# Cutting corian?



## skatefriday (May 5, 2014)

I went dumpster diving out at a local countertop installer's shop today
and came home with some nice large corian scrap pieces that I'd like to fashion
into a table saw sled fence (I am currently on my second fence and it's
still not as straight as I'd like it to be (I don't have a jointer)).

So is it safe to rip some 30" sections into 3" or so widths? Anything I
need to look out for?

I'm planning on laminating three layers to get an 1 1/2" fence. Need to
find a source for glue now also.


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## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

Well, ideally you would have a blade designed for plastic. But you can cut it w/ a wood blade, the more teeth the better. Corian doesn't have grain, so ripping and crosscutting are the same, use a cross cut blade because they have more teeth, I like at least 50 teeth on a 10" blade.


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## woodbutcherbynight (Oct 21, 2011)

I use the table saw with a general purpose blade I bought new and is only used to cut corian. That said it will dull over time and be useless to cut wood but make a nice saw-blade clock. Go slow, not creep along slow but slower than wood and take a file and hit the corners unless you like to get cut. Much like finishing a Formica counter-top.

Not bad to work with. I have 200 or so small 3" blocks that were displays for HD someone gave me and make pens with them. Came across a counter-top left somewhere and have cut various sizes as needed of that never had a problem.


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

It can chip out a little on the edges but it doesn't
easily blow out like plexiglass can… so it's pretty 
well behaved with any carbide saw blade. I think
a high tooth count blade will yield the cleanest
cuts but for my shop jig use of corian type material
I just use a combo blade and the results are
acceptable with very minor chipping.


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## MattR (Jul 20, 2014)

My shop does quite a bit of corian. Pretty sure the blade we use is an 80 tooth triple chip? Any fine tooth crosscut blade would be fine, just feed it slow. Corian adhesive is very expensive and color matched to the product. Its a two part epoxy in a tube for a specialized gun with a disposable mixing nozzle. Too much trouble and expense for your purposes I'm sure. Any epoxy recommended for non porous surfaces would be a good bet.


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## skatefriday (May 5, 2014)

Thanks!

I bought CMT rip and crosscut blades when I bought the saw, and have the 
combination blade that came with the saw for stuff that I don't want to use
the CMTs on. I'll give it a shot and see how it comes out.

On the glue subject, that's pretty interesting, as one of the pieces is glued
up at 90 degrees and the seam is invisible. I was astonished when I could
see glue squeeze out at the end and absolutely no seam along the length.
Pretty amazing.


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## shawnmasterson (Jan 24, 2013)

I saw a video where a guy was making a bowl blank from solid surface and he glued it up with C/A.


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## splatman (Jul 27, 2014)

Be sure it is Corian, and not Quartz. Corian would say Corian on the back. Ask at the countertop shop to make sure, if you don't see the name anywhere.
Quartz countertop material has names like Silestone, Caeserstone, Pental Chroma, Vicostone, and probably a few others. Requires a diamond blade to cut. Best cut wet.
A chunk of quartz countertop material (such as a sink cutout) makes a great surface for Scary Sharp sharpening.
Large scraps of quartz, Corian, or stone coutertop material also can be made into table tops. Smaller pieces can be cut into squares or rectangles to make tiles.


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## MrRon (Jul 9, 2009)

Mattr, Can you tell me if Corian can be drilled and tapped? is the material strong enough to hold a screw without stripping?


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## ChuckC (May 13, 2010)

I use Corian in my CNC router with standard wood bits and never had a problem. I also use standard rip and cross cut blades as well.


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## Charlie5791 (Feb 21, 2012)

I shaped my farm sink cutout with a carbide router bit (flush cut, top bearing). And one of the best blades I've found for cutting Corian is just a good 40-tooth ATB grind.

I'm pretty sure that DuPont's Corian Joint Adhesive is just a color-matched epoxy. I've used 2-part epoxy to laminate corian and have had no failures so far. If you do a real countertop, you want the color matched stuff. But for what you're talking about, the epoxy should work fine. If you're laminating, get a ton of spring clamps.

And for the record, you can use hot-melt glue (like a craft hot glue gun) to stick guide blocks *MADE* of Corian, *TO* your Corian piece. Why? You do a dry fit, get everything all lined up, then while it's still clamped dry, you hot-glue some alignment blocks into place. Now you can unclamp, mix and spread your epoxy, lay the piece EXACTLY where you had it, and clamp it in place. The hot-glued blocks come off with alcohol. Done!


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## Grandpa (Jan 28, 2011)

Use a mask when cutting because it doesn't make chips like wood. It is dust and glue and it makes dust and dust. Tough on you to breath. I have read that you can use any carbide wood cutting blades or tools to cut it. I have done just that. I have made a few cuts but nothing like an installer would.


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## JAAune (Jan 22, 2012)

Fine tooth triple chip blade will minimize chipping along the edges but other than that, Corian can be cut with just about any carbide edge tool.


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## timbertailor (Jul 2, 2014)

I use an 80 tooth cross cut blade. It has seen better days but it works great for Corian and Aluminium.


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## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

Have to disagree with everyone here. Corian should be cut the way the old masters did for centuries-with hand tools: a good backsaw, jointer plane followed by smoothing plane, a rasp and file to shape, shaping planes for edge treatment, etc. It's almost mystical to see the real corian shine through after it has been milled by hand.


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## Thewoodenmind (Sep 5, 2014)

Pretty sure Corian was invented in the 60's. Might not be comparing apples to apples here Charles. Definitely wear a mask when cutting or routing though because it can look like a snow storm rolled in with the amount of dust that is created.


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## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

And I thought my last sentence was too over the top . . .


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## Dal300 (Aug 4, 2011)

But is Corian a non-renewable resource?


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## Thewoodenmind (Sep 5, 2014)

Pretty sure Corian was invented in the 60's. Might not be comparing apples to apples here Charles. Definitely wear a mask when cutting or routing though because it can look like a snow storm rolled in with the amount of dust that is created.


> And I thought my last sentence was too over the top . . .
> 
> - CharlesA


I love a good bit of sarcasm. Making the fact that it went right over my head all the more disappointing. Good show… Going back to my newbie corner now.


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## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

I hate it when I do that.


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## Lazy_K (May 27, 2012)

you want advice on this? then mine is DO NOT DO IT!!!!!
Ok, sure you can make your sled out of corian, it is possible. you need an acrylic adhesive to glue it together. out of all of the materials i am used to handling corian and it's mimics are the last ones I would think of to use for a sled, it's heavy, when you cut it it smells bad, the dust … oi! the dust gets every where and you can't get rid of it!!! if you don't have a plasticut blade it will dull the ^%$&(*%&%## out of your saw blade. save the corian scraps for cutting boards (Christmas gifts for everyone you know?) 
use baltic birch for your sleds.
K


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## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

Yes it can be drilled and tapped.
Makes a great zero clearance TS insert.
Bill


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## Ger21 (Oct 29, 2009)

Corian adhesive is not epoxy. You can glue corian together with epoxy (rough it up with 60-80 grit), but you won't get an invisible seam like you will with the proper adhesive.

You can get inexpensive (compared to Duponts) adhesive from http://gluewarehouse.com/

Be aware that Corian isn't very flat. It's also very brittle if dropped, or if you drop something heavy on it.


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## skatefriday (May 5, 2014)

> Have to disagree with everyone here. Corian should be cut the way the old masters did for centuries-with hand tools: a good backsaw, jointer plane followed by smoothing plane, a rasp and file to shape, shaping planes for edge treatment, etc. It s almost mystical to see the real corian shine through after it has been milled by hand.
> 
> - CharlesA


OP here.

LOL. Thanks for the entertainment.


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## skatefriday (May 5, 2014)

> you want advice on this? then mine is DO NOT DO IT!!!!!
> Ok, sure you can make your sled out of corian, it is possible. you need an acrylic adhesive to glue it together. out of all of the materials i am used to handling corian and it s mimics are the last ones I would think of to use for a sled, it s heavy, when you cut it it smells bad, the dust … oi! the dust gets every where and you can t get rid of it!!! if you don t have a plasticut blade it will dull the ^%$&(*%&%## out of your saw blade. save the corian scraps for cutting boards (Christmas gifts for everyone you know?)
> use baltic birch for your sleds.
> K
> ...


So my sled base is 1/2 plywood. It's the fence that I have problems
with. I'm pretty sure that laminated corian is going to give me a straighter
edge than my laminated 3/4" veneer core plywood and that's what I'm
after, a straight fence edge. The only baltic that I've seen locally is 1/2",
should I look for 3/4" baltic to construct the fence from? Man, that's
going to be expensive, cause nobody sells less than full sheets.

That said, I haven't actually cut it yet but I do wear a 3M 61<whatever>
respirator when I'm cutting, and for a good period thereafter.


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## skatefriday (May 5, 2014)

> But is Corian a non-renewable resource?
> 
> - Dallas


Yes, but I pulled it out of a dumpster, so it doesn't count.


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## MrRon (Jul 9, 2009)

Thanks Bill White, That's just what I was thinking of using it for; zero clearance inserts.


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## Worksurfaceguy (Feb 1, 2017)

Hey, for any future corian related issues, get in touch with me. I'm a corian worktop dealer and my support team are always happy to help.


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## woodbutcherbynight (Oct 21, 2011)

> Hey, for any future corian related issues, get in touch with me. I m a corian worktop dealer and my support team are always happy to help.
> 
> - Worksurfaceguy


Got any scraps we can get our hands on?? Would like to get my hands on some red to match a toolbox. Heck I will even put a SnapOn emblem on it = super classy and expensive looking!


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

You can also heat it and bend it, you can drill and tap it to use machine screws in it.


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## 000 (Dec 9, 2015)

> Got any scraps we can get our hands on?? Would like to get my hands on some red to match a toolbox. Heck I will even put a SnapOn emblem on it = super classy and expensive looking!
> 
> - woodbutcherbynight


Lots of scrap, but no red, sorry.


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

I've cuta lot of composite for different projects. I get really good results using a 60 tooth. The more fine the blade the better.

I've used it for zero clearance inserts, so had to drill and tap it. It chips easy, so I had to get glose on the holes to reduce that.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

> Lots of scrap
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Well hello friend.


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## woodbutcherbynight (Oct 21, 2011)

ROFLMAO


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## CorianWorktopsUK (Sep 12, 2017)

Yes agree with Thewoodenmind, be sure to wear a mask as acrylic creates lots of fine dust when cut!


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