rivarat
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 140
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Post by rivarat on Jan 6, 2020 1:23:07 GMT -5
Fire has been always been a part of out landscape, but we still have a couple of months of hot and dry conditions here if the drought breaks. Though our property hasn't been directly affected we are covered with a thick blanket of smoke, and my sister in law and niece who was evacuated is currently staying with us. Growing up on the family farm I have always been part of the local fire brigade and have been out on some of these fires. We have sadly lost some firefighters and members of the public. Communities will be feeling the pain for a long time Ensay, Victoria Township of Corryong I have deliberately not shown photos of burnt homes or livestock, there's enough of that on the news
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rivarat
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 140
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Post by rivarat on Dec 25, 2019 0:21:04 GMT -5
Merry Christmas form down under
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rivarat
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 140
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Post by rivarat on Oct 3, 2019 1:36:18 GMT -5
I must admit this theme is a joint effort. As there was only 2 entries for the month, I reached out to lpl to come up with a combined theme. From my point of view, picking between just 2 is so cut and dry. I believe, anyone that enters has gained something, so why not share the reward. John's ( lpl) idea was Fall colors and mine was the shape or was it what not shapes??? I did have a couple of agates picked out for last month, but changing work patterns, now night shift has left me uninspired. I vote Nov to be the month of the agate (as there will be a gap) or Rockoonz pick another theme. I hope there would be a few killer cabs - everyone would have had a month to find a slab, month to think of a design and a month to create their work of art. I'm not really worried either way (happy to be a part of it), if picking which rock to cut next is your biggest worry, I figure your doing pretty well.
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rivarat
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 140
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Post by rivarat on Aug 24, 2019 19:27:22 GMT -5
I quite like doing small cab but hate taking photos of them. Here's a small opal from yesterday. Largest dimension is 4.9mm. I'll try to take some better photo's later. Here's a better pic and not to forget the rough, the one in the centre
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rivarat
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 140
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Post by rivarat on May 21, 2019 6:09:49 GMT -5
fernwood - just my two cents but I don't think you can trust the results of a poll like this - the problem is you don't know how many active members will vote that do not support the current cab contest. For example if we have approximately 100 active members and we get 5 to 10 entries on average it could be said that 90% of our active members do not participate in the current cab contest either. This is not a negative on anyone - we have a widely variable hobby and a lot of members who have no interest in cabbing. My point it's almost a foregone conclusion that this poll is going to get a lot of "no" votes. I could be wrong A better approach - again just my two cents - would be just start the contest with a forethought about how many folks you'd like to see jump in (again, the other contest seems to average between 5 and 10 with an uptick in participation recently) and see what kind of participation you get and base the popularity and viability off of that. If after a month or several it's not taking off then it is what it is. Our recent foray into a winner-take-all technical contest got exactly two entries and was not brought back for a second round. Lots of talk going into it but at the end of the day folks stayed out of it for each their own valid reasons. I semi regularly support the current comp, so I'll throw my two cents in as well, so between Tommy and I you have 4 cents Selfish me would vote no, because that's not the way that suits me, if I vote no it would skew the results I would vote yes because I think it has its place, If I vote yes, I would be happy voting for my fav but not actively participating. Go with Tommy's approach, give it a go, you need the support of those that will enter.
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rivarat
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 140
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Post by rivarat on May 7, 2019 2:41:04 GMT -5
Ooops... Sorry I missed you rivarat ! Hope you had a spectacular day anyway in spite the the RTH snobbery going on I won't hold it against you. In some ways its another day wondering where my carefree youth went.
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rivarat
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 140
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Post by rivarat on May 7, 2019 2:36:50 GMT -5
Thanks All, It was a pretty good day. If only I could convince my better half that I should be looking for rocks. I spent the 2 days prior cabbing and faceting, I knew that I was pushing my luck.
Thanks Brad
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rivarat
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 140
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Post by rivarat on Apr 20, 2019 0:13:06 GMT -5
Easter Already, ythe last few weeks have flown by. Today has been the first cabs since the end of last month, I've been playing with faceting, boy does that take time. Mookaite, Western Australia I only noticed the crack during sanding, oh well, I'm not starting again, I've got plenty of stones that I should be faceting. I don't know why I didn't notice it earlier - its so noticeable on the rough!
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rivarat
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 140
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Post by rivarat on Apr 13, 2019 4:06:51 GMT -5
Never tried this, before. Should try this with some of my other slabs My first instinct is this one
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rivarat
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 140
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Post by rivarat on Apr 3, 2019 13:35:45 GMT -5
Amusing Tommy - The power of the admin vote - holds much responsibility it does. I thought you had it a few days ago, that's where my vote went. Thanks to all that entered and voted, I find its a great way to improve your skills glennz01 and everyone Lets go purple, pinks to purple to give people a bit more choice My wife's grandmother was always encouraging and supportive on what ever we wanted to try. She passed away before I was cutting stones, she loved jewellery and the colour purple.
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rivarat
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 140
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Post by rivarat on Mar 31, 2019 4:11:47 GMT -5
My new year resolution was to learn to facet. I'm not part of a club and don't know any other facetors, so I'm teaching myself. The net helps a lot. This one isn't my first attempt, but it's some personally collected nice light smokey quartz that I finished a few days ago. I thought that getting good photos of cabs tricky, but faceted stones takes that to a whole new level
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rivarat
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 140
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Post by rivarat on Mar 31, 2019 3:53:54 GMT -5
Here I go, left it to the last day. It's currently almost 8pm on the 31st (Australian time) So I no slab photo because I decided to finish one that I started long ago (don't know when, don't know why I didn't finish it then) Rainforest Jasper rough / perform / semi done finished
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rivarat
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 140
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Post by rivarat on Mar 28, 2019 20:16:38 GMT -5
Started have a sort out haven't made much progress as yet. Chrysoprase, jade, some agate creek agates, and a local agate and others
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rivarat
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 140
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Post by rivarat on Mar 20, 2019 23:50:16 GMT -5
This year I have committed myself to learn to facet. Over the years of collecting I have a large amount of quartz, though it looks good cut, the time you put in barely justifies cutting it. Sapphires at the moment are just frustrating me. Almost polished then the surface pits out. So I'm on the look out for some different material like peridot, aqua. beryl, sunstone, etc
So if anyone is interested in trading (not a lot of cash to spend at the moment) some of their stash for Australian cabbing material, let me know. I could trade some sapphires but the judging of faceting rough is a learned skill (I'm still learning) I'm not sure what I have to offer yet, I'll have to do some sorting out.
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rivarat
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 140
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Post by rivarat on Feb 25, 2019 5:58:23 GMT -5
Thanks All There were 2 slabs there of this, this one about 1/4 thick which I thought was good at $9australian (about $6US) the other which I left would have struggled to be 1/8 thick.
The only other things I got were a couple of small fire agates Mexican, a few small pieces of green/blue tourmaline African and some linde A polish. Not sure I made great choices with the fire agate, one can only try and this would be my first try with this.
On the way home picked up a jar of quartz crystals (I didn't really need more) cheaply at a thrift/antique store, mostly clear but I spotted a couple of nice citrine in there.
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rivarat
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 140
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Post by rivarat on Feb 24, 2019 4:07:23 GMT -5
I picked this up today at a rock sale/ swap meet. I had no intentions on buying any slabs, I was looking for faceting material. But something told me to grab this one. Labelled as orbicular jasper - San Jose Any common name for it? more information would be great.
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rivarat
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 140
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Post by rivarat on Feb 12, 2019 20:32:15 GMT -5
I decided to start earlier this month as the last few months I've run out of time. Some I picked the materials, and preformed, one was almost there except the polish. My initial rough picks After preforming, my picks to continue on with are I reserve the right to change my mind, to run out of time or just get lazy and not finish them, but I put this up to encourage me to get them done this time before the end of the month Updated 14/2 The agate seam on the Zebra agate opened up into a cavity right on the upper point. So the chrysoprase (believe from Queensland but could be Western Australian) it is. Not the best some areas wanted to take on an orange peel effect on polishing, but here it is I actually like it better in this orientation
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rivarat
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 140
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Post by rivarat on Jan 31, 2019 13:20:41 GMT -5
rivarat I should have simply said that I was planning to use a birthstone for some color in the piece I was making for this person and I feel like I hijacked your thread with my ring project and I'm sorry about that. I'll look forward to seeing what you put together! I don't feel you hijacked it, I wanted others to share their knowledge and ideas because I was a bit stuck with it.
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rivarat
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 140
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Post by rivarat on Jan 31, 2019 0:10:58 GMT -5
fernwood I had been thinking accented by a stone of her favourite colour, some reason birthstone never even entered my mind. Thanks all for the ideas and tips on resin based cabs, it's given me some ideas depending on the shape and size The centre being the main cab, lower being birthstone and the cross representing her origins solid back with a embellishment on the rear with maybe a birthstone?? Will update, if it comes to be.
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