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Stone-Top Coffee Table Q: When is a stone more than a stone? A: When it's a coffee table. From "Rock Solid" episode DROC-205

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	Figure C
	Figure D

Shaping The Stone Table Top

Shaping the stone into a coffee table top is the first step. Dean, Derek and Dwayne decide on a shape that's roughly rectangular with curving edges. They're aiming to create a shape that reflects the stone's rustic texture and look.

To get the stone to the desired shape, Dean and Derek use a stone hammer and carbide chisel (figure C). If you want a more geometric shape, you may opt to use a circular saw or grinder to score the initial shape (figure D). When shaping, you can either freestyle with the hammer and chisel or mark out the design ahead of time with a chip of stone or chalk. But once you start, here are a few tips that will help you get the stone to the exact shape you want:

• The smaller the section you try to take off at one time, the better. The larger the section you attempt to remove, the more likely the stone is to break in an unexpected place.

• Further control the chiseling process by undercutting: cut out the bottom half of the edge with the stone hammer and chisel before chiseling off the top line. Undercutting reduces the amount of stone you're cutting, thus making the cuts more precise.

• Once you've chiseled the shape of the stone, follow up with a lighter hammer and a finish carbide chisel to remove sharp edges.

• Always wear safety glasses when chiseling.

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	Figure E
	Figure F

Adding Design to the Stone Elements

The stone top can be finished whenever you achieve your desired look, but Dean and Derek decide to add artistic elements to their stone top by scoring a starburst design into the face of the stone.

Sketch the design out first with chalk, and follow the chalked lines with a saw or grinder, scoring them about an eighth of an inch deep. A circular saw with a diamond blade is best for straight lines and a grinder best for curved lines. If you want the scored lines wider, go over them a second time.

The next step is to add a colored stone inlay to the starburst pattern (figures E and F). The inlay consists of crushed stone, epoxy, and hardener and can be obtained from specialty craft stores. Mix the inlay and spread using a syringe. Run the syringe slowly in the grooves and try not to overfill. Dwayne also adds powdered red stone to the center for additional color pop. If you add a color, make sure the powder is finely ground as it must travel through the narrow passage of the syringe. Let the inlay harden before doing any additional work on the stone--about four hours depending on the product used. Once your inlay pattern dries, evaluate your coffee table top.

	Figure G
	Figure H

Dean, Derek and Dwayne decide to reshape the stone, getting rid of dead space between the rays and edge to emphasize the starburst. Because they are removing large chunks of stone, Dean and Derek suggest scoring the stone first with a diamond blade grinder, then taking off the pieces with a hammer and chisel--a stone is more likely to break along a line if you score it first with a grinder.

They mark their new shape with chalk, and score it with a diamond blade grinder (figure G). Score the line once so that you don't lose the chalk line, then follow a second or third time to get the depth you need--you generally want a line a little less than half the thickness of the stone. Sweep the stone off with an inexpensive paintbrush, and then start chiseling (figure H).

Here are Dean and Derek's tips for taking off large pieces of stone after they've been scored with a hammer:

Stone Chiseling Tips

• Undercut the edges. This weakens the stone so it is more likely to break where you want it to.

• If the section you want to cut out is too big or you're worried about splitting the stone, chisel the scored break-line a little deeper or score the area being cut off in tooth like shapes and then chisel out those individual sections--it's much less risky to take off a small section than a big one.

• A Rock Solid Safety Alert: Always wear safety glasses when cutting or chiseling stone.
  

  Figure I

Stone-Top Finish

The stone top can be left uncovered, but certain stones stain easily and all absorb water. You can either seal the stone to get a natural finish or apply a clear resin to give the surface high gloss, Dean, Derek, and Dwayne decide on the latter.

Elevate the stone on top of plywood or scrap wood. Pour the clear resin over the stone, spread and smooth with a tongue depressor (figure J), and let it drip over the edges. The resin can be spread on the edges with a tongue depressor or paintbrush. Let the resin dry completely before moving the table top (figure K).

Figure J

Figure K

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