Turning Tru Stone

[Jamie]

I have just ordered a few Tru Stone blanks and having never turned anything but wood and plastic was wondering what it was like to turn? Any tools work better than others? Does it polish like acrylic?

 

[Monty]

Turns and polishes very similar to acrylic. As always, make sure your tools are sharp and take light cuts.

 

[gerryr]

Maybe I got some odd blanks, but I found differences in how different blanks turned. The Malachite and Blanco Nero seemed just like any other acrylic, but the Lapis Lazuli seemed quite a bit harder.

 

[Snazzypens]

I know this is a very old thread but can you tell me is this tru stone. Genuine stone? Can we lathe rock and how do you do it?
Toni

 

[JimGo]

Toni,
TruStone is reconstituted stone; that is, it's stone pieces to which a bonding agent (seems to be an acrylic of some kind) has been added. There are some people who have turned soapstone and some other "rocks". If I recall correctly, I think they basically used coarse sandpaper the whole time.

 

[ashaw]

Toni
Lapis Lazuli is very hard. If fact this is the material that bent my mandel. I was just being to aggressive with. Light cuts and sharp tools.

 

[Snazzypens]

sharp tools.. where do you find them from?? I have been asked can you turn boulder opal. that why I asked. I said I don't think so.
bye Toni

 

[jdmyers4]

Tru-stone is some stone material mixed with some resin - about 85% stone, 15% resin. The stone isn't actually made out of the stone that the name implies - Lapis tru-stone isn't really made from actual Lapis Lazuli stone. The Malachite isn't real Malachite, etc. The price would be much higher if that were the case. But the end result is that the turned piece looks very near to the real stone. I like it. I find tru-stone turns nicely on my lathe.

John

 

[TellicoTurning]

Peronally, I think the Tru-Stone and Polygem are a little softer to turn than the Acryllics.. not much.. but if tools are sharp, turns really nicely.