*Video Added* Tuesday Afternoon - Blog - News

Tuesday was so busy I didn't even have time to blog about it until now!After the class lecture, we moved out to the workshop, where Jeff shows the students how to layer the steel wires into the forms. Who knew zip ties could be so useful in countertop production! I decided that, while laying out the reinforcement is great to learn, it's less than entertaining to watch.

Jeff talked a lot about layers, and mixes... made me think of cake. It was a lot like a massive baking project, come to think of it...

The students checked the oil on the tables (and made sure there were no pieces of sawdust, or any other large particles) to prepare for the pour. I love seeing the camaraderie that builds up in the groups. Students go from disinterested strangers to coworkers and friends, in a remarkably short amount of time!

The demo was done in run of the mill lunch trays, the kind you see in fast food restaurants. They are great to make samples in! Part of Jeff's demo covered ghosting, and how to avoid it. That is something even veteran countertop makers struggle with! Some of the students have been making countertops on their own for years, and say that they've already learned a wealth of valuable information, things they'd never known to do, short cuts that are efficient, not lazy.

In the workshop, it's always essential to put safety first (and fashion a close second) with safety goggles and face masks. Cement dust is not something you want to inhale too much of! Two batches of concrete are mixed, one with pigment, the other just regular gray cement. Students made the mix from scratch, of course, using sand and stone as the main ingredients. When you build every mix yourself, you know exactly what is going into it, and the condition of the elements you're adding (whether the sand is a little damp, or there are chunks in the aggregates); mixes from a bag are much less controllable. Two types of drums are used, too; Jeff prefers the steel drum; he's had the one in the shop for years, and it's still in excellent condition. Ingredients are poured in, and the mixing begins...

TIP I LEARNED: You don't need fancy or special ingredients. It does not have to be stylish. Just because something claims to be "new" or "adds" a lot to your mix, does not mean that it's not an old product that's been relabeled, or something completely superfluous. If you find a mix that works for you, and that gives you solid results, why change it? If it ain't broke.....

Once the pour is complete, and covered with plastic, Jeff brings the students to a demo piece, and shows them wet grinding, polishing, and sealing. This takes up the remainder of the afternoon, and the students are absorbing the information like sponges. It makes a huge difference in learning when you can actually put your hands on a project, and make it yourself, with an expert standing by!

The day closed with dinner & drinks downtown. Wednesday they'll learn how to make the mix they used today!