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orrettd
6th April 2008, 03:01 AM
How are these pebbles made? Turned or tumbled? I am seeking a manufacturer in Australia having had no luck in UK or Europe. What would the range of colour and grain be like in Australia in contrast to Europe?

They sell for 1-2 GBP in UK/Europe each. There are a lot of people out there that appreciate the beauty of form and wood like children collect pebbles on the beach. (I recall a request for eggs of late and rest my case)

DaveO

See photo attached

DJ’s Timber
6th April 2008, 09:25 AM
Going by the consistent shape of them all, I'd say that they have been turned.

I have some wooden pebbled hanging off my rear vision mirror in my car and they have been tumbled going by their rough inconsistent shape. Couldn't tell you where to get them done thought as I bought mine from National Geographic.

underfoot
6th April 2008, 10:56 AM
A mate of mine used to make something similar but not polished,
he used an old twin tub spin tank lined with coarse abrasive
tossed in a bucket of cut up scrap bits of interesting wood,
some gravel, and let it run all night,

I think he geared the speed down
and may have sat the machine at an angle as well,

the end results weren't symmetrical or polished
but they were fun,

may have to experiment a bit, good luck

BernieP
6th April 2008, 01:23 PM
G'Day Davo

Don't know if they do mail order but try here http://www.terras.fsnet.co.uk/metalwork%20&%20wood/metal%20&%20wood.htm

Cheers
Bernie

hughie
6th April 2008, 08:57 PM
DaveO

I think it can be done OK, through the rumbling process and simply discarding those out of shape or just grading them into common sizes.

As to the final shape and the initial shape. That will entail some trial and error.

Polishing, should not be a problem I would be looking at silica sand as it is available various grades right down to extremely low grit sizes via mineral supply companies.

Final polishing would be done after several coats of your favourite shiny stuff ie using tripoli powder or jewellers rouge etc

joe greiner
6th April 2008, 11:21 PM
I tried an eggsperiment about a month ago, using a concrete mixer:
http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showthread.php?t=67657

To get the quality you've shown, regular woodturning would likely be best. Could be done "long-line" (i.e. several pieces from one stick), with several string steadies.

Joe

oldiephred
7th April 2008, 09:46 AM
Just as a weird idea to start some thinking, What could one do with an old clothes dryer. I would not suggest eying Mum's good one too much.:no:

OGYT
9th April 2008, 12:36 PM
39 rpm for about 6 hours, for a hollow form with a handful of silicon carbide scraps inside, will smooth the interior, but produces "waves" in the wood, removing the softer wood quicker than the hard. It wouldn't make consistently ovate objects such as these shown.
I would turn them, as suggested previously by Joe, one after another from a single spindle of timber. Only I would use a steady rest, and move it down the spindle after each pebble. It would be pretty boring after a while, but it could be done.

woodenpebbles
20th May 2008, 06:56 AM
I made the pebbles in the picture which was photographed by an American Lark Gilmer.I created the first machine twenty years ago which took five months to sort out the process. I am still making pebbles and am still refining the process.They are niether turned or tumbled.I supply Atishoo Designs in your link.

Sawdust Maker
20th May 2008, 09:55 AM
Woodenpebbles
welcome to the forum
you know what you just said isn't fair as we now have interest piked and no answer. grumble grumble

tea lady
20th May 2008, 06:04 PM
I made the pebbles in the picture which was photographed by an American Lark Gilmer.I created the first machine twenty years ago which took five months to sort out the process. I am still making pebbles and am still refining the process.They are niether turned or tumbled.I supply Atishoo Designs in your link.

Neither turned nor tumbled. :oo: Now everyone will be wondering how.:doh:

Very nice pebbles. Welcome to the forum.:)

BernieP
20th May 2008, 10:19 PM
G'Day Tea Lady

More at this site http://www.wooden.co.uk/Pebbles.html also some nice wooden fruit.

Welcome aboard WoodenPebble.

Cheers
Bernie

orrettd
20th May 2008, 10:27 PM
http://valounky.vyrobce.cz/

Another link where I almost secured supply but no further communication, they even do boulders. How many of those would you get in a concrete mixer :O)

http://valounky.vyrobce.cz/zmensene/velkymaly1.jpg (http://valounky.vyrobce.cz/valounky/velkymaly1.html)

Another UK site

http://www.craftworksltd.co.uk/images/pebbles.jpg

...and another all via google.

http://k43.pbase.com/g6/78/700278/2/76677165.Uc5U6ITL.jpg (http://www.pbase.com/brianmicky/inbox_3)

So who can make me some?

Thanks for all the responses

DavO

underfoot
21st May 2008, 07:00 AM
So who can make me some?

DavO

they're not rocket science DavO,

maybe what is putting people off is the sale price in your first post
(aprox 1 BPound) whats that? $2-3,
to supply them to a retailer the woody would get $1-$1.50 per pebble,

unless you have a method of producing them cheaply and in quantity as woodenpebbles seems to, you won't get many takers here, sorry.

joe greiner
21st May 2008, 08:50 PM
If woodenpebbles doesn't drop the other shoe in the next few days, I'll jump in with another theory. USPTO database wasn't much help. Didn't check the European, though.

Joe

weisyboy
21st May 2008, 08:58 PM
i recon i could make sompthing up to do them. i have an old washing machine here i recon it is doable.

ill ahev a play tomorow
(pen and paper only due to my finger)

orrettd
22nd May 2008, 12:37 AM
I reckon I could whittle a couple a day, sand polish maybe 2 a week. I might not be able to set up shop but I'm going to try it myself and post the results. Give me a while though. I can source offcuts at the local council recycler have to look in the old tool draw and see if the moths have left me anything to work with.

Sawdust Maker
22nd May 2008, 10:14 AM
Orrettd
On the prices being asked on that UK website, if you finished two a week you'd get about $7
not a big return for what would be a fair amount of work:no:

Gene45
25th May 2008, 02:47 PM
I am attempting to post a picture of some beads I made a few years ago. The original idea was to make some round balls for a game for a friend. The beads were an afterthought and I strung them. They don't make for fashion jewelry, but hey!

I cut a bunch of cubes and built a woodedn box that fit over a sanding drum I made on a (home made) lathe. The sanding drum started with very coarse paper and gradually moved down . I may have used as many as three grades of paper. The box had a simple top make of a leather flap. The cubes a bounced around and rattled but it was not very noisy.

I put the box with sloped sides so the cubes would always fall to the near vertical side of the sanding drum and could not jam at the top. These are made of red oak with a simple oil finish. Sorry for the small picture of the beads but the picture was originally made to show the range of stuff I had made on the homemade lathe.

joe greiner
26th May 2008, 01:43 AM
Well, woodenpebbles hasn't posted anything further as yet, so here goes:

Neither turned nor tumbled, he/she/they say. Google [wooden pebbles] found this mob: http://www.guardianecostore.co.uk/guardian/product.aspx?subGroup=1138

They cite "a process that mimics the natural creation of pebbles in a mountain torrent." So, how about placing cylindrical wooden blanks in a pipe with substantial clearance, and a grid at each end to prevent them escaping. A mud pump and reservoir at each end of the pipe. Charge the water volume with a substantial amount of sand, but not much as to create a dense slurry. Alternate the flow back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, ... At various stages of the process, replace the water with sand of lower grit size and/or hardness, and continue. Sooner or later (mostly later - in fact a lot later), the pebbles might achieve the desired shape and finish.

If anyone proceeds along this path, they should expect at least the five months cited by woodenpebbles for development.

To me, it would make more sense to buy the pebbles from those who already supply them, and who deserve a return on their efforts. Or, turn them singly, or pretty much in accordance with Al's (OGYT) suggestion.

Joe

underfoot
26th May 2008, 07:02 AM
I cut a bunch of cubes and built a woodedn box that fit over a sanding drum I made on a (home made) lathe. .

sounds like a great idea Gene,:2tsup:
I wonder how the same system would work on a course belt linisher?
I'll give it a go today and see what happens,
can't help myself:)

Chipman
26th May 2008, 07:52 AM
Maybe something designed like a potato peeling machine?

Chipman

underfoot
26th May 2008, 03:04 PM
HIGH TECH PEBBLEOMATIC WORKS!:o

10mins to screw box together and clamp to linisher.

3mins to cut up some scraps of huon,silky oak and red cedar.

5mins to knock off some corners

30mins of rattle and thumping on the linisher (40 grit)

I didn't work through the grits (because I got bored and I had some real work to do)
but I reckon this is the easiest way to make them.
maybe a career change:D

weisyboy
26th May 2008, 03:44 PM
nice job.

tea lady
26th May 2008, 05:59 PM
Pheu!! finally the debate is over. :2tsup:"triffic pebbles Undie. Vague memory of similar machine somewhere.:hmm

Manuka Jock
26th May 2008, 07:16 PM
hey , a bead making machine .....or a spud peeler :D

springwater
26th May 2008, 07:25 PM
Well done Undy, I thought the answer was going to be to tumble them in say linseed oil with some sought of abrasive floating in it.

littlebuddha
26th May 2008, 08:17 PM
HIGH TECH PEBBLEOMATIC WORKS!:o

10mins to screw box together and clamp to linisher.

3mins to cut up some scraps of huon,silky oak and red cedar.

5mins to knock off some corners

30mins of rattle and thumping on the linisher (40 grit)

I didn't work through the grits (because I got bored and I had some real work to do)
but I reckon this is the easiest way to make them.
maybe a career change:D


This thread was starting to get a pain, so much over so cheap an item. BUT i do like something that is simple yet inotive. Underfoot Nice one, the simple ones genrally are, you throw a pebble into a stream and get a load of ripples this thread did just that. 5 months work to sort out a pebble, creativity thats what its all about.:2tsup::2tsup: LB

underfoot
26th May 2008, 08:50 PM
This thread was starting to get a pain, so much over so cheap an item. . 5 months work to sort out a pebble, creativity thats what its all about.:2tsup::2tsup: LB

this thread has also made me question my existence
either that, or question the influence of this forum on my life,
or get me interested in making wood pebbles,
sad really,
but I did have fun:D

springwater
26th May 2008, 09:11 PM
Your a river Undy.

Sawdust Maker
27th May 2008, 01:52 PM
Good solution Undy
:clap::clap:
simple but effective

Frank&Earnest
30th May 2008, 12:38 PM
Ditto. I had not looked at this thread before because the title did not appeal to me, I mean, what's interesting about pebbles? But finding solutions appeals to me immensely, and yours is brilliant. Brilliant!

underfoot
30th May 2008, 02:05 PM
"and then you make one wooden pebble"

underfoot the pebble maker

(for those of you that know the goat joke, shame on you):p