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Post by chris1956 on Oct 18, 2024 18:50:13 GMT -5
There must be a name for the rock or whatever goes on the top of a walking stick or staff but I couldn't find it. My neighbor started making wooden walking sticks and one day I asked him if he would like to try a polished rock or two for the top and see if anyone liked them. I first gave him a regular 1.5 inch diameter (normal thickness) cab (see first pic below) to try.  I told him I would see if I could make him a half sphere. So today, after triming it previously on the saw, I spent some time with a chunk of quartz and the cabber and here is what I got. I will send you pictures if he gets the stones put on walking sticks. I think it turned out pretty good. It is just slightly lopsided but you have to look pretty close to tell. Not sure I want to do a whole lot of them. If so, it might be easier to get a sphere machine and cut them in half when they are done or use the whole sphere. Hopefully, it doesn't look too Gandalfish when it is on the walking stick. Here are a couple progress photos and the finished stone.      One quetion. Is there going to be an issue with the wood expanding and contracting and popping the stone off? He usually makes a flat surface on the top of the stick. I told him to use epoxy. Thanks for taking a look, Chris |
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Post by pebblesky on Oct 18, 2024 19:02:25 GMT -5
The half sphere looks perfect! How did you do that so symmetrically?
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dshanpnw
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since December 2020
Posts: 1,173
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Post by dshanpnw on Oct 18, 2024 19:06:33 GMT -5
I think it is a great idea. I saw a walking stick with a tiger's eye sphere on it on a TV show. Not sure how it was attached, maybe some claw like things or prongs. If the walking sticks are kind of rustic then I would imagine the topper doesn't have to be perfectly shaped.
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realrockhound
Cave Dweller 
Chucking leaverite at tweekers
Member since June 2020
Posts: 4,536
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Post by realrockhound on Oct 18, 2024 19:07:06 GMT -5
The half sphere looks perfect! How did you do that so symmetrically? Thats actually his fake eye. Dunno why he felt like sharing that 😂 |
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Post by rockjunquie on Oct 18, 2024 19:26:10 GMT -5
Great job on that quartz, Chris!
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Post by whalecottagedesigns on Oct 18, 2024 19:44:26 GMT -5
Very cool idea, would love to see the finished result too! My guess at a name is "knob" :-)
For fixing - (and note I am just guestimating - not something I have tried myself) one may have to put a little metal shaft through the bottom of the stone and the top of the wood before epoxying it. Maybe 5 mm in the stone as that part will be solid, but 10 to 20 mm in the wood otherwise the wood expansion and contraction may cause issues as you yourself surmised. Could make it out of the shaft of a stainless steel nail that you filed some crosshatching into for grip..
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Post by vegasjames on Oct 18, 2024 20:49:05 GMT -5
You could drill a small hole in the bottom then cut the head off a wood screw and glue it in the hole. Then drill a pilot hole in the top of the wood put glue on top of the wood and screw the knob on. Definitely will not pop off.
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Post by chris1956 on Oct 18, 2024 22:00:00 GMT -5
The half sphere looks perfect! How did you do that so symmetrically? Thanks. Took my time and kept looking at it and rounding out the parts that didn't look symmetrical. The half sphere looks perfect! How did you do that so symmetrically? Thats actually his fake eye. Dunno why he felt like sharing that 😂 OK.  Great job on that quartz, Chris! Thanks Very cool idea, would love to see the finished result too! My guess at a name is "knob" :-) For fixing - (and note I am just guestimating - not something I have tried myself) one may have to put a little metal shaft through the bottom of the stone and the top of the wood before epoxying it. Maybe 5 mm in the stone as that part will be solid, but 10 to 20 mm in the wood otherwise the wood expansion and contraction may cause issues as you yourself surmised. Could make it out of the shaft of a stainless steel nail that you filed some crosshatching into for grip.. Thanks for the idea. You could drill a small hole in the bottom then cut the head off a wood screw and glue it in the hole. Then drill a pilot hole in the top of the wood put glue on top of the wood and screw the knob on. Definitely will not pop off. Thanks. That is probably the way to go so the wood expansion doesn't cause problems. |
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Post by liveoak on Oct 19, 2024 9:41:31 GMT -5
WOW ! Chris, that half sphere is amazing  . Destined to be a wizard's staff, if I ever saw one. Thought I'd show you a walking stick my husband was given by a friend of his, a number of years ago. It was done with a hand-sized beach stone, and diamond core drill straight through, and epoxied in. Then he also fitted a bronze or brass tip on the end.
I can easily see this being made from a larger tumbled stone - Many possibilities here 
Patty
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Post by chris1956 on Oct 19, 2024 12:48:56 GMT -5
WOW ! Chris, that half sphere is amazing . Destined to be a wizard's staff, if I ever saw one. Thought I'd show you a walking stick my husband was given by a friend of his, a number of years ago. It was done with a hand-sized beach stone, and diamond core drill straight through, and epoxied in. Then he also fitted a bronze or brass tip on the end.
I can easily see this being made from a larger tumbled stone - Many possibilities here
Patty
That looks great! |
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Post by 1dave on Oct 19, 2024 15:45:17 GMT -5
Very cool idea, would love to see the finished result too! My guess at a name is "knob" :-) For fixing - (and note I am just guestimating - not something I have tried myself) one may have to put a little metal shaft through the bottom of the stone and the top of the wood before epoxying it. Maybe 5 mm in the stone as that part will be solid, but 10 to 20 mm in the wood otherwise the wood expansion and contraction may cause issues as you yourself surmised. Could make it out of the shaft of a stainless steel nail that you filed some crosshatching into for grip.. That is what I did on making my walking sticks. I drilled a hole un the top of the stick and top sphere, and epoxied in an old worn out 1/2" drill bit.  |
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Post by chris1956 on Oct 19, 2024 16:20:09 GMT -5
Very cool idea, would love to see the finished result too! My guess at a name is "knob" :-) For fixing - (and note I am just guestimating - not something I have tried myself) one may have to put a little metal shaft through the bottom of the stone and the top of the wood before epoxying it. Maybe 5 mm in the stone as that part will be solid, but 10 to 20 mm in the wood otherwise the wood expansion and contraction may cause issues as you yourself surmised. Could make it out of the shaft of a stainless steel nail that you filed some crosshatching into for grip.. That is what I did on making my walking sticks. I drilled a hole un the top of the stick and top sphere, and epoxied in an old worn out 1/2" drill bit. Those are some great walking sticks!! |
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Post by whalecottagedesigns on Oct 20, 2024 4:13:20 GMT -5
liveoak Patty that is a great one! I dig the bottom metal protector bronzy brass bit! 1dave Those are seriously fine walking sticks Dave! The one on the right reminds me of the very old timey "Green Man" faces, religeosity from way before Christianity in England and the European mainland across the channel.
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Post by liveoak on Oct 20, 2024 7:22:00 GMT -5
That is what I did on making my walking sticks. I drilled a hole un the top of the stick and top sphere, and epoxied in an old worn out 1/2" drill bit. Those are really nice, Dave !
Patty
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,509
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Post by Sabre52 on Nov 18, 2024 15:25:56 GMT -5
I'd say the name should be the same as for the stone on the end of a sword handle, a "pommel"
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Post by chris1956 on Nov 18, 2024 19:09:34 GMT -5
I'd say the name should be the same as for the stone on the end of a sword handle, a "pommel" Thanks. Don't know why I didn't think of looking it up on Google but that is what it said too. |
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Post by jasoninsd on Nov 21, 2024 18:00:23 GMT -5
I'd say the name should be the same as for the stone on the end of a sword handle, a "pommel" Thanks. Don't know why I didn't think of looking it up on Google but that is what it said too. Chris, I think Gandolf would be proud to use one of these!  Gorgeous work on shaping and polishing that!!  |
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Post by pebblesky on Nov 21, 2024 20:08:09 GMT -5
These walking sticks look really cool. I will save one large eye agate as my walking stick stone with a single eye facing up.
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Post by chris1956 on Nov 21, 2024 21:56:23 GMT -5
Thanks. Don't know why I didn't think of looking it up on Google but that is what it said too. Chris, I think Gandolf would be proud to use one of these! Gorgeous work on shaping and polishing that!! Thanks. |
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