# turning stone



## ryankelley (Feb 12, 2009)

Does anyone know where I can get some small pieces of alabastor?  I would like to turn a segemented pen using wood and stone.  Thought about true stone but I think the alabastor would look better.


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## arioux (Feb 12, 2009)

Hi,

Go to this post, hehas some
http://www.penturners.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1822


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## its_virgil (Feb 12, 2009)

There is a stoneturners yahoo group. Maybe some info in the files can help out. A recent issue of Woodturning Design had an article on stone turning. You could get some info from the author.
Do a good turn daily!
Don



ryankelley said:


> Does anyone know where I can get some small pieces of alabastor?  I would like to turn a segemented pen using wood and stone.  Thought about true stone but I think the alabastor would look better.


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## me2cyclops (Feb 13, 2009)

call your local art stores , many carry it as well as soapstone for sculpters.


also get a mask
....no get a better mask.


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## TellicoTurning (Feb 13, 2009)

I don't know anything about turning stone/alabaster, but I've seen a couple of turners that have shown some fantastic pieces turned from it.   They mentioned in the article I read about having to have special tools to turn the stone.. heavier and harder...

I don't know this to be a fact, but I would think that the difference in the two materials might make for some difficult turning on the transition from one material to the other... It will be interesting to see your results... be sure to post a picture of your finished product.


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## BRobbins629 (Feb 13, 2009)

Alabaster is pretty soft as stones go.  I had no trouble turning with woodworking tools.  It does finish nicely and looks great - just be careful not to have too many defects in the stone.  I dropped mine on a hard floor and it broke in 2.


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## spiritwoodturner (Feb 13, 2009)

Chuck, somebody here cast alabaster chunks in resin, and it really looked cool. I would guess it's no different than turning and finishing the coffee bean blanks. I learned higher speed and light pressure are best. I found the same thing when I did my "Rippy Bits"pen-wood, plastic bits and PR, all different densities, but light touch and speed helped. Then when I finally got several coats of thin and thick CA on that disappeared.

Ryan, you'll find out that's a challenge when you try your idea, just remember light touch. If you lay into it you'll evaporate the alabaster and the wood will still be there. But try it. I'm going to try everything before I'm done!

Dale


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## BullDurham (Feb 13, 2009)

Here is a site that I get some alabaster from.

http://www.stonesculptorssupplies.com/index.html


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## GoodTurns (Feb 13, 2009)

Richard at R&B crafts generally carries nice alabaster pen blanks (in various shades).  See the TRUSTONE ad in Business classifieds.  turn it gently and you (actually your wife/mother/whoever) wind up with a beautiful pen.


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## Stick Rounder (Feb 13, 2009)

Hi,
The article in _Woodturning Design_ highlights Steve Finch, his website www.exoticvessels.com has a link page with several alabaster stone suppliers.  I bought the turning tool, it is much heavier.  Your turning tools will work with stone, they just require multiple trips to the sharpener.


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## Chasper (Feb 16, 2009)

I've been trying off and on for a few years to turn stone pens.  Alabaster and soapstone work well in segments if you use wood, resin or antler on the ends, they tend to crumble if the ends of the tubes are left exposed.  I put a few layers of CA on them to minimize the breaking/crumbling risk.  They drill and turn fine.  Alabaster normally approaches 2 mohs but it can be harder, the pretty amber colored stuff from Egypt is about 4 mohs.  Soapstone is mostly talc; 1+ mohs.  

I've also used pipestone (catlinite), it is about 2.5 mohs hardness which is somewhere near the upper limit (probably just beyond) for woodworking tools.  Since I trashed a few bandsaw blades with it, I now cut it with an angle grinder.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZAQyD_WvCk
This viedo is how a stone lathe is supposed to work.  Turning stone is seriously messy and the grit gets in bearings and other places it shouldn't be for the lathe and every other power tool in the shop.  To set up and do it regularily it would be best to be in a separate shop or outside.  Then there is the problem of how to drill it. . .

Diamond Pacific makes small shop lapidary lathes.


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