Tru-Stone: What do I need to know?

[putnamm]

I feel like I've gotten good enough with woods and acrylics that I'm ready to tackle the next big pen medium. I've seen a lot of nice Tru-Stone pens out there, and I'd like to ask all of the experienced turners what I need to know before learning with Tru-Stone.

For example, are standard tools acceptable, or do I need special tools? What is the best turning speed? Are some forms or blanks of Tru-Stone easier to turn than others? What is the best finishing method?

Anything you can think of is welcome. Thanks in advance for your help.

-Mark

 

[Leatherman1998]

I use MM on the tru-stone that I have tried in the past. You can do it with HSS tools you will need to sharpen often, honed edge, highest speed possible, light cuts it will be fine. I have only turned some of the matrix blanks and they were fairly easy IMO.

 

[Jack Parker]

Mark, I haven't used a bunch of Tru-stone, but I have used some. What I have used behaved very well. Use sharp tools and take your time. For finishing, I used the same process as we use for more "normal" acrylics, wet sand with MM to 12,000 and polish.

 

[SteveG]

If you work a variety of the TruStone, You will find some are MUCH harder, and have more of a dulling effect on the tools. The darker ones seem to be more to the hard side. I recommend carbide insert tooling, as a general statement, but frequent sharpening of HSS will work fine!
Have fun with your next (and expensive) step.

 

[carlmorrell]

Not sure how relevant this is, but there are (or were) two types of tru-stone. The original stuff, many years ago, I only was able to get in 5/8" and was really hard heavy stuff. Felt like rock. Perhaps called lapidiary grade. I have no idea how I was able to turn it with my amateur skills, dull tools and an under powered lathe.

The newer stuff is much easier to turn, and has quite a bit of variety. The white seems a lot easier than black. Personally, I would only use carbide cutters. Bear Tooth has a great write-up and difficulty rating for the different types of tru-stone offered.

And as others have suggested Micro Mesh is my preferred finish. YMMV

 

[MikeinSC]

It used to be that the darker colors were harder than the lighter colors.
I've noticed that myself as well. And you'll find posts here that people say they have spent an hour to turn a blank. But I have never had that problem.
If you've turned acrylic before, that's really all the experience you need to rely on to turn tru stone.
I use carbide when I turn and do not seem to have the issues that those that use HSS tools. That is something that is echoed quite a bit throughout a lot of posts here. The carbide seems to hold an edge longer than HSS.

Don't think of trustone as anything other than an acrylic blank with rock powder cast into it and it may not seem so daunting.

 

[efrulla]

I am just the opposite. I used new carbide and turned ever so carefully and the stuff shatters every time. I stay clear of it.

 

[TonyL]

This has been my experience, in general. This is not advice, just my experience and what I do:
- Light colors are less brittle and easier to turn than dark colors
- TS with metal foil or some other type of veining is more difficult than solid colors - unless the solid colors/shades are dark.
- When turning blanks with veining, I am very cautious when I am close to the bushings
I don't use barrel trimmers (not even the ones with carbide blades); I use a sanding jig.
- TS, Inlace, Rhino, custom-made (fellow hobbyist made) were my motivations for moving away from carbide cutters and onto HSS that I sharpen very frequently - maybe 4 times per barrel. When I say sharpen.. I mean hit each side of the skews for about two seconds per side - more like refreshing the edge.

Again...not advice....just what I experienced and what I had to do to increase my success rate and obtain the desired finish. I don't know if my stuff was the old or new stuff. I didn't know there was old and new stuff until reading the other posts.

 

[jttheclockman]

I love the trustone line. To me some of the richest looking material for pens. I use a carbide cutter to get close to final sizing and finish off with a skew. I do this with most of my pens. Helps eliminate the sanding. Polishes to a brilliant shine. My favorites are Mother of pearls, Banded Malichite and Mexican Agate.

Examples

Black and White Mop





Green Banded Malachite






Mexican Agate

 

[EdGallop41]

I'm sure you know it is quite expensive. It is a bit brittle too. Blowouts will blow your mind into a near rage level. But I absolutely love the finished product. Sharp tools a must.