cradom Report post Posted August 20, 2014 Was wondering if anyone has any experience using sealed cement as a tooling surface. I'm looking for something and don't think I can afford using granite or marble. Making a form out of melamine or formica topped wood will give a very smooth surface to cement. Is this feasible? Craig Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomG Report post Posted August 20, 2014 Hit some places that sell and install kitchen counters. Some of them just throw away the granite sink cutouts and will give you a couple. I've tried Melamine years ago and got too much bounce. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cradom Report post Posted August 20, 2014 Actually wasn't talking of using melamine to tool on but as a form to pour a cement block a couple inches thick with reinforcement to tool on. The melamine makes for a smooth surface in the cement when the form is removed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dirtclod Report post Posted August 20, 2014 You can a 3" thick granite surface plate from Enco for around 30.00 and free shipping when their on sale. I have one and it works great. For several years i used a 1 1/4 and it worked fine but thicker is a lot better. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billybopp Report post Posted August 20, 2014 A nice smooth flat concrete surface might work. It wouldn't be terribly expensive to find out! However, a granite or marble piece from a countertop place, or from a grave marker place might be cheaper ( if not free ), and would certainly work. Once in awhile grave marker makers mess up a headstone and can't make other use of the thing and just want rid of it. I got my marble from a kitchen that was being remodeled and it works great. Bill Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tboyce Report post Posted August 27, 2014 I got a nice 18" x 48" x 1-1/4" slab of granite at the local Habitat for Humanity Re-Store. Cost me 15 bucks Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chief31794 Report post Posted August 27, 2014 (edited) Over the decades many people have tried tooling on concrete, none of them that I know of stay with it, then you've bought the concrete, did the labor to get it poured and probably (very probably) won't be happy with the results and it will chip and crack over time. There are ways to get free marble/granite, grave stone companies have cut offs, counter top installers do sink cutouts as was said, Tandy has a 12X12 Quartz Slab for <$50 if you're a club member it's more like $30. You might try Ebay, works sometimes, but the suggestions given were all good. One thought, if concrete provided a good tooling surface, we'd all be using it. I recommend you get a marble/Granite etc slab and put a poundo board under it. You'll be much happier in the long run. Chief Edited August 27, 2014 by Chief31794 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bikermutt07 Report post Posted November 5, 2014 I used to run a granite department. There are tons of scrap in that industry. You can easily get a free piece. You might want to pay a few bucks and have it squared up and polished. I would lean towards the blacker granites as they are more dense than the lighter colors. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
midwestislander Report post Posted November 8, 2014 I just got 3 pieces of polished granite ( largest 30 x 20, other 24 x 18) FOR FREE from a kitchen countertop shop. They took me back into the shop where they did sink cut-outs and showed me where they put the scraps, told me to go for it. Okay, it wasn't free, as I went in later with doughnuts to thank them. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
