Mancala board -- Input?

[Mel]

I think I would like to make myself a mancala board out of a slab (not sure the rock yet, still in the idea stage); and maybe a second one as a gift.   I have never done anything like this before so ALL input is welcome! 

I was thinking probably a diamond core drill and a burr for rounding out the bottom bowls/pockets.  Stone suggestions also welcome.  Originally I was thinking jasper, but now that the circuits are firing,  petrified wood might look really sharp if I could find the right piece.

I'm imagining it might be better to do a two layer setup, drilling the holes through the top slab, and then rounding the bottoms out from above once pieces are stacked/epoxied.  I'd use some really nice polished stones for the pieces, and use a good piece of suede or similar for the bottom. 

Input? Advice?

[AzRockGeek]

I would get something like this from Jadecarver.com

jadecarver.com/product/diamond-half-sphere-burr-38mm-1-12-diameter/

Then start with a soft rock like onyx or serpentine. Do an agate or jasper one after you see how a soft rock goes.

[stardiamond]

It seems like a lot of work to grind and polish. I've considered making a chess board out of light and dark colored jaspers. I don't have equipment to sand and polish a large surface and making 64 large square cabs would be daunting.

[Pat]

Good idea!! Love that game. Our board is wood, and the pieces little polished round shells.

I’m wondering if a rock board might be too heavy. Pieces could be polished rocks. Good luck! Hope you post photos.

[Mel]

Dec 9, 2020 14:16:16 GMT -5 Pat said:

Good idea!! Love that game. Our board is wood, and the pieces little polished round shells.

I’m wondering if a rock board might be too heavy. Pieces could be polished rocks. Good luck! Hope you post photos.

That is kind of my worry too, Pat.  I guess we will see.  Need to do some measuring for sure.  A little weight would be OK, but I don't want to be making Stonehenge


Could maybe do a nice walnut base and a slab top or something too.  Hmmm....

[Pat]

Depending on the rock, a stone top could be a distraction. Something plain on a wood base might work. The holes would be in the wood. You could just use a core drill on the thinner stone top.

[jasoninsd]

So, I ran across this awhile back, and I'm not sure you could get any ideas on how to do your project from this or not...but this guy is pretty good with carving stone with a dremel. I will warn you, I find him unbelievably annoying to listen to, but if you turn the volume down on the video and put on some Yanni on the CD player in the background, it might be worth watching...Enya would be another great background sound...

[Mel]

WOW!!!!!