# Gluing question for a beginner



## JohnPockets (Apr 24, 2013)

I am just starting to make walking sticks/staffs and I'd like to attach a round polished stone or glass globe (about 1 1/2" diameter) to the top of one of my sticks. I am wondering what would be the best way to adhere it to the wood? should I bore out a cup for it to sit in and glue it in? What's the best way to do this? What would be the strongest glue I could use to hold it? Any thoughts would be helpful. Thank you so much!

John


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## Picken5 (Jan 12, 2011)

Boring a shallow hole/cup into the top may work fine. Try to match the inside surface of the hole as closely as possible to the stone or glass you intend to mount in it. You'll want to maximize the mating surfaces of the walking stick and stone. Check it closely before gluing. Make sure the two surfaces are clean. Once you're happy with the fit, I'd glue it in with 2-part epoxy.


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## Unknowncraftsman (Jun 23, 2013)

Sounds like a cool project John, I would use epoxy the five minute stuff,If you can get the stuff in the small plastic bottles.I have Tryd the tubes it's just not as good. The stuff I use mixes equal parts just squirt out two equal lines.And mix.It hardens fast ESP if it's hot outside.Aj


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Hanger bolt + epoxy.


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## bbasiaga (Dec 8, 2012)

If the stone is opaque, you might consider drilling a small hole in to it an inch or two, then epoxying a dowel in. Drill the hole in your stick and epoxy the other end of the dowel in to the mating hole in the stick.

You might need to experiment some with the epoxy. If the stone or glass is polished enough, the epoxy might not have anything to stick to.

-Brian


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## Oughtsix (Mar 9, 2015)

Jewelers call a round polished stone a "cabochon" which literally means a round polished stone. My first try would be epoxy exactly like what is listed above. If you want a different approach I would mount your round polished stone exactly like a jeweler would mount a cabochon in a piece of jewelry:

1) Measure the diameter of the cabochon.
2) Cut a piece of thin brass about 1/2" wide by (3.2 times the diameter of the stone measured above) long.
3) Form the brass into a circle by wrapping it around a dowel.
4) Solder the two 1/2" sides of the brass together forming a ring.
5) Turn down your cane so that the ring fits tightly over the tip of the cane but extends about 3/16" of an inch past the end of the cane.
6) Turn a bowl in the end of the cane to hold the cabochon just like you would if you were going to epoxy it.
7) Epoxy the ring onto the end of the cane with the ring protruding about 3/16" past the end of the cane.
8) Drill two 1/16" holes through the ring, all the way through the cane, then out the other side of the ring. Drill the holes at 90 degrees to each other.
9) Push 1/16" brass wire through the holes letting the brass wire extend about 1/8" on each side.
10) Use a small hammer to mushroom over the protruding brass wire forming a rivet. If you counter sink the holes in the ring with a 45 degree countersink bit you can hammer the rivets pretty flush with the ring.
11) After the epoxy has cured put the cabochon into the ring.
12) Gently rotate the cane while hammering the brass ring over the edges of the cabochon securing it to the cane.

This really isn't that difficult and the only reason I post it is as an alternative to just epoxying the cabochon onto the end of the cane. I think the brass ring mount would add a bit of class and workmanship to the finished cane.


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