Both have a 304 stainless steel frame, a serpentine belt from the motor to the shaft, a speed control and drip-fed water. Each carries six wheels on a 1-inch stainless steel shaft that runs in two 1-inch bearings.
| Specification | CB6V | CB8V |
|---|---|---|
| Wheel diameter | 6 in | 8 in |
| Arbor shaft | 1 in | 1 in |
| Motor | ½ hp brushless DC, variable speed | 1 hp, variable speed |
| Speed | 0–1,725 rpm | 0–1,725 rpm |
| Supply | 110 V / 60 Hz; circuit rated at 8 A | 110 V / 60 Hz; circuit rated at 10 A |
| Machine weight | 78 lb | 101 lb |
CB6V owner's manual, pages 3–4 (PDF); CB8V owner's manual, pages 3–4 (PDF). Highland Park doesn't publish overall dimensions; ask it before you plan bench space.
| Listing | Code | Listed price (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| CB6V with wheels, 110 V | CB6V-110 | $1,597 |
| CB8V with wheels, 110 V | CB8V-110W | $2,845 |
| CB6 water reservoir kit | CB6088 | $63.97 |
Highland Park lists both machines in 110 V only. The CB6V parts list includes a 230 V speed control module and European and Australian power cords, so ask Highland Park about other supplies. Prices exclude delivery.
Compare the CB6V with the CabKing 6 and VEVOR's six-inch machine.
Included & sold separately
Both machines come with six wheels: 80 and 220 grit plated grinding wheels, then 280, 600, 1,200 and 3,000 grit resin wheels. Both listings add a gooseneck LED lamp, an aluminium end plate and a spacer kit. The CB6V manual lists leather and felt buffing discs instead of the end plate, with the leather disc on the left shaft end and the felt on the right. Ask Highland Park which polishing discs ship with a new machine. CB6V manual, page 4 (PDF).
The water reservoir kit costs extra: a mounting bracket, reservoir bucket and line, listed with the CB6V. Add it to the machine price when you compare setups. The manual's setup assumes the reservoir, a bucket on a bracket at the back of the machine, but the machine can instead take a direct water line or a 5-gallon bucket and pump. On a high-pressure mains supply, the valves may drip even when closed. CB6V manual, pages 6–7 (PDF).
The CB8V listing doesn't mention a reservoir kit, but its manual gives the same installation steps. Ask what water equipment comes with a CB8V before you order.
Wheels, spacers & speed
The shaft allows 1½ in between wheels when the wheels are 1½ in wide. Check the width of each wheel as well as its diameter. The resin wheels on a CB6 or CB6V are 6 × 1½ in. The plated wheels are GWP006 (80 grit) and GWP008 (220 grit): the plated wheel listing and the CB6 manual give both codes as 6 × 1½ in, but the CB6V manual's parts list gives them as 6 × 2 in. Measure the plated wheels on your machine and quote the width as well as the code when you order. CB6V manual, parts view 2 (PDF); CB6 manual, page 28 (PDF).
| Wheel | Grits listed | Sizes listed | Price (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plated wheels (GWP) | 60, 80, 140, 220 | 6 × 1½ in, 6 × 2 in, 8 × 2 in | $80–$109 |
| Soft resin wheels (GWR) | 60 to 50,000 | 6 × 1½ in, 8 × 2 in | $70–$100 |
The wheel listings don't give the hole size; ask Highland Park to confirm a wheel fits the 1-inch shaft. The cabbing wheels reference explains how to measure a wheel.
Changing wheels
Remove the polishing pad from the shaft end first. The left side has a left-hand thread and the right side a right-hand thread. Hold the shaft with a wrench on its centre flat, unscrew the end nut and slide the wheels and spacers off. When you refit them, leave about ¼ in of thread showing past the last wheel's hub. With more thread showing, the nut can reach the end of the thread before it clamps the wheels, and they slip in use. Move the copper water lines so water lands in the centre of each wheel. CB6V manual, pages 8–9 (PDF).
Choosing a speed
The manual suggests higher speeds for hard stones such as agate and jasper than for softer stones such as turquoise and opal. It advises breaking in new diamond wheels on stone of Mohs hardness 7 or more for the first few cabochons. The motor controller takes a few seconds to start the motor after you switch on. CB6V manual, page 11 (PDF).
The older CB6
Before the CB6V, Highland Park made the CB6, a fixed-speed machine. The CB6 manual (PDF) describes a ½ hp, 1,725 rpm NEMA 48 motor for 110 V / 60 Hz or 220 V / 50 Hz, with the same frame, 1-inch arbor shaft, weight and wheel set as the CB6V.
| Check | CB6 | CB6V |
|---|---|---|
| Controls | On/off switch only | On/off switch and a speed knob |
| Motor | ½ hp NEMA 48, 1,725 rpm | ½ hp brushless DC with a separate controller, 0–1,725 rpm |
Highland Park lists a CB6 variable speed conversion kit, 110 V, code CB6V001-110V, at $297 on 22 September 2026. The listing doesn't say what the kit contains; ask Highland Park what it includes and whether it fits your machine.
Parts
Each machine's product page has a Parts tab with exploded drawings and part numbers. The CB6V manual repeats them from page 26, with descriptions and quantities. Quote the part number and the machine model when you order. CB6V manual, parts lists (PDF).
- Belt: the CB6 and CB6V use serpentine belt BLT049 and the CB8V uses BLT030. Adjust the tension if the belt moves more than ½ in under light pressure. Manual, page 10 (PDF).
- Water valves: each valve has a needle you can remove to clean it or replace its seals. The CB6V parts list uses valve needle assembly CB8007, the same code as on the CB8V; the CB6 manual lists CB6007.
- Speed control: the CB6V lists separate drive modules for 110 V (CB6V001-110VA) and 230 V (CB6V001-230VA). Highland Park lists a CB8V 110 V drive module, CB8V001-110V, at $397.97. The listing says it replaces the motor assembly on any CB8, and that some older CB8s also need belt BLT030 and a ⅜-inch pivot rod, CB8040.
- Reservoir fittings: Highland Park lists a reservoir fitting nut, CB6028, for both the CB6 and CB8.
Highland Park warrants its machines for one year to the original purchaser only; a second owner has no warranty. CB6V manual, page 25 (PDF).
Check the model and the drive
A used machine has no warranty, so check the parts that cost most to replace. Ask the seller for:
- A photograph of the model plate and the controls, to tell a CB6 from a CB6V or CB8V.
- A video of the machine running through its speed range, if it has a speed knob.
- Photographs of the belt, the valve needles and felt wipers, and each wheel's surface and printed grit.
- A list of what is included: reservoir kit, drain hoses, polishing discs, lamp and spare spacers.
Ask about vibration, belt squeal at start-up and wheels slipping on the shaft. The manual traces these to wheel balance, belt tension and the spacer length at the shaft end. If a fixed-speed motor hums without turning, switch it off at once, or it will burn out. A variable-speed motor waits about five seconds before it starts and won't turn with the knob at zero. CB6V manual, page 24 (PDF). If the speed doesn't change with the knob, price a new speed control module before you buy.
Manuals & other machines
Highland Park's manuals and old literature page links owner's manuals for the CB6, CB6V and CB8V cabbing machines. It also links manuals for the BW and BWD bull wheel grinders, the WBSV wet belt sander and the 18FL and 24FL flat laps, and Highland Park catalogues from about 1946, 1969 and the 1970s that help identify older machines.
Highland Park's trim and slab saws, including the HT series, are covered in the lapidary saws reference. Manuals for other makers' machines are listed on the parts and manuals page.