Grinding and Polishing Stone - Safety

[Belinda Barfield]

I've been following several threads that discuss edging and polishing tile using dry and wet methods. It cannot be stressed enough that you must protect your lungs, and the lungs of those around you, when grinding stone. Just a paper mask will not suffice, you need a dust and mist respirator (for example, 3M 8210).

Remember also that after wet polishing the slurry will eventually dry, allowing the silica to become airborne. If dry griinding at a minimum use a vacuum system with a HEPA filter. You should really have a dust collection system in place, at the very least a grinding booth.

If you are grinding and polishing in a shop that has a heat/air system, turn off the system prior to grinding and leave off until after full clean up. Your clothing will also be contaminated with dust so you may want to consider wearing "coveralls". Ideally, these coveralls should be washed after each wear, or at the end of a day of grinding.

If you are using silicon carbide grinding rocks don't ever use a rock that has been dropped. Unseen fractures in the rock can cause it to fly apart under the stress of grinding.

Sorry if I am stating the obvious here, but silicosis is a very serious health problem. As manager of a stone fabrication facility I battle the dust problem daily.

[Todd Schwartz]

Very well articulated - well put and I could not agree more strongly. For those of you working with rock, stone, tile, etc, invest some time and a little money now to prevent problems down the road.

Todd

[Gary Hair]

and if you doubt what Belinda says about silicosis, look it up. I heard about it when I first started sandcarving, after I did a bit of research I realized just how important a good mask really is. Just to give you an idea how nasty it is, most filter manufacturers won't recommed their filters for sandcarving/sandblasting. They all recommend a positive flow air system instead.

Gary

[Arturo Villegas]

Thanks for the heads up!

Is There one in particular that you would recommend for light Sandblasting? Special Filter?

Thanks,

[Belinda Barfield]

Thanks for the support Gary. I've not tried sandblasting yet, but will keep this in mind. A business next door to ours does muscle and vintage car restoration. They sandblast under an awning at the back of their building and I noticed that the blasting guys were full suits with hoods and an air line, similar to a haz-mat suit. Would this be a positive flow system? (sorry if that is a dumb question). Do you need this kind of protection if you use a blasting cabinet?

I've noticed that a lot of people in the stone business are careful to protect themselves, but they don't think about the amount of dust they carry with them on their clothing, which ends up in their vehicle, and in their home. I worry about those little lungs they go home to at the end of the day.

[Daniel Cline]

Hello everyone,

I have lurked and learned alot from SMC over the last year so I decided to get invoved...contributed $ and here is some ideas...

As well as a laser person I have been a professional stone sculptor for over 20 years. You can see my work at www.danielclinesculpture.com

I work wet and dry and you definitely want a good mask if you are working with granite dry, marble is made up of calcium and not as dangerous but still use a mask. Another option is to do all your sanding wet that way you reduce the possible dust and as an added benefit you can see if the surface is in fact free of scratches.

I custom edge many of my pieces and it adds another option for your customers if you learn to shape stone and do some polishing.

On another note I want to thanl all the contributors who make this forum the BEST!


Daniel

[Belinda Barfield]

Daniel,

Beautiful work!!! I particularly love the mythical creatures, particularly gargoyles and dragons. It amazes me what sculptors see when us common folk just see a hunk of rock. At what point in the process does the stone tell you what it wants to be? What are your primary tools? Again, beautiful work. Please continue to share with us.

[Daniel Cline]

Thanks Belinda I approach stone carving from one of two ways, either I have an idea nad try to find a piece that suits or I see a rock and just follow what is in the stone. I got a laser because I wanted to be able to put images/photos onto hard stone for public art projects and then discovered all the other cool uses...still discovering...