SFA

I opened my shop in 2004, after being a salesman for another company for a year. I
A builder says" can you do this " I say " do I have your business " he says, you already do" . So I've now I've been in business for nine years, and I've learned more than I ever thought I could about stone.
I've always steered clients back towards 3cm granite, I just didn't want to work with a man made material such as quartz.
Now I have started, we have no polish machines, just a rail saw, and router. People ask me about my machinery, that's my helper and he is awesome.
My problem, 7 slabs of quartz with a miter edge. A designer and builder I'm exited to work with. We usually use tape for the miter edge, but I want perfect on this job, has anyone used the new miter clamps? If so, what do you think, tape, or clamp?

You could do either. I think having all your angles cut perfect and a good glue color will make the difference. Not so much your clamps/tape. One way is considerably cheaper and can warrant the same results in my opinion.

VThartzog wrote:I think having all your angles cut perfect and a good glue color will make the difference. Not so much your clamps/tape.

I agree. I also think that with a rail saw you are going to be hard pressed to get that good consistent cut across that many slabs of quartz. It can be done, but it will be a LOT of work. Depending on where you are located, you could look at "partnering" with someone that has better mitering capabilities (saw, sawjet or cnc).

Get ahold of Mar Meriux (sp?) with VT industries. This is exactly what they do and they do a good job with miters.

You lost me with the picture, that is a stepped edge?

Quartz is great to work with on miters. As mentioned, glue color is important. Subbing it out would be smarter than buying those miter specific clamps considering your situation.

If you want to fabricate it, for what it is worth I think the tape method sucks and the miter specific clamps are so overpriced it is borderline insulting to fabricators. You would never find something like that in the wood or metal industry at those prices. I don't mean to begrudge anyone a profit, but a made specific clamp that utilizes the same principles that you can do with 2 $4 clamps and a $5 square for the money they do is crazy.

If you can do a decent miter with stone you can do quartz using the same tools and methods. glue color is critical other then taht it is easier then stone and you can do it with a rail saw. We did it all the time before we got our cnc saw and a few times since.

I added the picture just because I wanted a picture up, we do very nice work. In the north west our little shop is looked down upon. Maybe because our prices per square foot is cheaper than the big shops.
Back to the point, we have done a few stone miters, and the tape works, just wondering if the miter clamps were faster, and done a better job at the corner?

I've seen miters done upside down, right side up, fancy clamps, cheap clamps, no clamps, tape, rail saw, CNC, bridge saw and probably every combination of the above. If the cut is good and the glue matches, then the miter should be good.

Fancy clamps seem like a waste to me, but if they work for somebody, who am I to tell them how to miter something up.

Where in the north west are you located? If your close enuff maybe we can hook up?

Andy Ross wrote:. If the cut is good and the glue matches, then the miter should be good.
.

This.......and tape sucks

I work out of Boise, idaho. I actually have a three slabber going in at Kamiah.

Nick wrote:

Andy Ross wrote:. If the cut is good and the glue matches, then the miter should be good.
.

This.......and tape sucks

So does poly

Ron, gotcha. I hear you, gotta get the fact you can fabricate out of the way. That is a nice job and certainly a pain by hand. It seems like you guys have miter experience but are you looking at getting away from tape because of what? speed, ease, or a better product? I would purchase a glue prematched to the quartz color you are using. That will go farthest for you off the bat with what you have. We don't do this but I did buy a close out of tenax POLY caesarstone match for blizzard and pure white. We used the blizzard color on a pretty large mitered kitchen and it was very convenient.


Chris, I have a general rule of attention span for me here. I only listen to and consider the advice of those who actually frequently fabricate/do/use what they are offering advice on. You don't qualify as offering me glue advice .

Hey Ron, you should look into joining the SFA. You are actually getting more help than most from the general forum, but members can ask all kinds of questions and get many answers. For a shop age like yours, it would be a smart move.

GuyboR wrote:

VThartzog wrote:I think having all your angles cut perfect and a good glue color will make the difference. Not so much your clamps/tape.

I agree. I also think that with a rail saw you are going to be hard pressed to get that good consistent cut across that many slabs of quartz. It can be done, but it will be a LOT of work. Depending on where you are located, you could look at "partnering" with someone that has better mitering capabilities (saw, sawjet or cnc).

Ditto

Andy Ross wrote:I've seen miters done upside down, right side up, fancy clamps, cheap clamps, no clamps, tape, rail saw, CNC, bridge saw and probably every combination of the above. If the cut is good and the glue matches, then the miter should be good.

Agreed.

We have done every way and don't necessarily have a set way. Myself on a simple 2 sided top and fairly small apron, I prefer face up and tape for the visibility and control of the joint.
IMO the clamps are too pricey and pretty cumbersome to be effective. As Nick stated, a $5 square and some clamps are cheap.

Nick, thanks for your reply, and I am seriously considering the cost of joining SFA. The advice is welcomed , and appreciated.
My quartz supplier hasn't mentioned the supply of color matching glue, and I know my local diamond tool supply guy doesn't
The poly color, any suggestions ?

SFA membership is cheaper than miter clamps


Let's stop calling this "quartz". What brand and color is your job in specifically?

Francinni Quartz , gun metal, arctic white,silver white.
Black galaxy, which will be easy, and a marble, 2cm new thassos.
I think I would need all the color matched epoxy except for the black galaxy, I'm thinking
The new thassos marble will be the hardest to fab.
Francinni buys the quartz, not sure the specific brand, probably china ?

Yeah, your not getting a color match for an importers "private line".


You will want a white base glue (we use tenax white), and not sure what "new thassos" is, but it may be that "white diamond/crystal thassos" that has been around in popularity as of late. If that is the case some kind of translucent glue will be necessary(we use tenax crystal)

We have mitered the crystal thassos/white diamond and although it obviously wasn't as super easy and consistent as real thassos, it was not as bad as it could have been by looking at it.

Nick, your right about the thassos marble. It like to blow out with any pressure, hard to work with, lots of TLC.
I also use the Tenax products, come to think about I think I have some crystal clear I got to fill a Carrara steam shower this past summer. My local supplier doesn't have the white Tenax, it's usually a yellow tint that he has, I'll ask him to get ome white.
Thanks for your feedback.

Ron wrote:I work out of Boise, idaho. I actually have a three slabber going in at Kamiah.

Holy SH@!... This is 10 plus hours of drive time!!!! Well if your in the area give me a shout. always like hanging with stone dudes...And JOIN the SFA! Best money spent. also George Graff at stone pro is in your area. He is always great for lending a local SFA guy a hand!

Ron, call me I,m here in Boise may be I can help

Ron, you're obviously experienced, and also looking to raise your own bar insofar as quality... wanting to "get it right"... doing your best possible work. Just look at all the wonderful advice you got in the General Forum, and just IMAGINE all you'll learn in the "Members Lounge". Membership WILL be the best investment you could ever make for your business. This place, and these guys, have taught me SOOO much, and saved me SOOO much money it's ridiculous. I know most of the members will say the same. You have stuff for US to learn too, no doubt!!!
GET ALLIED! Learn, Share, Prosper! ...and if you can get to an SFA workshop, OMG, do it, man!!!