thanks - i have a few other pieces I've made with the beach stone - several rock "flower" arrangements (saw this in a botanical garden selling for several hundred dollars, very easy to make), a couple caterpillars (like gardensupply and other catalogs now although my parts cost more than their caterpillar did), and a fire ant out of red stones. i can post of few pictures tomorrow if i can find them.
I use a hammer drill - go half way through and come at it from the other side. need twice the number of stones you would think as they crack because the drill is so aggressive. and a bunch of different shapes and colors to make them look interesting. i just hold them between my feet and on the ground. lining up the hole is by eye - larger the stone harder it is to get it straight so it helps to have the threaded rod so you can screw them down it needed. Same idea as the rock lamps i have seen although i am sure they use some high speed drill that does a nice neat job.
