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Post by drocknut on Jan 24, 2018 21:07:00 GMT -5
Nice rocks Tommy! I heard that cabinet cost you and Eva though. ;-) Oh that ... took me a while to figure out what you mean't. Yes we had to pay Diane dearly in hugs. Eva sucked it up nicely and gave her three hugs and a shoulder rub And I enjoyed every one of those hugs! Plus I got a crate of rocks in the bargain. I am in hog heaven now.
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Post by socalagatehound on Jan 25, 2018 0:21:16 GMT -5
Hi all Soooo... I didn't take any pictures at the Pow Wow. I get way to OCD when rockhounding, even at a show, and always, but always, forget to take pics. The good news is, once I get home, the rocks are mine and I can take their pictures anytime. I took one batch of these in the weak winter sun and decided the colors were too washed, so I re-shot everything under the lights. There are a LOT of photos, so I'll post in groups. I had a great time!!! Brecciated Burro Creek Orbicular Burro Creek One of my favorite materials (I'm a plume hound)...Sonoran Plume This one is double thick and splittable More Sonoran The little slab on the far right above is Mojave (AZ) agate. More MOjave: An agate the vendor called Cornstalk Agate. He said it was California material from an old collection. All for now. More to come... Thanks to Shotgunner, all the posters and viewers for this thread Craig
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Post by socalagatehound on Jan 25, 2018 0:50:44 GMT -5
And while we're looking at plumes, here is a rock I spotted on a vendors table as I was walking out to the street. It was totally out of place with the rest of her merchandise. She said it was collected by her father but she had no idea where. I gave her the very last of my money, but it was well spent. About 12 pounds... The prize inside: It will cut a dozen or so slabs like this one. I also cut some small slabs with denser plume off the side and the end to get to the less densely packed plumes in the center. Craig
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zarguy
fully equipped rock polisher
Cedar City, Utah - rockhound heaven!
Member since December 2005
Posts: 1,791
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Post by zarguy on Jan 25, 2018 1:21:47 GMT -5
socalagatehound You had me at Brecciated Burrow Creek. Then I read words like orbicular. Then I was overtaken by plumes. And then I blacked out. What a rush! I've never seen Sonoran Plume, or at least not like your pix. I'll keep my eyes out for it next show. I'm a plume addict. You bought the same kind of stuff I seek & rarely find in such abundance. (within my budget) Of course, I AM also a cheap bast...bastion of thrift! Is there such a thing? You have a lot of wonderful cabs in your future. Please keep us in mind & post pix of them. You DO cab, right? Lynn
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Post by Garage Rocker on Jan 25, 2018 1:22:03 GMT -5
And while we're looking at plumes, here is a rock I spotted on a vendors table as I was walking out to the street. It was totally out of place with the rest of her merchandise. She said it was collected by her father but she had no idea where. I gave her the very last of my money, but it was well spent. About 12 pounds... The prize inside: It will cut a dozen or so slabs like this one. I also cut some small slabs with denser plume off the side and the end to get to the less densely packed plumes in the center. Craig You know how to end it with a bang. That's a beauty! Liking all your plumes.
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Jan 25, 2018 9:35:45 GMT -5
That Burro Creek knocked my socks off! Well done.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 25, 2018 10:45:44 GMT -5
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Deleted
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Member since January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Jan 25, 2018 10:49:49 GMT -5
socalagatehound You had me at Brecciated Burrow Creek. Then I read words like orbicular. Then I was overtaken by plumes. And then I blacked out. What a rush! I've never seen Sonoran Plume, or at least not like your pix. I'll keep my eyes out for it next show. I'm a plume addict. You bought the same kind of stuff I seek & rarely find in such abundance. (within my budget) Of course, I AM also a cheap bast...bastion of thrift! Is there such a thing? You have a lot of wonderful cabs in your future. Please keep us in mind & post pix of them. You DO cab, right? Lynn Lynn, I agree often prices are high for high end goods. I have been changing my tune lately. Partly because jeannie doesn't know what prices used to be she buys based on her own ideals. Does she like it? Can she make nice cabs? Due to this, I have decided to value the end goods first to feel for a fair price of the slab. So far it seems to me, if the stuff is nice the slab should cost about one fifth of the total of all cab value. One fourth for really super nice goods. I know longer care what a slab costs as long as it can be profitable. Food for thought. What say you?
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Post by captbob on Jan 25, 2018 10:56:47 GMT -5
WOW Craig. Just wow!
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Post by socalagatehound on Jan 25, 2018 11:12:06 GMT -5
Yes, all of the material I bought is destined for cabs sooner or later. I try to buy cheap but sometimes the good materials are pricey. I haven't given in to my urge for variscite or larimar yet. Way too expensive...so far. This was one of my most rewarding years at the Q for quality at affordable prices. I was a happy shopper. More.... Two Coyomitos and an Agua Nueva at the top A yellow Turkish Needle Agate with hints of red A tennis ball sized Laguna rough with moss, lavender on one side but with a gold center on the other. Sagenite from Sheeps Bridge with nice deep color Very translucent ocean jasper. It was one slab, but snapped in half on the crystal line down the center in my backpack. I wasn't going to cab the center anyway. I really bought it for the white orbs susupended in the dark green Linda Marie and Feather ridge More Linda Marie. I thought the green in the center slab was cool Some small Feather Ridge roughs All for now. Still more to come.
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Post by rockpickerforever on Jan 25, 2018 11:17:40 GMT -5
WOW! Craig socalagatehound , you picked up some really nice stuff! They are all really cool, but the Orbicular Burro Creek is off the charts! Never seen that in orbicular flavor before. Also nice to see the Cornstalk Agate. I think I may have some of that. Picked up a few pieces from an old collection (father and daughter rockhounders that collected all over SoCal and the SW US). Had no idea what it was, or could be.
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Jan 25, 2018 11:19:21 GMT -5
Love the Agua Nueva! You found some really awesome stuff this year. Makes me more sad that we weren't able to make it down there this year.
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zarguy
fully equipped rock polisher
Cedar City, Utah - rockhound heaven!
Member since December 2005
Posts: 1,791
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Post by zarguy on Jan 25, 2018 11:35:57 GMT -5
socalagatehound You had me at Brecciated Burrow Creek. Then I read words like orbicular. Then I was overtaken by plumes. And then I blacked out. What a rush! I've never seen Sonoran Plume, or at least not like your pix. I'll keep my eyes out for it next show. I'm a plume addict. You bought the same kind of stuff I seek & rarely find in such abundance. (within my budget) Of course, I AM also a cheap bast...bastion of thrift! Is there such a thing? You have a lot of wonderful cabs in your future. Please keep us in mind & post pix of them. You DO cab, right? Lynn Lynn, I agree often prices are high for high end goods. I have been changing my tune lately. Partly because jeannie doesn't know what prices used to be she buys based on her own ideals. Does she like it? Can she make nice cabs? Due to this, I have decided to value the end goods first to feel for a fair price of the slab. So far it seems to me, if the stuff is nice the slab should cost about one fifth of the total of all cab value. One fourth for really super nice goods. I know longer care what a slab costs as long as it can be profitable. Food for thought. What say you? Theoretical cab prices are one thing. I need a customer with cash. I only sell cabs sometimes. Mostly I or my wife sets the cab in sterling or beads. Past experience tells me what the markets I sell in are willing to spend. I've been trying to have a few killer pieces at higher prices to see if the person who has to have the most expensive item in the booth will open their wallet. Lynn
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Post by Pat on Jan 25, 2018 11:46:55 GMT -5
Thanks, everybody! This is a beautiful thread. I keep coming back!
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Post by rockjunquie on Jan 25, 2018 11:47:57 GMT -5
OMG!!! This is amazing!!!!
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Post by rockjunquie on Jan 25, 2018 11:49:35 GMT -5
socalagatehound I think you bought everything I would have had I seen it first! Great picks! You got some super nice cabbing potential!
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Tommy
Administrator
Member since January 2013
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Post by Tommy on Jan 25, 2018 12:06:04 GMT -5
... I know longer care what a slab costs as long as it can be profitable. Food for thought. What say you? In other words, you've got to spend money to make money... This is probably TMI and pulling the curtain back a bit too far but ... my general rule when I'm standing in front of a slab considering purchasing is "I make $40-$50 cabs" or I don't bother, plain and simple. Inside my head $40 means $36(+) and $50 means $55(-). It's just a range I shoot for and whether it's a small slabbette or a giant slab, if I think it won't meet at least one cab in this range I put it down. From there, I start taking a close look at the slab by getting it completely dry (so cracks are visible) then take a very quick inventory of potential cabs, using my thumb as a measuring stick. I high-grade them by design and the high quality ONES are wowzers! cabs that may sell in the high range, FOURS are just those extra pieces of the slab you know you should cab but will probably never get to, or will give away before you do. From this assessment that really only takes only a few seconds, I quickly calculate my costs vs. revenue potential. If costs are 25% or less of the revenue potential I will consider the purchase. In other words I won't hesitate on a $10 slab that contains contains at least (1) ONES grade potential cab that will sell in the 40-50 range. Additional ONES and TWOS from the same slab I calculate into the equation. THREES are considered by not calculated - these are probably low side, $36 cabs. Additional cabs that are FOURS I do not bother with. These are bonus revenue if I cab them but probably will take a long time for me to get to them if I don't give them away first. There are also times when it's the "collective" purchase of a certain type of slabs that I will combine calculations on. Obviously I don't get a calculator out but roughly figure it in my head. In other words I'm not afraid to toss a lesser quality slab into the purchase group if it contains one beautiful ONE potential. Using just the four Bed 79 egg slices I bought as an example - these slabs cost around $15 on average and will produce (7) cabs in the ONES and TWOS class and (2) THREES. Potential revenue $350 on a purchase of $60 - I would do this deal in my sleep. Conversely, two of the Black Rock Desert slabs I bought were in the $45 each range (a steal compared to internet prices) so it's a little more careful calculation required. The vendor that had the BRD material had literally hundreds of gorgeous slabs of it and I literally got flustered and close to panic because the choices were just too many in the limited amount of budget and time I had left. I have not planned these out yet but I think I will do OK on those too - not as good of margins but I won't lose money either.
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Post by rockjunquie on Jan 25, 2018 12:23:30 GMT -5
Thanks, Tommy. Was nice to be in your head for a second there. LOL! I think along the sames lines. Of course, I have to buy at inflated prices and hope for the best. I know what you mean about those cabs that just don't make it. They might be fine, but if they don't have the cha ching factor, they are almost a waste of time. One day, I'll have to go through that stack of leftover slabs and figure out what to do with them. There is a seller on etsy who opened a second shop for the discards. Perfectly fine cabs, but nothing to write home about. I still don't know if it is worth the time and effort to do that, though. The prices are crazy low. I don't like to turn on Gene unless I know I'm making money. Or, a special treat for me.
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zarguy
fully equipped rock polisher
Cedar City, Utah - rockhound heaven!
Member since December 2005
Posts: 1,791
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Post by zarguy on Jan 25, 2018 12:25:34 GMT -5
Tommy - Very insightful post. Thanks for a peek inside your mind. Lynn
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Post by Deleted on Jan 25, 2018 12:38:07 GMT -5
Amazing! Thanks Sir!
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