BellaOnline Forums Hobbies and Crafts Jewelry Making how to turn a stone into a bead?

hey guys, maybe y'all can help me out with this.

I have just recently gotten into jewelry making and am having a blast.

What I am wondering is this:

my husband has quite the collection of stones from a lapidary (sp?) kit he had as a kid. He cherishes this collection and it has grown over the years from diving and spelunking expeditions, mountain hikes, etc. Well there are about 3-4 stones that he really loves. I thought for Christmas is would be neat to turn one of these into a pendant for him. They are already polished but have no holes for stringing.

How do I go about drilling a hole into such a tiny stone? Or would it be better to wire wrap a "cage" around it? (Which i've never done, either)

What do y'all think?

Would your husband be okay with holes drilled into them? And what a fantastic idea, by the way! I have some great pieces of jasper that I have been thinking of turning into pendants for some gifts.

I would lean toward a wire wrap, but that is my personal preference. There are some lovely simple ideas on mbdesignsjewelryetc.com and if you google wire wrap jewelry, there are some great tutorials.

Have fun!

I've seen stones that are wire-wrapped at fairs. It just depends on how you want to use them but that would be one way to not damage the stones.

enidethne: great site! I felt inspired just by looking.

Michelle: when I started wire wrapping I bought some cheap wire for practicing. It really gave me confidence since I wasn't "ruining" expensive wire. I think you are bitten by the beading bug but good! Post some photos!

Hi, Michelle! I'd probably recommend wire-wrapping like the others here have just to be absolutely safe that you wouldn't shatter the stone. You could also consider gluing the stone onto a backing. But if you did wire-wrap, it would give you a lot of flexibility in that you could undo it and and do it up a different way if you changed your mind. Hope this helps!

I have to vote with everyone else here and suggest the wire wrapping cage because it may be easier than getting it drilled. Working with wire can be a challenge for a newbie, but you may be able to pick up a basic wrap method with a little practice. I would try using copper wire on your first attempt because it is much cheaper than silver and you may not be happy with your first try.

Getting the stones drilled and then making it into a pendant is definately the easier method for a beginner, but I don't know how you would go about finding someone to drill it other than to locate a lapidary artist.

I thought I posted these photos last night (must have ben very tired!)

I did wrap the stone in 24 gauge copper wire (I love copper, it is so warm and inviting to me)

Here's the pic.


Now I just have to put it on a leather thong for a Christmas present!

And here are the other 2 necklaces I posted
(I know that silver and gold may be the "preferred" metals - but I have always loved copper anyway, so the fact that it is the beginner's choice is perfect for me!)

Very nice work, Michelle! This should make a wonderful, significant gift. (oops -- edited to add that I was referring to the wire-wrapped pendant).

I also like the other two a lot, especially the green-and-crystal one!

Nice work, Michelle! I love the wire wrapping! My favorite metal is brass