orneryboi
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Post by orneryboi on Mar 12, 2024 12:23:11 GMT -5
I bought a bit of Biggs rough last year. and I've barely cut any as there's a lot to consider when cutting this material... I learned to slice parallel to the bedding plane ("No, your OTHER parallel" ) after a few perpendicular cuts.. I want to ask you all: beyond the layer patterns/blues, what other features do you key-in on when cutting cabs/preforms? I have some pieces that have pockets of brown/blue druzy and other pieces that appear opalized/translucent- is this all secondary to the banding pattern, to you? This is the top one chunk of rough, not sure what it is... Examples... Appreciate the feedback! Patrick
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realrockhound
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Post by realrockhound on Mar 12, 2024 12:32:13 GMT -5
Depends on what you would like to include really. I’ve always tried to cut Biggs to showcase the best picture scenes I can get. Sometimes If I just see a crazy pattern, I cut that. It’s all subjective
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orneryboi
having dreams about rocks
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Post by orneryboi on Mar 12, 2024 12:57:02 GMT -5
Depends on what you would like to include really. I’ve always tried to cut Biggs to showcase the best picture scenes I can get. Sometimes If I just see a crazy pattern, I cut that. It’s all subjective Thank you, sir- that's exactly what I'm wondering about!
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khara
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Post by khara on Mar 12, 2024 20:09:36 GMT -5
I’ve noticed lately that the Biggs that I always knew is different than the Biggs that I see now. Not sure if there’s just a wide variation in the material or if there’s a difference between older stock material collected many decades ago versus if it’s still being collected today. When I see the word Biggs I think of the tight wavy banding patterns in darker browns. Sometimes it was also called Deschutes. And then now I see these larger picture scenes with much lighter coloring and wider banding, almost kind of a sandstone picture stone coloring. I haven’t ever cut it myself though. I’ve always had slabs so the original cutter did the figuring on how best to cut it.
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realrockhound
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Post by realrockhound on Mar 12, 2024 21:13:36 GMT -5
I’ve noticed lately that the Biggs that I always knew is different than the Biggs that I see now. Not sure if there’s just a wide variation in the material or if there’s a difference between older stock material collected many decades ago versus if it’s still being collected today. When I see the word Biggs I think of the tight wavy banding patterns in darker browns. Sometimes it was also called Deschutes. And then now I see these larger picture scenes with much lighter coloring and wider banding, almost kind of a sandstone picture stone coloring. I haven’t ever cut it myself though. I’ve always had slabs so the original cutter did the figuring on how best to cut it. A lot of china hollow material now being passed off as OG biggs. Its all from the same area, just different deposits. The original dig site is under water. Deschutes is also under water. That deposit was further down stream.
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Fossilman
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Post by Fossilman on Mar 15, 2024 10:55:34 GMT -5
I’ve noticed lately that the Biggs that I always knew is different than the Biggs that I see now. Not sure if there’s just a wide variation in the material or if there’s a difference between older stock material collected many decades ago versus if it’s still being collected today. When I see the word Biggs I think of the tight wavy banding patterns in darker browns. Sometimes it was also called Deschutes. And then now I see these larger picture scenes with much lighter coloring and wider banding, almost kind of a sandstone picture stone coloring. I haven’t ever cut it myself though. I’ve always had slabs so the original cutter did the figuring on how best to cut it. A lot of china hollow material now being passed off as OG biggs. Its all from the same area, just different deposits. The original dig site is under water. Deschutes is also under water. That deposit was further down stream. A lot of it under I-84 too ..
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Post by Rockoonz on Mar 15, 2024 11:11:35 GMT -5
Yeah, the best blue is called roadbed blue, there is a parking lot off of 84 where a pretty well known NW rock guy got caught escavating the grade. Beers Mt jasper is also called Biggs, I think anything in or near wasco county that looks like picture Jasper is called Biggs. I found some brecciated jasper on the Washington side that looks like Oregon stuff, not saying exactly where.
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realrockhound
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Post by realrockhound on Mar 15, 2024 11:48:25 GMT -5
The deschutes, located further west was discovered by Hoot Elkins. From my understanding, he had found some tools made from it by natives. Crawled down in a cave and found a massive flow that had been chipped at by the natives. I got a lot off it from Hoot (via my grandpa) I’ll have to bust some out and take pics for you guys one of these days.
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Post by rockjunquie on Mar 15, 2024 11:51:13 GMT -5
The deschutes, located further west was discovered by Hoot Elkins. From my understanding, he had found some tools made from it by natives. Crawled down in a cave and found a massive flow that had been chipped at by the natives. I got a lot off it from Hoot (via my grandpa) I’ll have to bust some out and take pics for you guys one of these days. Make it sooner than later. I must see.
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realrockhound
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Post by realrockhound on Mar 15, 2024 12:19:43 GMT -5
The deschutes, located further west was discovered by Hoot Elkins. From my understanding, he had found some tools made from it by natives. Crawled down in a cave and found a massive flow that had been chipped at by the natives. I got a lot off it from Hoot (via my grandpa) I’ll have to bust some out and take pics for you guys one of these days. Make it sooner than later. I must see. I’ll go pull a bucket of slabs out tonight when I’m home.
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realrockhound
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Post by realrockhound on Mar 15, 2024 13:04:39 GMT -5
Here’s one of the slabs. Not a good pic. But lots going on in it
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realrockhound
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Post by realrockhound on Mar 15, 2024 13:36:34 GMT -5
Speaking of natives chiping at stuff. I’ve come across similar deposits in seam agate out in BFE that was clearly worked on by natives. Using the agate for arrow heads etc. lil buggers ruined what would’ve been some good lapidary material
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orneryboi
having dreams about rocks
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Post by orneryboi on Mar 15, 2024 17:45:48 GMT -5
Here’s one of the slabs. Not a good pic. But lots going on in it Gorgeous! Slabs like that make it nearly impossible to pick a kingstone for me
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realrockhound
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Post by realrockhound on Mar 15, 2024 18:12:54 GMT -5
Here’s one of the slabs. Not a good pic. But lots going on in it Gorgeous! Slabs like that make it nearly impossible to pick a kingstone for me This is what I was referring to about just picking a spot and just going for it
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khara
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Post by khara on Mar 15, 2024 20:38:38 GMT -5
realrockhound I saw your post and started singing Charlie Daniels’ The Devil Went Down to Georgia. Here’s my dueling fiddle🤓: These are a bit muted by the glass that’s over them but still gorgeous.
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realrockhound
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Post by realrockhound on Mar 15, 2024 20:44:15 GMT -5
realrockhound I saw your post and started singing Charlie Daniels’ The Devil Went Down to Georgia. Here’s my dueling fiddle🤓: These are a bit muted by the glass that’s over them but still gorgeous. Spectacular Example of blue biggs
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khara
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Post by khara on Mar 15, 2024 20:44:54 GMT -5
I actually came back to this thread because of the very first pics posted by orneryboi I was going through slabs looking for traveling box stuff and found one that reminded me of the pics up top here. I thought maybe it was similar. But I sprayed water on it and boy it sure turns pink. So, I’m not sure. There are Biggsish areas down in the corner and the little dendrites but that pink now has me thinking maybe it’s not related.
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RWA3006
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Post by RWA3006 on Mar 15, 2024 20:56:45 GMT -5
Speaking of natives chiping at stuff. I’ve come across similar deposits in seam agate out in BFE that was clearly worked on by natives. Using the agate for arrow heads etc. lil buggers ruined what would’ve been some good lapidary material I hear you. I've found many of what would have been beautiful coprolite specimens that were battered into a pile of flakes with a discarded core on top of the pile.
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orneryboi
having dreams about rocks
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Post by orneryboi on Mar 16, 2024 9:15:15 GMT -5
realrockhound I saw your post and started singing Charlie Daniels’ The Devil Went Down to Georgia. Here’s my dueling fiddle🤓: These are a bit muted by the glass that’s over them but still gorgeous. Woow! How gorgeous!?! That's the perfect specimen to frame!
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Post by 1dave on Mar 16, 2024 9:19:53 GMT -5
This was my Biggs. I ended up giving it to the Southern Utah Rock Club.
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