Top Polishing ES

[Todd B]

I had an experience much the Same. Colour was blanco stellar and the circle was about the size of a 44 gallon drum.
I used compound only and it worked well. (klone it kit)

I have found that compound only works well on the large chip only.

I have some compound that came in a 20kg bag/sack that is used in the glass industry. It's a powder which you just add water to make a thick paste.

[DavidL]

Todd - Is the compound Cerium Oxide? How well does it work for you? If it is cerium oxide you can get it in multiple grades, from soemthing like "standard" which is used on line polishers/bevelers up to multiple versions of "optical" grade used fro working with lenses and such.

[Todd B]

I really dont know.

I brought maybe 4-5 years ago and the bag/sack is well gone. I'm wanting some more but my problem is that the ASS I got it from was the same ASS that I brought my Denver from! So yeah not really going to ask him.


I believe that in the factory it is archived by a tool! The dicks won't tell me either. It's a secret

[scott m]

The klone it kit works well on the large particulate stuff. I got a kit from defusco and tried without success for some time. Later I called him and he told me how to use it and then bingo.....worked great. Never found small stuff to be too much of a problem. The whole problem with es is not having a "standout" that looks different then the rest. So sometimes you need to hit the whole counter if that is what it takes. I recommend klone it, but make sure you get precise instructions on how to use it or watch the video. You have to use a good wool pad and a car style buff pad with the right compounds......

[Joe Little]

I had to tp a cambria top, fine grain light grey. Luckly it was just a front sink rail, so I didn't have to venture into a full top area and was able to feather to each side of the sink. Standard top polishing , then #3 Klone-it with a worn black buff pad, then hit it with a reg buffing bonet and #3 to finish, Thanks Dufusco !!
Like Curtis said, at 3:25 eastern time, at a 28 degree angle, you can tell its there, otherwise it looks pretty damn good.
Would not have tried it in place, as Mark said due to all the water needed to polish and wash everything off each time so yank the top and get it back to the shop if at all possible.

[Curtis R. Marburger]

MB20 and hog hair removes them ghoast marks (shadows) on the solid gray color ES , from them stickers or from sumthing left in front of slab

[Curtis R. Marburger]

just top polished a scratch out of Gray silestone with the New Alpha Turbo shine set , like nuthing to it

[Ken Lago]

Curtis and gravel

[Curtis R. Marburger]

Curtis and gravel

don't attempt to define me , Im very complex , with a undefined complex ,

yes the smell of drunk Skunk , that fell into liquid chicken manure , is once again gracing the shop of Cornerstone Granite


there was a scratch that needed to be removed at the 12th hour ,,, Alpha Turbo Shine

[Todd B]

What is Gray Silestone? And did you take pics?

[Curtis R. Marburger]

Morango , silestone

No didn't take pictures

get yourself that Alpha Turboshine kit and play around with it , Also MB20 and microfiber and or hoghair helps to dial in the factory finish

[Mark Meriaux]

I I noticed that this topic is a sticky on our members forum, so I figure that it is still important to some people

I think I am now the most vocal fanboy for the Quartz Renew kit from Regent. I have successfully blended to match the factory finish on the following materials/colors:

Silestone Bamboo (fine particulate beige color)
Silestone Sienna Ridge & Mountain Mist (large aggregates)
Silestone a White Zeus Extreme (fine grain pure white)
Cambria Devon (fine grain solid grey)
Hanstone Black Coral (black w/ aggregate) - this color had some residue or swirls in the factory finish that would not "clean" off with normal shop chemicals or cleaners. We quickly refinished the entire surface of the finished tops quickly only using the QR "Final Polish".
Most recently I had to blend in a large dip where our shop had over polished a seam on some Zodiaq Cloud White. This job was in a heavily-windowed room which made the repaired area highly visible from many angles. Diamonds alone will not match the finish on Zodiaq. Here are the before and after photos of that area:





I highly recommend trying the Quartz Renew kit from Regent. The most notable difference with this kit is the foam finishing pads that are used and the slow traverse speed across the repair area. Regent has links to YouTube videos on how to use it and I found them helpful when starting out. Good luck guys!

[Darryl Miller]

Looks great Mark. Congratulations!

[Todd B]

That shot looks ok but I can still see the repaired area. Remember walls are best for hiding stuff and windows are not.

Imagine if that was a Island top and the repair was in the middle!

Would it still fly Mark? If so more pics would be good.

Cheers

[Dan R.]

I may need spectacles, as it looks great to me.

[Darryl Miller]

I may need spectacles, as it looks great to me.

x2

[Mark Meriaux]

It's visible, but acceptable. I'm not Cameron.

[BellaTerra]

I may need spectacles, as it looks great to me.

X3

[mike@BMG]

Reading through this topic I see a few people saying "it cant be done" anything can be done the factory polished it, it didn't come out of no where but after visiting the factory in Vietnam and speaking with many companies with my trips over to Italy, including the actual Breton factory, I have come to my own opinion on this. Top polishing ES has to be the hardest and most patience testing work in our industry. Some times it literally feels impossible and I have giving up sometimes but I have also had a large amount of success too so I am going to share my technique.

For ES colors with a larger texture I put together my own kit. Keep In mind when ever top polishing use ALOT of water, the last thing you want to do is heat up the pad and scratch the top even more.

I start with the Alpha Turboshine ridged pads (100, 200, 500,1000) then I go over to my Alpha Ceramica EX polishing pads starting at a 1000,2000,3000. There is no texture at this point it is just a flat polish, as I put it the background polish.

Now this is how I get my texture, so depending on the color of the material you are top polishing this is where you need to spend the time playing with getting the right texture in the background.

I use the Alicante carbide brushes (800, 1000, fine , extra fine) and the Santinex Diamond Brushes with I like more because the finish bush is really gloss (800, 1200, fine, extra fine)

Starting at the 800 grit brush for larger texture and starting at the 1200 for the colors with almost a solid look but still arnt a flat finish. The brushes at these grits don't actually cut and leave a feel texture it is on the polish that has the texture just like the ES. 80 % of the time the extra fine brush matches the factory polish VERY VERY identically but for the times you just need it to pop a little bit I go back to my 3000, this will not cut enough to take out the polish texture from the brushes but it really comes down the that exact slab if the repair more or less. If you are still looking hazy go over to MB20 polishing compound and work that until it is almost dry.

In over view

The lower grits are to get rid of the scratch but it causes the polish to be flat now

the 1000, 2000, 300o polishing pads are to get what a call the background polish that the brushes wont get but after this step the polish is there but it is flat

The 800, 1200, fine and extra fine is where you spend your time matching the polish texture. And then if needing a higher finish back to the 3000 polishing pad and if needed MB20 compound.

From all my testing this is the system I use but it is not guaranteed to work for you, grab 6 different colors and practice in your shop before taking it too the field.

[natebrack]

Anyone have any luck with Caeserstone Piatra Gray? I may need to top polish (was going to try a scrap piece in the morning), but seeing if a certain kit may work for this color? I have the Steve's Polishing Pro kit for ES, and am willing to buy any other kit on the market if it works. Just not sure about this Piatra Gray color...

[Mark Meriaux]

Did you read any of the above posts?
I have not personally used the Polishing Pro system, so I won't say anything good or bad about it. I have used the Klone It and Quartz Renew kits. I personally prefer the Quartz Renew system, as I have found it the easiest to use and the most forgiving. I haven't used it on Piatra Grey, but I've used it on Cambria Devon (a similar fine-grained dary grey color) with excellent results.

[natebrack]

Ok thanks, was just checking to see if anyone had luck on Piatra Gray, will try my kit, then order the other if it doesn't work.

[Mark Meriaux]

Can we move this into the How To.......forum?

[kevinp]

Can we move this into the How To.......forum?

My apologies... I thought I already put it there!

I added it to the Top Polishing section.