Silestone as Router Table Top?

I believe I saw a post here where someone was gloating about having found silestone at a good price to make a router table top. Since I am about to build another riouter table and was thinking about using MDF with HP laminate the post made me wonder if perhaps silestone might be better. It seems to have all the qualities a RT requires--hardness, machinability. The question really is if it is that much better than MDF. How thick does it have to be to eliminate all danger of sagging? Will it warp? It should not since I don't see how moisture could penetrate. Would anyone who is using it as a RT top please post impressions. Thanks.

Joe

Reply to
Joe Bleau
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Silestone is 30 mm. a 24" x 12" won't sag to the point you'd notice.

Reply to
Robatoy

I got into this because of someone's gloat about getting a Silestone router table top. It sounds great but I thought it was like Corian and could be machine with woodworking machines. Apparently it can not. Wonder how the gloater made his cutout to accept his router plate? It sound like it would make such a fantastic top I am wondering if I couldn't have a marble shop do the cutout for me. Any ideas. Thanks.

Joe

Reply to
Joe Bleau

What happened was a screw up when they did his counter tops and this was part of the "I am sorry we screwed up" deal.

Reply to
bdeditch

Wonder how much I would have to spend to get someone to screw up something for me and then make me a Silestone RT top?

Joe

Reply to
Joe Bleau

Where are you located?

Reply to
Robatoy

Florida Keys

Reply to
Joe Bleau

I am the lucky gloater. I have had the table top for a few weeks now and it is awesome. I just set it up for some edge jointing and my stock is coming out perfectly square from end to end.

I used to have a laminated mdf (basically an old kitchen countertop) and my stock would come out somewhat square in the middle, but not at the ends. This was because there was a sag in the middle. I propped it up but was still not perfect.

I can tell you that silestone is ideal for this application. I originally asked my countertop guy if he could do this with granite, but he resisted saying it would crack much easier. Silestone has much less chance of shattering since it has resin built into it's composition. My piece is 24" x 36". They cut out the inset for the router with their CNC machine. I would definately not try this at home.

As far as cost goes, I paid nothing, but if you make nice with one of these guys you could probably get a cutoff from their production shop fabricated for less than a hundred. If you are in the market for a new granite countertop, make that part of the deal beforehand.

Reply to
Todd the wood junkie

That's a bit of a trip. I had also hoped, that by chance, I knew somebody in your area... I don't. DO stick with quartz, instead of granite. A much better choice for a RT. Cambria, Silestone, Ceasar Stone, and my personal favourite Hanstone.

Draw up your RT cut-out on a basic vector program (Adobe Illustrator will do) and contact Park Industries and see who has one of these:

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your area. The same people will have cut-outs from cooktops or larger sinks.

You might get lucky, I hope you do.

r
Reply to
Robatoy

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