A new challenge...

[cflansbaum]

hey all!

I've got a potential new project, but I'm racking my mind coming up with a technique for one aspect of it...  An

This would be a bathroom vanity, the top of which would be a 3" thick slab (most likely Bubinga).  The sink (a yet to be purchased clear bowl) would not only sit in this slab, but actually extent through it.  The goal being to see the cross section of the slab through the glass bowl.

So, I'm looking for a way to cut a circular whole through the slab but with the sides being at an angle matching the bowl.

while I could figure out a way to cut out a straight circular hole through the slab, or do the above in stock of 1" or so, I'm coming up empty on a technique to use in 3" stock?

Anyone done anything like this or have any ideas???

thanks!

Carl

 

[Jay Evans]

Perfect project for a Trion Jig Saw with the longest blade.  Just tip the base to the correct angle and make the cut like a regular circle cut.  Some hand finnishing / sanding will also be necessary

Good luck

Jay

 

[Oldwood]

I think Jay's advice is good. As to final finish fit an old gunsmith taught me a trick he used to achieve water tight inlays. Once you get the cut out as close as is possible with the saw you powder the outside of the sink with chalk or whatever you have at hand then push it firmly into the opening, remove the sink and grind or sand away the portions of the top that have chalk on them. Continue process until the counter contacts the bowl on all surfaces or as close as your patience will allow.

Gerry

 

[-woodsman-]

Gery's tip is a good one. Just be cautious test out whatever chalk you are using in a scrap of your material (whatever it may be) to see if it can be removed easily.  You don't want to accidentally stain the wood.  Maybe you could just use water to highlight those areas.  Whatever you do test it first.  3" stock isn't cheep.  I'd love to see pics once its in progress. Good luck.

 

[cflansbaum]

Using a Trion with the longest blade -- looks like 3 3/8 is the longest, is interesting...  I'm pretty happy with my Bosch, but I don't think there are blades that long for it and I'll have to research for compatability (I'm sure I've seen that topic here before). 

I'd be interested in deflection in a blade that long at an angle though...

thanks guys!

good tips on using the powder as well!

c.

 

[Oldwood]

Another way to tackle this would be to lam up the top plane to thickness and leave it slightly over size in W & D.

Then cut it in half down the middle joint the edges and use dominos or the like to index the pieces to each other mark the sink cut out then cut with a bandsaw set at the right angle then glue it back together before final fitting.
I think that it is unlikely that the sink bowl will have a consistent angle around the bowl but you could cut it very close and finish by in letting the sink with the chalk or whatever you use. I think the gunsmith that told me this tip used lamp black but it is messy.

Gerry

 

[Corwin]

Hey Carl,

My stepson blows glass and has made several sinks.  He lives upriver from you.  If interested, send me a PM.

Usually glass sinks are made with interesting colors, but a clear sink that shows off the slab which it is set into sounds great. 

 

[mwhafner]

Using a Trion with the longest blade -- looks like 3 3/8 is the longest, is interesting...  I'm pretty happy with my Bosch, but I don't think there are blades that long for it and I'll have to research for compatability (I'm sure I've seen that topic here before).

You can use the Festool blades in your Bosch, as long as it will accept T-Shank blades. 

 

[EcoFurniture]

Question:
How do you compensate for the wood movement? I mean, you are planing of glueing the glass bowl in, right? Wood will expand and contract with the seasons. Glass wont...and therefore could crack.. Just a thought.

 

[mattfc]

This would be a bathroom vanity, the top of which would be a 3" thick slab (most likely Bubinga).  The sink (a yet to be purchased clear bowl) would not only sit in this slab, but actually extent through it.  The goal being to see the cross section of the slab through the glass bowl.
Anyone done anything like this or have any ideas???

You didn't say what kind of bowl, I am presuming the side section is circular (e.g an inverted dome rather than and inverted conical shape).. 3" is quite think so you would want to ensure good surafce support if its of the dome type. Have you look at the option of using a local CNC milling company, as they should be route it out?

 

[cflansbaum]

thanks guys for the comments...

I see that Bosch makes some long blades as well, but it's good to know that I could use the Festool ones as well.

I've been thinking about this and I think that getting the curvature to match the bowl exactly may be exceedingly hard as well as cause issues with wood movement as EcoFurniture mentions. 

I'm thinking maybe I'd have some type of clear gasket beading (?) around the top and bottom of the hole that the bowl could rest on and would allow for some movement.  That way I could just go with just a closely matching strait angle.  I could also support the bowl from underneath so it's not entirely necessary for the slab itself to be the only support for the bowl.

Still early in the process, obviously!

Carl

 

[Holzhacker]

I have made the straight cut first on things like this, then the angle cut. This gives you and the saw a little room during the cutting. Jigsaw works Ok, sawzall works better. You have to be used to using a sawzall though. Maintaining the angle is difficult. I have used a belt sander to make the final angle and contour. Works really great. You can use a variety of things such as putty or paste to check for uniformity around the bowl. Put a fat bead of silicone between the bowl and wood in the opening. the silicone will allow the bowl to move if the wood expands or contracts and maintain adhesion. Also on the drain/P-trap assembly use rubber washers, not the clear plastic ones. The rubber ones will allow for a little movement if needed and not leak. I haven't had good luck with the clear plastic ones on this type of install.

 

[jvsteenb]

Carl,

Bubinga  ( Guibourtia spec. ) is very nice, but perhaps not stable enough for your purpose. There is however a very nice alternative, that's about the same pricepoint ( at least around here it is - it's a little cheaper ) that's very stable and even more durable: Padouk ( Pterocarpus Soyauxii ). It's quite red when cut, but will stabilise to a nice reddish coffee-brown. It can be very attractively figured - I have yet to see a nice "waterfall" Padouk, but then again a "waterfall" Bubinga would be far to unstable to use in a bathroom anyway. On average, Padouk is at least as stable as genuine old growth Teak ( Tectona Grandis ) and as we all know that's more or less unavailable nowadays.
I used Padouk once to make a very nice gunstock for a competition grade airgun - that's how stable it is.

Your idea is nice, and I'm sure it can be done. As long as you make sure the wood is properly sealed, and make some allowance for wood movement, there should not be too much of a problem. You can always set the glass bowl in transparent silicone or the likes, can't you ?

Good luck thinking this over, and keep us posted !

Regards,

Job

 

[Warrior]

Why dont you just use the slab as the sink? 3" is plenty of thinkness to cut a sink out of. coat it with lots of epoxy.

I think that would be really sweet.  

check out these http://www.bathroomvesselsinks.com/wood-sinks.aspwood sinks

 

[jamesclerie]

I have done the exact same thing you are attempting. Cut out the opening square to the small side of the sink " Bottom" then find a router bit that matches the radius of the sink or have one made route the opening and let the sink float in the top with a small bead of clear silicone around the top bowl to counter joint to keep the over splash out of the end grain of the cutout.