Stamping Stone?

[leatherpoker]

Hello everyone, I have a basic question, I think.

I only see Marble slabs sold at leather supply stores. Is this the best for stamping or does other stone ie: Granite work just as well?

Also would different thickness's make a difference? I have a beginers understanding of "hit something solid and something else has to give (leather)"

Do you artisans who know what you are doing have a preference?

thanks for your input

Rob

[ferret]

It's down to availability and what your wallet can stand. Granite tends to be a bit more expensive, but you may be able to get an offcut or broken piece cheap from a monumentl mason.

[tonyc1]

Hello everyone, I have a basic question, I think.

I only see Marble slabs sold at leather supply stores. Is this the best for stamping or does other stone ie: Granite work just as well?

Also would different thickness's make a difference? I have a beginers understanding of "hit something solid and something else has to give (leather)"

Do you artisans who know what you are doing have a preference?

thanks for your input

Rob

I got mine which is a terrazo slab used as hearths for heaters about 40 years ago and it was $3.00 as someone changed their mind after ordering it. Base is concrete and the top is polished granite chips and very, very smooth and solid!

Tony.

[Beaverslayer]

What I, and some others here have done, is go to a granite counter top store. Yjey always have a scrap pile out back, and they will usually let you rummage through it to find a piece of granite that they are just going to throw away.

I got a real nice piece for 2 cups of coffee and some donuts, which is pretty cheap. You can even check at the place that makes headstones, as they too will have scrap piles out back.

Granite is the better way to go, as marble is stromg but not as durable as granite.

Ken

[Myriam]

I have both and prefer the feel of the marble when I'm stamping. However, like Beaverslayer said, granite will be more durable.

[bcurrier]

What I, and some others here have done, is go to a granite counter top store. They always have a scrap pile out back, and they will usually let you rummage through it to find a piece of granite that they are just going to throw away.

...

Would that it was so! I stopped at one last weekend and asked, only to be informed that "they don't have scraps" - but would be happy to sell me a piece any sized I needed. And that was specifically in response to a question about sink cut-outs and other small off-cuts.

The interesting thing is that my wife and I are starting to redo our kitchen. That granite place has exactly ZERO chance of getting my business. It isn't that they owe me their scraps (which they do, of course have), rather it was the impression that they're out to squeeze - the impression coming from trying to profit from what they can't normally sell anyway.

Bill

[bruce johnson]

Another place to check is a local "Habitat for Humanity" outlet. They take in excess materials from construction, replaced cabinets, counters, appliances, etc. These donors can write off the value of the materials, and the tax break for them is better than letting it pile up. Our local outlet has a pile of granite pieces at $3/sq ft. Everything from sink cutouts to full countertops with a chunk broken off.

[Hilly]

Sometimes places like home building centers (Menards et al) have granite countertops that customers ordered, but changed their minds before taking delivery. I got an entire 7 foot granite counter top plus the sink cutout for $30. Also check their "scratch n dent" items. You might be suprised at what you find.

[whinewine]

I found mine on the street. A building was torn down & the granite rectangles were carted away. Two slabs had apparently been dropped & they were in several pieces, lying on the sidewalk. I took home several smaller pieces, the largest one being about 19" X 16". That one is my tooling slab. The largest one was much bigger- I couldn't even fit it into my car. It was there for about a week & finally disappeared one day.

[ETW Grumpy]

bcurrier, find another granite guy. I got a 12 x 24 piece that they cut to size and gave me a tour of their operation free for the asking.

leatherpoker, I have a marble from Tandy which is good, a granite counter top piece which, IMHO, is better, and a 12 x 24 tombstone that cost $55 that is flush mounted to my bench that I think is best. Price & availabilty and how dedicated you are to this hobby (substitute addiction or obsession here). If you don't want to sink a bunch of money, try the counter top option to start.

[Storm]

As for myself I like marble or granite. The trick is to get a thicker piece. Maybe 1 1/2' to 2" thick. Remember to get it onto a solid surface too. I jst got ahold of a black granite piece which is 18"x18" and 1 1/2" thick. Most of te time I have used a good thick slab of marble. It will make all the differance in your stamping.

Storm

[gtwister09]

Rob,

Granite is a much better choice than marble. Marble will flake some when you hammer on it over time. Look at wikipedia to see the difference between marble and granite. Granite is much more durable than marble.

Regards,

Ben

[leatherpoker]

Thanks to everyone for their replies and input! really looking forward to "setting" up a work place that can be left ready for me when I have time to make a mess of some fine leather and not have to worry about "set up and take down"!

Glad I found this site and am totally impressed with the talent and skill people have and are developing!

Rob

(leatherpoker , may have to change name to finger sticker! oh that's going to leave a mark!)

[mulefool]

I used a granite piece of tombstone for years but it kept getting smaller. It was only maybe 1 1/2" thick. About 10 years ago I got a granite surface plate from a machine shop supply place. It's 3" thick, perfectly smooth and flat and 18" by 24". It's just about perfect. Cost me $80.00 but I know it's going to last me forever.

[bcurrier]

Grizzly carries granite surface plates - up to 4" thick and 3' long. Warning, though, the shipping costs more than the granite!

http://www.grizzly.com/products/searchresults.aspx?q=granite

Bill

[gtwister09]

Grizzly carries granite surface plates - up to 4" thick and 3' long. Warning, though, the shipping costs more than the granite!

http://www.grizzly.com/products/searchresults.aspx?q=granite

Bill

If you select one of the heavier granite surface plates (we have one) then I would strongly suggest a "ledged" surface plate so that you can get your fingers under the ledge to pick it up and move it around.

Regards,

Ben

[leatherpoker]

If you select one of the heavier granite surface plates (we have one) then I would strongly suggest a "ledged" surface plate so that you can get your fingers under the ledge to pick it up and move it around.

Regards,

Ben

Thanks for pointing me toward the Grizzly site! I can boogey over the border and pick a slab up! will definaely look into that

Rob

[David Genadek]

Marble is quieter to stamp on, granite gives off kind of ping. I have cracked several marble stones but never a granite one. I use one peace that is 54" by 8" thick it was a bench that one hunk had broken on. I got that big peace and a bunch of smaller hunks for around $300.00 at a tombstone place. I used to go to St Cloud MN where they mine the granite and get the and the scraps they piled in the Mississippi river. That was 30years ago so I don't know if that is still an option. A friend just brought me a 1.25" peace of granite that was a sink cut out and I use that for laying my trees up. I think it needs to be at least 2 inches thick to hold up to hard core stamping.

David Genadek

[Jed]

Marble is quieter to stamp on, granite gives off kind of ping. I have cracked several marble stones but never a granite one. I use one peace that is 54" by 8" thick it was a bench that one hunk had broken on. I got that big peace and a bunch of smaller hunks for around $300.00 at a tombstone place. I used to go to St Cloud MN where they mine the granite and get the and the scraps they piled in the Mississippi river. That was 30years ago so I don't know if that is still an option. A friend just brought me a 1.25" peace of granite that was a sink cut out and I use that for laying my trees up. I think it needs to be at least 2 inches thick to hold up to hard core stamping.

David Genadek

[Jed]

Thanks for pointing me toward the Grizzly site! I can boogey over the border and pick a slab up! will definaely look into that

Rob

www.use-enco.com Here is another source for a suface plate I ordered a 24 x 36 with stand and received the next day.

[BarryKing]

www.use-enco.com Here is another source for a suface plate I ordered a 24 x 36 with stand and received the next day.

This IS the place to get the granite stones. Just get a grade B surface plate(that is the corrrect term). They are cheap from here and just as good as anywhere else. The thicker the better. I used to have a 2" thick one, moved to a 3", even better. The outside dimension also determines the thickness you may get. I also have a 24 X 36 X 4" thick, man you don't get any vibration out of this. Takes at least 4 men to move it though(490 lbs).

Some say granite is not the right stone to use because it is harder than steel and will mess your tools up. But, if you hit any tool into any stone it will mess it up, no matter the substance.

Enco also has the granite plates on sale right now. I believe they can UPS up to the 12X18X2" thick, then it gets trucked after that. Thats where its going to cost you.

[bcurrier]

bcurrier, find another granite guy. I got a 12 x 24 piece that they cut to size and gave me a tour of their operation free for the asking.

Hmmm - tried a local monument place. He was "willing" to sell me cutoffs, mistake pieces, and tombstone blanks for more than I can get a new surface plate! He had a scrap piece of silestone (manmade quartz/resin composite) that gave me pause. He said it's actually harder to break than granite. I'd want to look into that first, though.

Bill

[particle]

Maybe this is a silly question - but what is wrong with concrete? A guy on a budget could take some scrap pieces of wood, build a box to the desired dimensions, and pour his own slab. If it chips, it's easy enough to replace, and you could pour an entire counter top to your exact dimensions for about the price of a couple pizzas! Bad idea?

[BarryKing]

Maybe this is a silly question - but what is wrong with concrete? A guy on a budget could take some scrap pieces of wood, build a box to the desired dimensions, and pour his own slab. If it chips, it's easy enough to replace, and you could pour an entire counter top to your exact dimensions for about the price of a couple pizzas! Bad idea?

Never tried that. Have a friend that makes concrete counter tops, it sounds like a good idea if a guy gets it smooth and polished nicely. I would like to know how it works if someone tries it, it should work great.

[Beaverslayer]

The man that taught me how to carve and tool used a sidewalk block made from concrete, the one that's two feet square. He glued a layer of flooring linoleum onto it and it worked real well. He said he liked it better than granite or marble as there was no "pinging" noise from it when you were working. The linoleum that was on top worked real well if your tool slipped when working close to the edge of the leather, it would just bounce off the linoleum and not get damaged.

Ken