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4|September 2019
In This Issue
DEPARTMENTS: Industry Spotlight
Living and Working with Stone: Maine Artist Mark Herrington,
by Peter Marcucci ................................................................................................ Begins on 1
Braxton-Bragg Named Preferred Partner of FLEX for Stone Industry ... Begins on 1 Flex Tools: Origins of an Industry Influencer ...................................................................... 2 Phenix Rising Over Jefferson City, by Codiak San Herrell ........................ Begins on 22
Training, Health and Education Sponsored by Braxton-Bragg
Do Engineered Countertops Stain? by Karin Kirk ........................................ Begins on 5 Waste is a Waste... of Time, Effort and Money, by Ed Hill ......................... Begins on 6
Industry Topics, Tips and Regulars
Thermal Forming Quartz Slabs for Fun and Profit, by Brian Brutting ...... Begins on 9 The Stone Detective, by Frederick M. Hueston .............................................................. 12 The Blower Brigades, by Sam Venable ................................................................................ 13 What’s Next?, by Sharon Koehler .................................................................... Begins on 14 Restoration Corner, by Bob Murrell ................................................................................... 20
Stone and Tile Industry News
Stone Fabricators Gather at LPI for Digital Templating Open House.......................... 4 Braxton-Bragg Sponsors Summer Fun for Special Needs Adults at
Helping Hands Camp ............................................................................................. Begins on 5 SaMoTer 2020: Entries Now Open for 23rd Innovation Awards ................Begins on 6 StonExpoMéxicoPremiersatObraBlancoExpo2019 .................................................7
Classifieds and Marketplace ................................................................. 26, 27
Slippery rock Gazette
SLIPPERY ROCK GAZETTE®
The Beacon of the Stone Industry
Visit our online edition www.slipperyrockgazette.net to place a classified ad and to view current and back issues.
Rick Stimac ................................................................................................. Publisher Larry M. Hood ........................................................... Editor and Design Director G. William Brown....................................................................... Graphic Designer Brian Brutting .......................................................... Quartz Industry Consultant Codiak San Herrell ......................................................Stone Industry Consultant Ed Hill ................................................................................ Synchronous Solutions Frederick M. Hueston ...............................................Stone Forensics Consultant Karin Kirk .......................................................................... Natural Stone Institute Sharon Koehler..................................................................... Artistic Stone Design Rufus B. Leakin ............................................................... Guru of Urban Folklore Peter J. Marcucci...................................................................... Special Contributor Bob Murrell ...................................................................... Restoration Consultant Sam Venable........................................................................... Department of Irony
Read our online edition at www.slipperyrockgazette.net. Use the Classifieds / department tabs to place a classified ad, and the article links to view the current issue. Send address updates to b.burgess@braxtonbragg. com, and comments c/o publisher@slipperyrockgazette.net. Subscription requests, a classified ad submission form, archived, back issues and articles and our 2019 Ad Guidelines are available online at www. slipperyrockgazette.net .
Stone Fabricators Gather at LPI for Digital Templating Open House
opportunity to further engage with fabricators on digital templating heading into the extremely fun and interactive SFA workshop.”
Celebrating its 25th anniversary, LPI develops laser measuring equipment and technology solu- tions for various industries, includ- ing countertop, cabinet, glass and construction. LPI has sold over 6,000 lasers to more than 3,000 companies in over 35 countries. LPI products are made in the USA with some imported components, and used by both the world’s lead- ing automated fabricators, as well as smaller, manual shops.
LPI hosted an open house at its headquarters for fabri- cators attending the Stone Fabricators Alliance (SFA) work- shop at Sambor Stone in South Holland, Illinois.
Approximately 30 fabricators participated in a variety of training sessions with the LT-2D3D Laser Templator, including horizontal and vertical applications such as count- ers, full height backsplashes, show- ers and fireplaces. Attendees were able to get both one-on-one time with LPI team members, as well as meet and network with industry vendors and other peers.
“Our open house was a rous- ing success,” said Dan Peter, LPI marketing manager. “It is always important to maintain positive re- lationships with existing custom- ers, just as it is critical to establish rapport with new customers. We
greatly enjoyed spending the af- ternoon with everybody and look forward to hosting similar events in the future.”
Following the open house, LPI had an active presence at the SFA workshop at Sambor Stone, which had a record number of registrations.
“We are proud SFA sponsors and always enjoy attending their workshops.” said Peter. “With this workshop being so close to our headquarters, it gave us an
“When the eagles are silent, the parrots begin to jabber.”
— Winston Churchill
Braxton-Bragg Named Preferred Partner of FLEX
Continued from page 1
“Braxton-Bragg has exem- plary customer service, and this partnership is a great opportu- nity to elevate ourselves in the stone business,” said Andrew Pompei, Regional Sales Manager – Central, FLEX. “The communications they have in place translates to FLEX selling more through Braxton-Bragg, their outside sales and mobile website, the Slippery Rock Gazette, and being deeply en- trenched in the stone industry. FLEX has been around almost 100 years, but this partnership helps us both reach current and future stone fabricators.”
“As an innovative company, we recognize Braxton-Bragg as a leader in delivering high quality products and service to the market,” said Chris Metcalf, FLEX Sales Manager.
He continued, “Our R&D teams are dedicated to the indus- tries they serve. We are always innovating, but most FLEX products are evolved from, and built upon the LW1503 water polisher. As we launch new products, we optimize them for
today’s market with variable speeds, soft starts, and improved ways to deliver water
to the cutting area, knock dust down and cool the diamonds. This partnership has
just caught lightning
in bottle, and we are about to disrupt the market in a powerful way.”
“Both companies echo the same mentality, believe in the other team, and have confi- dence in this partnership to the fullest,” added Stimac. “Our shared knowledge of the in- dustry’s past, as well as our willingness to ride the future wave, makes for a winning combination.”
For 25 years Braxton-Bragg’s philosophy has been to offer exceptional products and first- class service to its partners in the stone, tile and concrete in- dustries. For more info, visit braxton-bragg.com and face book.com/braxtonbraggllc.
“Das Original” is the c.1954 FLEX grinder which modern modern stone grinders are modeled after.
About FLEX
FLEX heavy-duty power tools provide the industry’s most complete line of wet and dry products for all types of natural stone, concrete, as- phalt, brick and cinder block. The electric power tools fea- ture unique FLEX electronics for optimum user control and productivity. FLEX started in Stuttgart, Germany, in 1922, by creating a portable grinding machine with a flexible shaft. For nearly 100 years, they have been committed to develop- ing products that provide the industry with longer tool life and improved performance. “Quality tools for specialists.” For more information, visit flexnorthamerica.com .