Corian Training

[fuster]

Would anyone in London be interested in a Corian training course?
I'm planning on getting them to come to my workshop in Leytonstone for a 2 day course. It costs £600, shared between however many people want to do the course. There are two of us at the moment and they will take up to 6.
Once certified by Corian you can buy from any of the manufacturers.
Let me know if interested and I'll send more info. It's about a month in advance to book it I think so hopefully sometime in July.

 

[BearTricks]

What is it about corian that requires you to need training?

 

[bugbear]

What is it about corian that requires you to need training?

I don't know the technical answer, but the practical answer is "the ability to buy the stuff from suppliers"

I suspect DuPoint restrict the sale of Corian to trained people for reasons both of "Big Brother" control, but also so they have some degree of assurance that Corian is installed well, and keeps its reputation for quality.

("back in the day" of steel framed bicycles, any muppet could buy most Reynolds tubing, except for the the exotic 753 stuff. To be allowed to buy that, you had to pass a Reynolds brazing skill exam)

BugBear

 

[Lons]

What is it about corian that requires you to need training?

They won't allow you to buy their product or adhesive unless you've paid them to do the course. They try very hard to surround the fitting process in mystery which needs specialist training when in fact it's pretty simple once you know how and very similar for all solid surfaces from various manufacturers. ( Stihl machinery have done something similar by banning sales unless over the counter from registered dealers because they say the products are sharp and potentially dangerous :roll: ). There are of course ways around all of it and it is possible to buy corian if you have contacts. Many of the alternative products like Mistral etc can be bought without problem and I've fitted and re-fitted several of them over the last few years.

Don't get me wrong, you need the right equipment, and knowledge to do it properly but most of the guys on here would have both. The only specialist bit of kit which really makes things easier are the Bessey clamps which reminds me I must dig mine out and sell now I'm retired and a jig for routing drainer grooves but that can be shop made apart from inserting preformed corian sinks which are a little tricky, it isn't difficult IMHO.

 

[Adam9453]

If you get to 5 people and need a sixth then I would be interested (its not worth more than £100 to me hence only interested in being the sixth person).
It will depend on when in july though as I've got various friends weddings to attend during july.

 

[Myfordman]

I find this arrogance from Solid Surface manufacturers really frustrating as I have 1 off DIY project that I'd like to use Corian or similar materials.
Are there any suppliers/manufacturers of solid surface who will deal with the public without training?

If not I could be a joint 6th person along with Adam for the same reason. Will they only train trade people with vat registration for example and does the authorisation to buy their precious product expire over time or need topping up?

Bob

 

[BearTricks]

So it's a combination of wanting to maintain an air of exclusivity, along with a certain amount of quality control and a bit of a money making opportunity?

Is it particularly expensive or high end enough that it justifies the exclusivity? I'm just curious because I've seen a few turners incorporate it in to their work, but only been able to find offcuts on eBay personally.

 

[bugbear]

So it's a combination of wanting to maintain an air of exclusivity, along with a certain amount of quality control and a bit of a money making opportunity?

Is it particularly expensive or high end enough that it justifies the exclusivity? I'm just curious because I've seen a few turners incorporate it in to their work, but only been able to find offcuts on eBay personally.

I think the training is pretty cheap, so I don't think it's meant to put people off.

For comparison, commercial office tech training (e.g. using Excel) is at least £500 PER HEAD for a couple of days, so 6 people would be £3000, not the £600 you're looking at.

BugBear

 

[Lons]

So it's a combination of wanting to maintain an air of exclusivity, along with a certain amount of quality control and a bit of a money making opportunity?

Is it particularly expensive or high end enough that it justifies the exclusivity? I'm just curious because I've seen a few turners incorporate it in to their work, but only been able to find offcuts on eBay personally.

I think the training is pretty cheap, so I don't think it's meant to put people off.

For comparison, commercial office tech training (e.g. using Excel) is at least £500 PER HEAD for a couple of days, so 6 people would be £3000, not the £600 you're looking at.

BugBear

I actually think it is expensive for what it is tbh though if you're a kitchen fitter it's deductable and would be recovered very quickly, it's the attitude that a tradesman isn't competent without the training that I think is bullsh*t. I can however see the marketing logic in trying to keep the product exclusive and up market. If you want an example of how easy it is to form virtually invisible joints is solid surface material look on the Karonia Mistral site - http://www.karonia.com/installation.html and watch the videos. It's very similar for all solid surface except where Mistral is 25 mm thick and can be used as is, Corian is only 12 mm and needs a front edge strip.

It is expensive, for example Mistral can cost as much as granite but as said, invisible joints, on side cutting and no extra expense for polished / formed edges, sink and hob cutouts and drainers which add significantly to the cost of granite.

Bob

 

[rafezetter]

Err.... I've just watched that video as I fitted a 5.6mtr run of slate in 5 sections just over a week ago and apart from the differences that it was slate and not composite (which was looked at but cost was prohibitive by comparison), the resin was hand mixed and I didn't have a fancy vacuum suction system - that's exactly how I jointed the 5 sections using liquid fibreglass resin and some slate dust for color.

Maybe my DIY skills are better than average, but doing it that way just seemed total common sense to me, and I've never fitted a kitchen worktop before in my life, not even a formica one. I didn't even watch a youtube it seemed so obvious, and this was on over £1200 worth of slate.

£100 to be taught how to suck eggs is pushing it, £600 is a joke. (but that's just my opinion).

 

[adidat]

Isn't it to do with the warranty they offer on there product?

I bought mine of a mate with there fitted sinks etc, it was hard going and you have to think everything through especially with ice white. It's very easy to get a grubby joint. But the customer was pleased with the finished outcome.

I just hot glue gunned mdf pieces on and then used normal clamps, worked very well.

Adidat

 

[Wuffles]

What is it about corian that requires you to need training?

The only specialist bit of kit which really makes things easier are the Bessey clamps which reminds me I must dig mine out and sell now I'm retired and a jig for routing drainer grooves but that can be shop made apart from inserting preformed corian sinks which are a little tricky, it isn't difficult IMHO.

I've got a drainer jig, used it on wood before now, and a belfast sink jig, which I would imagine would work perfectly well on solid surface.

What's the speciality with the Bessey clamps if you don't mind me asking? I'm imagining suckers?

 

[Beau]

I find this arrogance from Solid Surface manufacturers really frustrating as I have 1 off DIY project that I'd like to use Corian or similar materials.
Are there any suppliers/manufacturers of solid surface who will deal with the public without training?

If not I could be a joint 6th person along with Adam for the same reason. Will they only train trade people with vat registration for example and does the authorisation to buy their precious product expire over time or need topping up?

Bob

Avonite used to sell without training. They happily sent me a thick instruction book on how to do it. Might be worth trying them.

http://www.avonitesolidsurface.co.uk/te ... mation.asp

Sorry OP no help for making up the numbers

 

[Myfordman]

I find this arrogance from Solid Surface manufacturers really frustrating as I have 1 off DIY project that I'd like to use Corian or similar materials.
Are there any suppliers/manufacturers of solid surface who will deal with the public without training?

If not I could be a joint 6th person along with Adam for the same reason. Will they only train trade people with vat registration for example and does the authorisation to buy their precious product expire over time or need topping up?

Bob

Avonite used to sell without training. They happily sent me a thick instruction book on how to do it. Might be worth trying them.

http://www.avonitesolidsurface.co.uk/te ... mation.asp

Sorry OP no help for making up the numbers

Thanks Beau, I'll check them out.

Bob

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

HiMacs by LG is just as good and I don't think you need to go on any course to buy it. If you can get 6 people then it's probably worth it but otherwise you're paying 600 quid for a bloke to show you how to clean a joint with acetone then try and sell you a 20k oven so you can do curved work easier

 

[Adam9453]

If the training is being provided by CDUK (uk distributor for corian) then please note it says this on their website;
"Note – all courses are focussed on individuals obtaining skills and not on a company becoming certified to purchase and fabricate Corian®."
This implies pretty strongly that doing the course doesn't mean you can buy corian! I'm going to contact them to find out what is required

 

[Peter Sefton]

I had a couple of meetings with CDUK last year about us becoming a training centre, I found them very professional and I believe that their main driver behind the training scheme is to ensure quality control of the fitting of what is a high end product.

If any fitter can use it (and doesn't understand the product) then the product can get a poor reputation if the fitting is shoddy.

Cheers Peter

 

[Adam9453]

I completely agree with the ethos Peter, it's important to avoid devaluing the brand.
It's one of the reasons I'm keen to be able to supply and fit corian. My only issue being if, having completed the course, I then still can't buy the corian. I would like to know up front what hoops I need to jump through to be able to buy corian.

 

[adidat]

I just give my 'supplier' 10% in cash.

Adidat

 

[Adam9453]

I just give my 'supplier' 10% in cash.

Adidat

Ha ha, reminds me of a song...
All the envelopes are brown...