Adam Kelliher

Website https://rubblerockandgem.com/collections/broken-ox-creations

I like rocks. I liked them as a kid, and love them as an adult. I went from entertained, to hobbyist, to passion, addiction, my all, and now- livelihood.

I’ve visited well over a 300 mines to dig. I have my own workers overseas and locally. I have been mass producing abroad since 2017. Currently, I enjoy combining intarsia and carving techniques.

Metal work followed suit. I first thought making jewelry was girly- then I tried it, and had a knack for it. It was like adult Lego- except more people than “my mom” could like it. Casting is my favorite metal practice, though I fabricate as well.

This is my calling: lapidary, jewelry manufacture, selling kids fossils, selling groups of ecstatic ladies crystals. I enjoy the rock world, and hope to make a mark on it.

Events from this organizer

Today

    • Wire Wrapping

    Learn to set a cabochon in a precious metal frame, bound with fine metal thread. The process of wire wrapping uses minimal tools, weaving and binding metal in cold connection techniques. You will make a Pendant in this course, learning how to cinch a stone in place and create a bail to suspend the stone from. This course is meant to take beginners away from the "Champagne bottle top" style of wrapping, and lay the foundations to understand fine weaving and binding patterns.

    $200.00

    Flint Knapping

    Learn to make arrowheads.
    This course is beginner level, meaning you will be making an arrowhead from a pre-form.
    Once aptitude is shown on the preform, and if time permits, you will be taught to make an arrowhead point from a spall.

    $100.00

    Cabochon Cutting – Beginner

    Cabochon cutting is really the best way to introduce someone to lapidary. Lapidary is “the art of working with stone”.

    Cutting cabs helps teach you how to identify good rocks for cutting, and how to navigate through flaws. You’ll learn how to slice and prepare a gem, then get into shaping and forming. Sanding and polishing ensue as you learn to remove scratches and create a gloss finish on your stone.

    $0.01

    • Slab Polishing

    High-Speed Slab Polishing: Dry Sanding Techniques
    This interactive demonstration introduces high-speed slab polishing using a Richardson sander—a modified motor mount equipped with a high-speed motor and floor sander. The instructor will showcase machine modifications and upgrades that improve efficiency, followed by a hands-on session where students can take turns using the equipment.

    The course also covers a comparative analysis between dry sanding at high speed and vibratory slab polishers, discussing the pros and cons of each method. While vibratory polishers will be demonstrated, the emphasis will be on transitioning to dry sanding techniques for faster, more efficient results.

    Relief Casting

    Relief casting is the art of pouring molten metal over various surfaces to capture intricate textures and impressions. This introductory course focuses on classic texture techniques, including broom, salt, bean, and water casting, each producing unique organic patterns that add depth and character to your work.

    These textured metal forms can be used in fabrication, soldered into larger designs, or transformed directly into jewelry with simple modifications like drilling and adding jump rings. Whether you're looking to create bold standalone pieces or enhance your metalwork with rich textures, this course provides the foundational skills to experiment with relief casting in a controlled and creative way.

    $200.00

    Reverse Intaglio: An Introduction to Glyptic Carving

    Step into the art of reverse intaglio—the intricate technique of carving designs into the back of transparent gemstones to create a striking three-dimensional effect. This beginner-friendly course is designed for novice carvers looking to explore this traditional craft with hands-on guidance and expert instruction.

    Students will be provided with one practice quartz blank and two working blanks, with additional blanks and premium stone varieties available for purchase during the course. The workshop begins with a demonstration on selecting rough material and a brief overview of creating carving blanks, before quickly moving into the carving process itself.

    $260.00

    • Wax & Organics Modeling

    Wax Modeling & Carving: The Art of Jewelry Prototyping
    Discover the art of wax modeling and carving—a foundational skill in jewelry design that allows for intricate, sculptural, and highly customized creations.

    In this course, you'll learn to carve wax models from scratch, using an array of specialized tools, including rotary tools with burrs, wood whittling knives, dental picks, and sculpting tools. We'll explore the full spectrum of wax varieties, from soft, pliable forms to hard, brittle tooling waxes, ensuring you understand the best materials for different design applications.

    $200.00

    • Stone Drilling

    Learn to put a hole in a rock. These skills are transferable to glass, ceramic and shell.
    You will learn to use the drill press, as well as hanging mill to put a hole in thin, as well as thick stones.

    $80.00

    Rock Tumbling

    This will be a demo with Q & A.
    The tumbling process, including that for soft and niche materials such as obsidian will be covered.
    Rotary & Vibratory tumblers will be discussed and the applications of each.

    $50.00