Anyone dealt with onyx ?

[masonsailor2]

The boss has put in her order for set of beside cabinets with underlit onyx tops. Has anybody ever dealt with onyx before ? I found a local source for the stone. The biggest challenge seems to be the LED panels for the lighting.
Paul

[dusty]

Is this a technical challenge or a logistical one? If logistics, your best bet is to have her scour the internet and local outlets until she finds what she wants. If you chose the lighting system, you gotta live with it.

Are you talking about led strings or prewired panels? If prewired panels, you'll likely have to custom order them. $$$$.

No, I have no experience with stone or masonry except in fences and you don't want my help doing that!!!

[masonsailor2]

No nothing logistical. I have the onyx available. I think I may have solved the led issue. Several possibilities on them and yes all options seem to be expensive. Roughly $250 per panel. Oh well. I got the carcasses made yesterday so now I will tackle the stone and led issue. The onyx is readily available here in S Cal and they appear to be able to cut it within acceptable tolerances. The led panels will have to be ordered or possibly make my own if the lag time is too great.
Paul

[dusty]

Really nice cabinets, even with onyx tops. Just plain nice woodworking.

I just know you have a bunch of photos taken of the 'work in progress' that we would enjoy.

[rpd]

For the LED lighting, this might be an option. http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.a ... 3349,70322

[masonsailor2]

Thanks Ron. Lowes and HD both sell an LED strip system that apparently you can daisy chain together to make the panels. This appeals to me much more than the commercially made panels. When they go out it looks to be an expensive proposition as opposed to using the strips which are actually quite inexpensive. You can apparently buy the led in a roll and then solder your own connectors. Ah the thinks I never knew ! Since there is no heat generated I think the only precaution would be to make it fire resistant from an electrical short standpoint and glue them to a piece of aluminum or sheet metal.
Paul

[masonsailor2]

Thanks for the compliment on the cabinetry Dusty. I don't usually take pictures during the fabrication time but I can start ! I get caught up in the process and as they say time goes by. I have been making that style door and drawer fronts for years. Each door requires four different glue ups before they can be surfaced. But they are actually quite easy to make and the first few sets back in the seventies were made entirely on a SS. It was all I had. You can vary the contrasting woods for different looks. Those are Honduran mahogany and alder which is my wife's favorite combo. Another great combo is maple and Peruvian walnut.
Paul

[masonsailor2]

Well the boss finally found the onyx she wanted so now I can finish up the bedside tables and get them out of the shop. Next challenge will be the light panels for the onyx. I decided to make the panels out of 1\4" melamine and use the lighting strips with the self adhering backing on them. My only fear is the adhesive will give way somewhere down the line. Will have to wait and see. They sell led light bars that you could screw down to the melamine but they are quite a bit more money.
Paul

[curiousgeorge]

Here are a couple of places to look for your LED lighting...

http://www.banggood.com/Wholesale-LED-S ... tType=desc

https://www.superbrightleds.com/

[stevewilliams]

Onyx is wonderful choice as it is formed of bands of chalcedony in alternating colors which looks very attractive.