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Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Apr 8, 2014 17:20:19 GMT -5
I made a large detour on my way home from Bluffton, SC to the Diamond Hill Mine near Abbeville, SC. Here is their web site: dhmine.com/I spent four hours there and have to say that the disclaimer that the pictures are not typical finds is accurate. I didn't find any individual crystals (although the site advertises amethyst, smoky, skeletal, etc.), but a guy near me found half a dozen smoky crystals about 1/2" in diameter. I did find some rocks with milky, mostly clear, or lemon crystals on them up to 1/4" diameter; no amethyst, smoky, or skeletal. As far as I can tell, the only way to work a seam (as shown in the videos) is if you're there on a day when they've brought out the back hoe to dig. The "mine" seems to be just piles of dirt that have been repeatedly dug through and turned. Aside from the few smoky crystals there were no interesting finds when I was there. Some people found some amethyst clusters, but the crystals were 1/16" to 1/8". I'd have to say it wasn't worth the detour or the $20 collecting fee, but then I guess I'm not a big crystal guy, anyway. I'm much more excited by agate. Maybe others have had better experiences there and mine was the exception. I hope that's the case! Chuck
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Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Apr 8, 2014 17:00:06 GMT -5
I feel for you, Darryl! We got blasted by another 6" or so last Friday. Fortunately I missed it because I was on vacation in South Carolina. I came home and nearly all of the snow had finally melted. Good riddance! It has been an awful winter. I hope things melt for you soon!
Chuck
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Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Mar 28, 2014 12:43:29 GMT -5
Yes, you can find sagenite in Lake Superior rocks and they don't have to be transparent. Not all sagenite has the wheat look. It often looks like just like your rock, like needles lined up along the edge of the rock.
Chuck
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Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Mar 27, 2014 14:01:13 GMT -5
In your unusual rocks photo, the one at 12 o'clock looks like it might be a sagenitic agate. The one at 9 o'clock almost looks like an eye agate, but not quite. Both are cool.
Chuck
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Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Mar 27, 2014 12:51:16 GMT -5
I'm interested, but don't do facebook. I've got an 18" saw and 2 10" saws.
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Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Mar 24, 2014 17:00:44 GMT -5
I wanna party with Beef! I wish we had estate sales even 1/4 that good around here.
Chuck
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Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Mar 19, 2014 14:13:35 GMT -5
What Darryl said: Lake Superior, Brazil, or Montana agate is a lot easier to learn with because it's very hard.
Chuck
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Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Mar 19, 2014 12:36:34 GMT -5
That's a Montana?!? I've got a few slabs with tubes, but nothing like that. Like others, I've never seen a Montana like that before, but it sure is great!
Chuck
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Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Mar 19, 2014 12:34:31 GMT -5
Hi TK,
I also have a UV18. It takes a lot of rock! Most UV users here have the UV10.
Q1. Dry ounces. You can get by with less than the amount from the manufacturer's instructions. I tend to measure in tablespoons or teaspoons.
Q2. I wash my rocks and put them in wet, add grit, then turn it on. I add little bits of water as needed to get the action going.
Q3. I'm still using the original hardware after a few years. I think you'll eventually need to replace the threaded shaft.
Q4. I try to limit it to 3 goose egg size rocks. Any more will slow the action too much. You might be able to get away with a 2 inch rock, but it may just sit in the bottom of the bowl. I guess you'd have to try it and see.
Q5. I just snug them down. You can run it without the lid, but the lid helps keep things from drying out. Obviously you don't want the bowl bouncing up and down on the shaft.
Hope that helps, Chuck
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Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Mar 17, 2014 17:07:31 GMT -5
Chuck, thanks for finding the item on Kingsley! I thought they had to have them.
No, not the big circular ones Washington. These are smaller machines, but yes they are used for removing the finish from hardwood floors. Sort of like electric hand sanders on steroids.
Chuck
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Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Mar 17, 2014 13:28:55 GMT -5
Lucky you!
I've been to Japan several times, but that was before I became a rockhound.
Have fun! Chuck
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Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Mar 17, 2014 13:23:49 GMT -5
I've found that with pitted material the pits never go away; more grinding just reveals new pits. BUT, if you're not loading your vibe with enough material that could be causing the pits. That happened to me when I started with my vibe. The rocks act like tiny hammers and beat on each other if you don't have good circulating action.
If you try to polish softer rocks with harder rocks, the harder rocks will polish but the softer rocks will not (they'll just grind away).
Chuck
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Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Mar 17, 2014 13:09:32 GMT -5
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Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Mar 13, 2014 17:24:01 GMT -5
That will be fine. Pea gravel is just a designation as to size. It will likely be whatever is relatively cheap to obtain and local to ship. There's no telling what will be in it, but since quartz is really common, that's likely what is in it.
Chuck
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Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Mar 13, 2014 13:02:46 GMT -5
I'd like to order a bolder please! Very nice!
Chuck
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Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Mar 13, 2014 12:59:01 GMT -5
Start with the basics: 1. Use lots of small stuff (3/8" or smaller). 2. Fill barrel to roughly 3/4 full. 3. Add grit. 4. Add water to up to bottom of top layer of rocks. 5. Wash, reload, add grit and filler every 7-10 days. 6. Be patient.
Chuck
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Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Mar 13, 2014 12:51:55 GMT -5
Kelly,
That looks like it might be a whole nodule Lake Superior Agate of the "paint" variety, or one of the "other" forms of Laker. If you found it around here, that's likely, and the pits would only be on the outside. It will be easy enough to find out.
I would cut it along major the fracture line, otherwise that fracture will detract from any other cut. Lakers tend to be have a lot of fractures, so others may appear.
Don't cut this one with a tile saw. You'll waste too much and end up with too many saw marks to grind out.
Chuck
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Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Mar 13, 2014 12:45:36 GMT -5
It's cool stuff regardless of the material.
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Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Mar 11, 2014 12:32:40 GMT -5
That really is unusual for a Montana agate. It should make some great cabs!
Chuck
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Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Mar 11, 2014 12:26:25 GMT -5
I bet the guy who made it was bummed out when he figured out that he lost it. Lucky find!
Chuck
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