herb
spending too much on rocks
Member since November 2011
Posts: 445
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Post by herb on Sept 4, 2013 15:07:06 GMT -5
Hi everyone, I got a bucket of these nodules: They range in size from barely half an inch up to about 2 inches in diameter. The outsides are covered with a white chalky powder. They are almost all whole. Here is a picture of a chipped one: My questions are: Is there a trick to cutting these like with thundereggs in order to get a nice pattern, or is it just pot luck? A lot of them do seem to have a sort of flat spot on them like the one on the left in the first picture, but other than that I don't know if there is anything special I should look for when deciding where to cut. And my second question is does anyone know what they are or where they are from. I know with out seeing the inside clearly it might be difficult to take a guess. If there is no particular direction they should be cut in half, then I will slice a few and post the pictures to help with the ID.
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Don
Cave Dweller
He wants you too, Malachi.
Member since December 2009
Posts: 2,616
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Post by Don on Sept 4, 2013 16:56:58 GMT -5
mexican agate nodules. someone more knowledgeable will give you an exact id...my guess: Laguna.
As far as cutting, depends on what you want to do with them. some of these can be worth a good bit of money as specimens I'd slice them in half through the widest axis to get the biggest picture in that case. if you just want to slab and cab, you could just slice like bread.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,466
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Post by Sabre52 on Sept 4, 2013 17:05:43 GMT -5
Hmmm, the top pics make them look like Los Choyas Nodules ( Mexican Coconuts) but from the size and the picture of the interior and the chalky exterior, sounds like you've got Mexican Surprise Nodules, also known as Mexican Snowball Nodules. In the ones I've cut, orientation seemed to not be that important as long as you cut them through the center for the widest pattern...Mel
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herb
spending too much on rocks
Member since November 2011
Posts: 445
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Post by herb on Sept 5, 2013 10:08:26 GMT -5
I was planning on keeping some of them just sliced in half for display specimens and slabbing some to make cabs out of them. I was thinking of keeping some of the slabs with flat faces to show the natural exterior and maybe dome some of them too. I managed to slice one in half by hand on my 6 inch trim saw. Slow going and as you can see not the smoothest of cuts! Hopefully seeing the interior will help in nailing down where they are from. You can see that there is just a hint of a cavity in the center of this one. Hopefully some of the others will have some nice drusy lined hollow centers.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Sept 5, 2013 10:38:38 GMT -5
how big are they?
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grizman
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since July 2011
Posts: 878
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Post by grizman on Sept 5, 2013 13:17:38 GMT -5
I have one, yes a grand total of ONE of these nodules. I got it from a grab box of some medium grade banded agates that the individual had collected in Mexico, I don't know where. My question is: Because I only have one, and it is about 1" diameter, I would like to tumble it and see what I get. Has anyone out there done this with these nodules, and what might I expect? I suppose I could try and find someone with a saw that could cut it for me, but being strictly a "tumbler", I'd like to take my chances with just tumbling. Any ideas, suggestions, comments?
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Post by deb193redux on Sept 5, 2013 13:21:11 GMT -5
better to cut in half and tumble both pieces. any fortification pattern is not seen if you just get a smooth agate ball.
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grizman
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since July 2011
Posts: 878
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Post by grizman on Sept 5, 2013 14:12:14 GMT -5
better to cut in half and tumble both pieces. any fortification pattern is not seen if you just get a smooth agate ball. Thanks, that's what I figured would be the disadvantage of just a tumble. I am sure I can get it cut and then do the tumble.
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herb
spending too much on rocks
Member since November 2011
Posts: 445
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Post by herb on Sept 5, 2013 17:47:49 GMT -5
All the nodules are from .5 to about 2 inches in diameter. For the sliced in half one I posted a picture of, the piece on the left is about 1.25 inches wide by 1.75 inches tall. The other half is more like 1 inch wide and 1 5/8 inches tall.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Sept 5, 2013 17:59:49 GMT -5
gotcha. I was hoping they'd be bigger.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,466
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Post by Sabre52 on Sept 5, 2013 21:17:00 GMT -5
I don't believe I've ever had any snowball/surprise nodules bigger than 2- 2 1/2" or so. Average size seems to be about 1 1/4- 2" on those I've cut. You don't see them or the somewhat similar Berrendos ( red hots) around as much these days as you used to......Mel
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