Re: [ATM] Material for Tool

["Thomas A. Moulton" <tom@moulton.us>]

Bob May wrote:
> Went and rea the article on the tile tool and I don't bother with
> the plastic bag.  I don't know hwat he is using that one for as
> the oil (any kind of oil that is not water soluable) does an
> excellent job of acting as a mold release on the glass to stone
> interface.
>   
The bag was to help protect the glass, sure can't hurt.
> I also tend to do a thinner mix of the water and powder for the
> stone as you really want to have enought water in there so that
> the stone will flow.  It sounds like he's doing a too thick mix
> of water and powd3er fr best results.   You need to be able to
> shake the wet liquid stone down to the level or the glass so a
> bit thinner is best.
>   
The stone does flow downward, if it is too thin it will also tend to 
flow below the tiles
between the glass and tiles, which would be ad.
> It also looks like that he is using glazed tiles which is
> something I don't recommend as the floor tiles are the ones to
> use, not the wall tiles which may be of something a lot softer.
>   
Those were what I got from Home Depot a long time ago, if you look at 
other views they
were solid all the way through (http://gotgrit.com/make_tool4.php ) I 
now have 1x1 floor
tiles and they are not soft.
> It also looks like he cleans out the channels obetween the tiles
> which is something quite unnecessary.  The stone will erode quite
> nicely all by itlesf without any need to remove it before
> grinding.  In addition, the stone being up ass high as the
> surface of the tiles means that there is no grit that has
> anyplace to fall out of contact with the glass so less is wasted
> and the grinding ghoes faster.
> The only thing I do with the surface of the tool is to sprinkle
> some additional stone powder on and work it into any bubble areas
> if there are many when the glass is first taken off of the tool.
> I generally take the glass of when the stone is less than half
> cured so I am usually able to use the curing stone fromt the
> edges to fill in holes.  THAT is how soft a tool is when I first
> take it off of the glass.
> One more thing is that he doesn't mention anything abou tleveling
> the back side of the tool so it doesn't rock yet sits firmlyt on
> much of the back of the tool.  A few passes on a sidewalk or
> other concrete surface will flatten out the tool back quickly
> while it is still curing.
> Otherwise, most of the article is about what I do.
> Bob May
Your other points arw good ideas, I will add noted to my directions...

Tom
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