Whats the proper technique for cutting a cultured marble vanity top? I have to take about 3/4″ off one end of it and I’ve heard of a variety of techniques from plywood blades to ordinary carbides to carbides installed backwards to cutting wet with a diamnond blade. Any concensus out there?
If it makes any difference, it’s a new top, polished face with an unpolished, almost plastery looking backside. Looks a bit different than the old 80’s era tops that I’ve torn out many a time.
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I put a strip of masking tape on the top to draw my scribe line on. Pencil sticks and shows up better. Then I take the top out side(very dusty operation, this. Don't forget safety gear.) and use my right angle grinder with a diamond wheel to do the cutting. If I need a finer scribe line then a belt sander will get you the rest of the way. If you really need to control dust you could have someone hold a shop vac near your cut. It will at least catch the fine stuff. 'Course a wet saw would really knock down the dust but....
Good luck
I have a dumb question for you but why do you need to cut it? Any way to "board stretch" where it goes rather than shrinking it (say, cut out a small strip of drywall on the sidewalls, slip it in and replaster around it?).
Edited 3/2/2006 4:18 pm ET by philarenewal
philarenewal's idea would be ideal, but if not i'd use the diamond wheel on the minigrinder.....careful though, a new blade will leave some tear out...i'd break it in first or score a line to keep it minimal
When in doubt, get a bigger hammer!
Been there, done that. Only a diamond blade will work. carbide will wear extremely quickly.
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
This works well.
A thin metal cutting disc in an angle grinder. Easy to control, no tearout, cuts fairly quick.
Much dust.A great place for Information, Comraderie, and a sucker punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
I use a carbide grit blade in my jigsaw. Leave the line when you cut, and then take the rest down with a 36 grit belt in the belt sander.
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I was looking for a carbide jig saw blade just last week and couldn't find one to save my life. I've got the Bosch saw too but damn if I can find a carbide blade...where did you find one?
I have seen the carbide jigsaw blades in HD, Lowes, and DalTile. They looks like rocksalt, not lke a regular blade. look in the tile dept at HD & lowes.
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
thanks! I'll check out Lowes today for the blades. Hey, my sister lives in Krum, Texas...never been in Texas myself but she thinks it's made for her. Me, I'm liken California myself. See Ya!
They sell them at Home Depot, or Lowe's.My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard
I did cultured marble installs while "locked out" for 5 months and we simply used a the thin metal cut off discs in a side arm grinder.It cuts easily and you can get amazingly accurate cuts... but lot of dust.Mark with a china marker (grease pencil)
For 3/4" I use the dimond cutting wheel, leave about 1/8" and finish that off with the right angle grinder and a 36 grit wheel, it'll take it off 3 times faster then a belt sander.
Doug