Marble Vs. Router: Round 2

I had a little better success with the router today. It turns out it isn’t as broken as I thought. You know how on some hand tools there is a little button you push in once the trigger is engaged. It’s there so you don’t have to squeeze the trigger the whole time. Well on the router you push this button in while it is mounted on the router table. You then plug the router in to an outlet on the table and you use an on/off switch on the table to control the router. This hold down button on the router is malfunctioning. That’s why it cuts of and on for no apparent reason. Some electrical tape solved the problem

Anyway, I made a few more test cuts. I has some more chipping with the more elaborate bits but when I switched to the simple round-over bit it was smooth as a babies bottom. It actually goes quickly. I’m accustom to working with redwood, which is a relatively soft wood. I would imagine routering the marble is on par with a very hard oak.

I also successfully cut a faucet hole in the test piece. For about $12 I bought a Carbide Grit Hole Saw. Instead of teeth it has carbide grit at the end of the blade. It is the same principle as a diamond saw only with carbide. I was able to cut the hole in less than 2 minutes. I’m starting to feel pretty good about this.

Also today (I was surprisingly busy today considering I had a dentist appointment. And something very strange happened at the dentists office. If there is a slow blog day I’ll fill you in) I made a platform to help move the marble. The POs had lowered the ceiling on one of the rental bathrooms rather than fix it. It was framed with modern fir 2X4. I used those to build the temporary wall to separate the water heater from the living space so I could pass inspection. I tore down that temporary wall a few days ago so I used the wood again to make an angled platform for the marble.

Here are some pictures.

Marble Transport
It’s like one of those things for glass


Carbide Grit Hole Saw & Test Hole


Ogee with much chipping – no good


Round Over with some chipping - better
I dropped it down to leave an edge. That’s where it chipped


Round Over with no chipping - just right
I lifted the bit all the way so there was no edge. Just a round over