soapstone and alabaster turning

[Todd Lord]

Just finished a couple of pieces and thought I would share them with you guys.
The first bowl is Colorado alabaster.
The second is alabaster and saopstone.
The third is 180 pcs. of Candian soapstone.
I love rock!!
Todd

[ryan kelley]

very nice. I hear you have to turn stone at a slower speed. What speed is that?, my lathe has a slow speed of 430 rpm. Will that work.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Impressive work Todd! Beautiful pieces! Great colors - really like your photography!

[charlie knighton]

very nice....

[Robert McGowen]

Crazy nice on the segmented vase. :):) The other two are impressive also.

[Jim Becker]

Wonderful, Todd!

[Larry Marley]

Very Cool!

[Dave Stoler]

I,ve never seen the material for sale..Where to buy,lathe speed,tools,technique?
Very,Very nice !!

[Ben Gastfriend]

Wow! That is impressive. I really like the 1st one, the wavy-edged bowl!

I believe there was another thread about this material, I'd look back a couple pages. I believe this website (www.coloradoalabaster.com (http://www.coloradoalabaster.com)) was mentioned, but I've never ordered from there, so I can't say anything to their serivice etc.

[Glenn Hodges]

Ditto for all the above, what are the dimensions?

[Paul Engle]

Let's see, envy, ah ... jealousy.... covetiousness... pretty much describes it all. Great pieces Todd, the NE bowl is spot on, the pink is just too much ( insert swoon here) and the segemented one is ... well ....... ( insert speech less here ) :D. I cannot wait for the LOML to find my credit card and order some alabaster...;)

[Tom Sherman]

Todd I have to say it dude, You ROCK:D. All three pieces are excellent, but my favorite is the segmented one awesome.

[Ron Ainge]

Todd

All I can say is, Do you give lesson???? I know where to get the alabaster but you make it look so goooooooood.

[Zahid Naqvi]

Todd, you work looks wonderful. In the first and third pictures seems your light source is at the top, if you can add a reflector/bounce on the front side it will help the pictures.

[Dennis Peacock]

Beautiful pieces......but how does one turn "rock"???!!!!????? :confused:

[Todd Lord]

Hi Guys,
Thanks for the kind words guys My head is so big that I can't find my hat! LOL
I use regular tools and glue for my projects, I like two part epoxy from walmart(5 min.) on most of it and I use pro bond on some.
I cut and sand the soap the same as with wood and alabaster is harder so I use carbide and the harder wood chisels for this. The Italian alabaster is the softest that I've found and alot of the darker and more colorful alabaster is hard and easily discourages.I turn at 540 rpms and on solid stable pieces I turn at about 800 rpms, The faster the more apt to have explosions, well, blow outs. Some fissures are undetectable.
Turning rock is as easy as wood but definetly messy. I have the same lathe and tools for years, a vacum system is recomended.

[Pat Doble]

Great looking pieces Todd. Amazing work.