Fossiilized Coral Necklace Tutorial

[Taogem]

This is my first attempt at a necklace with drilled stones.

Hopefully it will go well and be a fun little how to tutorial, or it may end up being more of a "how not too" 

Fossil Coral is what I am making this one out of.

Cut a couple of slabs



I laid them out side by side so that the fossilized tubes matched, and then sliced each so that I ended up with a little smaller slabs that would be the desired height of the cabs and sliced those up into thirds.



Now I have six preform cabs. The three to the right of center matching the three to the left of center.

Rounded the corners a bit. The extra cab shown is how I am thinking about shaping them all.



Then the center piece shown is from a separate fossilized tube. I may or may not use it. May end up with something else.



Before I shape the top edges to be either rounded, beveled or maybe even fairly square, I am going to drill each.

That is where I am at for now. Thinking about going and purchasing a small bench top drill press tomorrow, and pick this up again.. 

[seth]

Interesting

[jjack9485]

Thats gone to look great, it sure will look fine as a bracelet. Are you going to drill holes lengthways on each side or jut one on each end?

[Alana]

Wow this is just amazing seeing this from start to where it is now.

I like the center piece shape of the bigger piece in this photo and the rest matching that shape.

[Alana]

Kind of a rounded heart shape center piece

[Taogem]

Thats gone to look great, it sure will look fine as a bracelet. Are you going to drill holes length ways on each side or jut one on each end?

It was originally going to be a necklace. But I can change to a bracelet.

As a necklace, had planned on drilling a single hole through each. As a bracelet, pretty sure I get what your suggesting about the holes on each side, and how those would be used.

Good ideas Jack. Now need to decide..

Bracelet or necklace, and how to connect the pieces!

[Taogem]

Well, I found a drill press today, but could not find a little vise with a flat base that I need to hold these stones in position to drill nice straight holes.

So sorta on hold until I make it to Spokane.

Then also need to figure out how to keep water on everything while drilling.

Was thinking maybe just placing the entire vise in a container with water and drill the stone sorta under water. But really need to keep the vise perfectly flat and square to the drill bit. Not entirely sure yet on this part.

[jjack9485]

I haven't drilled any stones yet, I drill my glass with a diamond hollow core  bit under water in a cookie sheet pan  its about 1" deep. I use a small machinist vice if needed.

[Taogem]

I just ordered a small machinist vise this morning.

As soon as it arrives, will continue on with this. 

[Taogem]

Wow this is just amazing seeing this from start to where it is now.

I like the center piece shape of the bigger piece in this photo and the rest matching that shape.

I was really hoping that my new vice would have shown in todays mail, but not......

Would someone like to suggest if I should drill each of these straight across in the same spot on each piece. Or, should I angle the hole in each piece somehow so that it hangs somewhat better for Alana's necklace.

These are the pieces I am going to use to match the tooth like design shown above.



As I am typing this, began to think I should have shown some type of line through the picture to better explain.

I will do that shortly....

[Taogem]

Any opinions on if drilling as shown to the right or to the left would make these hang better ?

[Alana]

my opinion is to the right

[Lavenderfish]

I'll second Alana's vote for the one on the right. Once you string those up on a chain, cord (or whatever) the weight will pull the chain more into a V so the pieces still hang/lay right better at the steeper angle.  Also when you get the holes drilled, use a round ball bur (diamond) to countersink each of the holes just a little bit so the chain won't constantly be rubbing on any sharp edges.

Re: drilling holes, I have an mini X-Y table mounted on my drill press so I can clamp slabs or flat pieces down onto it to drill into or thru. Also have a vise that mounts right onto the X-Y table when I need to drill into a bead or cab, something like that. I got them at www.micromark.com and LOVE them. Beware, Micro Mark is a gadget freak's heaven on earth  I don't know if that mini X-Y will fit right onto the drill press you got, but bet you could retro fit it easily enough.

[Taogem]

Thanks you two...

I thought that to be the correct choice taking the weight into consideration as Carol pointed out.

So will go that route.

Carol, your right about the Micro Mark being a gadgets freak Heaven on Earth ! 

Thanks for posting it.

[MedicineMan]

Very interesting, can't wait to see the end product.