icatz
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 453
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Post by icatz on Mar 20, 2023 9:32:20 GMT -5
The Lace Agate is very likely a Mexican Lace, possibly Rosario Lace. 5:20 very likely to be birdseye rhyolite 6:20 Horn Coral 10:27 Travertine Onyx 12:25 more mexican lace 25:00 leopardskin Yes! Travertine onxy! I already have some but totally blanked on the word. Need to check out the rhyolite. Thank you.
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icatz
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 453
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Post by icatz on Mar 20, 2023 9:31:06 GMT -5
26 minutes video to see rocks that would take a few still photos to see? Not me thanks. I made the video for some friends on youtube, and thought I might get better answers here.
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icatz
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 453
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Post by icatz on Mar 19, 2023 21:00:27 GMT -5
What fun finds!! I love looking through collections. Wonder if they traveled to find those? Here's my suggestions based on what little I know. Looks like they loved agate and bots! 3:38 pet wood/limb cast? 8:43 piece of desert rose?? 10:27 landscape onyx (forget the name but I have huge rocks of it around our koi pond). 13:30 Mexican agate? 20:08 piece of fire agate? 22: common opal? I was hoping for dino but limb cast sounds right. I'm pretty sure there's fire in that agate, but I figured you'd all know that. I'll have to watch again and match up the rest of your suggestions. Thank you!
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icatz
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 453
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Post by icatz on Mar 19, 2023 15:17:32 GMT -5
The couple at the garage sale started asking questions when they saw me looking at the cases of rocks and I was helping them identify things. It turns out this collection belonged to their grandmother who passed away and they were kind of stuck as to what to do. I took what I wanted and then gave them information on local rockhound clubs who I'm sure would love to get their hands on a lot of the great things that she collected.
I've attached a video from YouTube that I just made showing what I got and I would like help if possible on some of these that are just too strange for me to know what they are. All comments welcome, here or on YouTube.
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icatz
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 453
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Post by icatz on Jan 9, 2019 6:46:48 GMT -5
Yes I really like the hidden bail idea, but here's something that I did a while ago. I cut a nice pear shaped pietersite cab that looked better oriented like your stone. It's a touch smaller than your malachite, but not much. I framed it in square wire and added an accent stone. Maybe you could do something similar? Really nice malachite! I'll look forward to seeing what you do with it! Wow, that's killer! I might try that modified a little.
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icatz
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 453
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Post by icatz on Jan 7, 2019 19:34:46 GMT -5
... I'm hitting a wall trying to figure out what kind of setting to make. I don't want just plain, but because of it's size I can't add too much to the sterling part. And it's got the dreaded corner, ugh, I hate those. Any ideas how this would best be set? Also, it has to be set the way I'm holding it, that's how it looks the best. Thanks!
I see that the very top of the cab has some of the "scalloping" pattern sometimes seen in malachite. One thing you could do to add some interest would be to extend the backplate slightly above the pendant and saw it into a scalloped edge, tapering down toward near the start of the sides.
As for the corner. this is what I would do. After cutting the bezel strip, mark the center of the length. Then cut a very gradual, symmetric "V" cut from the top of the bezel. The low point will be at the point of the bezel. Go as low as you think you need. That way it should go down easy with little force at the point with no extra metal showing any evidence of pinching or poor fit. As an alternative to cutting down the bezel strip, it could be carefully filed down after soldering.
It will look great and still protect the point. Thank you, the last time I tried to work a point I broke the stone! I will try your way instead of crying a lot.
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icatz
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 453
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Post by icatz on Jan 7, 2019 19:32:08 GMT -5
I like doing hidden bails, especially on larger pendants. Here's what I usually do — Awesome idea! But I don't have a drill or a burr I drill four holes and insert the twin bail wires so that they protrude slightly inside the setting. place four pieces of solder against the protruding ends and heat the setting from below. Then take a bur and remove the ends. The holes are drilled at or close to the wire's gauge. If a hole is a slightly too big, just push the inevitable swarf from the drilling into the hole. Multiple operations but it's easy to do.
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icatz
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 453
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Post by icatz on Jan 7, 2019 19:30:43 GMT -5
How about a hidden bail? I love this design! but I don't want a hidden bail, the span at the top need something to take your eye away from it. We're getting there! Thank you.
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icatz
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 453
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Post by icatz on Jan 7, 2019 19:29:33 GMT -5
Such a beautiful find. Consider making a simple setting, but with the pointed end at the top? No wire wrapping, but only silver smithing, to highlight the rock. Do not want to distract from the beauty of it. It doesn't look right the other way up. The way I'm holding it looks much better. And no way I'm wire wrapping it. Thanks for the suggestions, tho.
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icatz
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 453
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Post by icatz on Jan 7, 2019 8:06:15 GMT -5
Hi guys. I picked up this amazing plume malachite cab at the gem & mineral show the other day. It's cut well, but was an expensive stone and I'm hitting a wall trying to figure out what kind of setting to make. I don't want just plain, but because of it's size I can't add too much to the sterling part. And it's got the dreaded corner, ugh, I hate those. Any ideas how this would best be set? Also, it has to be set the way I'm holding it, that's how it looks the best. Thanks!
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icatz
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 453
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Post by icatz on Jan 2, 2019 7:01:06 GMT -5
That is freaking wonderful!
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icatz
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 453
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Post by icatz on Dec 25, 2018 7:29:37 GMT -5
OMG. I love Malachite and have never seen a plume one like this. I would wait until after Christmas and call. Nothing to lose. Based on how receptive he was by sharing you some things, I doubt he would think you were a stalker. Would love to see the malachite stalagmite. Here you go. I'm not crazy with the headpin wrap, probably will redo it.
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icatz
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 453
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Post by icatz on Dec 25, 2018 7:26:31 GMT -5
Oooo that's pretty! So I am assuming it was a living estate sale and maybe they made thier money and cancelled sale Did you leave your number? Yeah I wondered about that, but husband and wife were both running the sale and it was their house for a long time and not for sale. I didn't leave a number, I'll call them later in the week.
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icatz
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 453
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Post by icatz on Dec 24, 2018 7:14:29 GMT -5
Went to an estate sale a few days ago and immediately noticed huge boulders of amazing stuff, like mooakite, pet wood, chrysocolla, jaspers, geodes, azurite, lapis, etc. Huge pieces. There was a shed, and I heard what sounded like a tumbler going. I asked the guy if he was a lapidary and he said yes. He took me into his shed and I nearly fainted. Some of the highest quality, rare stuff ever. The was a massive cone of charoite that must have been worth thousands, the perfect color and wave pattern. The fire agates he'd carved nearly made me weep, so much fire in so many colors. Never seen anything like it. Then I saw this and fell in love. I asked if I could buy it and he said yes. It's bigger than my hand stretched out. So here's the plume malachite slab, highly polished on both sides. I drove immediately to my jewelry supply guy and bought a case for it for display. He also gave me a polishedf malachite stalagmite from a huge boulder-ish specimen that had loads of them growing on it. He cuts them off and polishes them. Made a sterling necklace out of it. I went back yesterday to buy more stuff, but they'd cancelled the sale. I took note of their address and looked up their phone number, but I'm a little afraid to call. I don't want to look like a stalker, but he's got the best cabs I've ever seen.
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icatz
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 453
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Post by icatz on Dec 20, 2018 7:08:49 GMT -5
Just ordered syringe of medium solder. $5.77 plus shipping. Maybe the prices have come down. I admit I haven't checked in years. Even back then, the copper paste cost was prohibitive.
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icatz
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 453
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Post by icatz on Dec 19, 2018 8:24:30 GMT -5
Thanks for the replies. It looks like the pros don't use the paste, so I may need to be the guinea pig on this one. Paste solder. The price doesn't warrant its use, IMO. I'd have to increase the price of every sterling piece. I just clip my easy, medium or hard solder wire and it's just fine.
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icatz
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 453
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Post by icatz on Dec 17, 2018 8:37:52 GMT -5
I think these look great. A lighter stone might get lost in all that sterling. I can't even figure out how you did them! Awesome.
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icatz
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 453
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Post by icatz on Dec 17, 2018 8:34:03 GMT -5
Nice! How hard is it to work with bronze? Where do you get it?
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icatz
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 453
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Post by icatz on Dec 1, 2018 8:01:52 GMT -5
Montana agate really beats the band.
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icatz
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 453
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Post by icatz on Dec 1, 2018 8:00:40 GMT -5
I don't like anything pink (except rhodo), but that is extraordinary, especially your wrap.
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