Black Lab countertop for a router table?

[Tony Shea]

I have aquired some good size pieces of black laboratory countertop from a job. I haven't decided what to do with it yet but am in need of a router table. I was thinking that this would make a perfectly flat top and would remain that way for years. The stuff is super hard though and do not know if it is worth my effort. Has anyone ever had to cut or rout this sort of material? Would it be worth making a recess for a router plate to gain easier access of zero clearance inserts as well as other accessories that easily mount to the plates, including the router itself? Seems as though it would be tough to machine this recess. I just like idea due to the durability of this stuff as well as the stability. It would never move from enviromental reasons and would never sag from router weight.

[Eric DeSilva]

And here I was trying to figure out how you turn a dog into a table top...

[Terry Hatfield]

And here I was trying to figure out how you turn a dog into a table top...

Me too. I'm so disappointed. ;)

[Paul Murphy]

In the old days those countertops were often made from soapstone, so I think you would have to have your cutting done by a place that has that tooling. I seem to rember a poster a while back had one done out of granite, you might search for that post.

More recently there are manmade materials, either cement formed in a press, or even some epoxy resin. If you have the resin product it might be machinable with regular carbide tooling.

I kind of like the idea of a soapstone router table:)

[Tony Shea]

Lol, I never noticed the black lab title. That sounds terrible.

I think that it is some sort of epoxy resin, I don't believe it's soapstone. I haven't tried cutting into yet.

[Alan Schaffter]

I picked up an inexpensive piece of scrap black granite and plan to do the same thing. There there are various ways to cut the opening, none easy. I plan to take it to a fabrication shop and have the opening cut on their CNC abrasive water jet machine. These machines can cut all sorts of materials, are really accurate, and leave a nice edge. The only negative, is it will cost me $75 for the 9 1/4" x 11 3/4" opening. At least that is what they quoted last year, but who knows if their business has improved it could be more!

[Myk Rian]

It will probably require water cooled tooling to make the hole, but it would be a nice router table. Check with a couple cabinet shops in the area.

[Matt Day]

When the guys on my jobs (I've built a couple $50M+ labs for a University) need to trim down a piece of soapstone, they've cut without water cooled equipment. I'm not sure exactly what kind of blade they use, but we have them do it outside because it is extremely dusty. Sorry I can't be more help.

[Bob Hallowell]

I just finished not to long ago installing my own prefab granite. I had to cut it to lenght and drill faucet holes. I was amazed at how easily 1" 1/4 granite cut, drilled and polished all dry. I used a 7" diamond blade on my circular saw. I bought my tools from www.toolocity.com (http://www.toolocity.com). Some day when it warms up here in Pa I will post my new kitchen in the projects forum but the countertops are great.

Bob

[Tony Shea]

I have heard that cutting these tops will create some nasty dust. Im might check around to see what it would cost to have it milled locally by a professional.

[Lee Schierer]

And here I was trying to figure out how you turn a dog into a table top...

I was in the same boat. I thought labs were only good for duck or pheasant hunts.

[Mike Wilkins]

I have had 2 slabs of the same laboratory material, and the exact same thought came into my mind. I would love to know how to machine this stuff because it is super hard, heavy and a black surface would look really cool in the shop.

[Tony Bilello]

Buy a cheap carbide tipped router bit and see how well it does or doesn't.
If it is soapstone, it might work because I used to turn soapstone on a lathe.
Why a router bit? Because that is what you will be using to cut out the recess.
Anyway, try it and you will eliminate a lot of guess work on here.

[Kev Godwin]

Tony,
Before you go to messing with the lab top, make sure it isn't based with asbestos binders in the top. I used to work for a large university and had to test all installations before renovations were done. Many of them contain asbestos to be resistant to burners and other hot devices.

Cutting such tops with asbestos will permit the particles to become air born and could get into your lungs. Wearing a mask is not a solution either. That dust will get into everything and will get stirred up and could be a long-term problem.

If you contact a testing lab in your area, they can come take a core sample and test it for you. Better safe than sorry.
Kev

[Terry Welty]

Check out a monument, grave marker company,,, betcha they could do it.

[Andrew Hughes]

I have installed a few epoxy top in hospitals.If you have a top made by trespa it may be flat.If its not too big. The cheaper ones are not very flat.I been checking havent seen one yet.Plus they are nasty to cut the dust is foul.Carbide will dull quickly.Diamond blades work the best.

[Buck Williams]

If it's soapstone, which was pretty typical, it can be cut with carbide router bits and saw blades. A local hardwood supplier was carrying it for a while, and I had some discussions with him about working with it. Google "soapstone countertop installation" and I think you'll find that it's workable with woodworking tools. The This Old House website used to have a link to working with soapstone for countertops.

[Karl Card]

And here I was trying to figure out how you turn a dog into a table top...


+1...lol:):eek::)

[Rob Wright]

If it's soapstone, which was pretty typical, it can be cut with carbide router bits and saw blades. A local hardwood supplier was carrying it for a while, and I had some discussions with him about working with it. Google "soapstone countertop installation" and I think you'll find that it's workable with woodworking tools. The This Old House website used to have a link to working with soapstone for countertops.

Must be the same guy I bough my sister's kithen from:D
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=58418

fabbing the soapstone was easy with a $10 diamond blade for my skilsaw, a $10 diamond blade for my 4.5" angle grinder, and some cheep carbide bits from the woodcraft bargain bin (the green $5 ones that go on sale occasionally). Harbor freight was my friend for that project!

A template and some time would all you would need if it was soapstone.

[Jim O'Dell]

Yeah, my first thought was if the hair would allow the wood to slide easier, or if it was shedding, would the hair get bunched up under the wood and throw the cut off. :D
You've received some good info on what to check for. The Asbestos thing would be the most worrisome. That might be the best thing to check first. Maybe where you got it, would that information be available there? Jim.

[Alan Tolchinsky]

I've learned some things just aren't worth the effort. If this stuff is hard to machine why not just go with the traditional laminate on MDF which will still probably last your life time. Good luck!

[Tony Shea]

I have heard about the asbestos issues with this stuff online which really never crossed my mind. If I take the plunge that will be my first step is to get it tested.

I have considered laminating two peices of 3/4" MDF together and putting some sort of laminate on that. But I don't usually have that good of luck laminating sheet goods together and acheiving a perfectly flat surface. Not sure why but I always seem to end up with some sort of bow. Any tricks to this method other than doing it on a perfectly flat surface, which can be hard to come by? I've thought about melamine particle board but would think just one layer would sag over time. And laminating two of these sheets together would odviously creat a poor glue joint between them due to the melamine. I am currently without a jointer as I can't mill up perfectly flat edges at the moment for supports as I would use that method. I'm actually on a pretty hard hunt for a used but good condition 8" jointer. It seems to be taking forever to come across a decent one though.