Designing Kitchens and Bathrooms - Tools for Granite Slab

Plan to buy a pre-finished granite slab (8' long) with front bullnose (maybe also one side bullnose finish), cut under mount sink hole, 4" faucet holes (3 holes), make side bullnose, and back splash for vanity top. Because of labor cost is $655 which is much higher than tools (~$450), I am planning to do it myself. I do most of home improvement myself and confidence of doing this with correct instructions and procedures. Can anyone tell me what kind of tools (including blades, hole saw, and polish kits) do I need? I saw granite store sells grinder with various speeds (Makita 9564CV) that can be used to do all these works from cutting, drilling holes, and fininshing. Do I really need various speed grinder to do all these works? How many watts and amps of grinder do I need? Do watts and amps matter? If you can also provide me with step by step instructions, that would be great. Thanks in advance!

I hate bursting your bubble, but granite isn't a diy thingy. One misstep and the whole $600 piece of granite is worthless. Not to mention it weighs 200# per cubic foot. Saving $200 IMO ain't worth the aggravation you will encounter. Your energies, and it appears you have much, would better be placed on other aspects of the remodel, and let the pros handle the granite.

Hi Chandler,

Thanks for your opinion! The pre-finished front bullnose granite slab (25" x 96") costs $250 and can be lifted by two people. This is the smallest piece I can get. I only need 19" x 48" which left half of this piece for my experiment before actually cutting on work piece that I want. In other words, if I have professional doing it for me, the left over piece (25" x 48") is junk for me. In addition, if I learn and know how to cut and finish granite this time, I will do the same for my kitchen counter top myself which I will save even much more. If I fail this time, I don't loose much as I still have enough granite for professional worker to make the right vanity top for me. Thus, I only lost the cost of tools, but I own these tools for future use. Besides, I love doing things myself. Wouldn't it worth a try?

As I said earlier, I did most of research for granite work and the only things I am not clear are: Do I really need various speed (from ~2,800 rpm to ~11,000 rpm) grinder? If this answer is "yes", can anyone suggest me a brand and model of grinder to use? What are differences in terms of watts and amps for the grinder?

Yeah, get a variable speed grinder because you don't want to turn a core bit 10000 RPM to drill faucet holes. 2000-2500 RPM is fine, and keep the water flowing or you'll wear the diamond coating off quickly. I'd get the Metabo Quick 125 for safety reasons-it has a clutch which will slip if the core bit gets stuck, which they are prone to do. Also use a GFCI outlet or adapter so you don't get ZZZAPPED. Also use water for any cutting you do with a diamond blade because the silica dust is nasty to breathe. Good luck, have fun, and report back.

for the polishing you do need a varriabe speed gringer but to drill the holes you dont, most drills wont go full speed untill you push the trigger all the way, so you could save mony and use a regular drill with a core bit to drill the holes.




Chris

Can I use single speed (5000 rpm) circular saw with diamond blade to cut straight line on granite?

Yow with a little water.:)

but there'll be mucho dust, of course,,, important you but the right blade for the saw's rpm's,,, wet blades're much better imo but you're not going to put food on your table making c-tops,,, soapstone your cut line & place duck tape on the c-top so the saw's shoe won't scratch,,, c-clamp straight wood guide.

small core bits like higher rpm's than large bits,,, you can also get dri corebits.

Thanks for all of your replies! One last question, after cutting granite to fit length, I would like to make it bullnose on cutted edge. It is about 19" long. What are steps to make this bullnose? Do I have to use bullnose bit to make bullnose edge or I can use regular sanding stone to make a rough bullnose, then use polish pads to finish it?

cutting with a regular circular saw, and a wet diamond blade. wouldn't there be an electrocution risk :confused:

Finally got this done myself. Everything looks as I expected. Worth a try if you are diyer.