"tomstorey" wrote in message
oups.com...
I'm looking for a Canadian or US source for soft minerals such as
azurite, malachite and fluorite to use as inlay material to fill voids
and patterns in some of my turnings.

I tried some sand from Michaels and did it ever do a number on my gouge
ops: Not only that, the ca glue turned it a very dark shade; it
started out to be purple and ended up black purple

While I'm asking...what does everyone else use as a fixative for the
inlay material? I know that if I'm using ca I should wax the edges to
help prevent the ca staining. got this info from a google search.

I'm new to this 'inlay' stuff and can use any hints available

Thanks!
=====================

Tom,
When I need any precious or semi precious stones, I use Rio Grande in
Alburquerque, NM. They have a huge assortment of natural, dyed, terated and
synthetic stones, mainly intended for making jewelry. They also have all the
tools that you would need for jewelry making. One of those things that will
be helpful to you is a selection of 3-M diamond files. After bring your
inlay down to a fairly smooth level with a carbide tool (or your good HSS
tools if you're into self inflected pain), you can finish smoothing the
inlay to a polished surface with the files (they come as fine, med, coarse
grits, with coarse beginning somewher near 500 grit, IIRC). When I inlay, I
crush my stone using a 3 inh pipe cap and an old Ford kingpin for a mortar
and pestle, then place the larger particles on a CA base, wetting those with
more CA, then working smaller particles in as the level rises. When all
parts are above the surrounding wood, then start working it down with
appropriate hardness tools. Clear epoxy will work as well as CA, but it
seems to be messier (or at least the way I do it). HTH

Ken Moon
Webberville, TX.