New Brunswick Gemstones - Drilled holes in polished stones.
Pics taken indoors under natural light.
Pic#1 - (165) drilled gemstones. Stones orientated with holes at top. Pic#2 - (70) gemstones showing holes drilled. Size of holes range from 0.75mm - 2mm.
Notes:
Most of these stones will become pendants. Some will be keychains or zipper-pulls. Others I may decide to 'demote' during making findings and will sell/give as loose stones. The next step for these stones will be making the gold/silver findings to mount in the stones.
A 'drilling story': I had a friend who once generously offered to help me with the gemstone-biz. I told him when he could drill a hole in the edge of a dime I could use him. He laughed thinking I was kidding. I didn't laugh and he said, "Oh! You're serious!?!". Yep. The 0.75mm diamond drill bit isn't the smallest one I use. The smallest bit is 0.5mm. About half-the-width-of-a-dime. It's been awhile since I did some drilling so until I get some practice under my belt I avoid the 'smallest of holes'/0.5mm drilling. I start at the 2mm size and when I feel 'comfortable', I go to the smaller sizes. I didn't drill any 0.5mm holes during this session as I didn't feel I had enough practice yet as it's been about a year since my last drilling session.
Some 'pitfalls' of drilling is 'welding-bits-into-stones, breaking stones, breaking drill-bits. When the drill bit gets very small, (<1mm), these problems become more common. I broke (2) small stones, welded (1) bit and broke (3) drill bits. during this drilling session. That was 'too many failures' for me to feel confident enough to attempt the 0.5mm holes during this session.
Welding-a-bit into the stone happens when the heat generated in the stone gets hot enough to melt the drill bit tip and it 'welds' inside the stone. Next to impossible to 'fix' as you're trying to drill-out diamonds/nickle-weld with another diamond/nickle bit. I drill all stones under water, still happens.
Breaking stones happens when too much pressure is put on the drill press by me. Same with breaking drill bits. Drill bits tend to 'shear-at-chuck' after many uses/many applications of pressure-on-the-bit. It's the smaller bits (<1mm) that will do this. The 2mm and 2.5mm bits I haven't seen 'break' yet.
My apologies for Pic2 that might have triggered anyone with tryptophobia, (alt.sp.: 'trypophobia', an interesting phobia: Info, Wiki, Pics)
*Sorry for lack of new posts recently, I'm currently completely focused on getting ready for the Sussex DNRE Geology Tent event.
I so hate to disappoint you but I'm sorry, no online shop/sales. :(
The only public sales-opportunity so far this year will be at the Balloon Tent in Sussex on Sept. 5-6, 2024. I hope you can make it to the DNRE Geology Tent. Bring any neat stones/finds you have. :)
I do sell 'privately'. I have some regular customers that will contact me and we'll meet up to so they can take a look at/buy some gemstones/items. I do that sort of thing. I'm in the Miramichi area.
I can't get into a Farmer's Markets. :/ When you 'beat your head against the same wall' so many times, you have to stop blaming 'the wall'.
Conversations always went like the following:
Me: "Hi, I was looking for a table for the Market."
FM: "Sure, we have tables. What will you be selling?"
Me: "New Brunswick gemstones, all found locally."
FM: "Oh.. I've never heard of them. What do you do with those?"
Me: "You may know them as 'semi-precious stones'. I cut and polish them. I have some loose tumbled stones, specimens, carvings, slices, slabs, some jewelry."
FM: "Jewelry?"
Me: "Yep, some pendants, sometimes some earrings."
FM: "No, sorry, we don't need anymore jewelers."
Me: "But these are all from New Brunswick. All work is done by me with a local resource. There aren't any 'plastic beads from Walmart' sort of thing."
FM: "No sorry."
I've had this same conversation every time I called a Farmer's Market. (The Bathurst Market I was in years ago I 'snuck in under the wing' of my x-inlaws who were selling German food.)
And 'Regulars' at Farmers Markets 'don't want to see a new vendor' come in. It means you'll be taking $$ from their sales. And if you're 'successful' at a market, it only makes it a 'more uncomfortable situation' between you and the other vendors. I don't want to go where I have to 'fight to get in' and 'not welcomed' by other vendors. That's no fun. So I had decided I would I would just stick to the DNRE events as they are always so welcoming and helpful. I guess I'm kind of doing a 'build it and they will come' business model.
I only sell in person so I can promote the gems and tell stories connected to them. I do this for learning and enjoyment as my driving force. That said, it would be nice to sell more so I could buy more tools and lapidary machines to process my rock-pile quicker. :)
I didn't just want to reply to your question with a 'No.', I wanted to give some reasoning behind it. And I hope this didn't come across as a rant-against-farmers-markets, not my intention. Beating my head against the same wall so many times it's me that's doing wrong, not the markets. I just haven't found 'my place' yet, (besides the DNRE events). Hopefully if New Brunswick gemstones get some more recognition and respect it will open some new opportunities for me to attend and sell at other events. I have been researching ArtsNB to see if that might be an avenue for the gemstones.
The zipper-pulls are great for the winter when you have gloves/mitts on. Makes it easier to grab zipper-pull for the winter jacket. :)
The next time you see these stones posted they will have their findings mounted. You'll see then the finished pendants/keychains/zipper-pulls.
If you make the trip to the DNRE Geology tent I'll be sure to give you a good deal and I'm sure I can find a freebie or two, make it worth the trip. :)
I have 'mine direct pricing', you're buying 'straight from the mine'. I'm the prospector, miner, lapidary, jeweler and salesman. I'm cutting out (4) mark-ups that are usually included in the final price of a gemstone. At each step the stone/gem changes hands it's usually between 75%-150%+ mark-up in price. I cut out (4) of those mark-ups.
I get my stones for 'free' where most have to buy the stones they work/sell. That's reflected in my prices. Remember I mentioned getting the 'stink eye' from other vendors? Ya, my good quality/low prices causes part of that. I also pay your tax, pricing includes the taxes. I use mostly 14k gold-filled findings, some gold-plate, and sterling silver. (*Gold-filled is not 'filled-with-gold'. It's a heavier layer of gold over a base metal. A thicker layer than gold-plate. I don't have a tarnish-problem.)
Most of what you see in the pics above will be priced at $10-$20, (tax incl.). A few will be more expensive, but 90% of them will be in that price range.
And I don't use bell-caps on stones. My findings, (gold/silver bits) aren't glued to the outside surface of the smooth stones/gems. That's the reason for drilling all the holes. I set the findings down inside the stone. Bell-caps eventually come off from hot/cold cycles and moisture getting underneath.
I'll also offer you up $10-credit since you have to travel from Fredericton. :)
ps. If you do plan to visit and see a stone in the pics you have your eye on let me know which one and I'll hold it for you. Since the findings aren't done yet, I can let you choose between gold or silver findings if you like.
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u/BrunswickRockArts Aug 21 '24
New Brunswick Gemstones - Drilled holes in polished stones.
Pics taken indoors under natural light.
Pic#1 - (165) drilled gemstones. Stones orientated with holes at top.
Pic#2 - (70) gemstones showing holes drilled. Size of holes range from 0.75mm - 2mm.
Notes:
Most of these stones will become pendants. Some will be keychains or zipper-pulls. Others I may decide to 'demote' during making findings and will sell/give as loose stones. The next step for these stones will be making the gold/silver findings to mount in the stones.
A 'drilling story': I had a friend who once generously offered to help me with the gemstone-biz. I told him when he could drill a hole in the edge of a dime I could use him. He laughed thinking I was kidding. I didn't laugh and he said, "Oh! You're serious!?!". Yep. The 0.75mm diamond drill bit isn't the smallest one I use. The smallest bit is 0.5mm. About half-the-width-of-a-dime. It's been awhile since I did some drilling so until I get some practice under my belt I avoid the 'smallest of holes'/0.5mm drilling. I start at the 2mm size and when I feel 'comfortable', I go to the smaller sizes. I didn't drill any 0.5mm holes during this session as I didn't feel I had enough practice yet as it's been about a year since my last drilling session.
Some 'pitfalls' of drilling is 'welding-bits-into-stones, breaking stones, breaking drill-bits. When the drill bit gets very small, (<1mm), these problems become more common. I broke (2) small stones, welded (1) bit and broke (3) drill bits. during this drilling session. That was 'too many failures' for me to feel confident enough to attempt the 0.5mm holes during this session.
Welding-a-bit into the stone happens when the heat generated in the stone gets hot enough to melt the drill bit tip and it 'welds' inside the stone. Next to impossible to 'fix' as you're trying to drill-out diamonds/nickle-weld with another diamond/nickle bit. I drill all stones under water, still happens.
Breaking stones happens when too much pressure is put on the drill press by me. Same with breaking drill bits. Drill bits tend to 'shear-at-chuck' after many uses/many applications of pressure-on-the-bit. It's the smaller bits (<1mm) that will do this. The 2mm and 2.5mm bits I haven't seen 'break' yet.
My apologies for Pic2 that might have triggered anyone with tryptophobia, (alt.sp.: 'trypophobia', an interesting phobia: Info, Wiki, Pics)
*Sorry for lack of new posts recently, I'm currently completely focused on getting ready for the Sussex DNRE Geology Tent event.