soapstone

[Jeff]

any experience out there with turning soapstone.......?

[Sir Chiz]

Hi Jeff,I haven't turned any yet,but went to a symposium in N.Y. last week and saw a demonstration on turning it.
I planned to order some today.
It was drilled into the "top" and a dowel glued in for mounting on a screw chuck,the bottom was surfaced leaving a tenon which was fitted to a glue block that became the "base".
He used a heavy scraper to make it round,then used a skew laid flat as a scraper to smooth and shape the surface.Then hollowed it out.
He used regular HSS turning tools.
He was turning at about 800rpm.

He pointed out that you must be careful of the cracks,the seams between the layers of the stone.
He treated them with thin CA and accelerator as he progressed through the shaping.

He said that sanding scratches it,but he used a handful of the dust to "polish" the surface a bit,
then sprayed it with lacquer,to be buffed later.

Phil.

[ubeaut]

Have turned a bit of it over the years. In Australia it is also known as Jade Wood and Talk stone, it works well if care and super glue is used around cracks and imperfections. It finishes up a real treat when polished using EEE-Ultra Shine there is a small pic of some polished on the link.

EEE is available in the USA through Penn State Industries and their network of distributors (details on the link.

Hope this is of some help.

Cheers - Neil
U-Beaut Polishes

[Jeff]

thanks. One of these days soon.....

[Sir Chiz]

Jeff,I just finished my first piece,posted a picture in the Woodworking Pictures forum.

Phil.