PDA

View Full Version : Sodalite Marble



Todd Schwartz
09-11-2008, 12:03 PM
Anyone have any experience engraving Sodalite Marble? (http://www.mineralszone.com/gemstones/sodalite.html)
I have an inquiry as to creating a recognition plaque and they are hoping to use this material.

They will provide a sample before I will commit, but thinking marble is soft we should be able to engrave and if we do not get enough of a contrast can color fill with rub-n-buff or acrylic paint.

Any thoughts or experience would be greatly appreciated.

Todd

Belinda Barfield
09-11-2008, 12:18 PM
Todd,

Sodalite is a granite rather than a marble. It is relatively expensive as compared to other granites. Have you priced the material?

Todd Schwartz
09-11-2008, 12:26 PM
Belinda, that puts a different spin on things. :)

Customer is supplying the material. I believe it was used in the construction of one of their buildings and has sentimental value to this person.

Todd

Belinda Barfield
09-11-2008, 12:39 PM
Customer supplying is a good thing! Sodalite in 2 cm prices out around $62 per sq ft as compared to Absolute Black at $14. Sodalite is a 6 on the hardness scale with most granites being 6 to 7. Also, Sodalite is known for having sometimes undetectable fissures which open up under stress into cracks. If this is left over from a construction project handle with care as you have no idea if it has been stressed or not. Heat may also act as a stressor when you laser it.

Todd Schwartz
09-11-2008, 2:32 PM
Thanks Belinda.

I saw the hardness of 6 when looking up the specs, but had no idea how that related to other materials. My customer is going back to the stone and tile company and getting a scrap for us to play with and if all goes well they will cut us the piece we need.

Any idea how this will engrave? My understanding is that the piece that they want is a forest green color.

Again thanks,

Todd

Belinda Barfield
09-11-2008, 2:47 PM
Thanks Belinda.

I saw the hardness of 6 when looking up the specs, but had no idea how that related to other materials. My customer is going back to the stone and tile company and getting a scrap for us to play with and if all goes well they will cut us the piece we need.

Any idea how this will engrave? My understanding is that the piece that they want is a forest green color.

Again thanks,

Todd

Diamond is the hardest with a rating of 10. Most marbles have a rating of 2 to 3. I would think it would engrave like any other granite. I was a little puzzled about the color, but according to one website Sodalite can be green. Every piece of Sodalite I have ever seen is blue with veining.
See slab photo here
http://www.customstonestl.com/enlarged.asp?picId=Sodalite_Blue_3_cm.jpg

Beautiful material. I have a partial slab remaining from a job we did last year. I kept all of the small pieces and a friend is turning them into cabachons for me. :)

Jack Harper
09-11-2008, 3:58 PM
Todd,

Would love to see some photos when you are done. It will be interesting to see if the motion in the stone is too distracting from the laser image.

Belinda Barfield
09-11-2008, 4:04 PM
Todd,

Would love to see some photos when you are done. It will be interesting to see if the motion in the stone is too distracting from the laser image.

That would be my concern as well Jack, unless the piece is small and has a relatively movement free field. Personally, it would not be my first choice to engrave. As you may have experienced with some marbles, you can't see the microfissures until you engrave. Suddenly, after engraving there is a big "wrinkle" right on the bride's face! There are lots of fissures in Sodalite. Text might be okay but I can't imagine an image not getting lost in the pattern of the stone.