# Buying turquoise for inlay



## Gixxerjoe04 (Jan 31, 2014)

Was wondering where you all buy turquoise? Looked online and found its pretty expensive like $10 an ounce. Emailed this one place and they have 2lbs of floor sweepings I guess, would be $65 shipped but will have to crush it myself. Any other options?


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## Gene01 (Jan 5, 2009)

Where are you located?


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## Gixxerjoe04 (Jan 31, 2014)

Kentucky


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## LaughingMoose (Nov 22, 2012)

Check under inlay supplies…

http://www.cuestik.com/


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## Gene01 (Jan 5, 2009)

Kentucky is a bit far. Hoping you were closer to AZ. I buy mine locally for around $20.00 per lb.He doesn't ship, though. 
Here's a place in NM that does ship. Their raw, stabilized stones are around $40.00 per lb. You'd still need to crush them. That's really not a problem, though. Turquoise is really soft. 
I've used a product called INLACE, from Turtle Feathers, also.
Looks and works like real turquoise.


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## Gixxerjoe04 (Jan 31, 2014)

Yea quite a bit far from Arizona, but the place I found that's the $30lb is in Arizona. Just didn't know if that's a decent deal or is there's something better. It's obviously a better deal than most of what I found but wanted to make sure nothing better was out there that I was missing.


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## Nubsnstubs (Aug 30, 2013)

Contact the SAZWA club president in Tucson. He sells real turquoise by the small bag. I don't know how much is in a bag, but the price didn't look out orf reason. 
Real turquoise will dull your tools quickly. In his demo on using it as a filler, he would apply it, sand it down with any sort of grinding tool, the turn on the lath to clean up the inlayed area.
If you would rather use Inlace, that stuff can be turned…..... 
You can crush the larger stones very easily. You just need to sift out the larger particles, with a window screen, and recrush the stuff that doesn't go through, sift again and repeat until you have what you want. Larger stone is cheaper that stuff that's already been cruched.
If you can get turquoise for $30 a pound, get it. It'll probably look pretty with until you mix in whatever matrix you're going to use. ..... Jerry (in Tucson)


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## Gene01 (Jan 5, 2009)

$30 a lb is a decent price for raw or stabilized turquoise.
I have a plate on which I set a 3" piece of steel well casing and crush stones in/on it with a length of drill rod.
Use a grease splatter screen to sift it out. 
I use little plastic containers with a screw on lid to hold the different sizes of crushed material. 
Although I enjoy the process, Inlace is a lot faster, but much more expensive.


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## Gixxerjoe04 (Jan 31, 2014)

I went with 2lbs of the small stuff, figure buy in bulk and save. Since I've never done inlay before, not sure how much of it is even used but figure 2lbs should last me quite awhile.


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## Gene01 (Jan 5, 2009)

2 lbs should last you a good, long while.
I mostly use the turquoise for filling voids (design opportunities (-: ) in mesquite. Some are quite deep and wide. I rarely use it for purposeful inlays. 
I've been using stones and epoxy for several years and I'm still on my first batch of 5 lbs. of Turquoise. But, I use other stones and media, as well.


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## Gixxerjoe04 (Jan 31, 2014)

Yea I've seen mesquite with it in the voids, looks really good. What's better, ca glue or epoxy? Figured epoxy would be too thick to get in and around the crushes stones. Also was wondering of there's a certain kind of sand paper to use on it?


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## Gene01 (Jan 5, 2009)

Depends on the size, depth and width, of the void. Around 1/8th wide and deep, I use CA. Much bigger I use System 3 two part epoxy. It's thin and soaks into the powder and around the larger pieces very well. 
I use ceramic coated belts up to 120 grit. Then Aluminum oxide on pad sanders for the final grits. The epoxy and turquoise sands easily.


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