# Its fun to see your work IN someone...



## Darrin

This is a set of Bloodwood plugs I made about 6 mos ago sent to me to show the patina developed after time. 1 1/2" in diameter with double flares on each side and a slight 1/16" concave to the faces. This has to be a first for many on IAP.  The patina comes mainly from the body oils that are saturated into the grain, thus many woods lend themselves favorable to endgrain turning for this application including B/W Ebony.


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## Darrin

I should show the originals for color clarification.


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## wood-of-1kind

Guess that 'size' does matter.:wink:


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## glycerine

Ouch...


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## Phunky_2003

Dang my ears hurt now.


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## David M

lost for words ..... ouch


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## rjwolfe3

Those are cool. I can't wear anything in my ears at work so I could never do that but I see a potential product line.


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## Parson

Boy I bet he's made his mother proud


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## Darrin

Rjwolfe, these pieces are what I turn on a regular basis. This was just a solid piece, but as a woodturner, you can see how at that size you could add inlays and such as I have done in the past. Phunky, its a slow process to stretch, and its prety painless when done correctly with tapers. Parson, I dont know what to tell you. My lobes are 7/8" and moms pretty proud.


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## Pen_Turner

Parson said:


> Boy I bet he's made his mother proud


   LoL


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## penhead

Just as an off the wall question...but why does one do that..??..other than because they can..??..just wondering..don't take offense...just curious...that's all..!


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## rjwolfe3

Could be for many reasons: maybe a statement, maybe they like it, maybe just to be different. I think it looks cool and I don't even wear earrings.


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## jttheclockman

What the HEl- is that????????????????????????????? Is there a smiley symbol that show me shaking my head. You have to be kidding.


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## Chief Hill

I would go with black and white for the tuxedo look in case of a job interview.


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## Rollerbob

jttheclockman said:


> What the HEl- is that????????????????????????????? Is there a smiley symbol that show me shaking my head. You have to be kidding.


 
Just for you, John.......


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## Darrin

John, thats a good question but unrealistic in expecting a nice answer. Why are you the 'clockman'? Because thats what you like? Making clocks?The same holds true for many people whom might hold behaviors you deem unimaginable or inappropriate. Do you think any less of me if I put out pens that you have already complimented me on only to find out I have tattoos or earlobes larger than the norm? I posted this picture because it infact is 'other things we make'. I didnt ask you to be 'offensive', only to look at it as another piece of woodturning. And Chief Hill, I have to add, I have made plugs solid black from teflon with white dot inlays for Proms and weddings. I know your bustin chops but in all honesty its been done.


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## Parson

Darrin, I'm showing my old age I guess. I meant no offense.

That look is just not common in my part of the world. I saw a lot of it on my recent trip to Africa though. My mother would quickly ask me what I was thinking when I decided to do it.


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## truittsosebee

Being open-minded is one of the things I'm proudest of in my kids.  I bet YOUR mother is proud.



Parson said:


> Boy I bet he's made his mother proud


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## Karin Voorhis

WOW THAT IS A TRUE HONOR!!!! I love it!!!! Nice work anychance you want to do a tutorial on step by step making those? I love them. I myself do not wear anything in my ears however I love them. No offense to anyone here.


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## jttheclockman

Darrin said:


> John, thats a good question but unrealistic in expecting a nice answer. Why are you the 'clockman'? Because thats what you like? Making clocks?The same holds true for many people whom might hold behaviors you deem unimaginable or inappropriate. Do you think any less of me if I put out pens that you have already complimented me on only to find out I have tattoos or earlobes larger than the norm? I posted this picture because it infact is 'other things we make'. I didnt ask you to be 'offensive', only to look at it as another piece of woodturning. And Chief Hill, I have to add, I have made plugs solid black from teflon with white dot inlays for Proms and weddings. I know your bustin chops but in all honesty its been done.


 

Darrin

Sorry if you took offense. My bad. I just do not understand the concept of altering one's body for a piece of jewlery. Never have and never will. Now if you want to compare that to clock making then go ahead. Maybe we can team up and add some clock inserts in them. :biggrin:I suppose it is like other things just a fad. Go for it and good luck with the sales. A warning though be careful about wood reactions, I have seen the results of allergic reactions to wood fibers. Not pretty.  Good luck and have a nice day.


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## RAdams

Sweet plugs man. I remember when you posted them the first time. Funny how people can be so passionate about their opinions of what other people do to their own bodies. 

To ask the question "Why?" is to open a huge discussion about the human condition. Why does my 19 year old step son enjoy cutting himself? Why do i have a tattoo that covers the entire back of my right hand, and steel hoops in my nipples? Why do people drink coffee? Why do folks smoke cigarettes? or drink alcohol? None of these things are very "good" for people to do, but we do them anyway. 

Not to mention, If you REALLY want to get technical about it, getting a haircut, or shaving, or clipping your nails even, is a body modification. Some are just more permanent than others. There are people in the world that would freak out because most American men don't have a certain piece of skin that was there when you were born. To us, that is normal. It is removed before you ever even realize it is there so you know life no other way. 

I personally don't understand the whole "Goth" thing, or the "Emo" business,But when i grew up, i was ALWAYS getting yelled at to pull my pants up. I still "Bust a sag" if the situation is right, so I keep my mouth shut when i see a kid with jet black hair all combed over half of his face. Some guys used to get yelled at for wearing leather jackets, and grease in their hair, and driving fast cars, and listening to the "Devil music" of Elvis, and Buddy Holly, and other rock icons. Then it was the "peace loving hippie hopheads".. Then came the urban gangsters with their sagging pants and the loud bass.. Now it is Body mods, and trying to look like a japanese cartoon character. Remember, back when you were young, there was a group of old geezers somewhere talking about how big of a slacker you were and you vowed to never be that old man!


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## Gary Max

Even as a old red neck I get it-------remember way back when we where teens---all the remarks about our clothes----hair---and the music that had to come from the satin himself. Why did we do it-------------because we wanted to.


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## OKLAHOMAN

I remember fondly my DA hair, side burns, tee shirt with the sleeves rolled up with a pack of cigs, pegged pants, black leather cycle jacket and the music ........oh yes the music....but we didn't make any changes that were permanent, my DA and sideburns are long gone. So just because my generation don't approve I need to remember my parents generation didn't approve of my hair , dress, music or attitude.


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## jimofsanston

It really sucks be old Fart's. Hey I am one too. I keep telling my son to pull up his pants and to wear a belt. My neices husband has the ear hoops also, chin pierce, tongue, and elswear that i will no mention. To each there own. I just keep telling my son just remember once you change some thing on your body, you do have to live with it. There is no going back after a perment change. First impresions do count when you go in for an interview for that high paying job.


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## bneff

Thanks for the ideas on plugs.  My 28 year old son is tatted, pierced & stretched (even a tongue splitting) and his girlfriend has slightly stretched lobes.  So I'll be trying to turn some plugs for Christmas gifts.  I know alot plugs and piercings are measured in gauges not inches so I need to figure out a conversion.

About the high paying jobs for the younger gen.  He worked as a licensed body piercer for several years but is now the art director for a video game company.  Sometimes the appearance isn't a hindrance in the job market.

Bill


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## bitshird

Maybe it's time we all changed the way we look at people and the way the alter their body, as long as they don't harm other people (except for startling them) I'm probably one of the few men that was in the Navy that doesn't have a tattoo, but I can appreciate decent body art, while I'm not a great fan of piercing I let my daughter get several in her ears, I think we all have some right to decide how we look, I even felt that way when I wore peg leg pants a DA and like Roy a motorcycle jacket, I even got suspended from school for having chains on my engineers boots.


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## Paul in OKC




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## HSTurning

I am one of the tattoed and pierced masses.  
Good job on the plugs.  Personally I dont like the look.  
The comments of OUCH are far from the truth as Darrin said.  Ear streching is very painless.  Just go slow.  I know it you rush you can cause the skin to thin and possible break.  
I like the saying "this is my temple and I will decorate it the way I like"


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## artme

After saying "what's this 'ere?" I took a second look and said "Hmmmmmm>>>>"


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## el_d

OKLAHOMAN said:


> I remember fondly my DA hair, side burns, tee shirt with the sleeves rolled up with a pack of cigs, pegged pants, black leather cycle jacket and the music ........oh yes the music....but we didn't make any changes that were permanent, my DA and sideburns are long gone. So just because my generation don't approve I need to remember my parents generation didn't approve of my hair , dress, music or attitude.



 um...... What?


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## OKLAHOMAN

Lupe, back in the 50's we wore our hair like this:
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




called a DA short for Ducks A$$.


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## el_d

Ohhhhhh!!! Thanks Roy.....  Ducks A$$.....he he........Crazy kids!!!


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## LandfillLumber

Boy I bet he's made his mother proud 

He may make his mom very proud,I find it insulting(does this make your mom proud)to him and his mother.This is a much different world then even 20 years ago,we all should be judged by the people we are not the way we look.Victor


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## wdcav1952

bitshird said:


> Maybe it's time we all changed the way we look at people and the way the alter their body, as long as they don't harm other people (except for startling them) I'm probably one of the few men that was in the Navy that doesn't have a tattoo, but I can appreciate decent body art, while I'm not a great fan of piercing I let my daughter get several in her ears, I think we all have some right to decide how we look, I even felt that way when I wore peg leg pants a DA and like Roy a motorcycle jacket, I even got suspended from school for having chains on my engineers boots.




Ken,

Add me as another Navy vet that passed on the tattoos.  However, my wife has one and my kids went for more.  As you know, you can see some interesting tattoos in the Navy.  That said, you can see some amazing "tatts" on inmates!!


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## bneff

Another sailor without tats.  I really thought about a "Tweety Bird" tatoo, but all I could find were mutant looking tweetys.  A couple of buddies & me talked about getting our ears pierced (early 70s when only bikers & gays were getting pierced ears) but we couldn't get a definitive answer on which ear was the correct ear (the wrong ear signified your sexual preference).   We were going to do hoops because in the really old days sailors had gold hoops.

Bill


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## sbell111

Gary Max said:


> Even as a old red neck I get it-------remember way back when we where teens---all the remarks about our clothes----hair---and the music that had to come from the satin himself. Why did we do it-------------because we wanted to.


True, but as we got older, we could change our clothes, cut our hair, turn down the music.  I wonder what those ears are going to look like in 30 or 40 years.


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## sbell111

HSTurning said:


> I am one of the tattoed and pierced masses.
> Good job on the plugs.  Personally I dont like the look.
> The comments of OUCH are far from the truth as Darrin said.  Ear streching is very painless.  Just go slow.  I know it you rush you can cause the skin to thin and possible break.
> I like the saying "this is my temple and I will decorate it the way I like"


Good point, but as you drive down your street this afternoon and go past that one house on your block with the bright purple trim or whatever, what do you think?


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## pssherman

sbell111 said:


> True, but as we got older, we could change our clothes, cut our hair, turn down the music.  I wonder what those ears are going to look like in 30 or 40 years.



Those plug holes can be closed up again. One of my students has had that done recently. The appearance is kinda mangled looking, at least for now. Maybe the skin will smooth out over time.


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## HSTurning

sbell111 said:


> Good point, but as you drive down your street this afternoon and go past that one house on your block with the bright purple trim or whatever, what do you think?


 
Most of the time I think the same thing.  It goes in this order.
OMG
I wouldn't do that or I don't like that
To each their own

I to look at some of the things that people do and think "WHY" or laugh a little.  I do try and remember to be open minded.  
I don't beleive that is ever good to make everyone listen to the same music, dress the same, act the same, follow the same god or lack of.  Life is to short to worry about what people think.  
Everyone wants to be famous or be known at some point in there life.  In high school I was one of the last headbangers left in a graduating class of 400ish I think that maybe 10 were headbangers.  I stood out wearing Ozzy, Anthrax, Madien, Cooper and AC/DC (not metal but still a great band) t-shirts w/$75 zcav pants and herman surviver s***kicker boots.

Its all fads and as long as you dont hurt other people or break the law go for it.  I have to live with the 4 tattooes I have for the rest of my life and the 4 more I plan on getting.  Most piercings closed up.  I still have a few more.  
I know guys that started getting piercings in there 50's.  Life is short get out and live it, try something new/different. JMO


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## DCBluesman

Intolerance kills.


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## btboone

I would suggest adding a pocket watch insert to the earlobe piece. That way he can see if he's running late while shaving.  OK, maybe not shaving in this case, but brushing his teeth.


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## rjwolfe3

I wonder if you could hollow out the inside and make it more like a ring effect. Do you think it would stay in the ear? I have some ideas but not sure of the market in this area.


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## HSTurning

Yes you could hollow it out.  Just need to make sure the material could support itself.  There is a decent market for this item you just have to be in the right circles.  I know a few tattoo / piercing shop owners.  I think that I could make a few and put then in their cases.  I would think putting them in a case you would get custom orders from people that use them.  Making a good range of sizes you would be able to sell a few but everyone has a different size.  A couple of the pendant rods the Exotics has would look real nice in the 3/4" to 1" sizes.


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## zombie7986

the face looks real nice on this set.  

i just made my first 2" set for someone last night it was pretty fun.


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## Darrin

Yes, you need to know trustworthy shops with a good customer base and ones that are reguarded superior in piercing and tattoos. Thats the only shops I deal with because I dont want my product just in any shop. If you want to make plugs go for it, just please,please, PLEASE be sure to do extensive research on the woods you use, not just their common names but the latin names ie: dalbergia retusa. Also know which woods contain what quinones. Its worth it to yourself and your consumer so you dont give them a reaction to a certain oil from a species of wood. Im also glad to see so many open minded individuals in this forum. I do have to comment to those of you that called this a 'fad'. This has been done for longer than america has even been a country if you want it put into perspective. Its only surfaced in the western world in the last 20 years but has been done for hundreds of years in Asia,India,New Zeland,Borneo,Africa, Burma,.... the list goes on and on. Thanks to everyone who responded!


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## Karin Voorhis

I would love to make some of these. As I said before very nice work.


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## Darrin

Thanks Karin, if you have any questions feel free to PM me. That offer goes out to anyone else as well.


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