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What is Alabaster?

                Alabaster has been around for a very long time. In fact, ancient Egyptian alabaster carvings were found in king Tutankhaman’s tomb. The ancient Chinese and Greeks also carved alabaster; modern Greeks still use it for floor tiles.

How is it Turned on a Lathe?

      First, I decide on how the piece of alabaster will be positioned on the lathe.  Then I use a pointed chisel and hammer to rough out the piece in preparation for mounting on the lathe.  A flat spot is then created on the piece and a faceplate is glued to that spot.  Then, if the piece weighs over a 100 lbs., I use block and tackle to lift the stone into place on the lathe.  Once mounted on the lathe, I use a toothed chisel to further rough out the piece before I turn the lathe on. (The piece must be as balanced as possible before I begin to revolve it at 350 revolutions per minute!)   When the piece is nicely balanced, I turn on the lathe and begin to turn the piece using hand held turnings tools with carbide tips.  Most of these tools I made specifically for turning stone, as regular woodworking turning tools dull quickly. I shape the outside first, then I begin to work the inside of the piece. On a bowl, I use a long thin tool called the "slicer" to "cone" out the center section of the bowl.   I use the cone to make smaller bowls.  At this point, I usually attach the rim (which can be soapstone, chlorite,  or wood)  by gluing it on.  I then finish the turning and begin sanding. I begin the sanding with a course grit and I  finish the sanding with  #800 sandpaper.  I cut the piece off the lathe and shape and sand the bottom.  I apply several coats of finish, then top it off with  applications of hard wax.

        The hollowing process is done a little differently.  After the exterior is done, then a 1/2" hole is drilled down the center of the vessel to act as a depth indicator.  Next, a straight scraper is inserted through the vessel's opening and I begin to scrape away the interior.  I do as much as possible with the straight tool before switching to the curved or "hooked" scraper. With the curved scraper, I thin down the walls of the vessel to the desired wall thickness.  A wall-thickness indicator is used in conjunction with the hooked scraper to gauge the thickness as I go (see diagram below).  The plastic tip on the end of the indicator bends down while the wall is still thick. When it no longer touches the side of the vessel, I know that the wall is the desired thickness.