Granite Uses?

Jul 24, 2005 23 Replies

I just came across a place that regularly throws away granite. Here's a couple of pieces:

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there's plenty of it.



It seems I could get a lot of pieces 1.25" thick, 30" wide, with varying broken-off lengths (from would-be counters). There are lots of smaller pieces too.



I don't have a wet saw, and I'm not familiar with laying stone, but I suppose I could get one and learn.



What can I use this stuff for?


You can make all sorts of things with it, but you need the right tools to finish it. Bookends, rolling pads for pastry, pen holders, napkin holders decorative items, scones, etc. A water jet is good for cutting precision stuff, but they cost about $200K

What can I use this stuff for?

-An introduction to meet the people who work there who will probably cut it into any shape you want for a couple of bucks.

You're right. I had been planning to cut them myself, but these guys are better setup for it. I already talked to them briefly. While I was there. I took a couple of pics of their shop with my cell phone:

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Cut it into 16 x 20 slabs, polish the edges, give it Sorbothane feet and market it to audiophiles with turntables (for vibration damping purposes).

George BTW--The business advice will cost you one of these!

- nospambob -

- Nehmo -

Let?s say I was going to make something bigger, for example, a desk top. What?s the basic construction technique using granite? For starters, how do you piece together a surface? You could place plywood, backer board, mastic, pieces of granite, grout in between, and that would do it. But are there better techniques?

I'm in Kansas City.

That's a great idea. There must be a market for at least....30(?) of those!!

almost _four_hunnert_bucks for a beech knob? I'm in the wrong business....

Greetings Bridger,

The hard business isn't making beech knobs -- it is selling them for $400. If you think you can do that good luck.

William

Yep, you should be in the $23,500 speaker cables business...

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Don't knock the crazed audiophile market

They can't come up with an economic use for it, and you are asking us? (If you think of something, tell them, and then they will stop throwing it out.)

Reply to NG only - this e.mail address goes to a kill file.

- v - They can't come up with an economic use for it, and you are asking us?

- Nehmo - They?re in the business of making kitchen counters. They probably aren?t paying attention to possible creative ways to use the scrap.

I was thinking of putting facing on concrete retaining walls. I don?t have any walls right now that need facing, but it?s an idea.

This is a pic of their rolloff:

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See what they would charge to square them up and deburr the edges. Stick rubber feet on them, and sell them at local hamfest as soldering stations. (burn proof, protect the wood bench or desk, etc.) The polished flat scraps are always useful for hobby folks as flat bulletproof work surfaces. Big coasters for snacks on the coffee table? Saw then into small squares as paperweights? Make gravestones for backyard pet burials? With a sheet of wet sandpaper, makes a good honing block to flatten/polish mating engine parts. All sorts of uses for people who get their hands dirty. I'd love to have a few laying around here.

aem sends...

Michelangelo never had a diamond wet saw.

You can use a cold chisel and mallet to scribe a line and break along that line for starters. Counters (bathroom vanity, bistro table) with chiseled or flamed edge might be acceptable. These would also make good stair treds, stepping stones, clock faces, cascade stone for fountain (now there is something you can sell) etc. Watch a few Flintstones episodes for more ideas.

Any stone sculpture classes at your local Jr College?

Well, hell, why not try ebony with a holly insert, or vice versa, or cocobolo, or... Jack the price up beyond sanity, ask another 200 or so bucks.

Oh. The price is *already* beyond sanity.

Got to admit, I'ld love access to that dumpster.

I can't imagine they give a schist.

Jason

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