Turning Stone

[CameronPotter]

Hi again,

I was just wondering, how exactly is stone turned? By stone I basically mean turquoise or malachite.

I have done a search - found plenty of references to people saying they have used it, but no-one says how.

Do you need to use the ol' 80 grit gouge or can you use normal HSS tools? Also, can you cut it, or is it best to scrape it (if you can use tools at all).

The hardest stuff that I have turned is some homebrew PR that I put WAY too much hardener in (and it cracked as it set). After that is probably jarrah - a very tough Aussie hardwood. Both of these killed the edges on the skews I was using. Thus, I shudder to think about what the stone might be like...

Cam

 

[Charlie in Garfield]

Hi CameronPotter,
Hope this will help you out, True Stone turns just like wood.You Must have very sharp tools and a lite touch.It will chip if you get too aggresave, I have made a dozen or so of the different ones,like the Black & white the best though. Go look at my sight and you can see some of them.
Just Charlie & Betsy

 

[CameronPotter]

Thanks Charlie.

Nice looking pens there.

Some other nice work too actually.

TrueStone is a manufactured product, what about something you make at home (such as powdered turquoise etc.) Does that work the same?

Cheers

Cam

 

[Johnathan]

Neat pen to turn just be careful not to press too hard. Almost like a really hard PR blank.

 

[CameronPotter]

Excellent. Well that is something I will have to keep in mind.

Yet another thing to try!![]