Water Jet Cutting Stone Offcuts
Emily Ploppert and Hayley Coolbaugh
ARCH 5500: Processing the Anthropocene
Exploring stone offcuts from larger pieces of material that have been either quarried or engineered, and manufactured into slabs for countertops, wall applications, shower pans, sinks, fireplace surrounds and hearths, shelving, exterior hardscapes, etc.
Common types:
● Natural: marble, quartzite, granite, limestone, soapstone, onyx, quartz
● Engineered: quartz
Natural Stone
Rocks are divided into three basic types depending on how they were formed:
● Metamorphic: form when rocks are subjected to high heat, high pressure, hot mineral-rich fluids or some
combination of these factors
● Igneous: form when hot, molten rock crystallizes and solidifies
● Sedimentary: formed from deposits of pre-existing rocks or fossils that accumulate on the Earth's surface
Marble: metamorphic; granular limestone or dolomite that has been recrystallized under the influence of heat, pressure, and aqueous solutions.
Quartzite: metamorphic; forms when a quartz-rich sandstone is altered by heat, pressure, and chemical activity.
Soapstone: metamorphic; consists primarily of talc, also varying amounts of other minerals such as micas, chlorite, amphiboles, quartz, magnesite, and carbonates.
Granite: igneous; composed mainly of quartz and feldspar with minor amounts of mica, amphiboles, and other minerals. It forms from the slow crystallization of magma below Earth's surface.
Limestone: sedimentary; composed primarily of calcite, a calcium carbonate mineral; usually forms from the accumulation of shell, coral, algal, fecal, and other organic debris.
Onyx: a plural-banded type of chalcedony, a cryptocrystalline form of silica, composed of very fine intergrowths of quartz and moganite.
Material Life Cycle: Extraction
The layers of earth above which the stones are formed are removed to uncover the stone.
After this, an open-cast surface mining process is used to extract it from the Earth.
Most limestone is mined from open quarries, although some areas favor large-scale production by underground mining.
Quarrying usually done in vertical cuts, but it can also be done in horizontal ones.
Blocks are detached from a “bench wall,” then saw-cut into smaller blocks (with wet or regular saws) for transport to the manufacturer for processing.
Material Life Cycle: Manufacturing
Multi-wire saws cut multiple slabs at once. These saws use diamond wires (which have fine diamond particles attached to the steel wire).
Once the block has been sawed, the slabs are processed individually in a production chain. The slabs are subject to an abrasion process to produce different finishes.
Mesh is attached for further resistance along with megaepoxy resin which reduces breakings, heals cracks, fills any holes, and reinforces the structure of the slabs.
Material Life Cycle: Distribution
Marble: Italy, Spain, India, and China
Granite: Brazil, Italy, India, and China
Limestone: U.S. (mostly central and eastern U.S.), and generally abundant around the world.
Quartzite: South Dakota, Texas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Utah, Arizona, and California; UK, Canada, and Brazil.
Soapstone: Brazil, also Finland, Southern India, and Virginia.
Onyx: Uruguay, India, Peru, and Madagascar.
Material Life Cycle: Consumption
Natural stone sellers place slabs in their showrooms for customers to browse and buy.
When someone makes a purchase, one of the slabs is measured and cut to the right size and shape for the application needed.
Different finishes can also be applied to the granite slab, such as a polished, honed, or matte finish.
Usually an edge is applied to the stone, such as a square or beveled countertop edge.
The cut slab is delivered and installed.
Material Life Cycle: End-of-Life
Marble: softer stone; prone to scratches, stains, and damage over time. 20 year lifespan, 50+ with proper care.
Quartzite: hard, durable, highly resistant to heat, cold, and water. Can remain damage-free for a long time.
Granite: one of the hardest substances in the world, can remain steadfast for over a century.
Limestone & Soapstone: softer stone; very porous; high risk of scratches, stains, and mildew if not properly sealed. 20 year lifespan, 50 with care.
Onyx: with care, can last upwards of 100 years.
Engineered Stone
Quartz: man-made product manufactured in a factory by combining elements of quartz, resin, and pigment. Invented in 1963, by Italian inventor Marcello Toncelli.
Others: sintered stone, cultured marble, agglomerate stone
Environmental Impacts
The act of quarrying has huge environmental impacts.
● Can displace or destroy animal or plant habitats.
● Calls for heavy machinery that runs on gasoline.
● Cutting the blocks of natural stone also calls for heavy machinery that runs on electricity and copious amounts of water.
● Generates dust, which can deteriorate soil quality, cause air pollution, and contaminate water sources.
Additionally, many stone slabs are imported from foreign countries. (While slabs are available from local quarries, they can be more expensive than imported product.) The amount of fuel required to transport tons of stone worldwide is massive and has a substantial carbon footprint.
Current Reuse Practices
Used countertops or offcuts can become remnant pieces, which can be used to for smaller projects (pieces of furniture, flooring, wall decorations, fire pits, cutting boards, centerpieces, etc.)
They can also be ground for use as decorative concrete overlay.
If landfilled, stone is often crushed and ground to be used as aggregate in asphalt or concrete production.
Water Jet Stone Cutting 01
Coaster Cubes on the Wazer
Ingredients:
- Slate
Equipment:
- Wazer Water Jet Cutter
Step 1:
Select material (slate). Must be no larger than 12”x18” and no thicker than 1”.
Step 2:
Prep cut file in CAD. Arrange geometry to minimize material waste, as you would on a laser cut file.
Step 3:
Export cutlines only as .dxf.
Step 4:
Save .dxf to WAZER SD card.
Step 5:
Use Control Panel to follow setup procedures (see WAZER Basics - Before Cut).
Step 6:
Initiate cut (see WAZER Basics - During Cut).
Step 7:
Remove material from cut bed and follow WAZER Basics - After Cut procedures.
Step 8:
Fit coaster pieces together!
Step 9:
For additional finishing, use laser cutter to raster image/text/etc. onto coasters. Recommended to use a cardboard/chipboard jig for accurate placement on laser bed.
Water Jet Stone Cutting 02
Lacey Hall
Ingredients:
- Stone, Natural or Synthetic
Equipment:
- Water Jet Cutter
Step 1:
Much like laser cutters, the water jet works best for 2D geometry. Begin by creating a 2D geometry in Rhino.
Step 2:
Save the file as a DXF file and open OMAX Layout software.
Step 3:
Complete outlining steps in OMAX software and save the file as an OMAX Make file. Transfer the file to the water jet computer.
Step 4:
Turn on water line and pump. Reset pump to 0.00.
Step 5:
Fill the garnet aggregate on the machine using the scoop in the aggregate bucket. Ensure all hoses are connected properly.
Step 6:
Open the Make file on the water jet computer. Select the material type and thickness. Check all setting when the file opens.
Step 7:
Secure material to the bed using clamps.
Step 8:
Home machine and put on all necessary PPE. Glasses and ear protection are recommended.
Step 9:
Start the machine. Pay close attention to the aggregate, ensuring that does not run out during the cut and the machine is cutting the material all the way through.
Step 10:
Add toothpicks around the cut as the machine is moving through to keep the cut piece from falling through into the water.
Step 11:
Once the cut is complete, clean up the machine and turn off the water and pump. Close file and put all materials away.
