turning with epoxy filler

Turquoise is a soft, but brittle stone. I have used it a good deal and it will dull your gouge, but no serious harm. I usually also add some brass chips. If you finish the turning then fill in the space you can level it with coarse sandpaper then finish as usual. This will give a smoother surface because the turquoise will not turn smoothly.

It's not too bad on the tools. Turquoise and the other commonly used stones for this task aren't terribly hard at all. Of course, it does dull the tools (especially the high carbon steel one) quicker but not that bad. I suppose if you're turning a piece mostly filled with it (and I've seen MANY pieces like that ... yuck) then you're going to be sharpening noticably more often When you apply the epoxy/CA glue/etc and stone mixture, you want it to be proud of the level of the wood you're applying it to just enough to be sure you've got everything filled but not so high as to waste it. This helps cut down on the damage to the tools as well. Using larger nuggets of stone also contributes to dulling quicker as well.

- Andrew

AHilton wrote: (clip) When you apply the epoxy/CA glue/etc and stone mixture, you want it to be proud of the level of the wood you're applying it to just enough to be sure you've got everything filled but not so high as to waste it (clip) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ I haven't actually tried this, but I have a suggestion: Do the filling in two stages. Fill with the stone/epoxy mix, but leave it low, rather than proud of the wood. After that cures, build up to the wood surface or above with clear epoxy. A thin, clear layer at the surface should turn smoother than stone filled epoxy, be easier on the tools, and I don't think it would show.

Yeah, that should work. I've not tried it this way but I think I'll give it a shot too. I'm not sure how it'd look though. It should be quite smooth and easy on the tool like you said. Most of my limited experience with these stone inlays has consisted of having it as a smooth surface. I've seen some wonderful pieces where the surface was left rough with the larger stones making a textural highlight. Felt wonderful and looked good. I intend to play with that technique soon too.

I guess another method of getting a smooth surface with some less tool dulling is to just fill the gap a little low. Cut or sand the *wood* down to the level of the stone mix. I don't know if that would be pretty difficult to just fill it to the same amount everywhere. But it's another alternative.

- Andrew

=================================== Lazarus, I haven't done very much of this inlay, but the way I was taught was to use water thin CA to coat the inside of a turned groove or natural recess. Then place the larger particles along the bottom; add layers like this until you are near the level of the piece. then using the smaller bits and dust, finish the leveling process just proud of the wood. Then you have a choice of sacrificing your scraper edge or using a good quality file. (Nicholson files are what I've use with good results.) smooth the inlay down to near the finished level. Then I use a diamond file made by 3M (available from jewelry suppliers like Rio Grande) to finish smoothing in 3 grits.You can also use silicon carbide strips on a tounge depresser since the SC is harder than the turquoise, but it may leave dark residue if any voids are left in the composite mixture. Once it's all smooth like you want it finish with your favorite finish. HTH,

Ken Moon Webberville, TX

Hi

I don't doubt that the technique outlined by Ken Moon works, but to me it's overkill. If you don't get the stone grossly above the surface, you can easily work it down and fair it in with a 80 or 120 grit disc sander -either Power-Lock or a fairly rigid foam back will work. I usually inlay after I have done some sanding at 120, sand the inlay with the lathe off to fair in, then power sand with the lathe on using 120 followed by a sequence of finer grits.

Kip Powers Rogers, AR

To all:

Thanks very much for your help.

===================================== Kip, I have tried using the power sanding method. I found the wood adjacent to the fill area was reduced quicker than the stone itself, leaving a mounded effect. Have you had this also? How do compensate for it? Are you using actual crushed stone filler or some of the synthethics like Inlace? Thanks for any light you can shed,

Ken Moon Webberville, TX

No, I have not observed this problem. About the only idea that comes to mind is that you may build up the stone higher than I do, thus needing to be more aggressive. I use natural stone, tuquoise mostly, put in a viscous grade of CA to hold chips, tweezer in the chips, then add dust to fill the voids and hit it with thin CA. I hand crush turquoise and don't us pieces biger than 1/8" or so. Haven't tried Inlace so no comment on it.

Kip Powers Rogers, AR

Why do you use a viscous CA instead of an epoxy like West System?

I use the viscous CA because it is less trouble than an epoxy: no mixing and the narrow tip bottle makes it eay to deliver the glue into the crack, void, worm hole, whatever. Epoxy would certainly work, just strikes me as more labor intensive.

Regards Kip Powers Rogers, AR