peachfront
fully equipped rock polisher
Stones have begun to speak, because an ear is there to hear them.
Member since August 2010
Posts: 1,745
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Post by peachfront on Jul 21, 2012 12:23:53 GMT -5
I finally did my first table top. It is a very easy direct technique, grouted, stone mosaic, so it is not right for a place where you would set down stemmed glasses. I will be using in the spot where I bring in my snail mail and packages each day. Funny how I thought I had lots of stone mosaic pieces collected but now I am almost out so I am not sure what my next project will be. I would like to do a clear one, but I am not yet ready to take the step of working with epoxy. I think it is pretty straight-forward how to make this tabletop but I will write up and post instructions soon if anyone has questions. At that time I'll take a better picture...in a bit of a time crunch with all of my other projects going.  Thanks to "Snuffy" who provided many of the stones in multiple trades. The frame is papier mache over OSB. |
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Post by talkingstones on Jul 21, 2012 12:31:21 GMT -5
Very nice piece! It's very festive looking with all of the colors and I love the almost white of the grout! This definitely generates ideas! How long did it take you to get the whole piece done?
Cathy
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peachfront
fully equipped rock polisher
Stones have begun to speak, because an ear is there to hear them.
Member since August 2010
Posts: 1,745
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Post by peachfront on Jul 21, 2012 12:43:04 GMT -5
Cathy, this is actually a quick process in terms of time actually put in. There is a certain amount of "sit and wait." I started I think Saturday or Sunday, so a week or less than a week, but you work at most an hour at a time. First step, use thin strips to papier mache the OSB. Put in an air conditioned place with a fan to dry for 24-plus hours. If you use papier mache clay, you would need to let it dry longer, sometimes much longer, so living here in the south, I love papier mache strips!
Next, I glued the stones. Maybe 30 minutes actual work, 24 plus hours to rest. Next, I cheated and used pre-mixed grout in an outdoor but screened workshop. Less than an hour to grout and sponge. Rest 4 hours. Remove haze. (This depends on the instructions for the grout you are using. Some grout, you don't remove the haze for 24 hours, others you remove haze at 1 hour. Read the package!) I used fast-drying acrylic paint for the frame. Two layers of the deep green. Wait until it is completely dry. Now pounce on the black glaze. 24 plus more hours of waiting. Touch up on the grout. 24 more hours. Add clear mosaic grout sealer. Whew it's a lot of typing but not very time consuming at all. There's more waiting than working. I will let it sit a few more days before I put anything on it but that's just superstition because it's bone dry. I only did the grouting outdoors, all else, I did in an air conditioned space with a nearby fan to keep the air circulating and the humidity way down.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jul 21, 2012 13:25:12 GMT -5
Beautiful table. Now that I see one I have to make one. The table is already made so all I have to do is trim the edge and polish a lot of rock.
Thanks for showing
Jim
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peachfront
fully equipped rock polisher
Stones have begun to speak, because an ear is there to hear them.
Member since August 2010
Posts: 1,745
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Post by peachfront on Jul 21, 2012 13:34:09 GMT -5
Thanks! Getting the rocks together is probably the longest part of the process in terms of time but it's a lot of fun pondering all the varieties!
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jul 21, 2012 14:05:15 GMT -5
Mine is a lot bigger table so I am going to use a lot bigger stones.  Jim |
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Post by helens on Jul 21, 2012 14:37:50 GMT -5
That turned out really neat:)! Been thinking of making a slab coffee table too (as well as a wall display), but still figuring out the details. It's great to see other people's ideas!
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peachfront
fully equipped rock polisher
Stones have begun to speak, because an ear is there to hear them.
Member since August 2010
Posts: 1,745
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Post by peachfront on Jul 21, 2012 15:07:04 GMT -5
Jim, I have bigger slabs but they are not polished, and I am not set up for flat polishing. Not sure if I can go much bigger with my equipment. Counter-top polishing tools would probably be necessary but for some reason we've had poor results so far in our tests. I know other people have done beautifully with counter top polishers.
Thanks, Helen! I will post a how to guide tomorrow, but this is for the most simple folk art type technique so I'm sure with your skills you will easily surpass me. I would also like to make an agate window but I have not yet gotten up my courage to tackle the epoxy question...To make a hangable item from stone there will be many questions of weight.
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Post by talkingstones on Jul 21, 2012 15:30:32 GMT -5
I was thinking about doing an agate stained glass kind of thing too! I think the stone can really lend itself to that! Let me know what you come up with!
Cathy
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snuffy
Cave Dweller 
Member since May 2009
Posts: 4,319
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Post by snuffy on Jul 21, 2012 22:58:22 GMT -5
Really looks good. One of these days gonna start on mine.
Snuffy
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peachfront
fully equipped rock polisher
Stones have begun to speak, because an ear is there to hear them.
Member since August 2010
Posts: 1,745
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Post by peachfront on Jul 22, 2012 7:56:28 GMT -5
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Post by gingerkid on Jul 22, 2012 9:03:05 GMT -5
 Beautiful work!! Would love to try and see if we can make one. Thanks for posting a link with instructions on how to DIY. ;D
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colliel82
has rocks in the head
Member since November 2007
Posts: 664
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Post by colliel82 on Jul 27, 2012 9:02:15 GMT -5
Love the table. Someday I want to make one.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jul 27, 2012 9:58:01 GMT -5
I use counter top polishing pads for all my polishing of slabs and cabs but it is not easy to do slabs. To keep them flat I have to start with a higher grit and spend more time on them. If I grind at 50 or 100 the slabs get a little rounded on the edges. Other than that they work great. I have them on a grinder shaft with pumped water feed. They like to throw a lot of water but I have a lot of sheet metal, chunks of plastic bottle and shower curtain plastic mounted all around it. My trim saw blade is mounted right behind them on the same shaft so I can reach over and trim if I need to.
Jim
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Beautiful work!! Would love to try and see if we can make one. 
