Slab manufacture
1. Wire saw
http://www.laddresearch.com/New_Products/Materials_Processing_Equipment/Wire_Saw__Model_L850/wire_saw__model_l850.html
http://www.wire-saw-machines.com/Diamond_wire_saw/2009/0917/Diamond_Wire_Saw_for_Granite_Slab_Multi_.html
http://www.krishnastonetech.com/multimachine.html
http://www.pellegrini.net/INGLESE/attrezzature_cava_ING.html
2. Gang saw
http://www.kvcindia.com/clients/aaexporter/Gang_Saw.htm
3. Grinding / polishing /resining
Settore pietre naturali
India meridionale
Mr. NARAYAN H. RANGANATH
Thimmashettappa Complex
Behind Hotel Dwaraka
Vivekananda Road
572101 Tumkur - Karnataka
Tel. (0091) 0816 2277869
Fax (0091) 0816 2277869
Cell. 0091 9844153275
pedrini@vsnl.net
Mr. V.K. Bhati B-1 Ground Floor
Arihant Apartment
Bedla Badgaon Link Road
313001 Udaipur- India
Tel. 0091-294-2451290
Fax. 0091-294-2451290
Cell. 0091 94141 32577
pedindia@gmail.com
Italian Granito company
1. http://www.cremar.it/home_eng.php
2. http://www.mirage.it/index.jsp?language=en
3. http://www.jstone.it/index_en.html
4. http://www.granito.it/granito2.html
5. http://www.cmgsrl.it/Default.asp?lang=en
6. http://www.cmgsrl.it/usato/default.asp?id=44
7. http://www.irisfmg.it/
8. http://www.stonev.com/products/countertop.htm
9. http://www.breton.it/dynamic/en/index.php?coverSection=stonesmachines&
10. http://www.pedrini-italia.it/home.php
11. http://www.giorginimaggi.it/storia.htm
13. http://www.gmm.it/it/gmm_storia.asp
Stone Knowledge - -- Various Defects of Natural Stone To be Aware of
Shade variation - Slabs / tiles should be sorted to ensure uniformity of shade. Normally, any colour can be sorted into three shades. Sorting is simple -just lay all the material on the floor and look from different directions.
If you will buy the entire quantity over a period of time,then you should make it a point to know from which specific quarry the material will be supplied as there will always be a difference between quarries.
Grain variation - If grain varies between fine and coarse, such tiles / slabs should also be sorted uniformly by grain size. Sort this the same way as for shade. The further you see it from, the easier it is to sort.
Oiling - Many black granites are light blacks.To make them temporarily look better (blacker), industrial oil is rubbed on it after polishing.This oil evaporates after some months leaving the slab looking very shabby. A burning match will heat an oiled surface and the oil will rub off on your finger.
Colouring - Similarly, red oxide is put on red granites to make them look redder and to fill cracks. To check this, rub the surface hard with your finger and see if some red colour rubs off. By wetting the sawn surface(back side of polished piece), you can see the true colour and nature of any granite.
Colour patches - These are darker or lighter patches or bands of single colours due to mineral localisation; in black this occurs as "oil patches"-patches which look as if oil has been spilled. These are actually permanent patches. Pay less for such materials.
After laying and seeing from different angles, it is easy to see which pieces have these defects. Tapping with your finger nails or spoon may give different sounds on these patches compared to rest of the granite.
Double colour - Sometimes two different grain sizes occur in the same slab, giving the appearance of a double colour. Pay less for such materials.
Cracks - Test by pouring water, wiping and letting dry. Water which goes into a crack evaporates last.
Staining - Many granites stain. Test before buying with wet spices or oil kept on it for a few minutes. Even if staining is not your worry, if you are going to wash the surface frequently, then check how long tap water remains absorbed. Some granites change colour when wet compared with when dry. Since drying is a slow process, the surface looks unattractive during the interim period when part of it is wet and part is dry.
Holes - Some crystallic granites do not have a smooth surface. The surface chips or there are pin-holes. Avoid this type for horizontal applications.
Having decided on a particular granite, it is important to note that shade and grain should be uniform in the entire lot and there should be no colour patches. Do not accept anyone saying that "this is not possible because granite is a natural material". If entire material is from one quarry, it is a simple matter.
Accept defects only to put in hidden places.
Surface Finishes of Beautiful Natural Stone
There are many different types of stone available today. When stone is ordered, it is fabricated with a particular type of surface. There are six main type of surfaces that are selected:
Honed: Provides a flat to low sheen gloss. Different levels of gloss can be selected. This surface is very smooth, but often very porous. This texture is common in high traffic buildings. Honed floors should always be protected with Penetrating Sealer because it has wide-open pores. Honed stone colors are not as vibrant as polished stone.
Polished: A glossy surfaces that wears away with time due to heavy foot traffic and using improper maintenance procedure. This surface is very smooth and not porous. The reflectively of polished crystals brings out the brilliant colors and grains of natural stone. The shine comes from the natural reflection of the stone's crystals. The shine is due to polishing bricks and polishing powders used during fabrication. The Shine is not from a coating.
Flamed: A rough surface that is developed through heat. During fabrication, the stone is heated up and the crystals begin to pop, thus forming a rough surface. This surface is very porous and must be treated with an impregnator.
Sand Blasted: This surface is the result of a pressurized flow of sand water that provides a textured surface with a matte gloss.
Sawn: A Process performed by using a gang saw.
Bush Hammered: A pounding action that develops a textured surface. The degree of roughness can be selected.
Regardless of the type of surface to be maintained, all stone should be protected with sealers.
Applications of Granite Slabs and Tiles
Granites in the commercial sense are hard natural stones which are polishable and need to be worked on by harder tools than for marble for cutting, shaping and polishing. They are usually suitable for interior and exterior use. Thus have different geological origins and minerals. Petrographically, they are either magmatic or metamorphic rocks.
The beauty of granite coupled with its physical strength and chemical resistance, makes it the material of choice in construction applications.
Floors :
Slabs look better than tiles. Check material for staining, water absorption and rusting. Consider surface finishes other than polished. Darker colours preferable in commercial areas.
Free lengths can be used.
Walls :
Slabs look much better than tiles. Surface finishes other than polished can be consider for external walls. Keep weight in mind.
Skirtings at bottom of wall :
Long thin slabs can be used. Finishes other than polished can be used.
Window sills / Door and window frames :
Slab edges can be rounded or chamfered, and polished.
Kitchen Platforms - home :
Fine grain material looks better than coarse grain. Material should be checked for staining, water absorption and pin holes. Front edges of slabs can be rounded and polished, or water-restraining strip can be put. For backsplash area, use granite strips in lengths matching the countertop lengths.
Kitchen Platforms - commercial :
Defective material can be used to lower the cost since hygiene is the main consideration.
Bathroom Platforms :
Rounding of edges or cut-out of basins should be got done from a professional company.
Counter Tops :
3 cm thick slabs look better than 2 cm ones. Front edge can be profiled and shaped and polished.
Shelves e.g for showpieces at home / shops :
Tiles or thin slabs with both surfaces polished can be used. Edges can be rounded or chamfered, and polished.
Standing Dividers :
Edges can be rounded or chamfered, and polished.
Table Tops and other furniture :
Buy only when completed including the edges and the legs.
Nameplates :
Fine-grain black granite with edges chamfered gives the best contrast with the lettering.
Granite is quarried in blocks which are cut into tiles or slabs.
For Tiles, sizes are 2' x 1'. Standard thickness is 10 +/-1 mm. Tiles are cut in machines which accomodate only small blocks of size just greater than 2' x 1'.
For Slabs, blocks of required length and width are cut in vertical saws. These generally use a 2 meter diameter disc thus giving slabs up to 2'6" wide and 10 ft. long. Standard thickness is 18 +/- 1.5 mm.
For Wider slabs, the blocks are cut in a gangsaw. Slabs upto 11' x 6' can be obtained. The standard thickness of gangsaw cut slabs is 20+ / 1 mm.
Some key points about Granite countertops
As reported,One third of every new home built in the US has a granite countertop.Granite countertop especially the solid style seems more and more popular in the construction field.But when you are choosing granite for your customers or for your own house, there are some key points to be noted:
Granite is a product of nature. This makes it subject to variations in both colour, texture and shade. Small samples of granite are only representative of and not indicative of selected material.
It is important to see and select the slabs that will be used to make your countertop, particularly when choosing granites such as Baltic Brown, Emerald Pearl, Balmoral Red,Ubatuba Green and Rosso Porrino which are regarded as being of more open variety than others.
The cost of your granite countertop will largely depend on the type of granite you choose, together with scale and detail of your kitchen.
The price of granite is primarily dependent on availability and source of origin.
