powdered stone

[Les Symonds]

I have a project looming for which I'd like to cast some embellishments using powdered stone, such as lapis lazuli and turquoise. Having just spent an age googling this, all I keep coming up against is tiny amounts of powder at silly prices.....is anyone out there currently working with powdered stone and do you care to exchange info regarding suppliers?

Les

[Twisted Trees]

They are both semi precious stone, so are not going to be cheep... but in small cracks with epoxy or ca it goes a long way, not so good for casting blocks though.

[Les Symonds]

Hi Twisted trees.....for what I'm making, I can cut timber shapes and simply cast a superficial film onto them, so cost is not as critical as one might expect. Do you have any info regarding suppliers, please?

[Twisted Trees]

Nothing in bigger than 30 gram packets on Ebay and Etsy, lapis lazuli is a pigment so probably artist supplies, while turquoise is more in the jewelry trade.

Having said that, I use brass powder to fill splits from time to time, and 100gm has lasted me about 7 years, so give it a go

https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/Lapis-Lazuli-Blue-Weathering-Powder-Kromlech-KRMA015/24004253750

https://www.treelineusa.com/crushed-turquoise.html

[Les Symonds]

Having said that, I use brass powder to fill splits from time to time, and 100gm has lasted me about 7 years, so give it a go

Thank you Twisted Trees....I'm fully aware of the availability of powdered metals, and use them very, very often  -  a 100 gram pot rarely lasts me as long as a year and I have 4 different metals on the go at any one time. What I have planned must be blue stone powder, so I've ordered some of the lapis from your first link.

Les

[bodrighywood]

I have only found powdered turquoise in the States. You can get powdered glass in various colours some which emulate but never quite the same as the stones. I get the glass (frit) from here . The larger the fragments the brighter the colour. I have only used it with CA glue so don't know how it would be with resin.
The yew  has blue glass and the bowl red glass has red glass frit in it

Pete

[Bryan Milham]

Les,

no idea about gemstone dust or glass Frit. But a long time ago I worked with plastic granuals and made the vase below. The blue line between the two colours is the inset plastic.

I still have some around if you'd like to try some as an experiment. Much kinder on tools than stone or glass I imagine.

[Les Symonds]

That's interesting, Bryan! I have some blue plastic granules, but they work only when cast in deep, clear resin. If they are superficial, when sanded down they reveal a white core. Have you cast these into a routed groove?

[Bryan Milham]

Les, yes, I followed the grain line around with a router to a couple of mm's depth.

I can't remember what I glued them in with, probably Araldite as it was made before I had the Xpoxy set.

[Les Symonds]

..... before I had the Xpoxy set.

....ah, I was looking at the xpoxy set-up. The usual makes of epoxy (I use 151) cost an arm and a leg and are far from user-friendly, so I was looking at either buying epoxy in 1kg lots, or at the xpoxy set. Where did you find yours?....UK supplier?

Les

[Bryan Milham]

Les,

I currently have Zap Epoxy 30 min Setting time.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Zap-Adhesive-Z-Poxy-30-Minute-Formula-Epoxy-Resin-PT-39/163550814660?epid=137043542&hash=item26146361c4:g:h~kAAOSwUalcEOz1&frcectupt=true
But there are many other brands, that are not quite so expensive.

However at the AWGB Seminar last year House of Resin had a stand, no idea if they do a discount for members but might be worth and ask. And they do lots of interesting colours to mix with resin.
https://houseofresin.co.uk/

[Linus]

Les
Can I advise caution here.  I tried to get some crushed turquoise as well and bought some off Etsy at a price that was fairly attractive.  Although the company was in Canada, the product was shipped from China and was full of died Howlite or some other rock.  It was easy to tell as when crushed it was white inside!  Fortunately, when I challenged the supplier he apologised and agreed that the product was not genuine.  He says he no longer uses that source and to give him his dues gave me a full refund immediately.  So watch out, and if it looks cheap it probably isn't genuine.  I fear you have to pay for the real stuff and even then be wary. 

Caveat emptor