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Post by paulshiroma on Aug 6, 2021 9:57:24 GMT -5
Welcome aboard! I've never heard of these either so I'm going to go look it up as well.
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Post by paulshiroma on Aug 6, 2021 9:55:55 GMT -5
Hope you're out and about rock hounding for your day!
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Post by paulshiroma on Aug 5, 2021 15:52:43 GMT -5
perkins17, I'm using a 16 inch MK 303 that I purchased from Amazon to replace an old no-name 14 inch blade. It does require oil but I figured my case needed an overhaul anyway (it was sitting for a few years) so I took it apart, resealed, reset, etc. and built a new hood which cut back on the misting and leaking. Now it's "less" messy than before, LOL! All that said, I do like the MK303 but the other posts may get you a much easier/workable solution. Hope you find a good setup! Paul
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fyi
Aug 5, 2021 15:44:05 GMT -5
Post by paulshiroma on Aug 5, 2021 15:44:05 GMT -5
great looking material!
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Post by paulshiroma on Aug 4, 2021 12:25:18 GMT -5
Yeah, I got the same messages as Tommy ... even if I can't bid/buy, I'll ALWAYS go looking at rocks!
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Post by paulshiroma on Aug 4, 2021 12:23:04 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum! Looking forward to seeing pics of what you find and/or tumble!
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Post by paulshiroma on Aug 4, 2021 12:22:21 GMT -5
Always impressive work! Love it.
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Post by paulshiroma on Jul 28, 2021 15:00:29 GMT -5
Hey Buddy, I use two Covington 16 inch vib laps. Messy and somewhat frustrating at times, LOL! but the results can be great. Paul Awesome paulshiroma. I'd really like to get one for my t'eggs. I hear keeping them wet/damp is a pain but also heard someone rigged an IV to drip on the pan... which I think is hella cover. JR8675309, Actually, if you get the slurry consistency correct before dropping the rocks in, it's considerably easier to manage. Sounds really elementary but it is important. I usually let the grit and water get to a nice slurry before putting anything in. Use a spray bottle to help with that so you don't pour too much in. Once the rocks are in and moving, you can periodically spray them to make sure they're smoothly moving around the pan. For the final polishing stage, I've purchased a bulk roll of low pile outdoor carpeting, cut out circles to fit the pan and replace them pretty regularly. It's the only stage where the pad is required as it helps hold the aluminum oxide or cerium oxide and give the materials a non-metallic surface to around slide on. not sure if I'm describing that quite right but you get the point. I keep separate pads for the aluminum and cerium oxides. The latter, I've only needed for high mohs-rated rocks, like the garnet. Otherwise the AO suffices. Total time depends a great deal on the Mohs hardness and the weight of the rock. Using agates as the midpoint (say 10 days total, start to finish), I find things like the garnet slab took closer to 20. Flowstone and softer items (mohs <6) took considerably less, only around five to six days total. The weight makes a difference too. Large, heavy agate blocks and large chunks of petrified wood moved faster simply because the additional weight helped smooth out the material faster. Hope that helps. These vib laps have been a favorite addition to the tools, particularly since I have zero talent when it comes to making cabs (haha).
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Post by paulshiroma on Jul 26, 2021 17:05:46 GMT -5
Wow! Those rocks look great! Thanks! It's been fun getting back into the hobby after a hiatus.
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Post by paulshiroma on Jul 26, 2021 17:05:16 GMT -5
Those are stunning! What type of vibe lap do you have? Hey Buddy, I use two Covington 16 inch vib laps. Messy and somewhat frustrating at times, LOL! but the results can be great. Paul
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Post by paulshiroma on Jul 22, 2021 14:07:21 GMT -5
Found a couple of relatively old threads that I'll show Andrew and see what he thinks on where to go. Thanks!
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Post by paulshiroma on Jul 22, 2021 13:18:44 GMT -5
drocknut , thanks for the intel! Do you recall what the road conditions were like? e.g. Jeeps only type stuff or passable with trucks and Subaru's? Thanks!
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Post by paulshiroma on Jul 22, 2021 9:57:28 GMT -5
Hey Folks I need some quick input from those of you who've visited the following California locations:
1. Afton Canyon 2. Clear Creek Area
Andrew (my older son) wanted to go rockhounding one more time before he starts college next month. We've got a weekend reserved and I was originally thinking of Afton Canyon but then started reconsidering and looking at the Clear Creek area. I've been trying to get to both locations for years but never had the time. I hear great things about both locations and would like to make this trip extra special for Andrew before he moves out.
Your input / feedback on which location to choose, would be helpful!
Thanks for your input. Paul
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Post by paulshiroma on Jun 25, 2021 10:18:03 GMT -5
What a great way to rockhound ... along the road! Love it! And great photos. The area is beautiful. Thank you so much! The rocks were just starting to get really good when my bucket got really heavy and I had to turn around; so I'll definitely have to go back! That is a problem, isn't it??? Too much to carry and so much still to find! LOL
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Post by paulshiroma on Jun 24, 2021 10:57:23 GMT -5
What a great way to rockhound ... along the road! Love it! And great photos. The area is beautiful.
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Post by paulshiroma on Jun 24, 2021 10:55:51 GMT -5
This is really slick, Rob, nice job. Thanks for taking the time to post and "take us along"!
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Newbie
Jun 24, 2021 10:50:18 GMT -5
Post by paulshiroma on Jun 24, 2021 10:50:18 GMT -5
Great to meet you! My wife is an educator as well and, while not into the hobby, does find it interesting. Looking forward to seeing your work!
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Post by paulshiroma on Jun 11, 2021 14:22:52 GMT -5
What an awesome start, bbeardb! I love it! Great to meet you. I was at San Juan Gems a couple of years ago on a family vacation. Awesome shop! What did he charge for the trimmings? That material is often really great stuff to tumble.
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Post by paulshiroma on Jun 11, 2021 12:06:20 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum, Stacie. Great to meet you!
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Post by paulshiroma on Jun 8, 2021 16:09:33 GMT -5
Love the variety. Nice job!
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