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Is anyone making intricate backsplashes for vanity tops. I had a customer show me one in a magazine, and asked me if I could do it. The splash started at 4″ then went up and curved and such, almost looked like a fancy headboard or something. I don’t have a CNC, so I would have to make a template for something like this. and was thinking “chaching” mo money. Anyone have any pics of something like this.
Anyone have any pics of something like this.
Norm, We’ve done quite a few, but I don’t have too many pics.
I’ll give you a tip, though: If you have laminate strips around, they make great “arc makers”. Fasten a nail at each point where you want to start the arc, and push the laminate up in the middle. With a little practice, you’ll get a very even swing of whatever arc radius you are creating. Trace with a pencil and cut and finish.
About a 2″ strip should work.
Tom
1/2″ mdf for templates.
I’ve done one other backsplash that had a aspen brown stripe in it, I didn’t get a picture of it. I just slid the template down, used an 1/8 bit, cut the groove, cut off a thin strip of Aspen Brown to fit the groove. It is so flexible, you can follow any groove. Glued it in, sanded off, looked awesome. I started and stopped the groove about 1″ from the ends. Made it look more like a poured inlay, except it was another material. Was quick and easy.
I use 1/2 X 3/8 wide strips of MDF. Soak the strips in warm water this makes them very easy to bend to almost a 6” radius. Tack the strip onto your MDF template following your traced lines with a brad driver. Only do 1/2 of the backsplash. After the strip is nailed take a heat gun and dry out the strip. Router the first half of the template. Then take another piece of MDF nail it to the piece you just cut and router it to match. Now you have the other side for your template to make it perfectly symmetrical. Trace that template, perfect backsplash without a CNC
Norm,
If you ever need anything cut on a CNC, call me. Maybe we can even send it up in one of Dave’s vans, they do a lot of trips between my area and his area. Wes and the tranfer van meet about two minutes from my shop.
John
Norm, during a slow time, take a router and screw it to a mdf base, maybe two feet long. Punch in a pivot point for a 16 penny nail at say 18″ from the inside edge of the bit, then drill new holes every 1/2″ up to 3″ from the bit. Use the different holes to make curved templates, i.e., 18″ radius, 17.5 radius and so on. You also have 17.25″ radius by using the back side of the template. Small radius cuts, say a foot long. Add length as you go up. I have a set up to 144″ radius, all out of 1/4″ plywood, from 6″ long up to 48″ long. Makes fast arches possible if you don’t have a cnc.
We’ve done vanity splashes as well as hot tub splashes that arch up on the end where the faucets are located.
This was one of two stand alone units we made for a home show. The other is peaking out behind it (see the legs?)
Everyone loved them both, nobody, and I mean nobody ordered any.
It became a bragging piece the next show. Sort of a “If we can make this, we can make anything” type of deal.
I loved this bowl from DuPont. The designer I had working for me designed the top around the bowl.
Tom, that vanity does scream fabrication possibilities, but it sure could have been dressed up if you had used Avonite’s glass series for the apron and lit it up.
Al, I have a Penske router compass that I picked up from Mory.
Thanks to all that responded , it gave me alot of ideas. I believe bathrooms are the key to solid surface survival, it just makes sense to use there. Once you get your foot ih the house, and the customer realizes the attributes of solid surface first hand, then the rest will follow, in my humble opinion.
Norm,
I will tell you a bit about my glass experience in Fla.
It’s huge.
I haven’t quite got the hang of designing the light spread for these yet. If I’m going to do this, I want to do it different, or at least find the smartest guy in the room and steal pitifully from him. I’d want the top to be designed open, of course, but the light should be successful in different intensities.
One level would be a glow that can be seen in roomlight conditions, as an accent. One might warm the space while applying evening make up. One might be a night light.
The edges could be a problem, and I’d want to keep the spread from telegraphing the construction, if you know what I mean.
I don’t have the smarts yet.
There may be a few shoulders in Fla., though.
A little more on those tops here.
Tom
KC,
I loved the design of the Magna Sahara top so much I named it after her daughter. The wooden legs were sized, researched, bought and painted several coats by us. They help make the piece.
The Platinum one is sort of a Romanesque thing with square fluted legs, and rosettes at the deck join. Too heavy looking, my fault, but made great use of that other cool Corian sink. They also had the swirly, which was cool. Shame on us for not proving them worthy to keep in production. That ones on us.
Many fabricators know the pleasure of working with a good designer. You know, the ones who can actually design. Few of us ever get the pleasure to employ one.
Of all the employees I have no longer working for me, including my best freind (no offense, K ), I have never missed one more than her.
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