Soap Stone?

Wow! *LINK*

Jennifer@Indy.USA

>That stuff is expensive!


Cha-Ching!

Re: Soap Stone? *LINK*

YoYoSpin

>Jen,

You might consider Alabaster as a cheaper alternative. Here's a link to my favorite Colorado supplier. BTW, be sure to wear lots of dust protection when turning this stuff.

best regards,

Ed D.




Colorado Alabaster

Re: Soap Stone?

Michael Stadulis, in Gloucester County, NJ

>Hi Jen,

I bought a big flat piece about 1 1/2" thick from a jobber that had pieces of granite and soapstone cutouts from counter fabrication. I think I got it for $0.10/pound.

Mike

Re: Soap Stone?

Richard Allen

>Hi Jen

I have turned some soapstone. It is the softest of stones and turns easly. It is all scrapeing. You can use anytool you like, presented any way you like and the tool will scrape away the stone.

The waste is talic which is baby powder. There is a serious problem with breathing the powder so dust protection is not optional. Baby powder is slipery to stand on so the more you can suck up in your DC before it hits the floor the better.

There are two problems with tutning the stone. One is that stone often has hairline cracks. A crack means that there is no conection between the sides of the crak and the stone can let loose. use thin CA glue on all cracks you see and inspect as you turn so you can find new places to add more.

The other problem with turning soapstone is the inclusions you might find. Silica and iron. Both are characterized by tick tick tick as the hard part nicks your tool. You cant cut through these inclusions. Your choices are to start sanding at that shape or to dig out the inclusion and continue turning.

Soapstone sands easly, to easly. Be sure to "dump" your paper as if fills with talic or you get wavey texture to the stone. You can wet sand to good effect.

Chucking works well but remember that the stone is soft so the jaws will have to be tightened a few time in the begining till the stone has conformed to the jaw profile. Use the tailstock for support till there is no need to tighten the jwas. You can crush soapstone with the jaws to don't tighten to much. Be firm but no benifit is gained by tightening with a cheater bar.

A curious thing happens as you hollow soapstone. It changes color. The color starts to change long before the stone is to thin. You can gauge the thickness of the stone by the color of the stone. Well from 3/8" thick to 1/8" thick. Somewhere arounf 1/2" thick you will notice a change in the color. From then on the color will lighten as you get thinner and thinner.

I tried making captive rings once. The rings came out fine but didn't survive much of a shake.

Because the stone is so soft the rim and foot can easly be damaged. A thin layer of wood is often used to add detail, contrast and protection to those areas.

Turning soapstone is a lot of fun. The finish is glass smooth. Prices vary a LOT. You should be more interested in soapstone that doesn't have inclusions or hairline cracks than in the price. So if you find a suppler that sells you stone of high quality you will be way ahead than a cheaper stone where you have to acomadate inclusions and cracks.

BTW soapstone takes to ornamental turning perfectly.

Good Luck

Richard

Re: Soap Stone?

Binen Eastern Ia

>Try checking here for soapstone several sources.

http://www.sculptor.org/Stone/Soapstone.htm

Binen

Thanks Everyone!

Jennifer@Indy.USA

>

Re: Thanks Everyone!

� Joe Millsap

>You can purchase soap stone at Craft Supplies in Provo Utah.