thanks all
to answer vic's questions.
was it easy - not easy, had to be real careful with the drilling, as i could not afford to crack any of the rock used, especially the red angular rock above the base and the thinner green one above it as they were the only ones i had like them. only ended up breaking the last stone at the top because i was rushing to finish, and had to use another, the second one looked better than the first so all ended well.
did i enjoy building this - anytime i play with rocks it is enjoyable, i did enjoy building this, my only concern starting was if the 1/4 brass rod i used would be strong enough to support the weight. from there i just took my time and picked the right shape, color and size stones were chosen. most of my beach stone supply was chosen for a different type of project so my choices were limited.
how long did it take - i took about 3 hours, although most was spent just choosing the stones. started at 4 in the afternoon until my wife came outside at 7 and asked if we were ever going to eat dinner just as i finished. then i showed her what all the noise i was making was about.
