Crushed rock for inlay

[Ray McGrath]

Has anyone used crushed rock from Gilmer Rock Shop (on ebay) for inlay work using CA?
What technique is used, tools, abrasives?

Ray

[Gene Howe]

Hi Ray,
Never used rock from Gilmer but, I use turquoise, malachite, iron pyrite, and various other stones along with silver and brass dust.
The technique really depends on what effect you're trying to achieve.
Tell me what you want to do and I'll try to help.

[Stephen Pereira]

I just finished a practice piece using Inlace resin, brass colored dye and brass filings..we'll see tomorrow how it turns out.

My first attempt didn't turn out very well. I didn't add enough brass filing dust or enough hardener.

[Ray McGrath]

I'm making a jewelry cabnet for my daughter, using cherry for the carcass and birdeye maple for the drawers and door panels. I want to inlay her initials in script, inside of an oval band.
Thanks,
Ray

[Dennis Ford]

I have used minerals from Gilmer on turnings. You need to seal the wood so that the ca glue does not stain the surrounding area. On flat work, I would use epoxy instead of ca. To use epoxy place the minerals in the cut and pour in the epoxy. When it sets up; sand epoxy and minerals flush. You may have to go back and fill in a few pits from air bubbles.

[Bruce Volden]

Ray,

I also use turquiose, malachite....I buy the stones whole (better price) and crush them myself. I use pliers to initially break them up then recrush until finer. I also like to make some dust out of them for intricate areas. I apply the "rock" to the piece by "dumping" it into the voids,then carefully try to card off the extra for reuse. Also look CLOSELY for any areas needing more! Once that is accomplished, I use 5 CP weight CA glue and apply that with a syringe-----it gets everywhere as the crushed rock isn't very absorbent. Let it dry-sometimes I use accelerant for CA, occasionally it turns things hazy white. Once dry start out with 80 grit sandpaper and start working your way up through the grits until you get the "shine" you want. ALWAYS wear a mask when sanding this stuff (silicosis). Once all is up to your requirements go ahead and stain, oil....whatever, the piece and voila-finished! Sounds like lotsa work but it's not really too bad.

Bruce

[Gene Howe]

I'm making a jewelry cabnet for my daughter, using cherry for the carcass and birdeye maple for the drawers and door panels. I want to inlay her initials in script, inside of an oval band.
Thanks,
Ray

For your application I'd do as Bruce Volden suggests.
I'm a little OCD, I guess. I wash first, then crush and sift through progressive screens and, finally through a swatch of "T" shirt material. I end up with 4 grits/powder sizes.
For smaller applications like yours, I find it easier to mix the crushed stone powder with epoxy, then pour it. However, placing the powder in the letters then adding CA would work. My experience with this latter method finds that I often get unwanted voids and/or bubbles that need repair. By mixing it first, that is avoided.
When metal dust/filings are used, sprinkle a little on when the epoxy gets almost gel-ed.
I do a lot of work with mesquite with naturally occurring voids. These are filled to +-1/8 from the top with epoxy, allowed to cure, then use the stone in a final pour.

[Ray McGrath]

thanks, for the replies. Where do you optain the stone?
Ray

[Bruce Volden]

Ray,

Last time I got it from Great South Gems & Minerals in Ellenwood GA--they do have a website but I don't know if TOS will allow me to post it. Google works tho! The CA I buy in quantities from ?Palm Labs?. They triple distill it and sell it in various quantities as well as various viscosities. A little goes a long way. I like the thin 5CP as it will penetrate--voids can be filled with the thicker weight 100CP. Even when cured/dry it still will irritate the nose and eyes so there's a head up when sanding.

Bruce

[Ray McGrath]

Thank you,

Ray

[Gene Howe]

I'm in AZ, so there's all sorts of little shops to get raw turquoise, fools gold and malachite.
I buy by the lb. Turquoise is running around $10 for raw nuggets of 1" screen. Malachite is much cheaper. I get bigger chunks of it. Same with the Pyrite. Of course, it goes a long ways.

[Wayne Lovell]

I live close enough that I have gone by their shop and purchased material from them. They have sizes from rocks to powder and many different types of rock, some that range from very soft to very hard. I would suggest that you call and tell her what you plan to do with it and she will tell you if it is suitable for your needs and suggest something else if it is not.

Wayne