• Marble and granite require similar tools to work with.Unpolished Marble image by JacWill from Fotolia.com
  
  Granite and marble are shaped and manipulated with similar stone-working tools. Marble is a softer stone that can receive more delicate tooling, while granite usually needs electroplated diamond tools. With the exception of the air- and electric-run power tools, the equipment and processes used in stone masonry have remained consistent throughout the centuries.
  
  

Protective Equipment

• Ear and eye protection is used when working with stone to minimize damage and protect the head from exposure to loud noises and flying debris. Respirators are used to minimize the intake of small stone dust particles that get released when cutting, drilling or sanding granite and marble.
  
  

Chisels and Pitching Tools

• Chisels are handheld tools that are used with a mallet or hammer to define and shape the stone. Types of chisels used with granite and marble are the point, trace, tooth, flat, rondel and pitching chisels. Pitching chisels are used to remove large areas of stone quickly and shape rough stone. Working with granite requires these chisels to have tungsten carbide tips that can handle the hardness of the stone. Pneumatic chisels run on compressed air and can perform larger jobs with greater speed and force.
  
  

Mallets and Hammers

• Masonry mallets and lump hammers are made from metal and weigh from one to four pounds. They drive the chisels into the surface of the stone. Pneumatic hammers are used like jack hammers to remove large areas of surface stone quickly.
  
  

Saws and Cutting Blades

• Blades for stone-cutting power saws are electroplated with diamond particles for extra hardness. Sintered diamond blades have larger teeth and are used to cut harder stones like granite.
  
  

Core Drill Bits

• Core drill bits or hole saws are electroplated with diamond particles and can drill holes through the stone. These bits attach to a power drill and cut a circular hole out of the stone. They are hollow cylinders that leave a plug of stone behind after drilling.
  
  

Grinding Wheels

• Grinding wheels are flat discs or cup-shaped wheels that are attached to a power drill. When spun at high RPMs, they act as cutters or grinders depending on their shape and the material they’re made from. As with other stone working tools, diamond wheels are required for granite and carbide wheels can work with marble.
  
  

Profiling/Routing Bits

• These bits work with high-RPM rotary or router tools. They remove corners on granite and marble stone work and replace them with decorative or functional borders.
  
  

Rasps and Files

• Rasps and files are straight or curved bars of hardened steel used to shape softer stones like marble. They are used during the finishing process and can remove or file down imperfect surfaces left by chisel work.
  
  

Sandpaper and Surface Abrasives

• High-grit sandpaper is used to finish stone. Water is applied to the stone to remove dust particles when sanding. Marble requires at least 600 grit sandpaper and granite does not mark until 3000 grit is used. Abrasive drums can be attached to power drills to buff stone work quickly. There are diamond pads and finishing pads for granite and marble to achieve the final surface.