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[wampidy]

Even though there is a modify button at the top of the first post I could not modify it so I had to start a new one. I was damn lucky that I copied it before I hit the post button. A pain in the butt and a bunch of extra time to add to a post. I think I will go back to posting on the other forum. No worries.

I do not have the first one finished but I have been working a lot of stones for the next batch. Some of these stones may get used for the custom knife holders but I have not decided which ones yet. All of these stones are jade except for one which I will start with. I have looked over the stones that the Japanese use and ALL of them are ugly black rough rock. I realize the raking of the sand is a meditative thing and the purpose of the garden but I have decided that a rock that is pleasing to the eye is a happy thing that will help the meditation part of the garden more than an ugly rock. I would rather have no rock over an ugly one. PLUS I am not one to do thing the traditional way or the "way it is supposed to be". Art is creating, not copying.

This stone is one of the very few stones that I have not cut. If I decide to use it for a sand garden it will be the most like what the Japanese use in their gardens The difference being the snow caps on the mountains. I believe this is black agate (I have found others) with the patina, or whatever it is called, from weathering in the sun for a thousand years just like all the other surface agates I have found.



The jade is from Washington, California and Wyoming.
Wyoming













My favorite of them all. Black jade from California that is almost perfectly flat and level on the top. The spots in it are metal or mica ????



This is California jade also but it has some beautiful silver streaks in the pointy end and a clear inclusion of something.





This is the end off of a long tooth of Washington translucent jade that I cut up for Mel on RTH. I want to get a small dragon to put on top with a slot for a custom knife or maybe here. Won't know until it happens.



Another Washington jade from Frank. I was going to stand it up but the long flat side would not polish very good.



California jade from Pat on RTH.



I think this is from Frank but not sure.




This is a small piece of translucent jade with inclusions that I bought in Quartzsite. The seller told me that it came out of a rusted bucket that had Wyoming jade written on the outside but when I put a strong light to it it looks just like the Washington translucent jade that I got several years ago from Mel. It is polished on five sides but I do not know if I am going to save it for two rings or use it here. Another "when it happens" rock.




I managed to get two more bases cut out before the snow covered everything but I will have to cut all the side pieces inside.

Thanks for looking and any comments or opinions are welcome.
Jim

[lithicbeads]

I believe my wife has been hitting the reply button to add to her posts. I am going to send you some things i can copy about the theory of Japanese stone placement. I will include it with the stone of yours i have been working on which I will post this weekend. This old man is cutting slow nowadays.

[Enchantra]

I believe my wife has been hitting the reply button to add to her posts.

Yes that is how most folks add things to their post. 
I will go take a peek at the code and see if something isn't working right.  Jim, don't go away!  We love you!

EDIT:  I just went in and modified some things.  Let me know how that is working and I'll tweak it more if I have to.  Basically I turned off the code that was limiting editing time on the posts.  I also tweaked some things with the picture attachments as well to hopefully make life a tad easier for folks.  You can still only upload four photos per post when using the forum attachment system.  If you have to have more than four attachments in a topic, just hit reply to your original post and add more in.

[GoodEarth]

That long tooth jade is PERFECT!

Put me on the waiting list for that one.

[wampidy]

That long tooth jade is PERFECT!

Put me on the waiting list for that one.

Okay, I have you down for the tooth for $1000.00. I did not plan to sell that one but since you are good to the earth I will make an exception. The black flat topped one is my new favorite anyway, And I won't charge you that much. lol Might be just a tad high.

I just had a thought about shipping and realize I should get a couple of the flat boxes so I do not get too big for a flat rate.

I am making the bases just about totally uneven now but keeping the corners at a 45 degree angle. I do not have a cut off saw and had to cut a 22.5 degree slot in my miter saw so I could make 45 degree corners. When I was a kid we had an adjustable miter saw (back when dirt was rocks) but buying one like that today would be either really expensive or impossible. I have tried to find a 4" miter saw with no luck but during the winter it would be tough to use because the cold sucks and I don't think I could deal with the dust in this little space.

Gotta get a box of thin slabs ready to send so off I go.
Jim

[wampidy]

One more thing. The Chinese make their wood super dark (all of everything) and the Japanese gardens that I have looked at are all large gardens that are on the ground so not much wood. I bought clear varnish to put on the wood but i am wondering if ya'll think it should be stained darker? Some of the wood is really light colored and has almost no visible grain.
Jim

[GoodEarth]

Personally, I like to use oil on the wood to let the character stick out. I've got some figured maple, fir, cedar and cherry in my wood shed if you want any for your projects. I can plane them to thickness & cut to width too.

[wampidy]

Personally, I like to use oil on the wood to let the character stick out. I've got some figured maple, fir, cedar and cherry in my wood shed if you want any for your projects. I can plane them to thickness & cut to width too.

Hmmmmm, looks like we might have to work out a trade of some kind or other. I disassembled a baby gate that stops little kids from falling down the stairs then bought some small strips to glue on so the plywood has something to sit on. This wood is not going to go too far so I might be looking for some a little later on.
Jim

[MrsWTownsend]

Question:  is CA jade the same as black agate?

The color and pattern in these is very pretty- I would like to see the sand garden.

[wampidy]

Gina, agate and CA jade are about as different as spaghetti and apples except for sometimes the polished look will be similar if the jade is tight grained and polished up real nice. The flat topped piece is one that looks similar. 8500 grit is my new 3000 because I used to stop at 3000 (the highest I had) but now that I have the 8500 I get a much better polish on everything (almost) There are some jades that get worse when I go over 3000.

The silver streaks in the pointy black jade piece is gorgeous and I think it will fit really well in a sand garden.

I have one base made and am working on two more that are bigger. Haven't been able to get outside to work so I now have a lot of sanding dust in my home. I have been able to contain it pretty well by putting a strip of sticky back sandpaper on the table and rubbing the wood on top of it. I could have gone outside and used my belt sander (50 whopping degrees today) but tomorrow is our thanks giving and I had a lot to do today.

I will be adding photos as I go along.
Jim

[MrsWTownsend]

Cool thanks!

[wampidy]

The one eighth inch plywood is warped so I had to add stiffeners to the bottom to try to get them flat. Isn't perfect but they are close to flat and I can add felt sticky buttons to them to keep them from rocking. Not to the end of the learning curve yet but I think one quarter inch plywood will be better and save a lot of work.
Jim

[ScarlettOSara]

God love a handy man:) four more qualities to look for...

[Enchantra]

It's awesome when love blooms over wood.   

[ScarlettOSara]

LOLOL Amanda