Alabaster: First time seeing this problem...

[DurocShark]

I've made probably a hundred alabaster pens. Never run into this...

This pen I just made, the alabaster has pockets of harder stuff... Seems to be quartz.

Talk about a hairy turn! Scared the crap outta me when I first realized there was something much harder in there.

The pen came out ok, but looking at the rest of the blanks I cut from that slab, most have these little nodules of much harder material.

 

[Haynie]

It is quartz. Will kick the crap out of your tools too. I have not had this happen on a lathe, just carving, but it is real fun when you hit one of those chunks with a dull tool and it takes out a LARGE chunk of what you are working on. I can only imagine the explosion at high RPM.

 

[DurocShark]

Yeah, I had to sharpen a LOT more than usual even for alabaster.

Came out nice though. http://www.flickr.com/photos/donimages/6212098069

 

[PaulDoug]

In spite of the problems you had, it really turned out nice. I have some alabaster but haven't got up the nerve to try turning it yet.

 

[Haynie]

Nice. I have some peach alabaster I have been thinking about making blanks out of. Are alabaster pens heavy?

 

[DurocShark]

It's about the same weight as aluminum. Heavier than wood or PR.

This alabaster was also peach. I reverse painted it red to get that pink look.

 

[Woodlvr]

I have 3 or 4 blanks of alabaster and I do not see any darker spots in it, maybe I am lucky, I hope.

 

[Drstrangefart]

Man, that came out NICE. Perseverance pays off!!!