Post by nwmj on Nov 7, 2017 15:11:41 GMT -5
I'm looking at ways to stabalise Welsh Jasper & the slate I work in.
I'm getting some cups cast up for setting the cabs I make & the guy whos doing the casting mentioned this "Matrix Stabilisation" re the Blue John stone from Staffordshire , on the phone to me; first I've heard about it. I've been working with the stones for 5 years & it's about time i did something!
He sent me a couple of links ; opticon & a quartz pottery glaze from australia. I didn't really want to buy either product due to time to get to the uk & possible customs duties on top of all the other cost!
I stumbled on this post the other day [ forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/thread/15452], & printed it out. I bought some waterglass online yesterday [delivery tomorrow], & today bought some caustic soda to mix with some crushed silica gel beads I sorted out last night.
I forgot about the acid when i was shopping [to be honest a bit thrown by using a sugary fruit drink mix!!], but will be giving the silicone a go over the coming days, weeks, months, etc [probably]!
The reason I want to make it work is I work in a natural product & sell it as that. What I'm not going to do is smother it in a plastic polymer type product as there's far too much plastic about in the environment already!
My work next year will hopefully be in Gray-Thomas's by Caernarfon Castle [the girl's father was a very keen geologist..tho I'm not sure they were so keen!?], & Odwyn Copr [Odwyn Copper], by the Slate Museum Llanberis as well as a couple of other places in the area.
Nick
WelshMountainJewellery
I'm getting some cups cast up for setting the cabs I make & the guy whos doing the casting mentioned this "Matrix Stabilisation" re the Blue John stone from Staffordshire , on the phone to me; first I've heard about it. I've been working with the stones for 5 years & it's about time i did something!
He sent me a couple of links ; opticon & a quartz pottery glaze from australia. I didn't really want to buy either product due to time to get to the uk & possible customs duties on top of all the other cost!
I stumbled on this post the other day [ forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/thread/15452], & printed it out. I bought some waterglass online yesterday [delivery tomorrow], & today bought some caustic soda to mix with some crushed silica gel beads I sorted out last night.
I forgot about the acid when i was shopping [to be honest a bit thrown by using a sugary fruit drink mix!!], but will be giving the silicone a go over the coming days, weeks, months, etc [probably]!
The reason I want to make it work is I work in a natural product & sell it as that. What I'm not going to do is smother it in a plastic polymer type product as there's far too much plastic about in the environment already!
My work next year will hopefully be in Gray-Thomas's by Caernarfon Castle [the girl's father was a very keen geologist..tho I'm not sure they were so keen!?], & Odwyn Copr [Odwyn Copper], by the Slate Museum Llanberis as well as a couple of other places in the area.
Nick
WelshMountainJewellery