Three Spiral With Copper Inlay Experiment

That's a really cool spiral, especially with the bark contrast! I'm not sure if I see the copper correctly? Has it

just been put where it can obviously be seen in the photo or is there some hidden away?

Sean said:

That's a really cool spiral, especially with the bark contrast! I'm not sure if I see the copper correctly? Has it
just been put where it can obviously be seen in the photo or is there some hidden away?

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There is a little that you don't see in the pics -- the dots of copper trail/spiral around the cane.

Ya,I can`t see any copper either,BUT what I do see looks GREAT....

Paul2281 said:

Ya,I can`t see any copper either,BUT what I do see looks GREAT....

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Thank you! The copper is very visible in the first pic! It starts in the debarked area towards the bottom with a long thin line of copper followed by a spiraling trail of copper dots.

Rad said:

Paul2281 said:

Ya,I can`t see any copper either,BUT what I do see looks GREAT....

Click to expand...

Thank you! The copper is very visible in the first pic! It starts in the debarked area towards the bottom with a long thin line of copper followed by a spiraling trail of copper dots.

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Aaaah yes...I see whatcha got going...You are right..Ya got to start somewhere....

It does look great! If this is just a start, then I can't wait to see what's next.

After some searching at hardware stores, last weekend I finally scored with respect to wire. I found short, 25-foot rolls of 16-ga. copper and soft brass wire. They were perhaps $8 each, I don't recall. For my geologist's ultimate walking stick, I hope to rasp a groove around the circumference each foot, and spiral one of those around however many times it takes to fill the groove, laying down a small amount of epoxy under, and then coating with epoxy. I can drill an appropriately sized hole perhaps 1/4" deep to insert and epoxy each end of the wire. Then I will have highly visible one-foot marks for measuring rock outcrops.

Now, I had planned on using brass screws to mark tenths of a foot, but now I need to consider your copper dots method. Did you melt the copper or hammer out copper pieces and then epoxy? That would look so much better than screw heads.

CAS said:

It does look great! If this is just a start, then I can't wait to see what's next.

Now, I had planned on using brass screws to mark tenths of a foot, but now I need to consider your copper dots method. Did you melt the copper or hammer out copper pieces and then epoxy? That would look so much better than screw heads.

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Thanks CAS! Actually, I just drilled into the wood and inserted some 12 gauge electrical wire -- glued it and filed it off after it dried.

Rad said:

Thanks CAS! Actually, I just drilled into the wood and inserted some 12 gauge electrical wire -- glued it and filed it off after it dried.

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Sounds like a winner! Last weekend I looked at Lowe's and they had 10-ga. and 12-ga., insulated wire but only on large spools that are pricey. Maybe I need to hit up my electrician next time I get a repair, and a repair will take place as soon as some parts arrive.

Thanks Rad!

You are very welcome!

Nice work, next time pull the wire through 220 grit sand paper to roughen it up, use an awl or nail to press hole for dots as opposed to drilling. Make point on tip of dot and drive into wood about 1/16" above flush.
Then wet wood with water, the grain will close around the dot very tightly, let dry 15 minutes, then sand flush.....

Nice work, next time pull the wire through 220 grit sand paper to roughen it up, use an awl or nail to press hole for dots as opposed to drilling. Make point on tip of dot and drive into wood about 1/16" above flush.
Then wet wood with water, the grain will close around the dot very tightly, let dry 15 minutes, then sand flush.....

Blue Danube said:

Nice work, next time pull the wire through 220 grit sand paper to roughen it up, use an awl or nail to press hole for dots as opposed to drilling. Make point on tip of dot and drive into wood about 1/16" above flush.
Then wet wood with water, the grain will close around the dot very tightly, let dry 15 minutes, then sand flush.....

Click to expand...

Thanks Blue Danube! I appreciate the input/advice -- I'm new at the inlay stuff; this was my very first attempt -- but it won't be my last!