Stone Sculpture Projects Options

[Denise]

Timmy was inspired to make these after I made the Rutilated Quartz snowman.
He had a few marbles with flat sides and decided they would make good snowmen.
He was right, what a good imagination!

[Denise]

Slow process......especially when I keep starting more.
The bunny is coming along great! Hes slimming down, and getting that sleek bunny look. Great fire agate flash in him!
I also started sculpting out a butterfly in a Thunderegg. Pics coming soon. Dan added a piece of foam pipe insulation to my drip system. Its much more comfortable for me to rest my wrist on for hours when working now. Thanks Dan!

Have you been working on a carving or sculpture? We would love to see.

[CP]

You are welcome honey, glad the drip station is more comfortable to work at now.
I agree the marble snow men turned out well, Timmy's idea worked good.

We'll all be looking forward to those finished projects too, whenever they do finally get finished.

Anyone else doing any sculpting or carvings? We'd all love to see some of your work if you have projects finished or on going.

CP

[Denise]

Timmy is quite talented and creative, thats for sure!!

I know, I have way to many going. I cant help myself, plus I like having several going.
If I dont want to work on one, there is always another.

Here is a pic of my next projects. I cant help but to see a howling woof and a butterfly in these Thunderegg end cuts......So quess what.

[Denise]

Thought I would show another step on some of the above projects. The backsides or bottoms so to speak.

Here is the bottom of the Amazonite bird. I wasnt sure what to do with the base, so I came up with this heart look.
Its far from done, but coming along nicely. This Amazonite has the most amazing sheen to it, even working it in the rough stage.



Here is the backside to the Thunderegg Butterfly.
Hard to believe this egg end nub is almost hollowed out other than the butterfly isnt it?....and good news! As of yesterday, there is 4 wing seperation. The butterfly inside is a little over 4mm tall from the background. That make sense?
More pics coming soon.



Enjoy, and feel free to ask questions you may have about working stones.

Denise

[Denise]

Ok....That was just cruel of me. Lets show the progress on the front side of the Thunderegg.
Long ways to go, but its getting there.



Had a dream that while I was working it, it flew away, leaving the empty Thunderegg.

[jim]

WOW Denise you sure got some patients to cut that much hard agate by hand. I have been working some with my flexshaft. The agate it seems is twice as hard as the softer stuff. From the little time that I have been using the diamond burrs and pads I can tell you it aint easy. My poor fingers go to cramping after awhile.
The thing that I have yet to figure out is how you manage to polish in such tight areas. I have gotten where I can carve or shape but how the heck do ya polish those tight spots? I'd be real interested to see the tools that you use.

[Denise]

Its more of a love of working with the stone than patience for me Jim.

I hear you about fingers cramping. I sure pushed my limitations on hand sculpting with the flexshaft.
I was on a roll working that piece at around 4-5 hours straight a day for several days, only using the flexshaft.
I hold it like a pencil like when Im drawing or woodburning, but my pencil and woodburner doesnt vibrate like the flexshaft does. By the 4th day, I was loosing feeling in the right side of my hand, and I had shooting pains in my wrist going up my arm. Dont want Carpal Tunnel syndrome, so I was forced to stop and rethink how Im working the stones.
Actually Dan forced me because I was on a roll and (stubborn) couldnt seem to stop myself. I was having way too much fun.

Hes going to mount the flexshaft so I dont have to hold it during long projects. Doing that will not only cut back on the vibration on my hands, but will give me both of my hands to hold the stone instead. I have never had this problem with the flexshaft working for shorter periods, like drilling holes or carving. But I will defiantely need to have it mounted working it on my larger projects.

For polishing, I would have to see some of the pieces your refering to first Jim. I use different techniques depending on my project. Most of the flexshaft polishing I do is with the polishing disks. Im not happy with the polishing bits they have for sale though, harder stones like Agate just seem to melt them away. I sometimes even cheat and take them to the cabochon wheels for polishing. I take my chances and ride the edge of the wheel. Warning though, one slip could cost you a finger injury or gouge your stone. I know because I have done both. Trial and error I say.

Dan Is also in the works of making me polishing bits that will be able to reach in the details (tighter spots) I grind into some of these stones. As soon as hes done making them, we will give you an update on how well they work. Hes so smart and helpful!

[Denise]

Dan is still working on a few adjustments to the dremel setup I use, but you cant keep a good woman down.....

Here is a piece of South Park petrified wood. As soon as it was cut it looked like a guitar. There is still alot of work to go, but I have been roughing in the shape. Mostly on the neck of the guitar and the backside where there is a hole Im trying to work out. It was almost 4" long, but I have since shortened the body of the guitar. Not sure the exact shape yet but time will tell the more I work it. The whole neck is translucent when held up to the light.

Dont know what I was thinking. There will need to be some pretty tiny details in this one to look like a guitar.
Plus, the diamond wheels I have been roughing it on are only 1 1/2" wide, with only 3/8" between the wheels. One slip and it could cost me the piece, so I moved onto the flex shaft dremel water drip setup. More updates coming soon.......When I decide what body shape to give it.

I havent been carving and sculpting very long, so be patient with me please, but If anyone has any questions about any of the processes just ask. It's much better to learn together.






I would love to have feedback and suggestions If anyone has any.

[CP]

Here is a webcam shot of the proto type flex shaft mounting bracket. So far it seems to be working well to help lessen the stress of holding the whip in hand.
This bracket is adjustable so the shaft/bit can be angled or straight up and down. As you can see the drip system has been refitted with a smaller copper tube as well, enabling more pin point location of the drip to moisten the stone and bit during work.



Next we'll be testing out some new home made brush accessories to carry the pre polish and polish stages through more effeciently.

Nice work honey, can't wait to see that guitar and the bird in amazonite finished out. Are they done yet?

[Denise]

Thanks Dan, your awesome babe!! It works great!!

As far as the guitar goes, it looks alot different now.....In fact so different the front is the back, and the back is the front now.
The stone must be what it wants to be. But I did notice that when Im done working on it, it is standless.
Think you can put together a guitar stand out of wire for it Dan? That would look sweet I think!

[swizz]

That guitar is looking good Denise.
I believe you have a steady set of hands and some patience to have ground the neck on that piece. I'm curious as to how you will eventually polish it. Will you use a rotary tool (Dremel Flex or similar) or are you going to polish it on a stationary wheel (scary).
Inquiring mind wants to know.

[Denise]

Thanks Chris!! This guitar piece was the first cut (end) off of a piece of petrified wood, giving it the flat side. At first I started working it on the diamond wheels, but the deeper I made the neck, the harder it was to avoid the other wheel. So I kept going, but slightly turned the piece to continue on the neck. I would attempt to polish it out on the wheels, but Dan calls it "wheel abuse" or something like that. So it looks like im going to try to polish it out on the flex shaft dremel with the new polishing brushes Dan made me. I have been working on the dremel since 8 this morning testing things out.
Brushes and dremel mount work great!!

Here is a piece I have been using to test things on. This was a test to see how well the brushes work for polishing.
Here is a before and after prepolish pic of it. Big difference! Only problem is that Im going to have to rough up the center again to glue the Opal in.





You sure can tell I have been working on guitar pick from that last picture.
You should see the look on Dans face when my finger nail hits the diamond wheels....... Sounds like fingernails on a chalk board. Poor guy, I look over and he was twitching like he was eating a lemon.

[Denise]

Nice work honey, can't wait to see that guitar and the bird in amazonite finished out. Are they done yet?

You talking about this bird Dan? I have been smoothing out all its rough edges getting it ready to do the detailed work (feathers) on the wings. I love the sheen Colorado Amazonite has!! The whole bird has it when you move it around. Here are 2 pictures so you can get an idea of how sheeny it is.





Speaking of seeing projects finished out Dan ...........Hows that Arizona perified wood sculpting coming along?
Im sure everyone would love to see it.

[Denise]

Here is a cabochon I finished, but then decided to work it more.
I was thinking it would look good carved into a flower, with a flashy white Opal for the center.
I got as far as this, and was wondering If I should just stop, and set the Opal in like it is.
Should I keep working it, or call this piece done? Sure looks nice as is.

Here is the piece finished. Dan did a fantastic job wrapping it and making the little Opal cabochon for the inlay!