I received a good deal on a slab

[Warhauk]

Wondering what kind of pieces people have been able to find for a steal for their slabs. I happened to be driving by a countertop manufacturer a few hours from my house on a completely unrelated trip and figured I'd stop by because I was currently searching for a slab and most places I was calling in my area were quoting me at $30/sq ft for granite. I didn't really need anything big. When I asked, they told me $5 for a piece, just go right out the door and to the left and anything on the pallets was up for grabs. I assumed they would be a bunch of small irregular pieces but that was still okay with me so without looking, I gave them $10 to grab 2 of the pieces. When I went out, these slabs were massive. I picked up 2 that were roughly 28" x 48" x 1 1/8". It perfectly covers my coffee table (That I actually bought secondhand as a temporary work table). They had even larger ones but I was driving my smaller car at the time and simply couldn't have fit anything larger. As my wife and I were loading them, some guy came out from the actual work area and asked me a couple of questions. He then gave me the go ahead on the 2 slabs I grabbed but I get the impression that the front desk was probably not supposed to have done that. I'm not a stone expert, but I think both are granite. One is a river stone granite that has a cool pattern within it. The one pictured is my current slab because it was blander and I don't need it for looks.

[chuck123wapati]

That was a great pick up you got a nice deal for sure. I got a piece for free just a couple inches of one corner chipped off but it is large like yours so no problem.

[tsunkasapa]

My son worked for a truss company, and part of his job was to haul the sawdust and small blocks to a waste site. The same waste site that the countertop guys took their scrap to. He got me a 25x32 piece of marble for nothing.

Edited December 11, 2021 by tsunkasapa

[DJole]

I got a scrap piece of broken granite countertop. Two ragged edges, but two smooth rounded edges. It was free, from the scrap pile of a counter manufacturer. 
Rectangular, about 8 X 14 inches. I move it around as needed, so it's basically portable... in a sense. ;-)

 

[Sheilajeanne]

I got a wheeled portable kitchen caddy for $40.  The top is removable and solid granite: 15x 24 inches.

Not as good a deal as some of you got, but still not bad!

https://www.amazon.ca/Linon-Kitchen-Island-Granite-Top/dp/B002USUK3M/ref=asc_df_B002USUK3M/?tag=googleshopc0c-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=292950412048&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1691166827291722255&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9104883&hvtargid=pla-384934210009&psc=1

Edited December 11, 2021 by Sheilajeanne

[Warhauk]

When I eventually get a real work space, I'm probably going to partially cut one down and make a few smaller, more portable blocks to place strategically around the area or for when I just want to do some tooling elsewhere. 

[Warhauk]

1 hour ago, DJole said:

I got a scrap piece of broken granite countertop. Two ragged edges, but two smooth rounded edges. It was free, from the scrap pile of a counter manufacturer. 
Rectangular, about 8 X 14 inches. I move it around as needed, so it's basically portable... in a sense. ;-)

 

The place I got the slabs from also had a MASSIVE scrap pile. But it was a no access area because of how hazardous it was. Before I knew it was a no go, I went up and removed a 1 sq foot little slab that seemed to not be supporting anything, and a small avalanche occurred that I luckily got away from.

[DJole]

On 12/11/2021 at 11:57 AM, Warhauk said:

The place I got the slabs from also had a MASSIVE scrap pile. But it was a no access area because of how hazardous it was. Before I knew it was a no go, I went up and removed a 1 sq foot little slab that seemed to not be supporting anything, and a small avalanche occurred that I luckily got away from.

 A narrow escape for  you!  

[Handstitched]

When I first started, I went to a stone mason , asked for a  ' small' piece  or an off-cut of granite or marble. " Theres a piece of granite outside you can have for about $20"

"You Beauty !!!" 

WTF ??? It was 13-14" square ....and over 4" thick ......I could barely lift it . Not to be defeated, and no help from stone mason,  it was cheap after all, it took me  3 - 4 attempts to get it in the car , huffing and puffing and nearly dropping it  between attempts.  Damn thing nearly gave me a hernia!!! 

I now have a nice  ( much  smaller) piece of marble. 

HS

Edited December 13, 2021 by Handstitched

[Spyros]

I have a small piece of some flat stone that I bought from a garden supplies shop.  It's about half the size of an A4 piece of paper and that's really all I need for the occasional stamp or skive.

I find I have much more need for soft rather than hard surfaces so most of my bench is high density plastic.

[billybopp]

9 hours ago, Handstitched said:

When I first started, I went to a stone mason , asked for a  ' small' piece  or an off-cut of granite or marble. " Theres a piece of granite outside you can have for about $20"

"You Beauty !!!" 

WTF ??? It was 13-14" square ....and over 4" thick ......I could barely lift it . Not to be defeated, and no help from stone mason,  it was cheap after all, it took me  3 - 4 attempts to get it in the car , huffing and puffing and nearly dropping it  between attempts.  Damn thing nearly gave me a hernia!!! 

I now have a nice  ( much  smaller) piece of marble. 

HS

wanna bet the stonemason was peeking out the window and laughing the whole time?   

-Bill

[Warhauk]

14 hours ago, Handstitched said:

When I first started, I went to a stone mason , asked for a  ' small' piece  or an off-cut of granite or marble. " Theres a piece of granite outside you can have for about $20"

"You Beauty !!!" 

WTF ??? It was 13-14" square ....and over 4" thick ......I could barely lift it . Not to be defeated, and no help from stone mason,  it was cheap after all, it took me  3 - 4 attempts to get it in the car , huffing and puffing and nearly dropping it  between attempts.  Damn thing nearly gave me a hernia!!! 

I now have a nice  ( much  smaller) piece of marble. 

HS

Yeah it is amazing how heavy some of the stone is until you've tried to lift it. The slabs I got are both probably 150lbs each. It took both my wife and I to carry them, not only because of the weight, but the size and she was practically dying by the end of it.

Edited December 13, 2021 by Warhauk

[AzShooter]

I was lucky enough to ask a countertop manufacturer if he had any scrap.  He brought me around back and told me to pick the pieces I want.  I got a nice slab 36 X 24 and about 2 inches thick.  He didn't want anything for it so after I started doing wallets I brought him one.

[Hags]

I too got mine as scrap. $5 for a piece about 24x18. Still using it. Want get a larger one for the desk I use now.  Keeping my eyes open.