Anyone Ever Work With Petrified Wood?

[cabinetman]

I'm just curious to this question, as I don't think it has been brought up. I haven't tried anything like carving or turning petrified wood, and was wondering if any members here have any experience with this phenomenon of nature?

[Uncle Cracker]

Petrified wood is no longer wood at all. All the organic components have been replaced by minerals, mostly quartz. It is worked the same way that most crystalline materials are worked, by chipping, fracturing, burring, and then usually a multi-step polishing process. Played around with it a little, mostly for paperweights and such. Better if you have a fully equipped lapidary shop, though.

[LCHIEN]

exactly. You couldn't do much to it with woodworking tools - the tools might get the worst end of it. Being basically rock, not wood.

[rja]

Petrified wood is worked using diamond saws for cutting and lapidary equipment for polishing. Stunning results have been achieved. Woodworking equipment would be wholly inappropriate for working petrified wood.

[Brian G]

I've never worked with petrified wood, but I have worked with quaking aspen.

[RodKirby]

All my wood gets petrified every time I approach

[Uncle Cracker]

All my wood gets petrified every time I approach

Mine gets petrified every time my GF approaches...
(Apologies for the off-color, but I can't let a straight line like that go unanswered...)

[LCHIEN]

i saw that one coming, I was wondering who was brave enough to take the bait.