Stoned!

[Paul Douglass]

This was my first try at turning stone. It is a soapstone pen. I have turned so few pens lately I'm a little out of practice. But I got it done. All the cracks are natural for stone. I didn't add any. At the very end of the turning of the top blank, at the very end of the blank a pretty good chunk fell out. I poured some med. CA on it and some of the soapstone dust I collected and it filled it in good. This stuff is fun to turn and I ordered some more. I'd like to make a shaving set out of it. I also have some alabaster to try.

[Scott Hussey]

Hi - Nice pens...what do you use to turn stone. Seems the standard HSS steel would be a challenge.

[Van Huskey]

Pretty cool!

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Gorgeous stuff and well done Paul.

Do you just micro-mesh it like corian to bring out the shine?

[Bernie Weishapl]

That is just to cool Paul. That is just beautiful. Well done.

[Karl Card]

very neat pens..

[John Keeton]

Paul, I really like the look! Soapstone has many uses, and looks like this is another great one. Sounds like it is easy to work with, too. I know it can be cut with a knife, so I imagine working it on the lathe is fairly easy.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Beautiful pens! Love the look!

[Allen Neighbors]

Nice looking pen, for sure!! But I took a second look after I read your beginning post.
Shaving set? From looking at your avatar, I was sure that you know that's a sin!! :D

[Paul Douglass]

Just to answer the questions. I turned it using my carbide insert tool (Woodchuck Pro) but soapstone is very soft regular tool would work fine. I cut the blank to size on the band saw with a non-carbide tipped blade. About like cutting acrylic. When turning the "shavings" are powder like talcum powder.

With the insert tool it was almost finished when I completed turning. I did use micro mesh, 2400 through12000 wet. Than I polished with Hut plastic polish.

And Allen, I do shave my neck!

Thanks for looking and commenting.

[Jim Underwood]

Nice looking pen...

....just don't drop it!:eek:

[Paul Douglass]

Jim, forgot to mention that, yes these would not be for daily carry use, they would scratch and chip easily.

[James Combs]

Jim, forgot to mention that, yes these would not be for daily carry use, they would scratch and chip easily.

If you stop sanding at about 600-1200 and then finished it with several layers of medium CA that might strengthen it enough to carry. What do you think?

Certainly a nice looking pen not to be able to carry it.

[Belinda Barfield]

Very nice! Being in the stone industry I'm glad to see you turning soapstone. I've often wondered why more folks don't turn it. Soapstone will absorb the oil from fingers and hands and will "age" with use. For countertops we typically do a mineral oil rubbed finish. Soapstone is notorious for what are known in the industry as dry veins. If any of you decide to give it a shot be prepared to fill. I'd like to see some lovely soapstone candle holders. :)

[Don Alexander]

i have a piece of soapstone but have not yet attempted turning any pens out of it looks like i am going to have to remedy that oversight in the near future :D

very nice looking pens !!!!!

[Jenn Hill]

Paul,
Where did you purchase the soapstone? I like Belinda's idea of the soapstone candlesticks.
Thanks,
Jenn

[Rob Wachala Jr]

Very nice. I've thought about trying some stone but never found a decent source to purchase some stock.

[Don Alexander]

+1 on the candlestick idea

[Mark Hix]

Great looking pens. What about weight? is it heavy?

[Paul Douglass]

Paul,
Where did you purchase the soapstone? I like Belinda's idea of the soapstone candlesticks.
Thanks,
Jenn

This is where I ordered from. They have a box of squares about half way down. I ordered it and some alabaster that is on special. I do not know it these are good prices or if this is a good company. I'm new at the stone stuff.

http://www.stonesculptorssupplies.com/New-site-pgs/specials.html

[Paul Douglass]

Great looking pens. What about weight? is it heavy?

This pen weighs 34 grams. Probably a few grams more than if it was made of acrylic.

[Steve Vaughan]

wear breathing protection! and maybe even take an extra measure to be sure to protect your bearings on the lathe. Beautiful pens you have there. I have a small lidded bowl I turned from soapstone last year.

[Belinda Barfield]

For those of you interested in trying soapstone (or continuing to work with it) contact stone fabrication shops in your area. You may get the stone for free. For some strange reason many shops refuse to work soapstone. At one point our shop was the only one in the area that worked it.

I am out of town this weekend but on Monday I'll see what I have on the yard. I'm not sure how much soapstone I have, but I know I have some. I'll post it in the Classifieds. Just for the record, I didn't post here trying to sell the soapstone, I'm just trying to help those of you who are interested in working with it.

[Brian Effinger]

Sorry for going slightly OT.

So Belinda, with the proper tools, could marble be turned? I have a few chunks of some nice green marble floating around somewhere, and the would be interesting to use in a project.

[ron hossack]

Very nice! Being in the stone industry I'm glad to see you turning soapstone. I've often wondered why more folks don't turn it. Soapstone will absorb the oil from fingers and hands and will "age" with use. For countertops we typically do a mineral oil rubbed finish. Soapstone is notorious for what are known in the industry as dry veins. If any of you decide to give it a shot be prepared to fill. I'd like to see some lovely soapstone candle holders. :)
OK ... you are the resident expert on this. Where do you get pieces soapstone to turn? I can't see buying a 'soapstone' sink and taking the band saw to it without some consequences from the wife.

[Belinda Barfield]

Sorry for going slightly OT.

So Belinda, with the proper tools, could marble be turned? I have a few chunks of some nice green marble floating around somewhere, and the would be interesting to use in a project.

With the proper tools and the right amount of determination you can do anything. ;)

Green marble is actually Serpentine. Mohs hardness scale typically around 5, I believe. For comparison, soapstone is a 2, alabaster is a 3, and most marbles come around 6. Soapstone won't hold a carving for very long with regular use and can be scratched with your fingernail. Alabaster holds carving pretty well. Marble holds carving very well.

If you want to properly turn stone, other than soapstone or alabaster, you need a stone lathe, and the proper hand tools of course.

[Paul Douglass]

Belinda, what does the term "hold a carving" mean? Like will it wear away if handled? I see lots of carvings out of alabaster and soap stone. And thanks for giving your input. I would like to learn more about this stuff.

How do they protect soapstone counter tops? It is very soft.

Brian, go off topic as you like as long as it is stone related. I like to learn also.

Ron, I ordered from here:

http://www.stonesculptorssupplies.co.../specials.html

Haven't gotten my package yet but I will report back on the service. This is my first stab at this so keep in mind I have very little knowledge about this (or anything else, for that matter).

[Belinda Barfield]

Belinda, what does the term "hold a carving" mean? Like will it wear away if handled? I see lots of carvings out of alabaster and soap stone. And thanks for giving your input. I would like to learn more about this stuff.

How do they protect soapstone counter tops? It is very soft.

Sorry, Paul, I should have been clearer on that. Holding a carving means retaining the details of the carving with handling, exposure to elements, etc.

There really isn't a way to "protect" soapstone countertops. If a customer wants soapstone they have to understand that the countertops will "age" and develop sort of their own personality. Counters can be left untreated, have a mineral oil rubbed treatment, or a product called Ager can be applied. The soapstone will still get scuffed and scratched and the oil or Ager are used primarily to bring out the color of the stone. Oil has to be reapplied periodically but eventually the stone will retain the color as the oil impregnates it. Scratches can be buffed out with a green Scotchbrite pad.

[Belinda Barfield]

OK ... you are the resident expert on this. Where do you get pieces soapstone to turn? I can't see buying a 'soapstone' sink and taking the band saw to it without some consequences from the wife.

Order as Paul did, check with your local stone shops, or as a last resort butcher the sink. :D If you want really good soapstone find a school that is being torn down. If the school had a chemistry lab odds are that the lab tabletops are soapstone. They will beg you to haul it away.

[Jerry Lawrence]

I've been working with soapstone for several years, but mostly the harder stuff. I have the good fortune of living 20 miles from Vermont Soapstone Co. which makes sinks, stoves, countertops etc. The stuff they use ranges from somewhat soft (can scratch it with a fingernail if you have tough fingernails), to very hard (like will wear out an abrasive blade in no time flat). Most of it is a blue color which darkens drastically with application of a finish. Quite often there are veins of quartz running through it which makes for nice contrast. I use a diamond blade on an old table saw to cut the pieces down, and carbide tipped tools on a metal lathe to turn the stuff. The best part is that they allow people to pick from their scrap pile out back for free!

[Paul Douglass]

Jerry got some pictures of you work? I'd love to see what others do, also what finish do you apply?

Do you work with alabaster also? I have some but not sure what to cut it with.

[Paul Douglass]

This is a critique of my stone order:

Had a hick up with the post office and my box of stone didn't show up when I expected. I (well my lovely wife) located it and it was no fault of Stone Sculptures Supplies. The Post office just got a little mixed up. All is well. It was well packaged in a box inside a large Priority shipping box. Here is what I received for the $65.90 (that's including the $15.95 for shipping) The soapstone pieces are much bigger than I expected. This is good because I want to make a couple shaving soap holder. The one I put the ruler on is 5" tall. There are 7 pieces of soapstone most about that size. The odd piece is a big chunk of Utah Harvest Yellow alabaster. Not sure what I will with it yet, I don't have a saw to cut it. I want to make a pen or two out of it and a small bowl. Anyway, just wanted to let anyone interested know what I received. I do not know if this is a good price or what, never ordered stone before. I know I got more than I expected and I think the USPS hopes I never do it again. The box was heavy!