banksia pod clock with turquoise inlay

[John Nowack]

turned a little clock for my father's christmas present--about 5 inches aross the front---mohawk laquer finsh--soory for teh bad pics

[Steve Schlumpf]

Nice clock John! Really like the color contrast between the pod and the turquoise! Nice! I am sure your Dad will love it! Great gift!

[Dewey Torres]

John,
Is that real turquoise or INLACE? Either way it's gorgeous! I am a fan!:D

[John Nowack]

I crushed up floor sweepings from a mine in Arizona that someone on the creek recomended (you get some other minerals you have to pick out)---A friend let me borrow a rock crusher he made and I pounded it to basically dust---it is a little extra work but way cheaper than inlace

[mike fuson]

Neat idea, I like it.

[Dewey Torres]

I crushed up floor sweepings from a mine in Arizona that someone on the creek recomended (you get some other minerals you have to pick out)---A friend let me borrow a rock crusher he made and I pounded it to basically dust---it is a little extra work but way cheaper than inlace

Very well. Sounds like a nice find on the turquoise.

I bought some from glimmer rock on amazon and that place is great. I am guessing you live near the Arizona mine. A little goes a long way... you probably have enough to last you a while if you are anything like me. One small bag of the stuff is plenty for a few projects.

Again... beautiful work and lovely southwestern feel!

[Steve Schlumpf]

Dewey - I lived in Colorado Springs for years and used to pick up turquoise in the dirt roads in Cripple Creek! Figured that where ever they were getting their gravel must of had the turquoise in it. It was always a lot easier to see after it rained. Always had a good time there! Still have some of the turquoise come to think of it!

[neil mackay]

John,

What an excellent design idea.Must have a go at it as I have some turquoise some wheres.


Well done

[Don Eddard]

Nice job John. I agree with Steve. The contrast really sets it off.

[Jim Becker]

That's a really lovely piece, John. It really brings out the interesting qualities of the materials you used, too.

[Paul Douglass]

That is really nice. A friend gave me a pod the other day. So you crush the turquoise, do you mix it with epoxy and put it in the holes?

[John Nowack]

I filled in the hole almost to the top with coffee grounds---add glue---then the crushed turqouise (you will need some in powder form to fill tiny inclusions) then top off with thin super glue---people say not to use accelorater because it clouds the glue---they are right but I found lightly overspraying speeds up the process without the clouding up-----I power sanded each how down to be flush and then hand sanded ---the glue got every where so I ended up just coating the whole thing

I am a novice so I am sure there are much better and easier ways---i know alot of guys and gals use epoxy

[Bernie Weishapl]

The clock is a beauty John. Really like the contrast.