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Post by rockjunquie on Mar 6, 2017 12:56:40 GMT -5
Ok, guys and gals, I haven't had the occasion to break up any rocks, so this is new to me. I bought 2 chunks of some stone, a type of scapolite suitable for cabbing not faceting. One needs to be broken into trim saw pieces. The stone appears to be rather soft (maybe (4-5) and grainy. What is the best way to break it up without pulverizing it? I don't have any proper rocks tools. It doesn't appear to be fractured. Mindat has no info on hardness or cleavage on this. It just says scapolite group mineral marialite. Thanks! jamesp ?
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,179
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Post by jamesp on Mar 6, 2017 13:35:53 GMT -5
What size chunk Tela. Like 6" X 6" X 4" ? Rocks that size are a challenge to break w/out destroying most of it. Darn 18" saw is needed as you well know. Is it clear and gems like this ? I'd hate to take a hammer to such.:
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Post by rockjunquie on Mar 6, 2017 14:36:43 GMT -5
What size chunk Tela. Like 6" X 6" X 4" ? Rocks that size are a challenge to break w/out destroying most of it. Darn 18" saw is needed as you well know. Is it clear and gems like this ? I'd hate to take a hammer to such.: James, the chunk is not quite that big. It also is not crystal. Here's some of the smaller stone cut up. There is a protrusion on the big piece, I think I'll try to knock it off and see what happens. The spots go through the stone in every direction so the cut/break is not crucial for pattern.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,179
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Post by jamesp on Mar 6, 2017 14:57:16 GMT -5
You can score the rock with the saw say 1/8"deep around the chunk you want to remove. Take a chisel and go around hammering the chisel straight into the grove propagating a crack.
If you have a small cold chisel.
This guy is 12 times too anal. But this method works on a lot of stone. especially if you sawed a groove. I watched Russian dudes breaking giant granite slabs 10 inches thick and 10 feet across using this method.
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sphereguy
having dreams about rocks
Hello all I've been lurking for months now
Member since March 2017
Posts: 73
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Post by sphereguy on Mar 6, 2017 15:13:05 GMT -5
What kind of rock is that white and red spotted? I did a sphere years ago and still have a chunk left with no name.
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sphereguy
having dreams about rocks
Hello all I've been lurking for months now
Member since March 2017
Posts: 73
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Post by sphereguy on Mar 6, 2017 15:13:17 GMT -5
What kind of rock is that white and red spotted? I did a sphere years ago and still have a chunk left with no name.
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Post by rockjunquie on Mar 6, 2017 15:40:16 GMT -5
What kind of rock is that white and red spotted? I did a sphere years ago and still have a chunk left with no name. Rosalinda. Some people are calling it cinnamon stone, which is wrong. Some people are saying the pink is cinnabar (mercury) they are wrong.
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sphereguy
having dreams about rocks
Hello all I've been lurking for months now
Member since March 2017
Posts: 73
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Post by sphereguy on Mar 6, 2017 17:13:48 GMT -5
Thank you. I love it when a rock gets a name.
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Post by rockjunquie on Mar 6, 2017 17:16:52 GMT -5
Thank you. I love it when a rock gets a name. I know, right? Forgot to mention- It's from Peru.
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sphereguy
having dreams about rocks
Hello all I've been lurking for months now
Member since March 2017
Posts: 73
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Post by sphereguy on Mar 6, 2017 17:22:16 GMT -5
I remember that sphere getting really hot when I polished it.
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Post by rockjunquie on Mar 6, 2017 17:26:20 GMT -5
I've cabbed some before and it really liked to get hot for polishing.
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Post by 150FromFundy on Mar 6, 2017 20:16:58 GMT -5
If the chisel technique doesn't work, you can always try the cut and drop technique. When a nodule is too large for my 7" tile saw, I will cut through it as far as the blade will allow. Rotate the rock so you have cut as deep as possible all the way around the rock. Depending on how much rock rock is left in the middle, a drop from 4 of 5 feet onto a concrete floor should finish it off. It's not perfect, but necessity is the mother of invention.
Darryl.
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Post by rockjunquie on Mar 6, 2017 20:48:44 GMT -5
If the chisel technique doesn't work, you can always try the cut and drop technique. When a nodule is too large for my 7" tile saw, I will cut through it as far as the blade will allow. Rotate the rock so you have cut as deep as possible all the way around the rock. Depending on how much rock rock is left in the middle, a drop from 4 of 5 feet onto a concrete floor should finish it off. It's not perfect, but necessity is the mother of invention. Darryl. That might work with this one. I tried that with some stellar bloody bloodstone and it didn't work. It just sits there mocking me with it's pretty red spots.
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Post by spiceman on Mar 6, 2017 21:07:58 GMT -5
I posted a question like this last year and results were 50/50. Some cut the rocks and others broke the rocks. They both have there plus and minus, so it can down to...it's all up to the polisher.
Good luck and have a great day.
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