Originally Posted by
HDNitehawk
Looks like you are getting the hang of it.
Focus stacking hand held would be hard. If you have a really fast camera like the 1D IV or 1D X you could do a burst shot as you gradually get closer and farther away. But you end up with many throw aways.
The best way is with a rail, with a very fine sliding control, mounted on a tripod.
Edit; you do not neccesarly need a ring flash. Any flash with a remote cable can suffice on a budget and sometimes would be preferred. A ring flash will tend to flatten your picture, where if you get light in from the sides it can add depth.