Using RO150 + Platin to Polish Limestone Tile Edge?

[Dan Clark]

Hi.  I've got about 600 linear feet of Limestone tile to cut with a tile saw.  After cutting the edges have to be eased (a slight bevel) a little to match the top of the Limestone.   

I tried using a Makita 4-1/2" grinder with dry diamond pads (400, 600, and 800).  The good news is that the edge polished nicely.  The bad news is that the edge wasn't even - the grinder is difficult to control for a small, even bevel.

So I tried my RO150 with 500 grit Platin.  It worked pretty well and quickly gave a nice, even bevel.  However, I might need to go to a higher grit for a nice surface.

My questions...

Is this even reasonable?  Will I be going through a lot of sandpaper quickly?
Has anyone tried this on Limestone tile?
Will Titan 2 work better? 

Thanks,

Dan.

 

[nickao]

I'll answer the first one.

I think it is reasonable, lets see what the sander can do its yours anyway.

No really -  I would like to see how far you can push these sanders and how many different things they can be used for.

Nickao.

 

[Dan Clark]

Nick,

Thanks.  I think the sander can handle.  It's the sandpaper I'm trying to figure out.  What fascinated me was how fast and even I could get the edge I want, but I trying to figure out if there's a better way and if it will ruin the sandpaper quickly.

I haven't seen any info on using a Festool sander for polishing stone (marble, limestone, etc.).  Most of Festool's focus is on wood, solid surface, metal, paint, etc.  I'm digging deeper here.

Regards,

Dan.

 

[nickao]

Nick,

Thanks.  I think the sander can handle.  It's the sandpaper I'm trying to figure out.  What fascinated me was how fast and even I could get the edge I want, but I trying to figure out if there's a better way and if it will ruin the sandpaper quickly.

I haven't seen any info on using a Festool sander for polishing stone (marble, limestone, etc.).  Most of Festool's focus is on wood, solid surface, metal, paint, etc.  I'm digging deeper here.

Regards,

Dan.

Looks like you have a manual to write!

I could only guess on the sandpaper.

Nickao

 

[shadowland]

I am currently busy with sanding approx. 10m? of heavily weathered Belgian blue stone with my RO150.
The blocks of stone are +/-100 years old and are heavily weathered (top layer of almost 1mm needs to be removed) so I needed a P40 grit to actually see the progress.
The RO150 performs magnificent in this task.

For polishing or sanding stone you need to use the correct type of sandpaper.
I started with the standard festool paper but it was not made for sanding stone so I needed to replace the discs very quickly.
One of my collegues informed me to use silicium carbide discs for sanding stone.
After some searching I acquired of box of these silicium carbide discs and they perform super.
I can sand down 2 tiles of 100cm x 60cm completely flat with only 1 disc.

Hope this information helps.

 

[Dan Clark]

Shawdowland,

Thanks for the feedback.  This lines up with some information that I've learned in the last 12 hours and I think I may have found a solution...

First, I found a abrasives vendor who has a wide variety of abrasives.  They sell abrasives made to polish/sand: "Glass, mirror, marble, granite, stone, plexiglass, plastic, and faux-stone".  And that abrasive is...  Silicon Carbide!  AbrasivesOasis.com sells this this in multiple formats (unfortunately NOT for the RO150).

Second, when I started thinking about this carefully, I realized that I was approaching it wrong.  If you're creating a bull-nose on a few feet of tile, the best approach would probably be to clamp the material and move the sander.  However, to create a smooth narrow beveled edge on hundreds of linear feet of tile, you'd drop from exhaustion before finishing (and it probably wouldn't look consistent or good).  So...

Maybe the best alternative would be to clamp the sander and move the tile.  It turns out that I did a Makita 9903 Belt Sander Review for Brice Burrell where I showed how you could clamp a Makita Belt Sander to a Festool MFT and hook up a Festool CT for dust collection.  I think that I can create a jig to hold the tile at the right angle and hold the tile against the moving belt.  This should make the work go fast and relatively easy.  And adding my CT22 to the mix should make the work relatively dust free.

Third, I found one abrasive in the Festool Abrasives Catalog that is made with Silicon Carbide - Platin 2.  I.e., I just happened to pick the right one.  If necessary, I can get some Platin 2 in 1000 grit and use my RO150 for final polishing of bull nose where it's important for the best look.

I still have to think a bit more, but this looks like the best option.

Regards,

Dan.

 

[shadowland]

Dan,

The suggested jig might indeed be a good idea if you need to create a lot of these edges.
I have also made a slight beveled edge on my tiles but did not use a jig for this.
The main reason was that making the jig would take me more time than sanding the beveled edge.
For making the beveled edge I use a P120 disc, start the RO150, place it on the tile in a 45? angle and start moving the machine.
Making an edge of +/-1 mm on a length of 1m takes me about 30seconds or less. 
As long as the machine is never stopped at the same spot and moved fast this creates a nice straight beveled edge.
Since its done manually, one edge can be 1mm, the next one 1.2mm etc. but as long as the beveled edge is straight, this is almost impossible to see. 
Because the tiles are never placed completely next to each other, in my opinion it does not realy matter to have perfectly identical edges. 
The gap hides the minimal difference of the edge (wooden flooring where a minimal difference will be seen if the boards are next to each other)

Finding silicium carbide or silicon carbide discs should possible.
Polishing and sanding stones is done quite a lot on some sort of angle grinders which use these kind of discs.
You could try to get some from the guys who make stone windowsills, tombstones etc.  Sculpters also use these kind of discs.
Finding the correct discs with holes will probably be a much more difficult job.

Shadowland

 

[Dan Clark]

Shadowland,

I the vendor of the Silicon Carbide belts has them in 6" disks too.  Unfortunately, he doesn't have them with holes for Festool sanders.  I would buy them if he did. 

I may try Saphir to see if that works OK.

Thanks,

Dan.

 

[nickao]

Shadowland,

I the vendor of the Silicon Carbide belts has them in 6" disks too.  Unfortunately, he doesn't have them with holes for Festool sanders.  I would buy them if he did. 

I may try Saphir to see if that works OK.

Thanks,

Dan.

Would be worth making a jig to cut your own holes? I have been forced to use a pencil in emergencies.

I have a large hole punch that I can punch one sheet at a time. I think with a base and pointed/sharpened dowels you could make a hole punch jig quick. Just put on the paper and press the sander into the hole punching jig. They always make them for the 1/2 sheet sanders and they work well enough.

Nickao

 

[Dan Clark]

Nick,

That's a good point.  Thanks!

Dan.

 

[ericbuggeln]

Dan, cool thread.  When I got the Dewalt Tile saw I knew it could do a bunch of things that I had never done before, but would be eager to learn.  Never thought that my RO 150 would compliment it.  The guy at my Woodcraft said he made a jig like Nickao spoke of and that it worked well.  Good Luck

 

[nickao]

I know it's simple to make, but I do have a set of mini plans for one and can't find the darn thing.

The plans are for a orbital sandpaper holder. It can be made a puncher by replacing the pins with pointed dowels or metal spikes and adding a disc with corresponding holes that you use to push the sandpaper down over the pins. This second piece keeps the sandpaper from wrinkling. Of course you can put the paper on the machine and just press into the spikes also.

I'll post it if I come across it.

Nick

 

[Dan Clark]

Nick,

Yes, please do. 

Thanks,

Dan.

 

[Dave Ronyak]

Dan,

You might be able to purchase hole punches from an automotive parts store to make your own disks for your RO 150.  I inherited a set from my father who used them to make his own gaskets when needed.  When using them, place the abrasive disk to be punched on a piece of scrap hardwood or high density plastic sheet, position your punch, then give the punch a sharp tap with a mallet.

Dave R.

 

[Dan Clark]

Dave,

Thanks.  I'll check that out.

Dan.

 

[Dave Ronyak]

Dan,

I like Nick's idea, especially if you plan to make more than one disk to fit your Rotex!.  Here are my thoughts on how you could make a jig.  The size of the holes shouldn't be critical, so you could buy a piece of drill rod approximating the size of the holes you need and cut off the number of segments needed to make your "ganged hole punch"  with a "zip" disk  (thin fiber-glass reinforced abrasive disk),  The rod segments could be fitted into holes drilled into a piece of birch plywood and that piece could be backed with another or a metal plate so they don't get pushed through the backing plate when you use the punch.  The mating holed block onto which you set your disk to be punched should be drilled on a drill press at the same time as that holding the drill rod so the holes will line up. 

Nick said he has complete plans somewhere.  His concept may be very different than my quick thoughts above.

Dave R.

 

[nickao]

Sorry guys I just can not find it on the computer. I am going to have to dig out my books and magazines buried in the closet. I am thinking I got the plans out of a Shop Notes issue.

Nickao

 

[Dan Clark]

Thanks gents,

I'm getting closer to the final solution.

Regards,

Dan.

 

[Cannuck]

I've never tried this, but to punch holes in the sand paper disks, why not take a short scrap piece of suitable diameter copper tubing (water pipe) and "chamfer" the end on a bench grinder or with sand paper.

A couple of wood blocks and a mallet, and I'm sure you have a cheap, efficient hole punch.

Rob

 

[Dan Clark]

I just want to report back.  I loaded up some Silicon Carbide 400 grit and 600 grit paper on my belt sander, hooked up the CT22, and had good luck creating a beveled edge quickly.  The nice thing about this set up is it's easy to hold the tile at a constant angle. 

I've got a couple of other things to try.  I'll report back again.

Regards,

Dan.