Is it possible to cut thin sheets of stone with the nomad? I need a material for a flat inlay to represent sky, say 1/8" thick or less. One possibility is turquiose, Mohs 5-6. Another, perhaps more feasible option, is “recon stone” which is 85% crushed stone in 15% acrylic resin. I’ve inlaid crushed stone cemented with CA glue which machines pretty well so I’m thinking the recon stone should work?
Well, we list limestone at: https://docs.carbide3d.com/support/supportfiles/Nomad883_feeds_125.jpg
Turquoise isn’t listed at: https://wiki.shapeoko.com/index.php/Materials#Stone
If an artificial sheet good would be suitable would the cobalt from here:
http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?p=76094&cat=1,43314
be suitable? I picked up a sheet of the faux ivory and haven’t yet found a project which warrants it.
Thanks. Limestone is Mohs 3 so I don’t think a good indicator. I got a response from the site offering the recon stone indicating it was, indeed, machinable. I’m thinking, due to its uniformity, it would be a better choice than natural stone anyway. I also stumbled on a video showing the use of baked polymer clay which I may investigate the machinabilty of.
I had also considered the faux ivory but was a bit wary from a few reviews. The irony here is that I have some ivory from 50 years ago but am afraid to use it.
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Yeah, the planned project for the faux ivory is to make a folding rule/caliper/protractor (I’ve always regretted losing a small steel one) — but I picked up a Lee Valley Multi-Marking Tool ( http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?cat=1,42936&p=74804 ) which mostly works for what I need, but feels a bit cold sometimes, and lacks the diameter measurement of the small steel tool I had (unless I use a second rule).
I’ve used the Lee Valley material for some lithophanes and a couple of inlays: it machines well but is a bit brittle (‘chippy’) when cutting pieces to size for machining, especially if you are taking slices off of one of the cylinders.
I’ve also found that polymer clay machines well but the handling needed to make usable sized sheets turned me off of it. I have also machined epoxies with various fillers (sawdust, granite dust, brass powder). Unfortunately, I didn’t get any pictures of the items before I gave them away.
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Cambria (sounds a lot like your “recon” stone) is also machinable - might be easier to get, it’s a pretty common “quartz composite” countertop material. Quartz + resin matrix.
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I’ve worked with Cambria before, I designed and installed two bathroom vanities of engeneered marble. The ReconStone I’m looking at from Masecraft Supply; the palatte is far more substantial and appropriate, for me anyway. For example, a whole range of sky blues.
Funny. I followed a link to a video showing use of the composite stone and, voila, next in the cue was a tutorial on using baked polymer clay in inlays. I got some today to test. I wonder if there’s a good way to make a gradient, e.g. brighter sky nearer the sun. I think clouds would be easy.
Yeah, the brittle I figured. Although, I cut some pearl with very smooth results Also cut into powdered stone fixed with CA glue with good results.
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