Emerald
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2004
Posts: 417
|
Post by Emerald on Sept 15, 2004 21:56:31 GMT -5
I thought you guys would get a laugh out of seeing me in my element and what I look like when I rockhound. My pants nearly fell off and I got stuck in the mud...i(I should really look where I'm going) overall it was a very humbling experience. onyxhollow.com/images/rocks/foot deep2.jpg[/img] This was kind of a joke...noone (Matt in particular) thought I wouldn't even try to wield a 10lb. sledge, but heck...when dared...I'll try anything once. It almost got the best of me. I think after 6 tries, I hit the boulder once! I managed to hit the bobcat next to me several times though... The boulder I was wacking on was about the size of healthy sized coffee table. About 5 people beat on it throughout the day and it gave up at least 20 or 30 amethyst crystals of varying size and quality. onyxhollow.com/images/rocks/chain gang.jpg[/img] I know I look awful....but I really had a great time! Emerald aka: Helen
|
|
|
Post by docone31 on Sept 15, 2004 22:29:32 GMT -5
I do not think you look awful. I think you look like you are living. It looks like you are surrounded by some people who like what we do also. It looks like you are having a ball. No matter what it sure beats ordering a tumbled stone over the internet, and not even have a clue. That is what it is all about!
|
|
Emerald
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2004
Posts: 417
|
Post by Emerald on Sept 15, 2004 22:34:54 GMT -5
It was fun.... Cookie said my tumbling area was too "clean" Guess I had to show her I know how to get dirty! *snickers*
|
|
|
Post by sandsman1 on Sept 15, 2004 22:39:37 GMT -5
hey em it looks like you where having a blast i woulda been in there wit ya bad back and al,,l i woulda had to give it a few whacks just to try hahaha
|
|
|
Post by cookie3rocks on Sept 15, 2004 22:47:05 GMT -5
That's what I'm talking about! Get down and dirty. Choke up on that sledge, swing from just behind upright. BAM pages.prodigy.net/rogerlori1/emoticons/bounce3.gif [/img] That looks like toooo much fun. Glad you found some gret chrystals in that rock. I'm jealous! cookie
|
|
Emerald
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2004
Posts: 417
|
Post by Emerald on Sept 15, 2004 22:48:40 GMT -5
Cookie,
Don't be jealous...you're getting some when I head up to your neck of the woods! Why do you think I'm collecting so much?
|
|
JKowalski33
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2004
Posts: 451
|
Post by JKowalski33 on Sept 15, 2004 22:51:42 GMT -5
so you just whack boulders with sledge hammers and amethyst crystal fall out? sounds like a good deal to me! ;D ;D ;D
|
|
|
Post by Cher on Sept 15, 2004 23:48:25 GMT -5
|
|
Malkavic
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since March 2004
Posts: 77
|
Post by Malkavic on Sept 16, 2004 1:50:56 GMT -5
Hey Emerald... just curious, but where were you during that wonderful rockslamming event? Looks like great fun... and looks like you had a blast as well...
Good hunting...
Billy
|
|
deepsouth
fully equipped rock polisher
He who rocks last rocks best
Member since January 2004
Posts: 1,256
|
Post by deepsouth on Sept 16, 2004 3:25:00 GMT -5
The only looks that are important are the shiny looks as we all well know. In this case you shone brightly with that hammerswing . Wow what a whack and in due course all the found rocks will take a shine all of their own.
Glad you had so much fun. I would have too had I been there.
Jack
|
|
Emerald
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2004
Posts: 417
|
Post by Emerald on Sept 16, 2004 7:35:28 GMT -5
I only hit that particular bolder once. It took a whole day, but the guys managed to break it into smaller and smaller pieces till they extracted out the gems. I only worked on stuff that I could use a rock hammer or a 3lb hammer. (stuff bowling ball size) After all was said and done....it was difficult to raise my arms to even stratch an itch! I was exhausted! Sledge hammers are HEAVY! I held it like an axe cause I was afraid I'd drop it on my head if I held it otherwise. Oh, the amethyst doesn't actually fall out of the stone while wacking, you just knock away at the rock to expose the seams of gems within. And keep tapping away till you get the rock to a manageable size to expose the gems. If you're lucky, the gem won't break up. Something like this when you're successful. Or this....when you're REALLY lucky. It's really difficult to get them out without damage. I'm still trying on several boulders that I took home with me. Not sure how I'm going to get them out and the color is deep on some of the gems.
|
|
|
Post by BearCreekLapidary on Sept 16, 2004 9:31:33 GMT -5
Hey Emerald, Are you kidding me ... you look great! That is half of the fun ... getting out and digging, sifting, cussing and finding what is out there. Yes, that is living! I wish I was there with you ... I would have given it a couple of hundred whacks myself ;D Thanks for the photo's, it makes me look forward to mt next rock-hounding trip. Have a great day! John
|
|
|
Post by connrock on Sept 16, 2004 20:47:12 GMT -5
You sure do enjoy yourself Helen,,,sledge hammer and all!! Some very nice amethyst to boot !! Thanks,,,,,, Tom
|
|
WarrenA
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2003
Posts: 1,530
|
Post by WarrenA on Sept 16, 2004 22:59:45 GMT -5
you need a bigger hammer for the big rocks
|
|
Emerald
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2004
Posts: 417
|
Post by Emerald on Sept 17, 2004 8:20:51 GMT -5
:-) My son told me that it was actually a 16lb NOT a 10lb. It didn't matter...after about 5 minutes of TRYING to aim and hit the rock....I couldn't lift it anymore!
|
|
WarrenA
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2003
Posts: 1,530
|
Post by WarrenA on Sept 17, 2004 22:22:07 GMT -5
when i was working at the machine shop we had a 16 lb sledge. We had a saying there "I hate being underhammered". when the carnival comes to town you could always win the game with the hammer and bell.
|
|
|
Post by cookie3rocks on Sept 17, 2004 22:30:03 GMT -5
When I was in my mid twenties and weight traning, I got a big kick out of going to carnivals/festivals where they had the "ring the bell" sledge hammer things. I could easily ring the bell on the womens side and, more often than not, on the mens. Ahhh, memories cookie
|
|
WarrenA
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2003
Posts: 1,530
|
Post by WarrenA on Sept 17, 2004 22:44:11 GMT -5
One of the guys that I used to work with was very short and was thin, but that kid could swing a hammer. You should have seen the look on the face of the carnie worker as he rang the bell time after time.
|
|
SirRoxalot
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since October 2003
Posts: 790
|
Post by SirRoxalot on Sept 19, 2004 12:54:19 GMT -5
Er, one small safety tip - y'all should really be wearing safety glasses - a sledge will produce a lot of rock chips moving at high speed - they will draw blood even twenty feet away, and remove a bystanders eye quickly and easily. Just something to think about next time.
SirRoxalot
|
|