Salvaged Materials: CHALK BOARD

[bennelson]

What can I say, I like to work with salvaged materials. They always have character and the price is right.

Recently, I got some old slate chalkboard from a friend. Perfect for my toddler's first writing material, but the wrong size for where I needed it to go.

Here's a video to show you what I did about it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVQ6KfWcN2w

Salvaging materials keeps them out of land-fills and makes the best use of the "embodied energy" of that material.

See more over at my home projects blog:
EcoProjecteer

[5.4]

Use metal diamond blades on the angle grinder they last a lifetime. Did you sand the edges?

[bennelson]

I already had a couple of carbide cut-off blades, so I used those.

I did sand the edges. Slate is nice and soft. Even regular sandpaper works well on it.

After I cut the slate to size, I had to build a frame for it and then mount the whole thing to the wall.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBSjI953x5o&list

Here's what it looked like when completed.


One of the smaller cut-offs from the original slate was sized for use as a message board in my kitchen.



See in on my blog - Ecoprojecteer
This was a two-post series.
Part 1
Part 2

[GRU]

I like what you do.

What are you using the solar cells for? if you don't mind me asking

[jrscteg]

very cool, i used chalkboard paint on a wall in my daughters room.

[bennelson]

Originally Posted by GRU

I like what you do.

What are you using the solar cells for?

Those solar panels are connected to a grid-tie appliance. Those are Harbor Freight solar panels - not very powerful, but not very expensive either. Good for experimenting with.

I have used them for solar charging my electric riding lawn mower, and electric motorcycle. Since I don't use either of those in the winter, they take a TINY bit of money off my electric bill.