[spooph]

Right, so I get a call from Best Buddy's sister asking if I'd want to surprise him if she flies me out. HECK YEA I would! So we get everything arranged and the surprise goes off without a hitch. I spend 2 days with him and life's good. Anyways, how does one say thank you for such a thing. Well, I have no idea, but my attempt will be through a personally engraved glass....

First, ya get your handy-dandy glass-engraving scratch stick kit...

Then you print out the design and tape it to the inside of the glass and start scratching, going around the outlines with the smallest one first, filling it in with the medium scratch stick, and then polishing it up with the big one...

Initials done, about 2 hours and a very sore hand later:

 

[spooph]

4 pic max, post continued here:

And another 2 hours later there's this:

Done! Cool!

And I can't take her something if I don't take him something, you know siblings, the argue....

About a year and a half ago he bought me a biker guardian-bell, and I've always wanted to get him one. However, the one he gave me broke off my bike under normal circumstances, which means he's going to get me another one, and I don't want him loosing his.... He also has a thing for a .45 1911.... Project unique, indestructo-guardian bell initiated:

Take a .45 ACP casing and flare it. Add to that cabling and crimps. Then go all kinds of medieval on it with a soldiering iron and viola!

 

[Zandit]

Spooph, you amaze me everytime you post a new thread!!!

Awesome stuff buddy!!!

 

[zartan]

Neato!!

 

[Felix]

Brilliant work spooph!!!

Felix

 

[BlackBoar]

That's great spooph. More info on the shell-bell, LOVE it. How did you flare the rim? How did you pop out the primer to get the wire in? What did you use for the clapper?

 

[spooph]

Thanks folks!

Boar, I used a nail and a hammer over a slightly open vice to get the primer out. Then I used a very large punch to start the flare, and a small ball peen hammer pinned in a vice to push it further.... I was thinking of using some heat (oxy) to heat it up and flare it bigger and use the large ball peen hammer for that, but decided I'd prefer if people could recognize it as an empty brass casing. For the clapper I used the second half of wire crimps I used to keep the cable inside the casing (I sawed it in half with a hand metal jigsaw.

 

[BlackBoar]

Awesome, I'm stealing that idea for sure. Ball peen hammer and a pistol cartridge... this has "trip to emerg for a thumb x-ray" written all over it, but I'll try it anyway.

 

[spooph]

lol, make sure to get pics, especially if there's blood!

 

[virtualmatrix258]

That is very nice!

 

[zartan]

Boy those bells would be something your "friends" would like huh???

 

[spooph]

lol Z, I can take a hint. 9mm or .45?

 

[zartan]

9mm


blasted minimum character count

 

[metbandit1]

spooph you are a man of many talents! i like that glass engraving idea...i might see if i cant muster something myself for the mrs. bday

 

[Felix]

Boy those bells would be something your "friends" would like huh???

Oooooh you've opened a can of worms there!!!! I was thinking the exact same thing

Felix

 

[spooph]

Met - I haven't been able to find the same type of kit I used, but Amazon has an electric glass engraver. I haven't used it, so I don't know how it would work, but I would highly recommend some sort of power tool for this operation, it was a righteous pain in the ass to scratch it by hand....

Alright folks, Z gave me an idea. I don't mind making these, but it does take a bit of time, so for $10 through paypal, I can make you a bell, either .45 or 9mm, BUT, know what you're getting yourself into FIRST.

A guardian bell:

As legend goes, the bell is given from one RIDER to another RIDER who care deeply for one another. The bell is a lucky charm/amulet/talisman, and is blessed by the love the giver has for the receiver. This love empowers the bell to catch road daemons and drive them insane while the rider rides safely down the road. However, this power is reversed when a person buys themselves a bell for protection. The bell is worthless without the blessing of giving. Loved ones don't care about the RIDER to RIDER superstition, because they care too much for that person, and it has been said that the powers that be will honor this intense love and bless the bell for the same power as if it were given from one rider to another...

So in your purchase, make sure to know, communicate and honor this legend. Otherwise the bell becomes just another cheap, worthless gimmick and trinket...

 

[zartan]

There is also glass etching liquid available. Spooph's way is more manly.
but you can cut out a silhouette in vinyl and stick it to the glass and apply liquid.


[URL]http://www.silhouetteamerica.com/glassEtching.aspx


and spooph I understand how this works. Hence the hint [/URL]