Stone Carving: Q&A + Gallery...

anything better than sharpies to make designs on the stone? they're washing off with the water and skin contact.

I'm glad you asked. Sharpie ink bleeds right into softer stones and leaves a bluish purple stain that has to be ground out. I ruined a couple of pieces of flower jade before I figured this out. I use these now and they seem to be pretty good. Make sure you get the fine tipped ones!

thanks, paipo, i picked up a set locally. about $15. very nice and they work much, much better than sharpies. they don't dry out and make great lines in the jade.

anyone have ideas for this?

jade from monterey bay.

plus, this thread needs to stay up on top!

kia ora!

[ Edited by: pdrake 2007-04-04 21:11 ]

On 2007-04-04 21:09, pdrake wrote:
anyone have ideas for this?

*Carve a tiki out of it?! :lol:

TTT :)

On 2007-04-04 21:09, pdrake wrote:
anyone have ideas for this?

[ Edited by: pdrake 2007-04-04 21:11 ]

Yes : double-sided hei-tiki !!! THAT is a real challenge :lol: if it's wide enough :)

Sure, You can carve a Maori Canoe stern post. :) :) :)

On 2007-04-05 01:28, Benzart wrote:

This is one of a pair of quite spectacular carvings:
The Tauihu (Prow)

The Taurapa (Stern Post)

More info here:
http://www.aotearoa.co.nz/greenstone/gallery/waka_large.htm#top
I was lucky enough to meet Richard when I worked in the North Island as a commercial lapidary 6 years ago. An incredibly talented carver, easily one of the best I've ever seen, and a very clever engineer too.
Here's his website.
My boss was a great guy to work for. Not only did he have probably the largest stock of gems and crystals in NZ which I had free access to, he would also ring up carvers he knew and ask if they would have me for a half or whole day and share their knowledge with me. I still use many of the techniques these guys taught me and it really opened my eyes after the fairly heavy-handed and dated techniques we were taught at "rock school".
One of those two pieces (I can't remember which) was stolen from a gallery in a smash and grab and disappeared for a few years until it was dug up in 2005. It was valued at $100,000.

Wow, Paipo, Thanks for that small lesson in Art! How fortunate you were to be presented these learning "Gifts" by your then Boss. You must have been in 7th Heaven.
Perry, don't let the quality of those carvings deter you, YOU can do it if you just be patient, study these pic's and taqke your time!

Here you go Perry, I've done all the hard work for you:

On 2007-04-05 13:57, Paipo wrote:
Here you go Perry, I've done all the hard work for you:

:lol: -A bit of trimming; a few holes & sand 'er up! :lol:

Tama

hahaha!

i'll get right on it.

heh, if i could get $45,000 for it i would take a couple of months off and do it.

Paipo...your mentor's work (and site) is absolutely one of the best I've ever seen! beautiful stones rendered like heaven's own! ....that knife (probably because of my western roots) was my favorite....I am sooo humbled

Thanks Hula Cat...although I see my post was probably a little confusing the way I wrote it. Richard was one of handful of master carvers I was lucky enough to visit, but not the guy I worked for - my boss was a lapidary and dealer who knew these guys well enough to ask them to take a newbie under their wing for a day or a morning. I just found some drawings yesterday from another carver who specialised in hei-tiki and encouraged me to carve my first one. I learnt more in 6 months working in the biz than in 2 years at school!

wow, Paipo, I'm very impressed.
It was a chance for you having met a lot of great carvers this way. And we all can see that the techniques you've learnt are not lost: you use it very well.

I've seen something about your intro inwood carving: yippee :)

Benjamin.

Aroha Tiki tangata!

I've only just started to carve harder stone in the last few days or so (you may have noticed my soapstone thread?), so I'm not all familiar working it. Actually, I'm not all that familiar with carving ANYTHING - I only started a short while ago.

Anyway, inspired by Paipo, Tamapoutini, et al, I picked up some river pebbles - funnily enough - by my local river, the Murrumbidgee (cool name, don't know what it means...).

Being a volcanic area in the far and distant past I assume they're all igneous, or metamorphic - ok I don't know rocks - but I know for sure they're not sedimentry! There's not much sandstone around here.

So one of my questions is (mainly directed at Paipo) what substance do you put on river-type pebbles after you've sanded them? I put baby oil, but over night the stone just sucked it all up and dryed out (no pics, but you know what I'm talking about, no?).

My other question is about pendant holes. I found drilling the hole probably the hardest part about the whole carving process. I used various shaped diamond burrs to get through the stone, and I managed it, but there was a constant fear of breaking the stone. How is this more easily done? Are there special drill bits designed specifically for this purpose?

After Baby oil :up:

Also, how do you do those pendant holes situated behind the stone? You know, so you can't see the hole from the front? I believe they were first done by the Chinese - I read that on either Tama's or Paipo's thread.
How do you do them?

Oh, and I nearly forgot... What is the difference between grit numbers with diamond burrs? I have to admit my complete ignorance on the subject. :blush:

Thanks :)

[ Edited by: tipua 2007-04-19 20:01 ]

On 2007-04-19 13:30, Tipua wrote:

So one of my questions is (mainly directed at Paipo) what substance do you put on river-type pebbles after you've sanded them? I put baby oil, but over night the stone just sucked it all up and dryed out (no pics, but you know what I'm talking about, no?).

My other question is about pendant holes. I found drilling the hole probably the hardest part about the whole carving process. I used various shaped diamond burrs to get through the stone, and I managed it, but there was a constant fear of breaking the stone. How is this more easily done? Are there special drill bits designed specifically for this purpose?

Also, how do you do those pendant holes situated behind the stone? You know, so you can't see the hole from the front?

Oh, and I nearly forgot... What is the difference between grit numbers with diamond burrs?

Gidday mate. I dont know where Paip' is hiding at - maybe he missed your questions. Im no expert with ordinary-old-boring-not-pounamu-river-rock ( -as nice as it is! :lol: :wink: ) but can maybe help with some of your questions. Ive been away myself & only just caught it.

#1: Not 100% that one. Im not sure what type of oil, etc you would use on common-stone..? I would think that any mineral oil/wax etc would suffice - It may come down to the final sand/polish still not being 'fine' enough to maintain the shine. Or perhaps the stone is just very porous (microscopically speaking) - I know this is one of the reasons that high-quality jade can hold such a high polish & not dry out the way you describe; its surface 'grains' (actually felted crystals) can be 'closed-up' to a very fine degree.

#2: Most carvers Ive met use a small ball/sphere to drill holes, although I do know of one guy who prefers to use a needle type burr. Remember to bevel the edge of suspension holes. A sharp edge will cut through cords in no time!

#3: 'Hidden-holes' or 'Ox-nose' holes to the Chinese inventors. Phew!
Firstly you mark them out; basically two dots about 1cm apart. You make a careful start at each of these points with the small (2-3mm) ball burr (I dont think the needle-type would manage this particular task!heehee) and gradually work the two small holes deeper, and coming together... You can also tilt them down slightly. The two generally 'meet' to form a 'V' at a depth of 2-5mm...with me? Once theyve met, use the same burr to soften any sharp edges within the hole, where the two meet (you cant see any of this; it is small & invisible & must be 'felt') Often a bevel can be taken of the egde of the starting holes once they are underway, this allows greater 'reach'/less shank-chafing as the angle is 'steep' (as far as most handpiece work goes) Hope this helps.

And lastly #4: Grit numbers on diamond cloth/burrs work much the same as with sandpaper. The higher the number, the finer grade it is.
I'd advise buying your 'range' of diamond cloth from the one manufacturer, as one companies '400' grit can differ wildly from another companies '400', etc... As a guide: 100grit is as aggressive as you'd want to go for jewellery type work and a decent range for most types of stone would be, 100, 400, 800, 1200 and from there on the fine-ness gets ridiculous; 40-80,000grit or something silly. You dont need them. Probably for diamond cutting..?

Generally burrs dont have such a range of fineness's to choose from but same rule applies.

*Still probably worth getting a second opinion though (P); Ive been away from the influence of other carvers for quite a while & may well be out of touch! :lol:

Back to the grind with you!

Tama :)

[ Edited by: Tamapoutini 2007-04-23 04:14 ]

Heya Tama!
Thanks so much for finding the time to answer my questions! I know you're a busy man, so I appreciate it immensely. I hope you find Paipo. He's probably on some sort of covert operation or collecting greywacke pebbles or something equally as dangerous... :)

On 2007-04-23 03:44, Tamapoutini wrote:

#1: I can help you with that one. Im not sure what type of oil, etc you would use on common-stone..? I would think that any mineral oil/wax etc would suffice - It may come down to the final sand/polish still not being 'fine' enough to maintain the shine. Or perhaps the stone is just very porous (microscopically speaking) - I know this is one of the reasons that high-quality jade can hold such a high polish & not dry out the way you describe; its surface 'grains' (actually felted crystals) can be 'closed-up' to a very fine degree.

You're probably right about the stone's porousity (is that even a word?). I'd imagine most stones of volcanic origin being that way inclined. I actually bought some beeswax to see if I could 'clog' some of those microscopic pores. It merely made the stone feel... well, waxy. I buffed it up, but it's still not to the standard I want it at. I've put some lanolin on it and that seems ok... for now.
I don't want it too shiny though. I love the stone's natural rough texture.

#2: Most carvers Ive met use a small ball/sphere to drill holes, although I do know of one guy who prefers to use a needle type burr. Remember to bevel the edge of suspension holes. A sharp edge will cut through cords in no time!

I used a range of burrs and drill bits to finally get through the stone. I didn't want to use my ball burr too much as it's my favourite and I didn't want to wear it out.
As it happens I did, but not on this particular stone...
I picked up a whole bunch of pebbles by the river. The funny thing is that they're all so different from each other! Some are very pourous like pumice, whilst some are glassy, almost jade-like (resembling marsden 'flower' jade a little). They all feel so different while carving too. Even stones that look identical can have a completely different feel. Some others are just about impossible to do anything with at all. I guess the many varieties of pounamu are just the same, each with its own character and feel. So anyway, I've worn just about all my burrs out testing each stone!

I think a bevelled suspension hole not only prevents sharp edges, but has geat aesthetic value. It looks good too! :)

#3: 'Hidden-holes' or 'Ox-nose' holes to the Chinese inventors. Phew!
Firstly you mark them out; basically two dots about 1cm apart. You make a careful start at each of these points with the small (2-3mm) ball burr (I dont think the needle-type would manage this particular task!heehee) and gradually work the two small holes deeper, and coming together... You can also tilt them down slightly. The two generally 'meet' to form a 'V'...with me? Once theyve met, use the same burr to soften any sharp edges within the hole, where the two meet (you cant see any of this; it is small & invisible & must be 'felt') Often a bevel can be taken of the egde of the starting holes once they are underway, this allows greater 'reach'/less shank-chafing as the angle is 'steep' (as far as most handpiece work goes) Hope this helps.

I guessed it went something like that... only I assumed the 'V' to be a lot shallower - not really a 'V' at all. That's why I couldn't picture how it was done. So you actually go in quite deeply into the stone? How strong is the 'ox-nose'? I suppose it depends on a few factors like hole placement and stone strength, hey?

And lastly #4: Grit numbers on diamond cloth/burrs work much the same as with sandpaper. The higher the number, the finer grade it is.
I'd advise buying your 'range' of diamond cloth from the one manufacturer, as one companies '400' grit can differ wildly from another companies '400', etc... As a guide: 100grit is as aggressive as you'd want to go for jewellery type work and a decent range for most types of stone would be, 100, 400, 800, 1200 and from there on the fine-ness gets ridiculous; 40-80,000grit or something silly. You dont need them. Probably for diamond cutting..?
Generally burrs dont have such a range of fineness's to choose from but same rule applies.

I presumed as much... So is the general technique to use the coarser grades of grits to 'rough out' the piece, and the finer grits used for smoothing out your lines and achieving finer detail?
I don't really know too much about diamond cloth (actually bugger all)... I use burrs for pretty much everything. How is diamond cloth utilised?

Since I've just about completely worn out all the burrs that came with three of the El Cheapo rotary hand-tools I've bought (I just recieved a fourth for my birthday - a not so cheap Dremel - but it didn't come with any diamond burrs! :() , I've ordered some on ebay (cheap ones) and once they've worn out (a week or two?), I'll probably have to dust off my wallet and buy some quality burrs!

Thanks again Tama! As always you're a great help. You should probably start charging for all the handy hints you give out!

On 2007-04-23 05:12, Tipua wrote:
Heya Tama!
Thanks so much for finding the time to answer my questions! I know you're a busy man, so I appreciate it immensely. I hope you find Paipo. He's probably on some sort of covert operation or collecting greywacke pebbles or something equally as dangerous... :)

No, I've been about - I just have trouble keeping up with all the goings-on round these parts and a lot of posts slip by unnoticed. A PM usually gets my attention!
Looks like Tama has pretty much covered the bases in this instance, so I haven't got very much to add...I use a beeswax based shoe wax on all my stone (including jade). The bullnose holes should be a semicircle/crescent rather than a "V", but this takes some practice to get just right, preferably on a bit of softer stone scrap that won't kill your burr. The trick is to alter the angle subtly as you drill to get the slight curvature that wil allow the cord to thread through easily.

The bullnose holes should be a semicircle/crescent rather than a "V", but this takes some practice to get just right, preferably on a bit of softer stone scrap that won't kill your burr. The trick is to alter the angle subtly as you drill to get the slight curvature that wil allow the cord to thread through easily.

Thanks Paipo.
I guess a fair bit of practice is needed to get the ox-nose (niu-bi? I can speak a little chinese but my grammar is terrible) holes done right. I'll definately give it a try. I'll take your advice and practice on some soapstone, or a slab of cold lard - there's not much difference, only the smell. :)

so... newbie
guess this is the most appropriate preexisting thread to ask a question

what exactly do i need to carve jade (into a hei-tiki)?
dremel w/ flexshaft + a grinder and a respirator?
would that be good enough to start?

i dont want to buy tools and find out theyre not good enough :P

On 2007-04-29 12:35, Proselyte wrote:
so... newbie
guess this is the most appropriate preexisting thread to ask a question

what exactly do i need to carve jade (into a hei-tiki)?
dremel w/ flexshaft + a grinder and a respirator?
would that be good enough to start?

i dont want to buy tools and find out theyre not good enough :P

Kia ora Proselyte.
For a good rundown on tools & processes, try reading this thread right through and/or the first few pages of my own thread (just a bit too much to try and explain all here/now)
*The tools you mention would be a good start... Im happy to answer any specific questions once you're rolling. Good luck!

Tama :)

so... newbie
guess this is the most appropriate preexisting thread to ask a question

what exactly do i need to carve jade (into a hei-tiki)?
dremel w/ flexshaft + a grinder and a respirator?
would that be good enough to start?

i dont want to buy tools and find out theyre not good enough

seeing as how the ancients did it, my best advice on tools is this:

patience and talent

oh, and if you're going to use your dremel flex shaft, make sure and spry some WD-40 into it once and awhile. it gets a little rusty inside there under the water.

[ Edited by: pdrake 2007-04-29 16:10 ]

alright just got back from lowes
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=129663-353-400-4/55&lpage=none
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=229626-46069-BG150W&lpage=none
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=186091-429-95090&lpage=none

6" grinder + dremel w/ flex shaft attachment + respirator (and some goggles so i dont get crap in my eyes either)

ok my machinist friend just got here and said the dremel collets are poorly manufactured and thats why the bit didnt fit lol (not the wrong size)

and (first mumbling complaint) jeez diamond grinding wheels arent cheap

/me happily sinks more money into his new hobby

still $100 cheaper than buying a nice pre-carved tiki

and now i can make case mods for my pc :P

[ Edited by: Proselyte 2007-05-01 13:17 ]

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On 2007-05-17 01:41, wending wrote:
Luoyang Wending company is China's biggest...

And the relevance to a Tiki carving forum is..?

Tama :(

Tama, you never can tell, their 'New Products" section may include hei-tiki knock-offs any day now. Until then, you are right in your question. Where's the tiki??

First attempt at stone carving - I began to carve a tiki incense holder from petrified whale bone found on a California beach, but that was too hard for a first attempt. So . . . I decided to try something fishy from New Zealand pounamu. Each is about 1 1/2 inches high and varying in thickness from about 1/16 to 3/16 inch thick. Comments/suggestions appreciated! Thanks, Timid

Yee-ha! Go Timid! We've got another stoner! :D

Do I detect a Russell Beck influence in these fishy-fellows..? I see shaping/form; I see design; I see a desire for quality. Definately promising qualities... :D

Would you mind posting a piccy or two of your carving set-up? I'd like to see what/how/where your creations come to life. (it was Timid who kindly gave me the wee fire-agate pieces a while back, among other things)

Comments/suggestions?: MORE! and Tiki-flavoured! :lol:

Keep it up; the more you create, the more you will define 'your' work. Who is TimidTiki? What does he do..?

Rock on my friend.
Tama :)

Thanks Tama -

I'm not sure about the Beck influence but I do have a copy of one of his books. The shape of the fish was pretty much dictated by the shape of the stone I had to work with. The flower jade piece is really nice and quite translucent in the green areas. I'm not sure how to photograph that?

The only thing special about my shop is that it has a great view, but I've posted several photos below per request. The first shows a new tool that I recently purchased and really like - a Dremel Stylus. (About $80 in the US), which works great for old guys with shaky fingers like me. I don't know how it will stand up under heavy use). The drill press is routine and is used upright or on its side. The third photo is an old Diamond Pacific Pixie once used for cabachons - it is good for rough shaping and finishing relatively flat areas on the stone. Please note and thank wife for clean shop. The last photo was taken looking out one of the windows of the shop just after sunset - the best part - ahhhh . . .

Man, you could eat your dinner off that bench! :lol:
Good to see you're taking it carefully and working out the ways of the stone...keeping the first few pieces simple is by far the best way to get the feel of how jade behaves. You've got a pretty useful setup there - about the only weak link I can foresee is possibly the handpiece. I suspect a rechargeable battery powered machine won't have enough grunt once you get a little more serious and need to move more stone. A heavy duty foredom or dremel flexishaft or a micromotor handpiece might prove more suitable down the track.
Nice pieces for your first efforts...that is a beautiful piece of flower!
PS I'd strongly recommend not to use sharpies on jade...they have a nasty habit of seeping into the stone and creating a purple stain, especially anything that is softer and "rindy" like flower jade. I have ruined a couple of nice pieces this way in my early days. Try these:
Staedtler Lumocolors (Fine)

Thanks, Paipo, for your feedback. I had indeed used a Sharpie and, fortunately, got away with it this time. A few days ago I had read your previous post about Staedtler Lumocolors and went out and purchased a few. I'll have to see how the Dremel works in the long term . . . power and battery life seem good for me so far, and ergonomically it is much better for me with the nerve damage I have in my right hand. I do have a heavy duty Foredom as a backup if I need it. Regards, Timid

Kiaora eveyone. I have avidly read your postings on this topic, and thoroughly enjoyed them. What a find! Arrived here after searching for jade carving, as I wished to learn a few tips before I embark on a new craft. Cheers! Thanks for this place.

Welcome to TC Kiwishaman, really Glad you stumbled onto this place. Don't be afraid to ask questions and to post your work.. Do you have tools and supplies yet?

On 2007-05-31 18:01, kiwishaman wrote:
Arrived here after searching for jade carving, as I wished to learn a few tips before I embark on a new craft. Cheers! Thanks for this place.

Gidday mate. Where abouts in NZ are you? Be sure to keep us posted if/when you take your first steps. Plenty of support here!

Cheers
Tama :)

On 2007-05-31 19:23, Benzart wrote:
Welcome to TC Kiwishaman, really Glad you stumbled onto this place. Don't be afraid to ask questions and to post your work.. Do you have tools and supplies yet?

Hi Benzart and Tama, I have some tools ordered. A dremel style drill/grinder with a telescopic extension, some diamond burrs - and some of those rubber ones. (have taken on some of the advise given here - and will be asking many questions as I learn. I have a reputation as a question asker!)

Am off to get some jade on Mon or Tues - am trying Aust jade first, as it is the least expensive to start on (that I have sourced). Unsure if I should start with just river stones like I have seen some of you do. There is a nice spot down the road where the river spits its stones out. Or maybe start with some firewood out the back? Have some clay carving experience, but it will be a bit different carving stone. It will be nice to have something nonmaleable to work with. I am atending to starting out with the real thing . . .

Not sure how tiki-ish my work will be, I imagine a blend of cultural influences.

Looking forward to this new journey.

I am in Waikato Tama.

Picked up my diamond burrs this morning - man those things are tiny!

I got a pack of 20 - cheapies, but I figure good enough for this novice to start with (dont want to wreck good ones on the first try). But what I dont know is: which one do you start with? the round ones? I suppose the idea is to just try out all the different burrs and see what they do?

Any guidance much appreciated.

I have this lovely piece of bloodstone here. . .

I would get a piece of soft stone and set up a water delivery system and try out all the burs to see how they cut. Then get a stone you want to carve and draw the figure on it dark enough to see well under water because thats where it will be most of the time. Of course, I'm just learning about stoning and haven't gotten enough education on it to really tell you how to do it the right way, so careful listening ne me lest I lead you astray. Get ready for some Fun!

On 2007-06-01 16:07, kiwishaman wrote:
Picked up my diamond burrs this morning - man those things are tiny!

I got a pack of 20 - cheapies, but I figure good enough for this novice to start with (dont want to wreck good ones on the first try). But what I dont know is: which one do you start with? the round ones? I suppose the idea is to just try out all the different burrs and see what they do?

Good advice above from BenZart.
Im afraid you do yourself no favours with cheap burrs Kiwi; you wont wreck good quality ones very easily & poor quality ones will self-destruct all by themselves in no time. Still, if it gets you carving I guess anything is better than nothing - at least you'll enjoy the difference once you move up.

Best of luck Bro!
Tama :)

Hi Tama - I hear you!

Looking at this site http://lopacki.com/burrs/ and wondering which burrs would I need to get started. ie what shape and size, and what grit?

There is so much! Will I need a bench grinder? We do have an angle grinder. Looking at these wee burrs, I can see that I first need something to generally shape the piece before I get the burrs onto it.

Really looking forward to starting my first piece! Thinking I might try some malachite or something similar to start - 2-4 on the Moh scale. Give me a feel before I tackle the real stuff?

Sometime next week. . .

Kiwishaman, one thing that tama forgot to mention about the cheap burs(probably because he hasn't used any in a long while) is that for the most part they are not truely "Round" or balanced which creates a Bashing of the stone as well as a cutting. You can feel it bouncing and it really makes a difference. Having said that, I ordered my first burs from Lopacki myself and I got the 2 50 piece carving sets in the yellow box and I Still use them but I keep them separate from my Hongia burs.
You can also get some higher grits there too. Once you carve your first couple pieces you will have a better idea of what you will need. What you will need is only One of Everything! :(

So Benzart, are you saying that the lopaki burrs are no where near as good as hongia burrs? I was going to contact Jen, until I read they are no longer allowed to supply.

If this is the case, where do you get the hongia burrs?

Cheers

Correct in that the Lopacki burs are not as near the quality as the Hongia burs. However I think that when you get into the higher grits are of better quality but still not up to Hongia's quality. I was fortunate enough to be at the right place at the right time during that brief window when Jen WAS Able to ship the Hongia burs at wholesale. (Thanks Again Tama)

A little more information for those of you looking at Lopacki burrs -

I am a novice carver (as you will soon see in this forum) but I've been using these burrs for awhile and they seem to work well for me. I cannot compare them to Hongia burrs as I have not had the opportunity. Recently, I sent a couple of the cheap Lopacke burrs to NZ for evaluation by the experts but haven't heard anything yet from them. Also, I was able to discuss the issue of burr quality with Lopacki himself and he says that he uses his burrs to carve fire agate. (His carvings ae good and fire agate should be a much better test of burr quality in terms of running true than jade. He also reports that the individual burrs he sells (those with 3/32 diameter shafts are better than those in his packages (1/8 diameter shafts), and they are still quite inexpensive. All interested might want to talk with him. He is very friendly.

I agree, the individuals are Much better quality than the big sets and the higher grits are better yet..I'm still using all mine. The 9.99$ for 20 sets from Harbor freight are the rough ones.

On 2007-06-03 04:09, timidtiki wrote:
A little more information for those of you looking at Lopacki burrs -

Recently, I sent a couple of the cheap Lopacke burrs to NZ for evaluation by the experts but haven't heard anything yet from them.

Kia ora; NZ 'expert' here. :lol:
I am holding one of the larger Lopacke burrs in my hot little hand right now - my problem is that I dont have handpiece collet the right size to allow it into my handpiece, so Im afraid my 'expertise' is limited to how it looks at this time... Looks good. :D

Kiwi: Im afraid that Jen/QTools were only a short-lived enterprise before being shut down due to pressure from another major supplier of Hongia in NZ. Bugger!
For good quality diamond tools (wheels,sawblades - not sure about the burrs) is a seller called 'BUTW' on eBay. Worth checking out...

Tama :)

NEWS ALERT - TIKI RESISTS CARVING, BITES CARVER

A learning experience from a beginning carver - don't try this at home!

While working on my petrified whale bone incense burner (about 3 inches high and 2 inches deep), I experienced a little mishap as shown below.

First the culprit - the tiki in the very beginning stages of carving - a large 1 1/2 in core removed from the back of the stone, and four core holes defining the mouth and eyes drilled through from the front. If it all works out the smoke from the burning incense will come out through the mouth and eyes.

Next the victim - My right thumb lacerated by the stone (not the core drill) when the drill jammed in the stone and spun free - six stitches.

Lessons learned -

1. When using a large core drill, don't hold stone in hand. Use a vice to hold stone. If that is not feasible . . .

2. Wear heavy gloves while drilling out core. If that is not feasible . . .

3. Have non-friend hold the stone.

The bottom line - The tiki is fine. The thumb will heal. Ouch!

:o :o :o
Man, I know how much that must've hurt. It's pretty scary too when it all goes wrong at high speed....
Your tips apply to any large ended burr, not just core drills, but hollowing/coring out largish pieces of stone is definitely one of the most potentially dangerous situations. In fact, I think I posted on my own experiences earlier in the thread :blush:
Use a drill press whenever possible, and if you're trying to hollow/dish out a form, I highly recommend using the point carver with 6mm shank burrs which are pretty much unbendable. They also work in some handpieces (heavy duty dremel has a 6mm collet).

[ Edited by: Paipo 2007-06-03 19:34 ]