Just FYI, I've gotten some emails from Mr Dewayne Michaels. He mentioned that his choice of words might have been a little too strong for the situation, but he also pointed out that the cost for sending a sample pack is about $30 (material, time, postage, etc.) That could certainly justify his frustration with the situation initially.
Now the good news. He's willing to supply material for us if we can get enough orders together to make up the equivalent of a half sheet. That could include a variety of different colors.
Obviously, the first thing is to see how it turns. Has anyone gotten a turnable sample? I asked if I could get a scrap piece thicker than the samples. If he can provide that, I'll send some to a few of you for an opinion.
If it turns as nice as it looks, then one of you can "volunteer" to coordinate a bulk buy, which would include cutting up slabs into blanks. I'll let you know how this progresses.