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Post by fantastic5 on Oct 9, 2017 16:49:40 GMT -5
fantastic5, that cave picture is awesome. Do you know why the ceiling is so round? Most of the large room have roundish ceilings. I used to think it was swirling water, but it must be how the limestone breaks.
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Post by fantastic5 on Oct 9, 2017 15:19:36 GMT -5
For just cutting in half and not slabbing. Have you ever considered a wire saw? I saw a video once. I think they are used in marble quarry. Basically just a loop of diamond wire that is running on a pulley system. Just need a slow water drip. I know they use diamond rope in granite mines to divide large blocks of granite to manageable sizes. They assemble the pulleys and thread the rope thru. They may use diamond rope to gang saw granite countertop material. Looks that way in this ad Long time ago I remember someone telling me that they built one with regular wire and they just put the grit on the stone every so often. But I don't know how you get a round of wire without a bulky join.
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Post by fantastic5 on Oct 9, 2017 13:06:41 GMT -5
ETA Ann you make that yellow suit look hott! Rock it girl! LOL - not my first time asked to wear a yellow suit! Years ago I was acting as a sherpa for a photographer who wanted to be the first person to light and photograph the Rotunda Room in Camps Gulf Cave (largest underground room east of the Mississippi). We made it to the second room with all his gear. This was before LED lights. So we were carrying in car batteries (yes multiples), tripods, huge lights, lap tops. Hundreds of pounds of gear. We got him all set up, then I noticed him looking at me a little strange. I asked what was up and he said I would look better in the yellow suit than the guy who was supposed to do it. So I ended up being the model. Ended up with a framed photo for my troubles (the light poles were edited out in the final print). What was really strange is the lights he was using just flashed. So I couldn't see the room until the picture came. That room is 12 acres across. It would take me about 20 minutes just to get to the top of the break down pile. It is much further away and much taller than it appears in the photo. I could barely see the headlights of the rest of the crew. When your standing on top of the breakdown, our headlights wouldn't reach the walls. Very disorienting. Its called breakdown, because all that material used to be on the roof. When we visited the 3rd room on this trip there was a house sized block that had fallen since our last visit.
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Post by fantastic5 on Oct 9, 2017 12:48:04 GMT -5
Beautiful tumbles and great pictures. A win win of eye candy for all of us!
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Post by fantastic5 on Oct 9, 2017 11:45:16 GMT -5
Rock glasses!!! Love that idea!!!! I can see myself sipping whiskey out of a RTH rock glass, with homemade rock chillers Yeah, wish I drank liquor. Most I do is vodka shots or beer. I'm a sipper. Super light weight. Shots would put me out cold and never liked the taste of beer.
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Post by fantastic5 on Oct 9, 2017 11:42:50 GMT -5
fantastic5 , got a video of your husband cutting that giant agate ? Bet he had fun. I came very close to building a 36 inch saw. Just for sawing the coral pseudomorphs. I'd almost prefer to rent a small storage unit near the river and saw them down there due to the high percentage of duds. like a tiny 10' X 10'. Can't be too costly. Or renting space in a farmer's shed close by. If I run across a 36 inch saw that needs a rebuild for cheap... For just cutting in half and not slabbing. Have you ever considered a wire saw? I saw a video once. I think they are used in marble quarry. Basically just a loop of diamond wire that is running on a pulley system. Just need a slow water drip.
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Post by fantastic5 on Oct 9, 2017 11:33:16 GMT -5
Do you want it on a 27 oz Beermug, Wineglass or maybe on a here we go DRUM ROLL PLEASE....................ROCK GLASS? What's yer Poison? rockjunquie Before anyone asks these are NOT 4 SALE! I do not compete with this forum Thanks ~Duke Rock glasses!!! Love that idea!!!! I can see myself sipping whiskey out of a RTH rock glass, with homemade rock chillers
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Post by fantastic5 on Oct 9, 2017 10:33:59 GMT -5
That's awful! Did anyone have a camera installed in the area? I sure hope so!
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Post by fantastic5 on Oct 9, 2017 10:32:53 GMT -5
fantastic5 , got a video of your husband cutting that giant agate ? Bet he had fun. I came very close to building a 36 inch saw. Just for sawing the coral pseudomorphs. I'd almost prefer to rent a small storage unit near the river and saw them down there due to the high percentage of duds. like a tiny 10' X 10'. Can't be too costly. If I run across a 36 inch saw that needs a rebuild for cheap... Someone was shooting the video. I never saw it. But here are some still that I pulled from the club website. Having me in the yellow suit was for fun, not needed and quite hot. The disappointing innerds
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Post by fantastic5 on Oct 9, 2017 9:46:41 GMT -5
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Post by fantastic5 on Oct 9, 2017 9:39:53 GMT -5
Many rockhound use gas powered brick saws to break down boulders like that. A few cuts around a perimeter and the center uncut part breaks easily. Would it be difficult to face polish using that type of saw Scott ? One thing for sure, it could be sawn in the river and take advantage of water cooling. When sawing log jambs in the river with a chain saw it shoots a rooster tail out the back. Truly wet work. The big piece of agate that my husband cut was roughly 2'x 1'. He cut it lengthwise. The first cut was pretty smooth from start to finish. But when he flipped it over things got wonky. The agate was laying on the ground, so he was bent over trying to keep everything as aligned as possible. But of course the agate wasn't a brick, so it didn't lay parallel to the first side when flipped. But if someone had the time and skills to create a table/gig. You should be able create a surface that could be polished.
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Post by fantastic5 on Oct 9, 2017 9:31:33 GMT -5
Many rockhound use gas powered brick saws to break down boulders like that. A few cuts around a perimeter and the center uncut part breaks easily. My husband used one of these beasts at a club outing 4 or 5 years ago. We sliced a huge piece of Tennessee Paint Rock Agate. I had been dying to cut it, if it had good color it had the potential of being worth a lot of money. Unfortunately the only color was on the rind. The interior is a blend of clear and white. But that saw really rocked. I've watched for a used one ever since, but they are EXPENSIVE!! Better to have a friend with one. Also have to be really strong to handle one. The agate put up a fight, but my husband is my Hulk Smash, so he didn't have trouble.
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Post by fantastic5 on Oct 9, 2017 9:24:35 GMT -5
Many rockhounds that are not in the south east are unfamiliar with Graves Mountain. It is a remarkable place. A huge old open pit kyanite mine that is open to the public twice a year. This past weekend was one of the open houses. In the parking lot people will put up tents and sell minerals. There is no camping at the site, so everyone leaves their material in the evening and the gates get locked. I didn't go this time, but saw this post on my clubs board. Thought I would post here. We have a much larger following here, with lots of people who shop on line. Once I have access to the complete list of specimens stolen, I will post it here. From American Rockhounds: BOLO! Graves Mountain was broken into last night after the show was over for the day, many of the vendors lost some valuable specimens. All rockhounds should be on the lookout for anyone trying to sell any high end rutile specimens especially. I will try to get a complete list of stolen items and post it. Jr. and crew put on the best dig in the southeast twice a year and it takes a real lowlife POS to do something like this. Lets catch these thieves fast!
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Post by fantastic5 on Oct 9, 2017 9:13:42 GMT -5
The Flint is a pretty float. I've only done it once years ago with some caving friends. We had a great time.
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Post by fantastic5 on Oct 8, 2017 14:10:05 GMT -5
That's an amazing looking vise for the money. Thanks for sharing!
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Post by fantastic5 on Oct 8, 2017 12:50:08 GMT -5
Tell ya what jamesp. I'll let you back my truck down that ramp. Good golly, that looks intimidating. Did buy a second prop when I got my kit. Figure I'll ruin a few before I figure out how to be a coral pirate captain. That definately looks like a place to visit again! Need the whole coral pirate company to come along and it will be great fun! Could do cool weather, but not cold. Looks like with the right water level you can collect in just a few feet of water. Getting new tires on the new truck this week. Then get the boat ready. Will have you show me Elk River this winter for sure!!! That should be some good experience before I try the coral trip. I second what captbob said. Where the pictures of the booty? Coral booty. Gotta be careful what I ask to see
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Post by fantastic5 on Oct 8, 2017 12:36:18 GMT -5
So did you go almost to the Florida line the first day, then all the way back upstream???
You did 'take one for the team' with that trip.
Do you still think an overnighter through trip is worthwhile? Or did this show otherwise?
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Post by fantastic5 on Oct 8, 2017 12:22:44 GMT -5
Cleaning up in the yard yesterday I came across this spider. My first thought was...cool...another Black Widow. I like finding them, but feel bad when I exterminate them. When I looked closer I realized that it didn't really look like a 'normal' Widow. So I grabbed a jar and caught her. Have any of you seen this kinds?? MrMike rockpickerforever Sorry for the bad pics. But I'm not going to open the jar again. Bottom has the hour glass like you would expect, but the red continues around the abdomen and up onto the top side. Kind of reminds me of the Australian Redback Spider. But I can't see where they are in the US, and I don't think they have the hour glass. This is like a mutant cross between the two.
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Post by fantastic5 on Oct 6, 2017 14:27:26 GMT -5
Beautiful cab! Reminds me of:
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Post by fantastic5 on Oct 6, 2017 14:23:44 GMT -5
So many options!!! Definitely want to do the Ohio Flint meet n greet, but Paul may be home by then. I'm open to suggestions. Looks like you are looking at getting my dream pop-up!!! Maybe someday I'll have one too! Stupid kids...spending all my money on college...I want more toys....stupid kids Haha I hear ya!! I’m going to the Ohio Flint too!! Maybe when we go on trips “alike/same time” y’all can stay in my camper an in exchange I can ride in your boat Coral hunting 😂 I’m kinda small you can pile the Coral on me. See how I slipped that in there jamesp Can you take off that much time or do I just need to come get you for an extended weekend? We could always tunnel through Chunky (butt) Gal or start digging in Buck Creek an end up in China LOL I sell 80 hours of vacation every year and still have 3-4 weeks to take. I can take time off, but its difficult. No one does my work when I'm off, so I come back to a pile. Painful! Would love for you to come on a coral trip with us. Its a blast. I'm not a fan of wet collecting once it cools off. Jim has said that he does winter collect. We'll need to learn from him. As far as my 'short' list of trips. Sometime this next spring I want to go to the Peace River, I still need to find my meg tooth. I want to go to Arkansas for quartz crystals. I want to take more classes at William Holland. I would love to go back to Colorado. The miner we met last summer told us we could come back and dig on his claims for splits anytime. He was great! I want to float the Cheyenne River in S Dakota to find Fairburns in the river gravel. I want to spend more time in Utah. I want to take a metal detector to Canada and find silver/nickle ore like greig does. I want to get back to Michigan and do some collecting. I have way more places that I want to go, far more than time and money. So lets plan some trips!!!
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