Splitting slate

[abitfishy]

HI there,

Not sure if this is the right spot, but none of the other areas seem right either. :o

Anyway, I have an old pot belly slate heath, and I wish to use the slate, but I only need very thin pieces. Is it possible for a non-handyman to split slate into thinner pieces using a hammer and bolster?

Any hints appreciated.

Thanks
Martn

[johnc]

You should be able to split the slate easily providing it has a nice straight grain. I would be inclined to sharpen the bolster to roughly 35 -40 degrees and go for it. An old unloved plane blade may also be sufficient if you are lucky with the type of slate.

[woodcutta]

I tiled 142 Sq Meters of slate and split several sq meters as some were extremely thick.

I bought a meat cleaver from the cheap shop and tapped it through with a hammer.

I think you would find the bolster may be a bit thick to get it splitting properly

woodcutta

[abitfishy]

Thanks guys. I picked it up this afternoon and gave it a go. So far so good. With a bit of care I think I will be able to split the slate tiles into exactly what I need. Am I correct in assuming the dust particles from slate are very bad? I think I read somewhere about the silica dust is very fine and can cause problems.

[johnc]

Splitting is relatively dust free, cutting is a different matter, best done with a wet saw. If using a grinder or circular saw you can trickle a thin stream of water on to the slate at the point of the cut. but be careful electricity bites. The meat clever sounds like a good idea and would be easier than the bolster.