Working with slate

[Clwydianrange]

Hello folks new member here. I love working with wood as I imagine does everybody else on here. I've been making simple clocks by drilling 54mm holes into yew with some success. I now want to try making a clock from slate. Problem is how to create the hole to take the clock insert. Because slate is relatively soft would it be possible to mill this out using a standard router and bit or would it have to be milled properly.

keith

 

[Steve1066]

I would go for a tile drill / hole saw

 

[longinthetooth]

Commercially it is done with a diamond core drill in a pillar drill ... a hole saw would probably blunt before it finished one hole. How thick is the slate?

It is a relatively soft stone that can be worked with hacksaws, hss drills, and files, but there is a rate of attrition. You could drill a circle of through holes with a carbide masonry bit and tap out the waste carefully but that's obviously rough ...

Routing with a template and the work clamped might be suitable to limited depth, but I'd hesitate to suggest it on a production basis.

 

[Steve1066]

That would be a diamond hole saw for tiles
http://www.amazon.co.uk/BOSCH-260858031 ... B0035PS9F0

 

[WillRiseley]

diamond edged hole saw available from most good tile stores with some lashings of water to keep it cool and help it cut, will go through slate like butter

 

[yetloh]

The diamond holesaw sounds like the best answer to me. I made a frame and panel blanket chest in cherry with green/grey slate panels. I cut them with a cutting disc in an angle grinder which makes an unbelievable amont of dust. I workes outdoors and wore my electric respiarator for this but had to change the filters afterwards. I know a professional sculptor who tells me she won't work in slate because the dust is such nasty stuff, so really good dust protection is vital.

Jim

 

[bugbear]

Hello folks new member here. I love working with wood as I imagine does everybody else on here. I've been making simple clocks by drilling 54mm holes into yew with some success. I now want to try making a clock from slate. Problem is how to create the hole to take the clock insert. Because slate is relatively soft would it be possible to mill this out using a standard router and bit or would it have to be milled properly.

keith

Slate is used for some sharpening stones, so in a battle between steel and slate, it appears that slate wins.

BugBear

 

[chipmunk]

I'd have thought a TCT core drill (cheaper than diamond) would also work ok.

The problem I think you might have though is getting the precise hole size you want.

There are big steps in the sizes and I wouldn't think trying to enlarge a slightly too small hole in slate would be a quick easy job.

HTH
Jon

 

[Racers]

Take the slate to your local stone mason and say 54mm hole in this please?

Pete

 

[Clwydianrange]

Thanks for all your replies gents, much food for thought there. Its not something I will be doing a lot of I'm just planning on things I can make and sell when retirement comes in 4 years time. The reason I thought of slate is I live in north wales and there's loads of it there for the picking up. Perhaps I'll stick to yew logs.

thanks again

keith

 

[Jojo]

Hi we fit kitchens and bathrooms including wet rooms, during this we cut a great deal of holes through stone, granite, travertine and much more where possible we would always use diamond core drill and cut with water this eliminates the dust problem altogether, these cutters would go through slate with ease.

John

 

[bugbear]

Hi we fit kitchens and bathrooms including wet rooms, during this we cut a great deal of holes through stone, granite, travertine and much more where possible we would always use diamond core drill and cut with water this eliminates the dust problem altogether, these cutters would go through slate with ease.

John

What machine drives the drill? Hand held? SDS? Drill press (or similar) ?

BugBear

 

[Spindle]

Hi

I'd find someone locally with a water jet cutter.

Regards Mick