sheltie
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since January 2012
Posts: 982
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Post by sheltie on Jun 24, 2012 12:26:17 GMT -5
I have a couple hundred lbs of all kinds of obsidian I collected from Hines and Little Glass Butte and would like to know the safest way to break the larger pieces into tumbling size ones.
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Post by Pat on Jun 24, 2012 12:35:29 GMT -5
Don't have experience here, but maybe cover the obsidian with a canvas tarp or such, then go at it with a sledge hammer.
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Post by manofglass on Jun 24, 2012 12:59:44 GMT -5
That works.walt
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jun 24, 2012 14:00:53 GMT -5
Just don't go bare footed afterwards. lol Jim
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Post by tntmom on Jun 24, 2012 15:14:34 GMT -5
Double bagging first in gallon ziplock bags will help keep the glass shards from flying all over the place. Be prepared to use several bags though as the ob will cut through them quickly. And GOOD EYE PROTECTION IS A MUST!!!!!! I've bled many times busting ob....
I use a rock pick, chisel or center punch and put it on a fracture and then hit it with a hammer. Works pretty good without causing too many new fractures.
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Post by catmandewe on Jun 24, 2012 15:25:35 GMT -5
drill it and blast it, its not real safe but it is fun!
Tony
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peachfront
fully equipped rock polisher
Stones have begun to speak, because an ear is there to hear them.
Member since August 2010
Posts: 1,745
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Post by peachfront on Jun 24, 2012 17:37:26 GMT -5
Crikey, people, what's wrong w. a simple rock saw? Didn't we just hash this out in the other thread?
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sheltie
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since January 2012
Posts: 982
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Post by sheltie on Jun 24, 2012 19:24:10 GMT -5
drill it and blast it, its not real safe but it is fun! Tony Yep, that was quite a show you put on in the Stinkwaters! It was certainly effective. I'm pretty sure they wouldn't be happy with me if I tried to do that here in the campground! Denny
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Post by tntmom on Jun 24, 2012 22:32:00 GMT -5
drill it and blast it, its not real safe but it is fun! Tony LOL!!!!!!!
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Post by 3rdrockfromthefun on Jun 25, 2012 4:52:39 GMT -5
Obsidian is glass - maybe try a glass cutter?
Some of it does tend to have grain (not always going the same direction - sometimes like grain that's been folded over many times in different directions. Which leads me to my next item - has anyone really had good luck breaking with a hammer and not ending up with more unusable shards than useable slabbing/cabbing material (by weight)?
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lparker
fully equipped rock polisher
Still doing too much for being retired!
Member since March 2008
Posts: 1,202
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Post by lparker on Jun 25, 2012 6:08:55 GMT -5
Speaking as a knapper...never hit obsidian with steel...it causes more micro-fractures than copper billets or natural material like antler billets or hammerstones. If you want to break up large pieces of ob, check out YouTube for videos on spalling obsidian.
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mjflinty
spending too much on rocks
Member since September 2011
Posts: 356
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Post by mjflinty on Jun 25, 2012 7:30:45 GMT -5
I agree with Lee. Steel and obsidian are not best friends. You'd be amazed at what a large round cobble of granite or hard sandstone can do. Just let gravity do the smashing.
Michael
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peachfront
fully equipped rock polisher
Stones have begun to speak, because an ear is there to hear them.
Member since August 2010
Posts: 1,745
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Post by peachfront on Jun 25, 2012 12:10:12 GMT -5
Some glass cutters are not any cheaper than some rock saws. But smashing up the stones or obsidian semi-randomly is definitely a false economy in my humble view. You can destroy the rock, destroy the pleasant stroll-a-bility of the back yard (many people do like to go barefoot or wear open sandals in summer), or you can even cause an injury that draws blood.
I think most hobbyists just buy a saw, but when I get back from my trip, I can cut up some items into smaller tumbling sizes and see if more than one person is really interested in such a service. We have lots of saws! :-)
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Post by 3rdrockfromthefun on Jun 25, 2012 12:31:13 GMT -5
I assumed by the nature of the question that the person did not have a saw as that would definitely be the best way.
Speaking of which I need to get a real rock saw myself...
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grayfingers
Cave Dweller
Member since November 2007
Posts: 4,575
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Post by grayfingers on Jun 25, 2012 13:01:53 GMT -5
Speaking of which I need to get a real rock saw myself... Me too. I guess I got lucky with the obsidian I popped that was collected by my grandfather. I looked at the chunk to see if there was a direction it would split apart better than another, then took a freshly sharpened fine edged chisel and after securing the rock placed the chisel on the spot/direction I had selected. I draped a heavy shop rag over the chisel and rock, and started tapping lightly, on the 4th tap, it popped apart. Just plain black local ob, but it does have some flash to it.
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sheltie
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since January 2012
Posts: 982
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Post by sheltie on Jun 25, 2012 13:31:13 GMT -5
I assumed by the nature of the question that the person did not have a saw as that would definitely be the best way. Speaking of which I need to get a real rock saw myself... Actually I'm 900 miles from home and won't return until late Sep. When I do, I won't have any problem with lack of tools and equipment such as I have now. I was just trying to find a decent way to break some of the bigger pieces I have into (rotary) tumbling size.
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Post by Peruano on Jul 2, 2012 20:12:35 GMT -5
One perhaps naive trick I've used for breaking rocks is to place them in a plastic bucket. The 360 degree relatively bomb proof barrier is a great asset in finding those usable pieces and containing the fragments so they can be discarded safely. Eye protection and even a face guard are still desireable items if you are really going to trash at it with a big hammer. Yes the saw is the way to go if you have a big enough saw. Cheers, Tom
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Post by 3rdrockfromthefun on Jul 3, 2012 9:09:20 GMT -5
To break the obsidian we first want to wear it down. We do this by running it around the corral several times.
Next we must show it who is running things. Tie a lasso and toss it around the obsidian's neck - careful not to get too close or you may not be able to bear children.
With the rope around it's neck it will again run and buck about the corral, but once this is done it should be pretty wupped.
Finally, hop on it's back. It will buck and run some more but hold on tight - if you fall, you boost it's rebelliousness. Now, once it is calm, you have broken the obsidian safely.
Brought to you by the National Council for Obsidian Riders, deferring from mules to obsidian for over a decade! Lose the ass - get the glass!
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Post by rockpickerforever on Jul 3, 2012 9:38:37 GMT -5
Frank, you are toooooo funny!! Jean
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Post by 3rdrockfromthefun on Jul 3, 2012 16:20:22 GMT -5
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