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/diy/ - Do It Yourself

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260304 No.260304 [Reply] [Original]

I have some leftover granite from a kitchen island that I would like to make into a coffee table. They cut out a stove so I have rectangle with rough sides. What are the options for smoothing it out and shaping it?

>> No.260305

but rough is cool too...

>> No.260306

smoothing rough granite without the right tools is gonna kill you son

>> No.260310

>>260306
This.

But you can try using an electric buffing tool. Start off course and make your way up to ultra fine buffing.

Be sure to have plenty of ventilation and the proper breathing apparatus so you don't die from the extremely fine particles of granite dust.

Also, if I recall correctly, some granite emits low levels of radiation. There is some kind of mineral in some types of granite that gives off gamma radiation in extremely low doses. Radium I think it is. Won't hurt you in the long run, but I wouldn't breathe that shit in if I were you.

>> No.260316

>>260310
Just looked it up, not Radium. Actual Uranium and apparently it releases radon gas as it decays.

Just saying, you know. In case your decide you're going to buff it real nice and shiny and all that dust floating through the air and such,

>> No.260328

So I'll wear a mask I guess. How do you guys feel about using a power sander with progressively finer grit paper?

>> No.260334

>>260328
I know this is /diy/ and all but what about asking the install company to do it for you for a reasonable fee? You could probably take it to them and leave it for cheap. If you had told them to begin with they might have done it for next to nothing.

>> No.260342
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260342

>>260306
>>260306
>>260306
>>260306
>>260306
>>260306
>>260306
>>260306

Without the proper tools and experience, you are way in over your head with this project. Take the slab to a granite shop and have them make it into a table top. You can make the rest of the table.

Pic related, a roll around butcher's block I made. I had leftover granite and for about a $100 I had it made into those rectangles. You won't be able to do as good of a job as a shop, I promise.

>> No.260355

Your granite company did cuts on site?

That's kinda amateur and can end very poorly.

>> No.260812

its not that hard but I would suggest an air powered angle grinder with water. they are alot cheaper than they use to be. its just several steps but you can definatly do the same job they do with one.

>> No.261043

On a related tip, granite's grain size is pretty large, hence it can crack somewhat easy. If your going to try cutting/grinding the stuff I'd make sure to put it on a work surface that's flat and supports it well. I'd be tempted to clamp a 2 x 4 on the top of it, near where you're working on it too, to keep it from flexing at all.
Using a respirator/mask is also a really good idea. Granite can have trace amounts of radioactive elements, but I'd be more worried about the quartz. When you cut that shit, you're breathing in a silicate. Using water as a lubricant for the cut would solve most of this problem - it would turn the dust into a slurry... If you can cut it, quartz is harder than steel btw. A diamond abrasive tool of some sort is probably what the shops use.