A customer from the SFA recently sent in these photos of a job that required a laminated edge in natural stone.

For this color, he used our Chameleon  in the Xi formula and he reports that the job was easier, faster and produced less wasted materials than the traditional "hand mix" epoxies he has used in the past.

Could spring clamps be used for that edge? And wouldn't it be alot faster?

Hi Norm,

We definitely recommend spring clamps but most stone shops don't' have them.


Like so.......




The screw type clamps will work just fine as long as they aren't over clamped and starved of adhesive.

Chad

PS. Can you tell I just figured out how to post a picture?

Don't get too confident Chad, as soon as everyone gets used to the Fabnet set-up. A-D-D Andy changes it.

Just kidding Andy, you keep things fresh, and us on our toes.

You are not kidding Norm... you are still hurt by losing your EDIT button.... while Andy gave all of us the EASY button!!

Is Integra acyrilic, epoxy,or poly

Posted By Kelsey Crisp on 06 Mar 2009 07:27 AM
You are not kidding Norm... you are still hurt by losing your EDIT button.... while Andy gave all of us the EASY button!!

Is Norm mad?  I will have to call him.  :)

i have done it both with screw clamps and squeeze clamps with the same results the clamps dont matter as much as the preparation for a tight seam.

Prep is very important but i feel c- clamps or lam clamps(omni cubed) are superior for an invisible seam.

James,

The Surface Bonder Xi is an epoxy modified acrylic. The idea here is we have a hybrid product that utilizes the best properties of acrylics (color, cure speed, stability, viscosity, shelf life) and combined them with the high strength properties of an epoxy (especially on stone)

The result is an adhesive with an open time of 10-12 minutes that developes handling strength in 20-25 minutes and is plently strong enough for bonding quartz and natural stone in a laminated edge application.

Contact me directly for a sample if interested.

Chad
888.862.6665

99% of our tops are 3cm but on some comercial jobs we do a lam edge. How is the prep done to get that "invisable seam" between pieces?

Prep and color matched adhesives are the key. What you need to avoid are the "train tracks" that can occur along the edge of the bond line.

<!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Tahoma; panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:1627421319 -2147483648 8 0 66047 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> <!--[if gte mso 10]> We have found that the main cause of this issue is insufficient wetting out of the surface of the Quartz or Granite combined with a trapped contaminant on the surface. The white dust (Quartz) or slurry (Natural stone) is partially what you are seeing as it still remains embedded in the minute scratches of the material. Eliminating as much of this dust or slurry before laminating the pieces together will greatly reduce these lines.
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I suggest surface grinding the laminated surfaces (back of the sheets) with a fine grit diamond pad or wheel. Smoothing the scratch pattern that holds the dust residue will make it easier to wet out the surface and a finer scratch pattern is easier to clean. In addition, smaller scratches will scatter less reflected light (scattered light can also look white). The chips along the edge of the lam strip and surface edge also contribute. Using a cutting method that produces the fewest chips on the edge will definitely help.

 

Finally, consider that an acrylic adhesive will lose volume during the cure process. You must tool off enough of the laminated edge to account for the shrinkage that takes place. If you fail to take off enough material when finishing the edge, the lines will show. To check to see if you are doing this correctly, run your fingernail edge across the finished lamination. If you feel a click then you either

1) Starved the joint with not enough adhesive
2) Ground the edge prematurely (adhesive continues to cue shrink after tooling)
3) Wiped the excess adhesive off the front of the lamination before allowing to cure (does not allow for enough shrinkage)

 

To correct, you can tool off some more material to bring the finished edge flush with the cured adhesive.

Posted By ed in cny on 10 Mar 2009 12:02 PM
99% of our tops are 3cm but on some comercial jobs we do a lam edge. How is the prep done to get that "invisable seam" between pieces?

+1 to what Chad said.

To prep our lams and parts we will use our cnc to do a calibration mill
We also will use our line polisher w/ a cup wheel.this will get both pcs.
perfectly flat clean them and blow compressed air to get dust off.
Lastly you need a good color match

Chad i would be interested in checking out your product im sure you have my
email perfectionconnection@gmail. other acrylics ive tried are diff to deal with
They have no out of pot life

We laminate 95% of all our jobs

James,

Message sent...;

Chad

Have 210 vanity comercial job we won bid on and all are lam edge. I think by the end I will have some trained employee's.

Ed,

What are the color(s) involved? I could arrange a sample of the correct color matched adhesive for you to try if you are thinking of using the old "hand mix" method.

Chad