Slate tables.

[Lc]

Hi, Hi, I've removed an old slate hearth and I'm not sure what to do with it - so I've decided to make some nice tables. I'm not sure how to get a clean edge but that could be there charm !!

Any ideas on how to cut slate into sections, its about 1/2inch thick ?

Angle grinder ?? if so buy a cheapie(ebay ?)or hire one for they day ?

how can I feather/bevelle the edge ?

One I get the slate sections I'm then planning to put holes in the top so I can screw the legs on. These would need to be quite neat so any ideas on how I can do this ? What type of drill bit ?

Cheers l.c1

[Rick Dipper]

Sir,

Diamond blade on angle grinder. There was a guy here who said you can work the edgces with a router, treating it like HARD wood, but I an't tried this.

Rick

[Roly]

A router can be used ( carefully ) to produce a lovely bevel or curved edge on slate.

A friend of mine is very proud of his routed slate worktop which exactly matches the profile of his wooden worktop elsewhere in the kitchen.

Try it on some scrap to see how you get on.

[Andy Dingley]

It all depends on your slate.

Some Welsh stuff will work beautifully (look at old 1920's electrical panels). Lakeland slate might take the finish, but it's hard enough to destroy most tooling. Other slates, especially recycled roofing slates, will just collapse into shards when you look at them.

The best slate I've found for machining was old stuff used for cold water tanks (1900's Liverpool this wasn't uncommon - lead joints to seal them). It even made it worth the trouble of getting the slabs out of the roofspace without ust breaking them in situ.