Frequently Asked Questions
Seam Phantom
- Would you recommend buying the air or electric? Which one should I go with?
- How long does it take to dress a seam with the Seam Phantom?
- Can the Seam Phantom be used for anything besides seams?
- How many passes do you have to make with each pad/grit?
- How do you know when you have to switch pads or when it’s done?
- How much pressure do you push while dressing?
- How much material needs to be removed to dress the seam?
- Do I have to over cut the piece to allow for it to be dressed back?
- Do I have to back grind the seam before dressing?
- What happens with the back grind when it comes to the front / profiled edge of the counter?
- What adhesive do I have to use to glue a Seam Phantom seam?
- Sometimes we get a seam that’s not straight, what’s going on?
- Why is the glide guide so close to the edge of the stone after hooking the gauge blocks on the edge of the stone?
- Which air polisher(s) will fit the Seam Phantom?
- Will electric grinders other than the Makita fit the Seam Phantom?
- If I already have a CNC, why would I need a Seam Phantom?
Phantom SL3s
- What is the 2” cup wheel used for?
- How many seams can you do with a set of pads?
- What speed should the pads or cup wheel be run at?
- How many pads are needed to dress a seam?
Seam Phantom
Q: Would you recommend buying the air or electric? Which one should I go with?
A: They both produce the same results but there are some subtle and not-so-subtle differences. Here’s a comparison:
|
AIR |
ELEC |
|
Requires a compressor that produces 15 CFM at 90 PSI per tool. |
Uses electricity, so it’s easier to use at a job site to touch up a seam. |
|
Lightweight & long lasting. The air polisher is lightweight and is built to last in wet shop conditions. |
More horsepower, so if you want to grind back laminated edges with a 3” cup wheel, it might be worth considering. |
|
Uses center water feed through the polisher. |
Uses water feed through the Seam Phantom. |
Q: How long does it take to dress a seam with the Seam Phantom?
A: It depends on a number of factors such as: 1) The size of the chipping after the cut. 2) The type of stone. 3) The experience of the user. 4) The accuracy of the cut and amount of overcut left.
When cutting with a bridge saw, we estimate an average of 8 minutes per side of the seam. Keep in mind that the installer will be able to set and finish a Seam Phantom seam in less time, so most of the dressing time will be recovered.
Q: Can the Seam Phantom be used for anything besides seams?
A: Yes. It’s only left up to your creativity. Here’s some ideas:
- Sizing down a piece that was cut a little to big on the saw. For example, a piece between two cabinets that won’t quite fit.
- Trimming a full height backsplash or bar riser to fit.
- Fix an edge that was messed up by the router or during polishing. The edge can be ground back the slightest amount with the Seam Phantom and routered and polished again.
- Grinding back or finishing laminated edges.
- Flat polishing edges or backsplash.
- Creating a jig to do miter edges. Here’s link to a great example of this http://www.stoneadvice.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=18745
Q: How many passes do you have to make with each pad/grit?
A: There is no right answer for this. It is very similar to polishing an edge. If you move the polisher fast it will take more passes than if you move the polisher slowly. The amount of passes will depend on the speed of each pass, the amount of pressure you push against the stone, the hardness of the stone, and the amount of material you need to remove with that grit.
Q: How do you know when you have to switch pads or when it’s done?
A: When all the chipping is removed from the previous grit or saw blade, you can move on. Some people check this by feel (be careful not to cut your finger on the seam), and some people mark the worst chip and dress back to the mark.
Q: How much pressure do you push while dressing?
A: The amount of pressure used will vary depending on the stone, similar to polishing an edge. With hard stones you’ll push harder than soft stones. As long as you don’t try to force it, you’ll be fine.
Q: How much material needs to be removed to dress the seam?
A: You’ll only need to remove enough material to remove the largest chip from the saw. The exception would be if the piece has been oversized and you need to remove enough material to get the size correct. Typically getting the exact size will only matter if it’s between two walls or cabinets.
Q: Do I have to over cut the piece to allow for it to be dressed back?
A: It is best if there is a slight overcut. The amount will depend on several variables such as; how square and straight your cut is, how chippy the stone is, etc. With average stones and a good bridge saw, a typical over cut would be a little less than 1/16”.
Q: Do I have to back grind the seam before dressing?
A: You don’t have to, but there are advantages such as the pads are dressing less stone surface so it goes faster and the pads last longer. You will also be more likely to get a seam that isn’t straight if you don’t back grind first. Keep in mind that the amount of back grind can be very minimal by the time you’re done dressing (unless you prefer to have more).
Q: What happens with the back grind when it comes to the front / profiled edge of the counter?
A: At the front / profiled edge, you’ll simply stop the back grind short so it doesn’t show in the front.
Q: What adhesive do I have to use to glue a Seam Phantom seam?
A: No special adhesives are required. You can continue using the same adhesives that you’re used to. The only difference you’ll find is that it won’t be as important to color match the adhesive to the stone. On dark stones, clear will look great and on lighter stones, a transparent white will work good.
Q: Sometimes we get a seam that’s not straight, what’s going on?
A: Usually this is caused by leaving a slight hump after the last pad (typically on very hard stones). The best solution is to check the seam for straight with a good straight edge before removing the Glide Guide. If it’s not straight yet, put the Seam Phantom back on (without moving the pad depth) and continue grinding the area with the high spot. Repeat this process until the seam is straight. It is critical that you don’t turn the pad in deeper during this process or you’ll start your grinding process all over. If you can’t get the seam to come out straight, you should check that your Glide Guide isn’t bent or bowed.
Q: Why is the glide guide so close to the edge of the stone after hooking the gauge blocks on the edge of the stone?
A: The gauge blocks are not meant to “hook” on the end of the stone. When placed properly, they should be on top of the stone, and the line where you want the seam to be should be at the end of the gauge block. See Figure 9 in your manual (or click here ).
Q: Which air polisher(s) will fit the Seam Phantom?
A: We have confirmed the following air polishers are compatible and will fit: Barranca BD-2321WR, Alpha AIR-658, Flex PLW 923S. Others may also fit.
Q: Will electric grinders other than the Makita fit the Seam Phantom?
A: No. The Seam Phantom is made to mate with 4 screws in the head of the Makita 9564CV or 9565CV.
Q: If I already have a CNC, why would I need a Seam Phantom?
A: With a Seam Phantom you can dress seams at a job site if necessary. Doing a nice job with seams requires the tooling on a CNC to be set up just right, and the process will take more than one pass – thus tying up time on your CNC. Also you may have an occasional seam piece that won’t go on the CNC (like a flat polish or chiseled edge piece without a sink). But the main reason might be you just want to get better seams than the CNC can give you. The Seam Phantom will get you there.
Phantom SL3s
Q: What is the 2” cup wheel used for?
A: The 2” cup wheel is used for making the back grind or undercut before dressing the seam. When the seam is glued together, this small gap can be packed with Epoxy to give a super strong seam. It also provides a “rough area” for the adhesive to stick to, since adhesive works better on a surface that is not dressed smooth.
Q: How many seams can you do with a set of pads?
A: This depends on different factors such as type of stone, how much of an over cut you leave, whether you are doing the back grind, etc. If you cut with a good saw and you do the back grind, you should get anywhere from 75 to 100 seams from a set of pads.
Q: What speed should the pads or cup wheel be run at?
A: They will work best near their maximum speed. Max speed of the turbo pads is 4000 RPM and Max speed of the cup wheel is 10000 RPM. The main thing to watch is that you don’t get the speed of the Makita set too high for the turbo pads.
Q: How many pads are needed to dress a seam?
A: Three at the most, but some people only use one pad in certain situations. The first pad, which often isn’t needed, is the 60 grit. This pad will only be used on very hard stones or if more than 1/16” needs to be removed. The second pad is the 150 grit. Some people stop at the 150 grit because it makes a great seam. The third pad is the 300 grit. A few passes with this pad after the 150 grit will turn a great seam into an incredible seam.
