
Rob Teel, owner of Continental Cut Stone - a custom limestone fabrication business - recently launched Continental Cream Quarries, LLC. “As of January 5, we have reopened an existing quarry to provide Texas (Cordova) Cream and Texas (Cordova) Shellstone limestone,” he said. “We will be supplying blocks and slabs to cut stone fabricators around the country.”
Based in Florence, TX, Continental Cut Stone sits in the countryside of Texas about an hour outside of Austin. The company, which was started by owner Rob Teel in 1987, specializes in limestone construction and restoration. Diverse in both high-end residential and commercial projects, the company primarily works with architects, builders and contractors.

The new quarry is located in central Texas, and is a source that has been available elsewhere for 100 years, according to Teel.

Last year, Continental Cut Stone’s facility in Florence, TX, underwent a renovation, which expanded the mill to approximately 14,000 square feet. Among the machinery in the mill are four planers.
The quarries
In addition to the custom cut stone operation, Teel has also invested in several quarries. Continental Quarries, Inc. began extracting Lueders limestone in 2000. The site is situated near the Abilene area of Texas, and all of its stone is processed at Continental Cut Stone’s mill in Florence.“We have our operation on 160 acres and purchased an additional 160 acres last year for future use,” said Teel. “Last year’s production at the quarry exceeded 30,000 tons of material in block, split-face, slabs and roughback veneer.”

The fabrication process begins with blocks being cut by a 15-foot diamond belt saw.

A 72-inch FB72-11 fixed bridge saw from Park Industries of St. Cloud, MN, is also in place to cut limestone pieces.

Continental Cut Stone’s recent expansion involved the purchase and installation of a second Jaguar saw, also from Park Industries.
At Continental Quarries’ Lueders limestone site, three 7-yard rubber tire loaders, a 4-yard rubber tire loader and a large track excavator are used to extract material. Additional equipment includes: 64-inch-diameter and 72-inch-diameter circular saws from Sawing Systems Inc. of Knoxville, TX, a 48-inch-diameter multi-blade (up to four blades) conveyer saw, three hydraulic splitting machines, a 24-inch-diameter joint saw, two skid steers, two forklifts and an 80-foot truck scale.

The planers are instrumental in smoothing limestone slabs and ensuring that they are all consistent in size.
The limestone color varieties offered by Continental Cut stone range from white to beige to pink, yellow and gray. Patterns vary from monotone to highly variegated, striped or speckled.

At the time of Stone World’s visit, there were 25 jobs going on in-house.
The mill
Last year, Continental Cut Stone’s facility in Florence, TX, underwent a renovation, which expanded the mill to approximately 14,000 square feet. The staff at this location works together as a team to guarantee high-quality products and first-rate customer service.
Three stone lathes are used for turning columns and balusters.

At the mill, skilled workers use hand tools to carve detailed limestone pieces.

The company purchases its hand tools and accessories from suppliers such as Bicknell, Trow and Holden and Bybee Stone.

Shop workers take care in making sure high standards are maintained through every step of the fabrication process.
At the mill, skilled workers use hand tools to carve detailed limestone pieces. The hand tools and accessories are supplied by companies such as Bicknell, Trow and Holden and Bybee Stone.

The majority of Continental Cut Stone’s work is the upper high-end custom market.
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