Trying to find natural turquoise to crush for inlay work???

[Sawdust=manglitter]

I've got some inlay work which I'd like to use natural turquoise on a project. I've been looking everywhere, there's loads of it for sale in the US but I can't seem to find it in the UK!?

I know you can get that Inlace stuff, but I'd like to try some real turquoise. I don't mind if I buy it already crushed or just as rough nuggets to crush myself, could even be offcuts/scraps from jewelry makers or something, but it would need to be real and not imitation particularly if I'll be crushing it myself as I know the dyed imitation stuff won't be the same colour on the inside.

Has anyone else done this themselves and managed to find a trusted source in the UK that wont charge you a small fortune? Any help would be appreciated

 

[Benchwayze]

http://www.specialistaggregates.com/gla ... 0wodtCgOHQ

You could try. They might be able to help with info.

I did some projects years ago using powdered glass and resin, but then I worked on the Jewellery Quarter in Brum, where you could buy virtually anything you could think of. If it must be turquoise for you, then so be it, but turquoise coloured powdered glass and resin is easily obtained .

Best of Luck.

John

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Might be worth a try -
http://www.marcialanyon.com/index.jsp or
http://www.kernowcraft.com/ (known to be expensive )

 

[Droogs]

try your local lapidary club

 

[Claymore]

I know this sounds a bit daft but a couple of years ago i embedded some turquoise gravel into clear resin for a project and bought it from a pet shop! its used in fish tanks...... just give it a wash/dry and it is nice vivid and should crush ok.

 

[Sawdust=manglitter]

Thanks all for the replies, very helpful.

I ended up finding this on ebay which was ideal...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/380603005898? ... EBIDX%3AIT

I have since crushed and graded it to different sizes ready, and it appears to be real natural Turquoise stone, but I will be setting it in the inlay and gluing and finishing this weekend. Its not the most turquoise in colour (according to the misses... as I'm colourblind), but the test piece turned out very nice.

Thanks again

 

[Sawdust=manglitter]

Finally took some finished photos (not the clearest)...
Revealing my soppy side now, as an anniversary present for the misses (who's a foot shorter than my 6'4"), and the fact that we now live in a bungalow (no steps), then i made this step. Its my first attempt at hand carving and inlay work. Its a welsh oak step with natural turquoise stone inlay, which i got from the previously posted link and crushed and stuck with Titebond thin CA glue...

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[iNewbie]

Looks great - I couldn't find Turquoise either.

Shame about that knot in the middle. :wink:

 

[Bm101]

=D> Very nice.

 

[NazNomad]

Very nice ... and as long as you get to stand on it for ...emm... special occasions, then it's even better. :-D

 

[Sawdust=manglitter]

Very nice ... and as long as you get to stand on it for ...emm... special occasions, then it's even better. :-D

I do enjoy a bit of her wood working skills :ho2