wampidytoo
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Post by wampidytoo on May 14, 2016 11:46:57 GMT -5
Started carving a new diamond willow walking stick and have finally gotten far enough along to show some of my work. No stones have been added yet but there will be some opals and red agate added later mostly for eyes because there is going to be many animal heads carved into the wood. This is a very tall stick and about a foot from the bottom end there was a bad curve so I cut it then put it back together much straighter.    I then strapped it with thin slabs of mahogany, I think. When everything was set I worked epoxy putty in and around the strips.   There are two hand holds carved into the stick, one is arm pit high which works good for normal walking and the other is upper shoulder high which works well for walking and leaning more weight on the stick. Lower hand hold.   Upper hand hold.    First animal is called a False Killer Whale which I had not heard of but it matched the mouth best. Will be much better when eye is placed.  Second animal is a dolphin that is a little different than the common ones and I need to go back to get the name.  I hope I can turn this into a lizard with a comb on it's snout.  Back side of lizard that I hoped to be a flamingo but that might be a stretch.  Other down branch I hope to turn into a mallard duck in the round but the placement of the eyes could be a big problem.   Another bird.  There are 40 diamonds on this stick and it weighed 2.68 pounds when I started but I hope to get that down to 2 pounds. The grip points feel very natural and it does not feel heavy but I have not carried it around for hours either. I have drawn two lines from top to bottom which will be a groove all the way. It probably took me an hour to figure out a way around all the diamonds but I think it will add a lot of visual to the stick plus it will take off some weight. When my dad was carving canes he cut holes all the way through the stick between diamonds but I do not have diamonds anywhere on both sides that I can carve the center out of. With the extra weight on the top end of this thing I could probably swing it like a club and knock a bear silly enough to give me time to whack my partners legs and make my getaway. A two handed jab with the dolphin would probably put an attacker down long enough to get away too. Both of which have about a zero percent chance of happening but it is good to be prepared. Jim |
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Fossilman
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Post by Fossilman on May 14, 2016 12:09:52 GMT -5
Hey Jim,liking the Diamond Willow stick! Never thought of cutting a bend out of a stick(great idea)!
My next step in making these walking sticks is the carving too...I'm sure,its practice,practice,practice,huh....LOL
Are you going to seal it all with a clear polyurethane or linseed oil???
Two thumbs up....
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wampidytoo
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Post by wampidytoo on May 14, 2016 15:35:08 GMT -5
Hey Jim,liking the Diamond Willow stick! Never thought of cutting a bend out of a stick(great idea)! My next step in making these walking sticks is the carving too...I'm sure,its practice,practice,practice,huh....LOL Are you going to seal it all with a clear polyurethane or linseed oil??? Two thumbs up.... Thanks fossilman. I have done my practice on stone but I am rusty and doing the learning curve with wood because of the grain lifting when you do not want it to. Really have to be on top of sharpening the tools too. What I really need is a fine curved rasp and some nice weather so I can get outside to do some power sanding and rasping. I have a small bottle of really old gun stock oil that I used on the butterfly base and really liked it so I am going to use it on the stick too. It dries really hard so maybe the stick won't get beat up so bad from use. Jim |
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Fossilman
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Post by Fossilman on May 14, 2016 20:21:31 GMT -5
When I repair busted Ammonites,I find small busted Ammonites,crush them into a fine powder and or very small pieces,add adhesive,than the crushed Ammonite,into the seams,than add more adhesive......Let it dry,sand it down ...(it polishes up great)....
I might start doing that with the cracks,on the diamond willows too.........
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Fossilman
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Post by Fossilman on May 14, 2016 20:24:29 GMT -5
Keep us posted Jim................
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Post by MrP on May 14, 2016 20:29:17 GMT -5
When I repair busted Ammonites,I find small busted Ammonites,crush them into a fine powder and or very small pieces,add adhesive,than the crushed Ammonite,into the seams,than add more adhesive......Let it dry,sand it down ...(it polishes up great).... I might start doing that with the cracks,on the diamond willows too......... crushed Ammonite in the cracks on the diamond willows. I wood think you would use wood shavings or sawdust.  .......................MrP |
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wampidytoo
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Post by wampidytoo on May 14, 2016 22:48:09 GMT -5
When I repair busted Ammonites,I find small busted Ammonites,crush them into a fine powder and or very small pieces,add adhesive,than the crushed Ammonite,into the seams,than add more adhesive......Let it dry,sand it down ...(it polishes up great).... I might start doing that with the cracks,on the diamond willows too......... In China the wood carvers do that and it works quite well. Especially after they dark stain it then add 15 or 20 coats of clear lacquer. Jim |
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Post by orrum on May 15, 2016 8:00:56 GMT -5
Very cool project Jim!
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rockrose
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Post by rockrose on Jun 4, 2016 22:52:38 GMT -5
This is gorgeous! Can't wait to see the rest of it.
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Fossilman
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Post by Fossilman on Jun 6, 2016 21:25:23 GMT -5
When I repair busted Ammonites,I find small busted Ammonites,crush them into a fine powder and or very small pieces,add adhesive,than the crushed Ammonite,into the seams,than add more adhesive......Let it dry,sand it down ...(it polishes up great).... I might start doing that with the cracks,on the diamond willows too......... crushed Ammonite in the cracks on the diamond willows. I wood think you would use wood shavings or sawdust. .......................MrP Always think outside the box..........Thumbs up |
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wampidytoo
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Post by wampidytoo on Jun 7, 2016 8:18:34 GMT -5
Finished up a few things. First photo is of five bear beads given to me by my son when I first started rock hounding because he thought they might help with ID. They helped a little but it is hard to find stones that are shaped like a bear. I used 8 strands of very fine silver wire to make a cable, drilled a couple of holes then crimped a loop to keep the cable from pulling back out.   The round stone representing a sun is the first cab I made when I started cutting stone six years ago. I spent a lot lot lot of time trying to get it perfectly round. Finally decided perfect was not an option but I am pretty happy with it. The moon is jadeite from Myanmar. I already had the holes at the points of the moon so I will hang trinkets from it. After adding the moon I did not like it there but it has turned out to be the favorite thing for everyone I show it to.  This is the top of the stick when I started.  Now  Someone asked about why it is called diamond willow so here are two photos of smallest and largest diamond.   Still have a long way to go but swoly and surrly is getting me to the end of it. I may need a tuxedo to go with it and someone else to carry it though. I was hoping for 2 pounds but pushing three now. I am also working on some "every day rock hounding" sticks made from bed headboard parts that I will put in another post. Keep on keeping on. Jim |
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Post by orrum on Jun 7, 2016 9:03:52 GMT -5
It's a individual piece of art Jim! I like it!
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Jun 7, 2016 11:29:29 GMT -5
PM me your address Jim. Got some drift wood for you.
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Post by rockjunquie on Jun 7, 2016 11:30:36 GMT -5
Hey Jim, can you get a picture of it leaning or laying so I can get a full look at it. I am having trouble envisioning the whole piece. I'm loving the details, though. |
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wampidytoo
has rocks in the head
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Post by wampidytoo on Jun 7, 2016 17:28:49 GMT -5
Thanks for the compliments.
I will try to find a spot where I can get a photo of the whole thing but it is somewhat taller than me. Maybe I can get my son to take one of me holding the stick.
I finished the beluga whale this morning but had a setback yesterday when I tried to put green glitter on the mallard duck head. First glitter try probably since kids were little and tried to place it with fast dry polyurethane. Even though I did it outside I am now living in glitter and have to start all over again. I got the grey on the dolphin but but still have to add white and highlights. Raven is finished but the poor flamingo is still looking pretty lame. Can't find the right eye or pink coloring (sorry, left eye haha)
Sending a pm james but not sure how easy it is to ship drift wood. Thanking you here for the offer.
Jim
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Post by fernwood on Jun 7, 2016 21:09:43 GMT -5
Very beautiful. Have several diamond willow walking sticks. Just might have to adorn one of them. I frequently purchase the "Zuni" bear Fetish beads for my jewelry.
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Post by Pat on Jun 7, 2016 21:50:56 GMT -5
Jim, I love to watch your works in progress. Always a treat! Thanks!
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wampidytoo
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Post by wampidytoo on Jun 11, 2016 20:03:55 GMT -5
I have finished up a few more things and I am now at the point where all that is left is some painting. Beluga whale. I used leather to give it the texture and color of the real thing. The eye is opal and I am not sure what but I need to do something to make the mouth look better.   Raven finished but still have to paint the white background which is the back side of the bill of the flamingo.  I covered the straightening joint with red and white leather. The cut out in the leather only has meaning for me so I will not get into that.  The mallard duck failure that has to be redone.  A photo to give the thing a little perspective. Don't know where my head was when I said it is somewhat taller than me because it is a little shorter than me.  The next update will be the last but don't know when because today I started on a driftwood stick for a friend. I gave my old stick to her husband so figured I should make one for her too. Jim |
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Post by fernwood on Jun 12, 2016 7:23:55 GMT -5
Very beautiful.
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Sabre52
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Post by Sabre52 on Jun 12, 2016 7:56:41 GMT -5
Wow just WOW!....Mel
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.......................MrP
