Quartz Epoxy Instead Of Granite For Leathercraft Workbench?

[lightingale]

I'm getting a custom workbench, taking a lot of inspiration from Ben's plans. We got a quote, and hit a snag... the 1.25 inch thick granite top for the 2.5 by 8 foot bench will be about $1600 for a solid piece. We're looking into decresing the expense by using blocks (12" x `12") or other options, and have come across Quartz as a potential alternative. As it was explained to us, the Quartz countertop is actually ground up Quartz mixed with epoxy, then dried / formed into the shape and size for your counter (or in our case desk top).

Does anyone have any experience working on this type of surface? I'm most interested in assuring that the minute vibrations from tooling would be well dissipated as they are in the thick piece of granite (what I'm working on now).

[Itch]

I would suggest a place that manufactures grave stones..Usually they will have some cut offs that they may deal on..It would be hard to beat a nice piece of stone.

[electrathon]

The man made will work, but is slightly softer than the granite. I am taking a guess here but I would guess it is in the area of marble density.

BUT! You can get a Chinese pre polished stone counter top 8' long for about $125 if you look. It will be finished on the front and one side, not on the other side (if it bothers you buy the pads and hand polish the other end for about andother $150 of so). Makes an awsome bench top.

You were talking to a high end kitchen counter top manufacture. Not where you want to be for a workbench top.

Aaron

[grittyroots]

great suggestion itch. i just picked up a piece of granite literally the size of a cinder block. i went by a monument shop and asked them if they had any drops.

$1600 for a 2.5 x 8 piece of granite countertop is really expensive. are they going to polish the edges and install it? you should be able to pick up for $25 a sf. most companies have this size in remnants.. look around. i used to do granite work. one of our biggest problems was getting rid of remnant material. it has already been paid for so it is just straight profit.

i would stay away from manufactured stone true it's mainly quartz, but only 85 % the rest is epoxy. it will probably be as much as natural stone. most comanies dont have as much reminant because the slabs are smaller.

i hope this helps

gritty

[LNLeather]

You make Really Nice dog collars btw

Hmmmm Why do you need a piece of Granite 8 ft long?

Does a tooling station on the bench really need to be that long?

Even half that would be more than most folks have...

Mine was a piece from a construction site, counter top being replaced

and it was free.... 3.8 X 2'granite.

You will be doing many things at your work bench that do not require granite...

Seems like 3 or 4 ft long would be plenty.

Have you seen this post on Show Off Request. Lets See Your Work Space

Scroll down and check out the different work stations that BearMan posted.

(among many others) His work is phenomenal and his work spaces looks pretty thorough to me.

Hope you will post pictures for us when you are done

[lightingale]

After much searching, discussions with my father in law, and my husband spending an hour on the phone with different kitchen counter manufacturers, we've come to the conclusion that the quartz/epoxy product will be just as solid / hard as the granite without the potential micro-fractures that a mined stone can come with. There are different mixtures of the product, and some can be more brittle than others, so if using it one has to be certain they're getting the right one. It can also be gotten for about $25 per square foot. Apparently the "kitchen counter" product at $100 and the "floor and bench" product at $25 are identical (from our perspective), just sold and marketed differently.

I don't need the entire table top to be in stone, and if it was going to be in the $100 per square foot range that we were originally told I'd definitely reduce the "tooling" space down, though at $25 the whole top would be about $400 so that's the direction we're leaning now.

Your thoughts and comments are much appreciated.

Edited September 8, 2012 by lightingale

[Chief31794]

Just my opinion, I've carved on several different surfaces, I wouldn't use the Quartz/Epoxy, if you're set on it, I would get a 1'X1' piece about 2" thick and try some carving on it. On the other hand, I agree that a 2.5ft by 8ft carving surface isn't necessary, many folks carve on a 12"X12" piece of granite, I have one that I've had for a long time that is 18" X 24" and it handles anything I've ever made in more than 40 years of carving. Lumber is a lot cheaper than Granite, I would set a 24"X36" piece into the front centered on the bench. Just my opinion, probably ain't worth much.

Chief