Well, the show is set up. So, I am back here today.
Alternative Ivory is made by one company. We (CSUSA, me, AS, etc) all sell the same stuff.
There is no better teacher than experience. I turn it all the time. My lathe is an old Delta that can barely muster 2600 RPM at top speed. I turn ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING at that speed. I just turned 20 alternative ivory pieces to 0.5", then put them (one at a time) on the Pen Wizard, made my patterns and filled, then turned them again to the size of a Sierra. NO PROBLEM!!
Yes, I messed up some when I was learning. NO, I can't make YOU turn the same as I do. I have made a couple short videos last weekend to try my new camera, they went well. So, I WILL make a video next week (working the show this weekend). HOWEVER, I can HEAR plastics, I FEEL plastics, my fingers can tell me if a blank is about to break. I CAN'T GIVE that to you, you have to EARN it.
Soon, Dawn will be selling "practice blanks" on her new website. I recommend using them. IF they come out ok, they will make a nice pen. IF you break them, cost is minimal.
Also, if you are drilling on the lathe and want to practice alt ivory, I have a bunch that is 15mm (I goofed). I will sell these on the IAP for $2 for a 5 inch piece. This is the material I am using for the Pen Wiz experiments. Makes a GREAT sierra. Would make ANY pen that is under a half inch finished diameter.
Sorry, some knowledge just can't be "packaged".
I am HAPPY to answer questions, but I can't TELL you how to FEEL something.
I CAN and DO wish you LUCK gaining EXPERIENCE!!!!!!!!!!!