Earlier this year, Stone World began conducting and publishing Online Forums with veteran stone fabricators at www.StoneAdvice.com. Our topics have ranged from templating to countertop and sink installation, and our latest forum on sawing techniques can be found on page 100 of this issue. We have been getting responses from stone experts around the country - from smaller shops with basic equipment to larger facilities with the latest stoneworking technology, and it seems that every response we get has a different, useful perspective on the matter.
In order to separate themselves from the competition - which seems to be increasing on a daily basis - many stone fabricators in North America are researching and investing in new stoneworking technology. They are bringing in new equipment and tooling that allows them to increase their efficiency and quality in the shop, and we are seeing these advances in every market we visit. Examples of these developments can be seen in virtually every single issue of Stone World, including the five fabricators we profile in this issue.
with the T108 Automatic, followed by the T818 B, the T818 Access, the T58 and the CNC sawing machines, Thibaut of France has made great strides to become a key provider of computerized machinery. The company's goal is to develop machinery that combines solid performance and modern technology - allowing users of the equipment to work with optimum speed and automation.
Without question, the growth of the American stone industry today has been fueled by the explosive popularity of granite kitchen countertops. Homeowners around the country are buying granite for their residences, and it has given new life to the stone industry, which had become stagnant during the early 1990s after the commercial building boom fizzled out. And because of this trend, it is sometimes easy to forget that while granite slabs are certainly a staple of the industry, there are some exciting things happening with other stone materials as well.
The Omag Mill 4X is a numerically controlled machining center with 3 or 4 axes, available in North America from Salem Stone/Bergman-Blair. The machine, which was engineered based on Omag's 25 years of manufacturing experience, combines a high level of technology with easy set-up, and it is capable of forming, routing, engraving, milling, sculpting, sawing, polishing and lathe work on marble, granite and other types of stone.
A little over nine years ago, I received a call from a fabricator in North Carolina who said he had not only one, but TWO computer numerically controlled (CNC) stoneworking centers for residential countertop production.
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