cutting down a bge pizza stone?

Cookinbob

I have an XL BGE stone, approx 21" diameter. I would like to cut down to about 17-18" to use with my new woo 2. I have a circular saw with a diamond blade for masonry. Will it work? Has anyone attempted this?

berndcrisp

Circular saws are for straight cuts.You would need to cut it into an octogon or decagon (?), using lots of water for cooling and lubrication.

berndcrisp

Might be best to take it to a granite countertop place and have them cut it.

I don't think water and electric tools are a good combination.

NPHuskerFL

berndcrisp said:

Might be best to take it to a granite countertop place and have them cut it.

I don't think water and electric tools are a good combination.

8-} so point me in the direction of the "gas powered" wet saw. Lol ;-)
This is why we have GFCI outlets.
I do agree if you want to keep it round have it cut by a granite/ countertop company. But, at which point the cutting of your existing stone may surpass what it would cost to purchase new stone in the actual size you want. FWIW

Mattman3969

@cookinbob - if your blade is a rigid diamond blade than yes you should be able to cut it. It will take several passes at maybe 1/8-3/16" deep on each pass with plenty of water. You will need to do several relief cuts in from the outside so if anything binds up and wants to break it will break at a predetermined point by your cuts. Just go slow and remember lots of water. When you use diamond blades you are actually grinding and not cutting. You will see the kerf of your cut getting wide the deeper you go. This is because for each 3/16 you go deeper your cutting diameter of the blade gets larger and needs more room as you twist the saw in a circle. This is how we use to cut circle before we got all of the CNC equipment that we run now in the granite shop. Hopefully this pic will help explain better.

NPHuskerFL

@Mattman3969‌ nice illustration.

henapple

I cut down a xl half moon to a lg. Grinder with a cement blade...Butta. it's actually really soft and easy. Go slow. .it's really soft.

jllbms

This so begs for outsourcing.

Mattman3969

I may be wrong about the shops in his area but if someone came my front door and wanted a pizza stone cut down I would a minimum of $100. That may sound high but our guys get paid to produce counters all day long and when something like this is thrown in the mix it hurts production. For me it doesn't look very cost friendly to outsource, prolly end up costing more than just going and buying the correct size.

Carolina Q

henapple said:

I cut down a xl half moon to a lg. Grinder with a cement blade...Butta. it's actually really soft and easy. Go slow. .it's really soft.

LOL, that's what I was thinking. Only if I ever have to cut one down, I'll use a sabre saw and a medium TPI wood blade. If it gets dull, then another. If it doesn't work, then I will have been wrong. 

jllbms

Wow. I went to our local marble shop, picked out a piece of scrap, gave them a template for what I needed, and got the finished product for $50.

Mattman3969

Probably just difference in area and size of shop.

henapple

Seriously. ..it's too easy to pay $

NPHuskerFL

Mattman3969 said:

I may be wrong about the shops in his area but if someone came my front door and wanted a pizza stone cut down I would a minimum of $100. That may sound high but our guys get paid to produce counters all day long and when something like this is thrown in the mix it hurts production. For me it doesn't look very cost friendly to outsource, prolly end up costing more than just going and buying the correct size.

Most CNC cuts can go for $100-$200 depending on setup time and complexity of the cut. That is reasonable. After all this ain't UNICEF! :-D. I'm speaking of SS not granite so maybe there is a $$ difference.

NPHuskerFL

Or hell ya could always hire "the other guy".
Fact is a lot of us are handy enough to do it ourselves. And then there are those that have trouble changing a light bulb. I'm just saying that's all. ;-)

Cookinbob

A guess I am too practical and too cheap.  I can buy a 17.5" stone from the Ceramic Grill Store for $45.  The XL stone I have was a gift - I never would have purchased a stone that large, as my typical pizza is a 12 incher.  I thought that rather than buy a new stone, ( and have a second one that I never use), I would try cutting down the old one, and use it as both a pizza stone and a deflector with the woo 2.  I am not worried about it being round, thought an octagon would be fine, just keep it simple.  So far I have $15 invested in the diamond blade, and I am very much a do-it-myselfer.  I figured if the response here was a resounding "no way", I could return the unopened blade.

Based on all the feedback, I think it is worth a shot.  If I bust it up, I will own a $15 diamond blade, and a new 17.5" stone.  If I bust it up and do it right, I can still end up with a half moon stone.  Or I might be successful in which case I will have saved $30 plus shipping (enough for a couple of bags of Rockwood or some other eggcessory).  I will go for it this week, and let you all know how it works out 

Last question before I start.  Anybody wanna buy a used XL pizza stone? B-)

NPHuskerFL

@Cookinbob‌ sounds like a reasonable plan to me. Thrifty is my way also.

stlcharcoal

When my plate setter's leg broke off and I got a new one warrantied, I made a pizza stone out of my old plate setter.  I just used a masonry cutting wheel on my grinder to cut a groove down both side of the two legs.  The I just tapped and the legs broke off......just like cutting glass.  It doesn't have a nice smooth edge, but for 5 minutes work it looks pretty good.

Ragtop99

Nevermind.  reread post.

Lit

If you have a dremel their tile cuting bit will make quick work of it. I used it to take notches out of my mini fire ring so the plate setter would fit in.

jhl192

Sell the XL BGE pizza stone on Craigslist for $45. Then buy the CGS 17.5" for $45.  Practical, cheap and no cutting!!  It will be gone in a couple of days.  

SmokeyPitt

Just a thought- could you make a couple of straight cuts and just make an oval?  Similar to the cgs stone:

Not sure how well it would fit the Woo, but it might be easier to cut and IMO it seems the oval shape gives you a more usable indirect area for ribs/brisket.