How to make plugs or gauges for ears - Water Buffalo Horn w/ inlay

[NICHOLASooo]

does the same concept apply to wood? and what woods would you suggest (hopefully things i can find at lowes or home depot

[Feosnake]

thank you so much..

this info helped alot..

[Feosnake]

right i understand.. i heard it gives at reaction to the skin..

would you recommend linseed oil as well?

[rtaylorhess]

@Feosnake Never tried it, but I know people use it on other wood projects. I don't see why it wouldn't work.

[hayabusax1]

Dude you been in Thailand man? Thats a Beer Chang shirt you're wearing!

[rtaylorhess]

@hayabusax1 Choc tee khap mi friend... Good eye! I work in tourism, so I've basically been homeless for 3 years. I lived in Asia for a year and I bought those horns in Vietnam. I currently live in Central America, bouncing around Guatemala, Belize and Mexico mostly. Wherever I travel I'm always collecting horns, bones, wood, stones etc to make plugs out of. Thanks for watching/posting!

[hayabusax1]

@rtaylorhess no problemo man, You seem to go on pretty interesting adventures. Keep up the good work man.

[Feosnake]

great video it helped me alot.. eactly what i was looking for..

but i have one question.. what kind of oils would you put on wood plugs?

[rtaylorhess]

@Feosnake With a dark wood like ebony or rosewood, just a nice buff brings a good shine. Sometimes I'll rub just a little drop of mineral oil on some wood ones to give them a little more shine and water resistance. I don't like using varnishes or chemical polishes.

[rtaylorhess]

Working with stone can be similar, but you need different tools. I actually haven't worked with jade, I've only had some made for me. Sorry... I wish I could offer better advice!

[spd229]

I kinda have a question. I have a pair of 0g jade plugs. I can't get them in my ears. How can I get them to shaved down? Also what is a good way to get the glossy finish back on them?

[GloomyBearEat]

I was planning to make my own out of Ash, Maple or walnut wood. Wood, working with wood, do you think is same as working with bones? I image the process of shaping it being the same, but do i have to put a coating on top of it or something?

[rtaylorhess]

@GloomyBearEat Thanks for watching. Working with wood is exactly the same. I'm usually able to get a good shine just with some very fine sandpaper and then a buffing wheel on a dremmel or something. I've never used any varnishes or any other chemical treatment - maybe just a bit of mineral oil on wooden pieces after I buff them. Dark woods like walnut or ebony finish very nicely.

[FlareBirdy]

where do i find water buffalo horns anyways?

[rtaylorhess]

@FlareBirdy I bought these in a market while traveling in Vietnam, but I've seen them on Ebay. I'm sure if you do a google search you'll come up with something.

[digitalmunky]

You should probably be using a rawhide mallet when tapping down that abalone... that way you're less likely to crack it... plus, it's also less likely to mar it....

[rtaylorhess]

@digitalmunky That's a good idea... I was a bit worried about chipping it. Thanks!

[digitalmunky]

@rtaylorhess - no problem.

[RobbieBearUnstopable]

Bravo!

[poppysis2]

COMPLAIN COMPLAIN COMPLAIN COMPLAIN COMPLAIN COMPLAIN COMPLAIN

[NordLyssa]

"I'm going to put mine on the belt sander.... because I actually have one." :| Braggart.

[Cao999]

Hey man, thanks a lot for this video. Through out highschool I loved wood work, and I was always into body jewlery but due to personal reasons I can't get my own, I can still make beautiful jewlery for my friends around the city. Thanks mate.

[xXMatthewCoreXx]

really cool video, thanx for posting!

[jinchurikione]

should do a video of makeing a pair out of a wood dowel rod

[rtaylorhess]

@jinchurikione It would be the exact same process that I showed in this video. Just start following directions from the part where I have formed the cylinder. Thanks for watching!

[motleyfan211]

as cool as this is, id still rather head to the mall and get some... no time or skill needed

[snapdiekeen]

I've been looking for a video like this for days ! Thanks dude your awesome !! Soo gonna go make some tomorrow !!

[TheRestin1]

its a mider saw (spelled wrong i think)

[trashcan1231]

How long did it take you to get to 2g?

[rtaylorhess]

@trashcan1231 About 5 minutes. I got them done in Mexico with a scalpel and the 2g were my very first plugs.

[trashcan1231]

@rtaylorhess Did it hurt?

[rtaylorhess]

@trashcan1231 It tickled, actually :)

[nevershoutgracie1]

@rtaylorhess lie

[SheWhoCorrupts7]

My god, those are beautiful! So much more work than I am willing to invest, but they are amazing..

[londs2k]

killer vid bro!

[TheSebiiChannel]

whats the specific name for the green thing at 6:35 and where can i get one?? pleas help. i loved your video!

[rtaylorhess]

@TheSebiiChannel Its just a little sizing chart. I'm sure you can find one at most hardware stores or art supply stores.

[WatchoutTheresCorey]

where would you recommend getting tools like that hand drill and such??

[rtaylorhess]

@WatchoutTheresCorey you can buy tools at hardware stores.

[disneynazar]

This is great! Favoriting!

[TheDeathmetallife]

@rtaylorhess well ur good and thanx for the video ive been trying for awhile but doin it with no measurement system and all by hand is not easy nor fun haha but worth

[TheDeathmetallife]

can i ask where you learned all this cuz it dosent seem like stuff u just figure out lol

[rtaylorhess]

@TheDeathmetallife Good question...

My uncle is a luthier (makes and repairs stringed instruments) and a master craftsman. The shop in the video is his and a couple of summer ago while visiting him he taught me how to shape and polish things like this.

Most of it, however, has been through trial and error. As I said in the description, I'm no expert. I've just played around enough to make some cool plugs! You should try it out. It's not hard at all, it just requires a bit of patience. Cheers!

[cc00nneerr]

What is the green thing called, the thing you used to draw your circle with and find the measurement? would be greatly appreciated.

[rtaylorhess]

@cc00nneerr Just a little sizing chart. You can get something like that at most hardware stores.

[adamdeblois]

hey man i love the video. thank you for posting it! where would you recommend i buy bone or horn? i live in minnesota, so i thought about possibly using deer antlers too. do you know if those would work? and as for the stone like obsidian, do you need any better tools? i'm really considering making a bunch of these for friends if it turns out well. it's definitely better than sitting home alone all summer XD

thanks in advance :)

adam

[rtaylorhess]

@adamdeblois Bone or horn are pretty much the same to work with. Antlers are basically bone, and I bet those would come out nice. For Stones, you need a stone saw, which is a little bit different. It's really hard and might mess up your more delicate tools, and requires a bit more to polish.

[danycruz777]

awesome video. helped me a lot. where do you get the water buffalo horn? and you also mentioned that this same technique will work for other materials? what about stone? thank you for this video. ^_^

[rtaylorhess]

@danycruz777 I bought a bunch of horn in Vietnam while I was travelling there earlier this year. I think I bought 6-8 whole horns for under $10. Stone is a lot harder, and might mess up your more delicate tools. I'd start with wood, bone or horn.

[rtaylorhess]

@danycruz777 You can probably also find horn for sale on ebay. I bet cattle horn would be similar and you could probably buy it locally. Water buffalo are not an endangered species, and their horns are traded openly.

[NotMeNeverYou]

nice, im at 1" and ima make some like that, or tapers hmmm.. :)

[rtaylorhess]

Sorry guys... I don't sell them. I just don't have the time/motivation. I made this video with the hope to show you how easy and fun it can be to make your own. Enjoy!

[18oroldertube]

how much would this be? and could you make ones out of wood please??

[rtaylorhess]

@18oroldertube I paid less than $2 for the buffalo horn. To buy a small saw, sandpaper and buffing bit for a drill/dremmell will run you less than $20 total. I've used the same process to make some beautiful wooden plugs too. Ebony, Zebrawood, Rose Wood, Teak and Coco Wood make great looking plugs.

You should try! It's really easy, and a fun little project to do for a couple of hours. Cheers!

[MrGBpaintball]

what did you use for a buffing compound loved the video by the way

[rtaylorhess]

@MrGBpaintball Thanks amigo. I actually didn't use any buffing compound. I shaped them with 250 grit sandpaper, then finished them 350-400 grit, then just used that large buffing wheel. A buffing bit for a dremmel or a powerdrill works well too. Sometimes I put just a liiiiiiitle bit of talcum powder on the buffing wheel, but other than that, it is a 100% natural finish. No varnishes or rubbing compounds.

[12345kthom]

Do you make people plugs at all? Cuz you should sell them(:

[watneh]

this is so cool! I'm at a 2g also :]

[esanchez789]

This is a very creative way of making plugs! I enjoyed this video and i really think you should make more. Maybe u can sell your jewelry to? Thanks for the video!

[rtaylorhess]

@esanchez789 Thanks! Next time I get a workspace I'm going to experiment with some tunnels. We'll see how it goes...

[camodudestrikesagain]

so culd you us this same process on wood plugs etc?

[iturm0m223]

hmm preaty nice work keep it up :D

[NungsangShinobi]

that was a really nice detailed video. ..hopefully i will try making some of those for my friends:)

i wonder if you can also do a video for fake ear plugs. ..as sadly.. i dont have stretched ears due to some problems. thanks a lot ::)

[rtaylorhess]

@NungsangShinobi Thanks for watching! I've never tried to make fake plugs... maybe next time I can find a workspace I can play around with it an let you know how it goes.

[NungsangShinobi]

@rtaylorhess ..oh..thats good to know:) ..thanks a lot for that .

[vboytan]

how does bone/horn compare with wooden plugs?

thanks

[rtaylorhess]

@vboytan They are pretty much the same to work with, and I use the same process. The horn sometimes has growth rings in them that you have to be very careful working around or else the material will crack, as happened to me in this video. I think horn polishes up to a higher gloss than wood.

Horn smells when you work with it! Horns are made out of keratin (same as your hair and fingernails) so it smells like burnt hair when I was sanding it. Wait until your roommates are gone and crank a fan!

[FloydRoseDiscovery]

Would you sale jewelry that you make? Because I am having a hard time finding some 2 gauge plugs where I live. Also, You should try making Pinchers out of the buffalo horn

[rtaylorhess]

@FloydRoseDiscovery I've been traveling since I made this video, so I don't have any tools, otherwise I'd make you a pair. I really made this video with the hopes of inspiring people to discover how much fun it is to make your own. Order some wood or bone online and have some fun with it!

[FloydRoseDiscovery]

@rtaylorhess Ok, thanks for the video I might just have to try it one day.

[Alextran0902]

WOw. You're really good at these DIY stuffs and you've got a whole workshop at home. and since you got a hand drill. why dont you make a tunnel plug ? cause i like looking through my earlobe. just a little hole and I would love to buy those tunnel plugs from you. You did a really good job.

[rtaylorhess]

@Alextran0902 Thanks dude! The process I use is kinda time-consuming, so I've never sold any, just given a few to friends. Just curious... how much do you think people would pay for plugs like these? I'd probably have to sell them for at least $30 to make them worth my time (these took me about 2-3 hours)

I've tried to drill through and make tunnels once, but the didn't come out too well. Maybe I can experiment a little more and figure it out. Could be my next video!

[Alextran0902]

@rtaylorhess okay okay :)) you actually can sell it with that price. the most expensive 6mm plugs i found in amazon is 40$ and its organic which is probably hand-made. But you got a really cool hobby there. I usually hav a lots of free time doing those organic hand-made stuffs so I know how time-consuming it is.

You can try drill both sides a little bit like you did and then use a small scewdiver to make a hole in it ( the screw diver will probably be useless after doing this

[RepresentingNinja777]

You did a really good job at explaining everything you did and why you did it. I liked that you showed good DIY techniques so people wouldn't have to go out and buy expensive equipment to follow your steps. Two thumbs up!

[chris74018]

god i love this video id like to buy a pair of 0g off u if ur interested?

[rtaylorhess]

@chris74018 Thanks for the kind words... I would love to make you a pair and put a couple of bucks in my pocket, however, I'm about to go traveling again and I won't have any access any tools :(

Go buy some supplies and make your own! I think you'll be surprised at how easy it actually is, it just requires a bit of patience. As little as $20-$50 can get you the tools and materials that you need to make your own one-of-a-kind plugs. Start with wood, bone or horn.

[piercednscarred]

Wow, this is such a great video. Thanks so much for sharing!

I'm at 32mm now, and I've noticed it's harder to find plugs in sizes over an inch. I've made my own bamboo plugs recently, but I don't have access to a lathe or belt sander, so it takes a good long while to sand everything by hand. This definately makes me consider those tools a good investment though. =)

[rtaylorhess]

@piercednscarred Thanks buddy! I made this video while I was visiting an uncle who is a guitar/mandolin maker, so it was quite a luxury using his workshop. There are a few websites that make really unique and high-quality plugs in larger sizes, but nothing is as gratifying as a pair you make yourself. Thanks for watching!

[piercednscarred]

@rtaylorhess That's so neat. I wish I could have access to a workshop that elaborate. =) I actually told my boyfriend after watching this that he has to get me a lathe so I could do these easier, but I don't think it'll happen, so I'm just gonna have to continue using my own hand sanding. haha. Without having some of the bigger tools, it can take all day, and requires a ton of energy, but I agree that ones you put time and energy into are those you end up loving most. =)

[rtaylorhess]

Shape them with 200-250 grit sandpaper, then finish them with 400-450 grit sandpaper. I was using a large heavy buffing wheel to polish them, but you can also purchase a buffing bit for your Dremmel or power-drill. I never use varnishes or nail polish and I can get horn up to a mirror shine!

I don't do anything special to make them wearable. Just a good polish, and then clean and sanitize them, and make sure that your ear is healed fully before you put any porous or organic material in them.

[xxsk83rxx13]

@rtaylorhess cool thanks!

[xxsk83rxx13]

woah dude thanks a lot! i really want to try this now, i think it'd be a little easier for me though because my ears are at 1 inch so i'd have more room to work with :D is this possible to do with wood?

[rtaylorhess]

@xxsk83rxx13 I've made plugs using this technique with Bone, Horn, Jade, Obsidian, and various types of wood like Ebony, Teak, and Rosewood. Ebony is a beautiful dense, dark wood that polishes up to a nice shine.

I've used this method for making plugs up to 00 gauge. I've never tried anything bigger, but I don't see why it won't work. You might have to do it a little bit differently, but just experiment with it. If you're up to an inch, you could probably use a lathe. Good luck!

[xxsk83rxx13]

@rtaylorhess Sweet im going to try this with ebony wood. If i'm successful with making a pair of plugs, what should i use to polish them up and make them safe to wear?

[rtaylorhess]

I'm no expert, and this is just my technique. I wish I had some sort of very small lathe. If anybody has any other tips or tricks, please share them!