drilling through rock

[greg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nords Hey, if you're into ceramic sculptures then take a look at Bob Clyatt's work: http://www.clyattsculpture.com/ Seriously, though, all your 100-year-old-home handyman skills don't have to go to waste. You could probably go house-to-house in your neighborhood grooming faucets, scrubbing refrigerator coils, patching walls, unclogging sink drains, replacing toilet flapper valves, and hanging pictures. It might get you a few strange looks at the campground but I guess that'd work with RVs too!

Nords: You're presenting two extremes that don't quite fit me. I can't do any free form sculpture, and I have zero interest in serious bathroom work nowadays.

Maybe . . . I could create a sort of Borg toilet: take an old ceramic one, drill a bunch of holes in it, attach little rubber tubes that sort of recirculate interior materials hydraulicly, then put it up for sale outside a Trekie convention.

[Martha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cute Fuzzy Bunny Ding! Ding! Ding!

I went to a scupture forum (I cheat on us too) and the consensus is what Greg said: diamond drill bit cooled with water. You will use up one or more masonry bits on hard rock like gabbro, basalt or granite. They also recommend against hammer drills and advise high speed drills with the diamond bit.

The new thing is to use laser cutters. I think that is out of my league.

I guess I will just help Greg make the Borg toilet. Resistance is futile.

[greg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by retiredbop The craft show thing is something I really ponder frequently. Mom used to "drag" me to the ones she did all the time when I was a kid. That's how I learned to carve leather. Then I found out there was money to be made doing that. Nowadays the only problem seems to be which one to focus on; leather carving, wood carving, woodworking, turning, weaving, gardening, tole painting, welding,,,, and a bunch of other interests I haven't even started to try out yet. The beauty of it will be that I won't have to over charge for the stuff, since it's just something to fill my time, not fill my larder.

Many, many, many years ago, I had a student that made ceramic Halloween stuff with his family. Mom supervised things (and about seven kids): they bought plaster of paris forms, made little pumpkins and goblins and such, painted them, put them in the kiln and fired them. Then they sold them at local galleries and art fairs. The family made enough money to take a big trip to Disney World or Hawaii every winter break. I thought this was wholesome and fun. All of the kids were involved in some way and there was a big reward for everybody at the end.

[Leonidas]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martha I guess I will just help Greg make the Borg toilet. Resistance is futile.

You will be assimilated into the Borg Collective! Even if it is painful...

[img width=250 height=375]http://www.paultownend.com/photos/orlando-2/orl97.jpg[/img]

[greg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leonidas You will be assimilated into the Borg Collective! Even if it is painful... [img width=250 height=375]http://www.paultownend.com/photos/orlando-2/orl97.jpg[/img]

Resistance may be futile, but Imodium AD may be beneficial--under the circumstances.

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martha They also recommend against hammer drills

They havent seen my hammer drill. Makes the lights in the house go dim. I think some people also refer to it as a "jack hammer".

Try this:

[Martha]

Lovely biffies. :P

No hammer drill precisely because of the jack hammer action. You are more likely to have the rock shatter. If you were drilling only a small hole, you would be better off with a diamond bit Dremel.

[TromboneAl]

I've made a lamp or two from driftwood. A lot easier to work with than rock, but still challenging.

Maybe with a trip to a crafts fair you'll find some things you'd like to make that don't involve drilling into rocks with industrial machinery. (you can send me the money now, Greg).

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martha If you were drilling only a small hole

Well now, what would be the point of THAT?!?

[Martha]

Al, I am a rock person, not a wood person. I have always enjoyed going down to the lake a picking rocks. The drift wood never did anything for me. Last summer we worked on a little patio area where I filled the cracks between the sandstone with rocks I had picked. I have to find a use for the stones.





Yes, CFB, I see no reason for a small hole in a small rock. I want a hole that I could stick dynamic into.

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by retiredbop My parents have planned for years on my retiring into the same gated community they are in, with the intended "sideline" of being one of the resident handymen. Keep telling them, sounds too much like w*rk to me.

It's a trap! Run Forrest run!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leonidas You will be assimilated into the Borg Collective! Even if it is painful...

Dang, I knew I should've taken photos of all those submarine heads.

Ah, here's one from the WWII USS PAMPANITO. Not much has changed since then...

[cute fuzzy bunny]

alright...whats the rope for...?

[greg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nords Ah, here's one from the WWII USS PAMPANITO. Not much has changed since then...

Nords:

I have a FI/RE hobby suggestion for you: Submariner dioramas

http://www.ehow.com/how_12761_make-diorama.html

[LeatherneckPA]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martha Last summer we worked on a little patio area where I filled the cracks between the sandstone with rocks I had picked. I have to find a use for the stones.

And a fine job you did, too.

Another "trait" I acquired from my parents is recycling other people's castoffs, which is akin to but not the same as dumpster diving. This usually means noticing something while driving around and "offering" to dispose of it for someone. Hence I have 12 beautiful 2 inch thick 2' x 2' flagstones stacked against the deck waiting fo inspiration to strike. Something like your patio is what I had in mind.

[rogerc1944]

Now that you are retired and have loads of time, maybe if you just stared at the rock long enough .........

[Dreamer]

What a lovely patio!

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cute Fuzzy Bunny alright...whats the rope for...?

That's not a rope, that's a dipstick!

Just kidding. I hope.

While a lot has changed in the submarine force in the last 60-70 years, when you go on one of the museum ships it's pretty scary to see what hasn't changed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greg I have a FI/RE hobby suggestion for you: Submariner dioramas

Greg, if you can figure out how to download 30 MB of files, I can hook you up with the Naval Submarine School's "Virtual Submarine Visit". It was hot stuff in 2001 when we needed to educate junior sailors on how to find their way around their first boat without actually ever going on board. I'm sure NAWC TSD wouldn't mind having this demonstration of their software skills released to the public!

Or download one of APL's fine products: http://www.jhuapl.edu/websub/

[spideyrdpd]

Personally I think you should use old bowling balls ....
http://www.heartofstonestudio.com/be...e%20or%20glass
Some of the rock lamps look really nice, but errr heavy :

[lazyday]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greg Also, my new goal is to get rid of as much plastic, teflon, and unnatural toxins as possible over the next year. That means we go back to cast iron pots and pans. I'll slowly de-toxify all the cupboards, replacing plastic drinking cups with jelly jar-ware, i.e glass. I'm now on a mission. Rocks and electricity don't mix (except high up on mountains during storms). No more polyester either. Seriously.

I've long avoided putting anything plastic in microwave, or storing anything in plastic. Have a few cabinets of glass jars of various sizes, and lids. (From storebought food.) After have enough of one size, just save the lids occasionally and throw out new jars. Some jars can do double duty for drinking or food storage, but also have ceramic mugs and ordinary glass glasses.

Why no polyester?

(My aversion to plastic kitchenware is because of the taste it can add, since it can absorb odors/flavors and perhaps release them into other foods, it can get microscratches where microbes can hide, and, yes, a probably illogical paranoia about letting anything plastic get hot and a few parts per billion of wierd chemicals leeching into food, or into the air. And it can be bad feng shui/bad for the soul/just not "feel good" if you know what I mean.)


On the economics of crafts: no firsthand knowledge, but I wouldn't be surprised if competition, local and international, often drives down the prices of anything that easily sells, to minimum wage levels or worse. Some crafts are imported from third world countries.

But if it's enough fun making the stuff, then low pay might not matter.

[greg]

Nords:

When I was a young sailor aboard a Great Lakes ore freighter, I had a one season hobby of turning out ashtrays, shot glasses, and . . . um . . . small smoking pipes from scrap brass. I had an engineer friend on the same watch, so we'd filtch materials and make little items on the lathes. He made a couple complete sets of chess pieces. I think I still have about five pounds of brass wool hidden somewhere in the basement--and a five pound ashtray somewhere.

So, what do submariners do for fun excitement when not working? What sorts of hobbies, crafts, etc. to keep them busy. They can't be watching HGTV, can they?