Chris C Posted September 21, 2020 Share Posted September 21, 2020 I know most/many of you guys have done just about everything in the world, so I'll ask this question here. I'm working on making sheaths for my knives. In that quest I'm doing some leatherwork, i.e. stamping and tooling. When I rebuilt my kitchen 7 years ago I had the countertop people leave behind the large slab they cut out of one of the tops for our glass-topped stove-top. Wife durned near killed me for "hoarding" yet once again! I "knew" I'd need in someday. Now is the time. I need a granite slab to use when I'm stamping designs in my sheaths. However, I don't need a piece as large as I have. I checked to see what it would cost to cut out a piece from my material the size I need and it was $100 !!!!! Not about to waste that kind of money. I'll just buy a diamond blade for my Skil-saw and do it myself. But I have no knowledge of diamond blades like that....................so I don't know which one (of the multitudes available) to buy. If anyone has done this before, I'd appreciate a tip in the right direction to a blade that won't break the bank but will do the job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted September 21, 2020 Share Posted September 21, 2020 Interesting, I never saw a water cooled skill saw before, can you post a pic? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris C Posted September 21, 2020 Author Share Posted September 21, 2020 Easy to do.................I've seen many on videos. Besides, granite doesn't really require water. Here ya go, Steve. Just did a search and easy-peasy, this popped up. It's the same method the countertop company used except they used a right-angle grinder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted September 21, 2020 Share Posted September 21, 2020 OTOH, at the fleamarket in Canutillo TX, there was a fellow selling granite sink cut outs for under US$10; probably cheaper than buying a decent blade. Can you check with a local countertop installer and see if they have anything similar? Your big slab sounds like it would go good behind a wood stove as a heat storage device. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris C Posted September 21, 2020 Author Share Posted September 21, 2020 Canutillo is too many Klicks from my place, Thomas. Countertop folks didn't have any drop offs that would work. I just need to cut a piece out of mine. Two short cuts is all I need. My wood stove is incased in two layers of bricks, so I'm fixed there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted September 21, 2020 Share Posted September 21, 2020 I have a slab of soapstone from a lab benchtop and an old soapstone foot warmer on top of my wood stove; but we don't need much extra heat to tide us between active use of our thermonuclear furnace. I would get an abrasive blade like is used to cut masonry and trace a line on each side of the slab deepening it as you go and see if it would snap fairly cleanly. Is it a fine grained granite or one of the wild ones? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted September 21, 2020 Share Posted September 21, 2020 Some friends of mine in Vermont had a slab of soapstone mounted on the wall behind their wood stove, with spacers holding it about 1" from the wall and 1" up off the floor. As the stove warmed the stone, the stone warmed the air behind it; the heated air rose out of the top, pulling unheated air in the bottom. I think they may have also put some kind of reflector directly on the wall, so that none of the heat could escape into the building structure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted September 21, 2020 Share Posted September 21, 2020 that saws water mod makes me nervous Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLAG Posted September 21, 2020 Share Posted September 21, 2020 Mr. Sells, Is correct. The blade should, probably, be cut using water as a lubricant. The dust is toxic. Why? Because there is a problem messing with soapstone, talc etc. Those minerals have small amounts of asbestos in them. Breathing asbestos can cause lung cancer* and, also, mesothelioma. Both conditions are usually fatal, and are a very nasty way to die. Just Sayin', SLAG. * Johnson and Johnson are, currently, in big time litigation over their talcum powder products. ** I just noticed that the person, in the video, is only wearing a face shield. This will not be effective in keeping dust out of his lungs. *** that is the reason why I wear a particulate respirator when I carve soapstone and also granite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted September 21, 2020 Share Posted September 21, 2020 This is a little off topic, but may be of interest to some folks contemplating new counter tops. When we had new granite counter tops (or any other material for that matter) made, we had the company save the sink cutout(s) for us. Since they had the proper equipment back in their shop, we asked that they make circular disc cutouts about 10"-12" in diameter from the sink cutouts. We wanted to make circular lazy Susans for the countertop on which to put items like salt and pepper shakers, oil dispensers, some small utensils, etc. which would match the counter top. We had two discs made from the sink cutouts. They said that no one had ever requested anything like that before, so they graciously agreed to make them, even putting rounded, smooth edges on them. We epoxy-glued metal, ball bearing lazy Susan bases that we found at HD onto the bottoms of the discs. I pointed out to the company that by making the circular cutouts, they could, for a small charge, provide them to their customers as an added benefit, matching the new counter tops. For giving them the idea, they made our pair of circular disks at no charge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anvil Posted September 21, 2020 Share Posted September 21, 2020 You could always do it the traditional way and make a few sets of feathers and wedges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stash Posted September 21, 2020 Share Posted September 21, 2020 Hey Chris- I've cut hundreds of lineal feet with a similar rig. Worm drive skil saw, rigged a stepdown from garden hose to 1/4" flex tube with a small ball valve spraying on the blade. I used quality diamond blades, probably $60- 75 each, and I was able to do it in one pass, full depth, using a rip guide/ board clamped in place.You could easily make multiple passes with shallow cuts to do it. Make sure to support the cutoff side- it will break off before the cut is finished. Make sure you plug into a GFCI. The material is too thin to effectively use feather and wedges. I've also made these cuts with hammer and chisel. Angle grinder with a diamond disc will also work but you'll need to do it dry. Just get a helper with a shop vac. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris C Posted September 21, 2020 Author Share Posted September 21, 2020 Thanks, Steve. That's my plan................only I can't spring for that high a quality blade. I just need to make two cuts and I don't care if the blade is shot at the end of the process. Any suggestions as to one I might buy? I saw a solid rim blade on Amazon for $20. There are lots of brands in that general price range. I know to use an edge guide and to keep both sides completely supported. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anvil Posted September 21, 2020 Share Posted September 21, 2020 My feathers and wedges was tongue in cheek, but a hammer and chisel does work, like stash said. At least it works on river rock, marble and granite in my area. I'm not a stone mason, but done enough to have a little experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 When I had stone counter tops installed a few years ago I had them leave me the drops from cutting the slab. I had paid big $$ for the whole slab and wasn't about to not keep all of it. My son and I cut pieces out with a circular saw using a masonry or concrete blade. I cut with the saw and he used a hose on low pressure to cool the blade. It worked great. The stone was anorthosite which is all feldspar with ZIPs (Zoned Iridecent Plagioclase [a kind of feldspar]). So, it was be a bit softer than actual granite (no quartz). It did not tear up the blade. I have seen "granite" installers trip counter tops with a circular saw and a spray bottle of water as a coolant. So, I'd say go for it with a circular saw and water as a coolant. It will work better if you have 2 people, 1 sawing, 1 cooling. You can polish the edges using a cloth wheel and decreasing grits of buffing compound. A water cooled tile saw will work too. "By hammer and hand all arts do stand." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris C Posted September 22, 2020 Author Share Posted September 22, 2020 Thanks, George. I'm confident I can do it. Just need to find an affordable but decent blade to do the job. I'm not about to spend $60 to 70 for a blade to do a job that I can have done for $100. That just doesn't make sense to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 PS I agree with Stash that you have to support both sides so that it doesn't break prematurely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris C Posted September 22, 2020 Author Share Posted September 22, 2020 Oh, I fully understand that............and the reasoning behind it. But thanks for mentioning it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 PPS A masonry or concrete blade with abrasive imbedded in the fiber glass matrix of the blade probably won't go for more than $15 and you will still have it for future projects. GNM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris C Posted September 22, 2020 Author Share Posted September 22, 2020 Thanks, I didn't realize that. Do you mean like those grinder blades I use on my right-angle grinder...........only designed for concrete? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 Yes, exactly, but I think the grit may be different than blades designed to cut metal. However, I have cut tile with my angle grinder with a metal cutting blade with no problem except dust. I suspect the grit in a masonry blade is coarser than a metal cutting blade. They both cut but blade life may be different. GNM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris C Posted September 22, 2020 Author Share Posted September 22, 2020 Okay, thanks for your input. I'll need to find a second pair of hands unless I set up that siphoning rig shown in that video. I definitely want to keep the dust down. Granite dust in lungs isn't a purdy thing. (I'll be wearing my industrial mask for sure) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stash Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 Chris- the fiber masonry blade George mentioned should do the trick for you. The issue with those blades is that they will wear down and you will be constantly be readjusting your depth of cut. They will work. tho. Be sure you get the one made for wet cutting- a lot of those blades are for dry cutting. I prefer the segmented diamond blades vs the solid rim- solid rim heats up quicker, even with the water spray but for 2 cuts it should work for you. I don't really have a recommendation for you- I bought in bulk from Diamond Warehouse ( I think that was the name), and I was getting 4 1/2", 7" and 10" all in one shot for my different machines. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris C Posted September 23, 2020 Author Share Posted September 23, 2020 I went ahead and bought a blade similar to this one at Home Depot. (different brand) I think it will work well for the 3 short cuts I have to make. Problem solved. Thanks for all the input, guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted September 23, 2020 Share Posted September 23, 2020 Odd that slate and marble are not included under "stone". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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