New Zealand Abalone Trial

[Newell Nut]

This is some really cool stuff and putting on a boat rod again just to get my wheels turning with ideas. I need one more coat of epoxy to round it out completely but decided to get a few pics while the sun is trying to show today.

<iframe width="480" height="360" src="http://s1282.photobucket.com/user/dwebb49/embed/story"></iframe>

[redsetta]

Looks good - nice work!
We call it 'paua' down here and people put it to all sorts of uses.
Fred Flutey was a great fan (and a local legend):

[Bryan Young]

Wow.

That's a lot of paua.

Greg Vella has used a lot of different shell.  Look him up and check him out.  He is currently residing in Japan and have used Japan's enameling and shell techniques into his rods and lures.

[Newell Nut]

I bought the Paua from Australia and it certainly has the best color refraction and really nice with epoxy over it. I just put on the final coat to round it out. Just taking some baby steps to see where it leads.

[Newell Nut]

Completely rounded out now and looks cool. This whole process was intended to spark some ideas in my head and the wheels are spinning with ideas so mission accomplished.

[SacFly]

You do some very cool work.  Love the pics!

[day0ne]

Called G-Urushi. Here is a tutorial but the pictures seem to have disappeared.

[Newell Nut]

What I did is just and inlay. Actual G-Urushi is a little bit more complicated and I will move into that next. I will do my own style though. Originally thick pieces were glued or set in the drying epoxy at the end. Next is a series of colorings and then grinding the thick pieces down. There is a serious health hazard with doing this. I am using pieces that someone else has already done the dirty work on for the purpose of making jewelry and all that I may do is touch up some edges for the right contour. Got a lot of ideas on painting schemes going forward and will use different types of abalone as well for color contrast. Been studying Capt Gs and other's methods to come up with my style of Urushi with my twist on it. "D-Urushi"

[steelfish]

Dwight,

that G-urishi job looks great, I was read that the dust of the abalon shell is toxic, did you used a mask when you were sanding it?

I might have chance to get some local abalon shells but read that its recommended to wear a professional air mask when sandint the shell
what can you tell me on this?

thanks

[mo65]

Very nice!