New Rocks

[sgtaylor]

Attached is a 'not very good photo' of my variation on the stones (FYI to the Minden Outdoor Curlers, I'm on Salmon Lake just off 507, between Buckhorn and Haliburton).

My variation is that I used a dog bowl on the bottom, and mixing bowl on the top.  The dog bowl is the kind that is like a mixing bowl, just with a square bottom.  The bottom of the bowl has a concave, with about an 1/2" outer rim in contact with the ice -- so it is similar to a curing stone.  I used smaller bowl (3qt) so my kids could throw them too -- they netted out at 31lbs.  I used heater hose for the bumper and used duct tape to fasten it.  It's not very slick...but tried to use screws to fasten and that didn't work well.  Like some other people I attached the bowls together first (used plumbers putty on the rim to make a seal, and poured cement through a hole in the top, and inserted the galvanized pipe...just like the original design.

If I did it over again, I'd use two larger dog bowls (both bottom and top).  I think this would give a lower center of gravity...as I find the stones 'wobble' sometimes.  I expect this is due to more weight on the upper half of the 'stone'.

Anyway, they work fine and do curl...though this really depends on the ice.

[sgtaylor]

My file didn't seem to attach...here's a link to a photo.

sgtaylor stones

[Mario DiCarlo]

Pretty good looking rocks Steve. The photo turned out pretty well too - looks like you guys are going to have some fun. 

 

The bowls with the lower centre of gravity make sense - I couldn't find anything like that when I made mine. I did drop some chunks of lead roof flashing into the bottoms before I poured the cement. If you do that you have to be sure not to leave a gap under the lead where the cement doesn't go, allowing the bottom of the stone to possibly dent.

 

Good Luck with the weather - and "Good Curling"

MD

[mr_fitz]

Never thought of dog bowls.  Great idea. They slide well?
Any and all "wobblies" we typically attribute to "user error" - just like the software companies do...
I like the end caps on the handles - nice touch.
Enjoy.

[Steve Taylor]

Yes they seem to slide well...though as I mentioned, can be wobble.

Does that happen with regular bowls?   Also, do the regular bowls 'curl'?

Good year for this...we've had lots of nice days for being outside.

--
Steve Taylor
Mobile: 905-483-6997
Home:  905-337-9023
Email:  sgtaylor.ca@gmail.com

[Jim]

I find that my regular bowls wobble when they hit a rough patch on the
ice. Other than that they are great. I've thrown them at full speed,
collide into each other and no woble. It's just the rough ice that
does it for me.

I think if you really want them to curl you need to pebble the ice.
It's what indoor curling rinks do. I haven't had time to build a
pebbler yet but when I do I'll post my info here.

Has anyone else built a pebbler? What kind of liquid goes in it?

On Jan 24, 2:38 pm, Steve Taylor <sgtaylor...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Yes they seem to slide well...though as I mentioned, can be wobble.
>
> Does that happen with regular bowls?   Also, do the regular bowls 'curl'?
>
> Good year for this...we've had lots of nice days for being outside.
>

> On Mon, Jan 24, 2011 at 1:46 PM, mr_fitz <mindenoutersc...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > Never thought of dog bowls.  Great idea. They slide well?
> > Any and all "wobblies" we typically attribute to "user error" - just like
> > the software companies do...
> > I like the end caps on the handles - nice touch.
> > Enjoy.
>
> --
> Steve Taylor
> Mobile: 905-483-6997
> Home:  905-337-9023

> Email:  sgtaylor...@gmail.com