The Purpose of Slabs

[SUP]

Thank you @Northmount. I should do that - attach some felt to the underside of the slab I use, although right now it is placed on a silicone mat.  My marble slab was completely flat and used on a completely flat surface. Maybe it already had some flaws that I couldn't see.  I have no idea what to check for when buying such slabs.

[tsunkasapa]

5 hours ago, Gosut said:

Before anyone points it out, this is one of those ideas that could easily turn into spending ten dollars to save one, all for a work surface that's not fit to tool on

Go to a company that installs marble/granite counter tops. Most of them will let you pick through the 'bone pile'. My son got me a 24"x32" bench slab and a 12"x12" portable one for free.

Edited February 16, 2024 by tsunkasapa
typo

[fredk]

@SUP I only use my marble block for skiving on

I found this piece in a builder's waste pile* ; it is 18cm long to the broken edge, 10cm wide and 3cm thick

One thing I like about it, it has this bevel on one edge.  Thats come in useful  

I also have this re-constituted granite slab. Approx 17.5cm square by 2cm thick. It was a kitchen work top thingy which I repurposed several years ago

I've tried to get some thick marble or granite for a new bigger block but despite this country being being one of the largest exporters of granite I cannot get a piece. Local places (kitchen fitters, grave marker makers, et cetra) which use marble and granite use a thin veneer over concrete

As I don't, or very rarely, do tooling on them I don't bed them down on anything

* this piece started out much bigger. It was about 30 x 40 cm. I asked one of my son's mechanics to cut off 10cm. Being a furiner (Latvian) he did just that, but he didn't keep both pieces as I'd asked. He disposed of the 30cm square. Not just disposed of it, but took a hammer to it and broke it up into gravel sized bits! Then he handed me this 10cm piece, 'there you are, why you not want the big piece?'

 

 

[purplefox66]

Go to a Head Stone maker and ask for a waste piece. The one I have is 5 inches thick and it is the best for setting stamping or skiving. You can also go to a counter top place and get scrap I have gotten both for free.

[SUP]

@fredk, so that's over an inch thick. I should get a slab which is at least that thick - then I don't have to worry about it cracking as I work.

@purplefox66 I have not seen any headstone makers here but I see granite countertop makers everywhere. there are several near the Tandy store here. Not yet had the courage to walk in and ask. I should really do that, since the granite slab I use is rather large and very heavy to pick up and keep away each time.  A smaller one works so much better, so I still use the broken marble or work on the floor.

Edited February 16, 2024 by SUP

[Northmount]

@SUP  SURFACE PLATE 12IN. X 18IN. X 3IN. About 77 lbs.  Flat to within 1 ten thousandths of an inch.  $40 to $70 approximately and even higher.

These are available at places that sell machining tools and equipment and amazon.com

 

[SUP]

@Northmount sounds good and would be great to work on. Thank you. I just checked on Amazon. I will check nearby stores as well.

[Gosut]

23 hours ago, tsunkasapa said:

Go to a company that installs marble/granite counter tops. Most of them will let you pick through the 'bone pile'. My son got me a 24"x32" bench slab and a 12"x12" portable one for free.

Nearest one is a good distance away, though I drive past for a doctor's appointment (typical old age stuff, nothing serious).

Monument companies are easier, with two fairly close. Have been thinking about talking to them.

[Gosut]

21 hours ago, SUP said:

I have not seen any headstone makers here but I see granite countertop makers everywhere. there are several near the Tandy store here. Not yet had the courage to walk in and ask. I should really do that, since the granite slab I use is rather large and very heavy to pick up and keep away each time.  A smaller one works so much better, so I still use the broken marble or work on the floor.

Around here they go by the name monument companies. Usually it's grave slabs and tombstones, but they also do all sort of monuments.