PETRIFIED WOOD

[TerryMartin]

I have been asked by a prospective customer if it would be possible to turn petrified wood (stone)into a pen,I have no experience as to whether this is possible or not??? Has anyone out there tried this?? Seem that one would have to use carbide tipped tools to make any impression on stone.

TerryMartin

 

[Ron in Drums PA]

You can turn alabaster.

But I think petrified wood would leave an impression on your carbide tipped tool.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Petrified wood is rock. That's a "NO!".

 

[Dario]

I wouldn't say impossible but prepare for a hard battle. Note that some turn jade successfully but I believe petrified wood will even be harder, in various ways.

 

[LostintheWoods]

If anyone here has done it, or has the capability to do it, I'm betting on Skiprat. Seems he can turn ANYTHING, and come out smelling like a rose!

 

[BRobbins629]

It does take patience, but I have been able to drill and turn some very hard materials with diamond tools. You can but diamond tipped core bits fairly cheaply if you look hard enough on the internet. I have turned/ground jade on the lathe using diamond sharpening stones, constantly squirting with water. Its a very slow process, but it does work.

 

[TerryMartin]

Thanks for all your replies....How do I locate Skiprat??

TerryMartin

 

[LostintheWoods]

Under Member Tools at the top of the page, go to Memberlist, look for Skiprat.

 

[skiprat]

Sorry Terry, I somehow missed this post and have just recieved your e-mail.
I'm afraid I don't have a clue either. But if I was forced to have a go, I would use a diamond holesaw like this one, for the hole. I have never seen smaller ones, but have been told they exist.This one is 10mm Dia. I used it's bigger brother to drill a hole through a mirror. I guess the outside would have to be ground too.
The other thing of course is that once you have made it, would it be recognisable and worth the cost and effort?

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[BRobbins629]

These bits will work. I would get a larger one matching the id to approximate od of the barrel and drill that first. Then like skiprat says, core out the inside with a smaller diamond drill bit. Grind with a diamond stone to final shape/dimension. I made this center band from Jade this way with shorter bits, but if you have longer ones it will work. The jade is probably just as hard if not harder than petrified wood. I bought a set of 6 1" long bits on ebay for $21 total including shipping. I'm sure you can get some longer ones for not much more. May also need a diamond coated saw blade to cut, but those blades aren't hard to come by either for a few uses.

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Originally posted by skiprat
<br />Sorry Terry, I somehow missed this post and have just recieved your e-mail.
I'm afraid I don't have a clue either. But if I was forced to have a go, I would use a diamond holesaw like this one, for the hole. I have never seen smaller ones, but have been told they exist.This one is 10mm Dia. I used it's bigger brother to drill a hole through a mirror. I guess the outside would have to be ground too.
The other thing of course is that once you have made it, would it be recognisable and worth the cost and effort?

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