As the technology for fabricating with diamond tools continues to advance, more and more stone fabricators are doing custom work. And like anything in the construction industry, time is a key factor in creating not only the work – but also the tools that are necessary to produce that work.  Here in the U.S., Consolidated Diamond of Wayne, NJ has a manufacturing facility for the router bits and profile wheels that create these custom shapes – and these parts can be turned around in a relatively short time.

The process for creating custom profile wheels and router bits typically begins with a concept from the customer. Architects, designers and fabricators submit drawings, pieces of wood, handmade samples and sketches.

While some of these concepts are carefully done, others are merely a freehand sketch sent via fax, explained Bob Sidey, Consolidated’s vice president of sales and marketing.

Working from the customer’s concept, Consolidated’s drafting department creates precise computerized drawings that are sent back to the customer for approval. After acceptance, the company rapidly begins creating the tooling necessary for each project.

The data for the computerized drawing is translated into computer language. This is then fed into a Computer Numerically Controlled lathe, which cuts the body for the profile wheel or router bit.

The plant runs one 10-hour shift each day plus Saturdays. The time from the customer’s order to delivery of the product is typically one to two weeks but it can be done in three to four days if needed. Consolidated has even turned around profile wheels or router bits in one day.  Occasionally, the company will receive a request from a fabricator who had quoted a job fro a client in the past, but the order was just received, and they are urgently waiting on the part because the project is already under construction.

The diamond profile tools are made to work wet, eliminating the hazard of dust in he workplace. Because so much of the profile requests are custom made, Consolidated Diamond has produced 350 different shapes of router bits and profile wheels over the past two years. Many of the ideas for the shapes come from woodworking, Sidey explained, adding that the goal for the diamond tools is to prepare the edge of the stone for final polishing, reducing the manual labor of the fabricator as much as possible. “You want to create an edge on the stone that is ready to be finished,” he said. “Because most of the work [in the fabrication shop] can be done with tools, labor costs are saved.”  

Preprinted with permission from STONE WORLD