Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Dec 4, 2011 9:57:36 GMT -5
I thought I would show my stone rings to see what ya'll think about them. It took longer to figure out how to make them than it did to actually make them. When I finally figured out the dop stick it went pretty easy. I drilled a hole in a slab and cut around it like cutting out a cab. I would then put the piece on the dop stick and worked it to round by hand. Then I chucked up the dop stick in a drill and spun it on the polishing pads to finish the rounding, smoothing and polishing. The dop stick made from a 1/4" drill extension and drum sanders.  All of these are agate or jasper.     Thanks for looking. Jim |
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Post by FrogAndBearCreations on Dec 4, 2011 10:01:43 GMT -5
Very cool!
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Post by gr on Dec 4, 2011 10:25:09 GMT -5
Like your idea Jim, very creative!
gr
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Post by Donnie's Rocky Treasures on Dec 4, 2011 10:30:09 GMT -5
Those are really nice & a wonderful idea!
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Post by christopherl1234 on Dec 4, 2011 12:10:37 GMT -5
pretty cool!!
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Post by talkingstones on Dec 4, 2011 12:42:19 GMT -5
Very cool idea!!!
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Post by tntmom on Dec 4, 2011 13:17:00 GMT -5
Those are COOL Jim!!!!
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Post by Toad on Dec 4, 2011 14:18:35 GMT -5
Nice bunch of rings. Thanks for the pics.
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NDK
Cave Dweller 
Member since January 2009
Posts: 9,440
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Post by NDK on Dec 4, 2011 16:05:11 GMT -5
I really like the rings like this. I see them at gift shops and have wondered why no one has posted any. I'm sure they're quite labor intensive. Nice work Jim!
Nate
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grayfingers
Cave Dweller
Member since November 2007
Posts: 4,575 
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Post by grayfingers on Dec 4, 2011 19:30:56 GMT -5
Those are really nice, Jim! Looks as though you have successfully set your hand to numerous types of stone work.
Bill
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blr2449
has rocks in the head
Can I retire now?
Member since January 2011
Posts: 554
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Post by blr2449 on Dec 4, 2011 20:20:38 GMT -5
Those are really nice! I bet they will sell well for the holiday
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Post by BuiltonRock on Dec 4, 2011 20:56:07 GMT -5
Very, very nice!
John
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Dec 4, 2011 21:22:19 GMT -5
Thanks all for the nice replies. The truth is that the fun for me was figuring out how to get it done. After that it was no fun anymore. I can make them fast with nephrite because it drills very easy but to me they look plain and crappy compared to the agate. Expensive high end nephrite or jade would be the way to go for looks. The problem is that even the pretty ones do not sell at a reasonable no profit price. Then again I am in Wyoming. I won the lapidary prize two months in a row at Stone Age Industries for the rings then for the method of making them which paid for two of the core drills. Thank you Stone Age.
My thrills are in the method and not the product. I hunt and work stone to keep my sanity during the winter. If anyone has a method that they are stumped with let me know. I can not promise that I will figure it out but I will give it one hell of a try and it will not cost you a dime. Have not figured out how biker randy and some of you others do all that wire though. Mine looks like dog rockets in comparison.
Thanks again
Jim
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peachfront
fully equipped rock polisher
Stones have begun to speak, because an ear is there to hear them.
Member since August 2010
Posts: 1,745
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Post by peachfront on Dec 5, 2011 9:49:04 GMT -5
I like your rings very much. Sometime I would like to make up a tumbler load of them, but I'm not sure when. I'm assuming you put the final polish in the tumbler but maybe I'm assuming wrong?
The price point problem that you mentioned is also a problem down here. I see cheap Agate/Carnelian rings offered for $1 or $1.25. Impossible to compete with that if you are aiming to make a profit.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Dec 5, 2011 23:34:25 GMT -5
I did tumble a few but almost all were polished using the stick and a drill spinning the ring on spinning diamond pads. One good diamond hole saw costs $50 so the rings you see are either fake stone or made with slave labor somewhere. In China the fake jade rings go for about that price. I would guess they are fake because agate rings break very easy.
Jim
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peachfront
fully equipped rock polisher
Stones have begun to speak, because an ear is there to hear them.
Member since August 2010
Posts: 1,745
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Post by peachfront on Dec 6, 2011 9:33:25 GMT -5
Oh, beyond a doubt the cheapo rings were from China. The Agate I got was real but too thin. The "Jade" was probably plastic on closer inspection. I bought a Carnelian ring for a metaphysical purpose and it broke...one could say that it broke after its purpose was achieved but one could also say that it was too fragile to begin with. In any case, I never bought another. I think it would be better for something meaningful to make my own.
The advantage to your polishing method is that I wouldn't have to wait to get enough ideas for rings for an entire tumbler load. Hmmm. Would definitely like a sturdier Carnelian ring and perhaps a bangle bracelet too...
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Post by kk on Dec 6, 2011 17:04:17 GMT -5
Looks great, you learned well on your travels. Rings like that are the reason that we can often get good quality jade quite reasonably.  |
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chassroc
Cave Dweller
Rocks are abundant when you have rocktumblinghobby pals
Member since January 2005
Posts: 3,586
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Post by chassroc on Dec 7, 2011 9:47:17 GMT -5
They are very creative!
It is very hard to compete with mass production when it comes to crafts.
It is also hard to compete when many of the raw materials are free or relatively inexpensive if you value your time!
I try to make unique pieces but I just give mine away as gifts.
I will try to come up with some variations on what you've done here
I am putting two pieces into a local art and crafts show in january and they will be for sale. I have hopes!
charli
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