soap stone?

[booney0717]

I bought some soap stone from hobby lobby today. Got it home cut it down into 2 sierra blanks and both blew apart wile drilling. I have been taking my time drilling only little bites at a time keeping it as cool as possible. I also tried drilling in stages using a 7mm bit to start then working my way up. Both blew apart. Please any and all ideas will help.
Thanks!
Kevin

 

[76winger]

I haven't tried it, but I've heard (and as you've found out) it's pretty brittle stuff!

 

[Silverado]

Hi Kevin

I have made several pens with soapstone. I have also had a lot of problems
drilling. Sometimes I will go through 2 or 3 before I get a good one. I beleive
it is the nature of the stone. It can have hairline cracks through out it that are
hidden. I haven't tried this yet but you might try wrapping them in tape first, that is if tape will even stick to it?

Good luck

 

[NewLondon88]

I wouldn't use the soapstone from a hobby store. That is meant for
carving. Too soft for a pen. (if you can scratch it with your fingernail,
what are the odds of the pen holding up to normal wear?)

Get the architectural soapstone. Still soft, but harder than that.
DRILL WITH WATER. Small bit first, gradually increasing size.
Keep a squirt bottle of water nearby, fill the hole as you drill.
Don't just get it damp. Keep the hole filled with water.
You're flooding it with water to cool the bit. Stop often. If you can't
keep your finger on the bit because of the heat, you're not going slow
enough. Carbide bits are best for this.

 

[booney0717]

Where do you get the architectural soap stone from?

 

[booney0717]

Thanks for the feedback. I'm going to keep going with the stone i already have(dont wanna wast it). I think that by using the tape idea along with water and running through bit sizes, i should be able to get at least one good pen form the two blocks i bought. Gonna give it a few more attempts and if i cant get a pen i still might be able to make a nice pen holder or something else.
Thanks again!
Kevin

 

[Jim Burr]

I did a CSUSA bullet pen in soapstone a few weeks ago...Never again!! YMMV, but I during drilling, spray a little water in the hole while drilling. 1/16" at a time worked well. I used a carbide tool with tiny cuts...that was the easy part. It finished beautifully and looked great!! As soon as I pressed the parts, the blank developed small fractures. I was able to run some thin CA over the blank even thought all the parts were on.

 

[Whaler]

Here is a great source for quality soapstone.
Carving Stone, Sculptor Supplies, Sculptor Tools, Stone Carving Tools, Stone Sculptor Supplies, Rifflers, Rasps, Chisels, Milani, Cuturi, Pnuematic Tools

 

[DRAT]

For years I have worked with stone as a carving medium. For turning I have found alabaster to be "much" more stable. If I were you I'd give alabaster a try.

 

[BSea]

I did a CSUSA bullet pen in soapstone a few weeks ago...Never again!! YMMV, but I during drilling, spray a little water in the hole while drilling. 1/16" at a time worked well. I used a carbide tool with tiny cuts...that was the easy part. It finished beautifully and looked great!! As soon as I pressed the parts, the blank developed small fractures. I was able to run some thin CA over the blank even thought all the parts were on.

You might ream out the brass tube a little, or sand the press in parts a bit so you have to glue in the parts rather than press fit the parts. I think the hairline fractures are from the slight expansion of the brass tube.

 

[PaulDoug]

Here is a great source for quality soapstone.
Carving Stone, Sculptor Supplies, Sculptor Tools, Stone Carving Tools, Stone Sculptor Supplies, Rifflers, Rasps, Chisels, Milani, Cuturi, Pnuematic Tools

I've purchased from these people several times. I've been happy with what I received, but I'm no expert. They don't seem to have much in the way of soapstone at the moment but have some beautiful alabaster. Once in a while they have great deals on "grab bags". It is end cut and such. I have received some great stuff that way.

CA is you friend here. I put CA on all the cracks I see before even starting and as I go I add it. If chunks fall off they are easily glued back on. I don't make pens out of it (well I did one) because I;m afraid what would happen if it is dropped.

Save some of the "talc" you produce as you turn it. Make great filler for any cracks or voids you may have. I drill it on the lathe at the slowest speed my lathe has.

I've make a complete shaving set using it, including the cup to hold the soap. I love using it with wood, they go together well.

 

[NewLondon88]

Thanks for the feedback. I'm going to keep going with the stone i already have(dont wanna wast it).

Then I would suggest making this pen strictly for show. It will work,
and it will look great. It will just be extremely fragile.
Architectural soapstone is what they make the stoves from.. as well
as kitchen countertops and such. Not as exciting to look at as some
of the artistic stone we see out there. But it'll be more durable.

If there's a kitchen cabinet maker near you, they might have scraps and
they'd be VERY grateful if you took it off of their hands. Same with their
Corian scraps. You can also check with quarries in the northeast. They
might ship it.

Same recommendations go for alabaster also.. go slow, go wet
and go in steps. Just don't waste hardware on a pen if you think the
recipient is going to use it every day.. it won't hold up to normal wear
because it is so soft.

But it will look wonderful!

 

[booney0717]

I really appreciate everybodys feed back. I tried another blank this morning with the other block and used the tricks that were suggested and i got the same results. I think i'm going to give up on using soap stone for pens and just make some nice little pen holders to sell as an option. I think those will look really nice and some of the people i sell to will like them alot. When i finish one i'll post a picture of it. Thanks again for the imput.
Kevin

 

[maxwell_smart007]

Always wanted to try soapstone, but afraid of asbestos...

 

[NewLondon88]

Always wanted to try soapstone, but afraid of asbestos...

I think soapstone dealers are pretty well aware of asbestos, because
it occurs in the same areas. It shouldn't be in any soapstone you get.
California soapstone, for instance, has a high levels of asbestos in it.
There is a lot of misinformation confusing talc and asbestos, too.
And talc and asbestos are in the same family of rock. But you'd know
if there were asbestos in the stone. You'd have cottony fiber veins in
it. It would be obvious. And even then it could also be calcites or satin
spar or barite and not asbestos.
But if you see the fibrous veins, best not to use it. Just in case.

ps.. if your soapstone source is the Quebec area or Brazil, it shouldn't be
a problem. But "Certified Asbestos Free" doesn't convince me, either.
After all, it is a rock and you can't see inside it.
Even if it is asbestos free, a good particulate filter mask is essential.
Silicosis isn't quite as bad as asbestosis, but still pretty bad. Common
sense and an ounce of prevention are in order..

 

[PTsideshow]

Here are some previous threads on soapstone. http://www.penturners.org/forum/1409040-post3.html
http://www.penturners.org/forum/1410121-post1.html
http://www.penturners.org/forum/1355406-post6.html

To add what has been said I spent 8 to 24 hours a year for 32 years in federal mandated classes on asbestos and its removal. Once it is inside your lungs it is there till they rot after you are gone. You can't cough it up as some places on the web state. As Curtis said it can hang in the air for days, even when the air is still it can take almost a week to completely settle out. With any air movement it is so light it can move at the slightest current.

And those ads on the tube about family members wife's and children getting it are true. It was transferred from the workers clothes to the car seats and then in the washing machine. depending on what the tradesmen did and how heavy the dust was on their clothes.

Can't be said enough you must use an asbestos rated cartridge half mask at a minimum. A HEPA exit filter on the shop vac, or you will blow it around the shop!

Purple cartridge is the approved one for asbestos.

These ARE NOT to be used. They do have one that is approved for use but there aren't cheap.
Here is another thing even the purple cartridge ones are one time use only. and after removing the cartridges the mask has to be cleaned.
People that try to use them after taking them off only succeed, in transferring to the inside surface of the mask and then breath it in when they put it back on.
Silicosis can be as bad if not worse. As it has been said about the concrete cutters. I cringe when I see the idiots standing in the cloud of dust wearing a hanky.
I know that there seems to be more people dragging around the oxy bottles or concentrators at wally world every day.
Be safe not sorry!
:clown:

 

[Jim Burr]

I did a CSUSA bullet pen in soapstone a few weeks ago...Never again!! YMMV, but I during drilling, spray a little water in the hole while drilling. 1/16" at a time worked well. I used a carbide tool with tiny cuts...that was the easy part. It finished beautifully and looked great!! As soon as I pressed the parts, the blank developed small fractures. I was able to run some thin CA over the blank even thought all the parts were on.

You might ream out the brass tube a little, or sand the press in parts a bit so you have to glue in the parts rather than press fit the parts. I think the hairline fractures are from the slight expansion of the brass tube.

They are...the stone has no capacity for expansion So the first thing to give is blank