christibeach
off to a rocking start
Member since February 2023
Posts: 13
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Post by christibeach on Feb 17, 2023 15:23:21 GMT -5
My husband and I have been rock hounding for just over 2 years all throughout the PNW [Edit to clarify: Pacific Northwest; we're on the coast in Washington state], with some adventure trips to Missouri, Florida, and Colorado. Toward the beginning, my husband bought me a Loretone QT66, and I love it! While learning how to use it, we found "Michigan Rocks" on YouTube. His long, in-depth video on rotary tumbling was the most helpful resource I found online almost 2 years ago. I'm considering a vibe tumbler now, so I watched his video today on his new Lot-O. In that video he mentioned this group as his primary resource, so here I am. So, I'm here to learn as much as I can, and am currently interested in my best choices for single and/or double vibe tumblers. I will be spending a lot of time on the search bar for now. Thanks for rocking this fantastic resource! ---My profile photo was taken while digging for thundereggs at the Polka Dot Agate Mine in Oregon---
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rockbrain
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2022
Posts: 3,034
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Post by rockbrain on Feb 17, 2023 16:01:41 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum from Central California! After a quick Google search I'll assume you're in the Pacific Northwest. It was either that or Purdue University Northwest.
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Post by drocknut on Feb 17, 2023 16:16:08 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum from Arizona.
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khara
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2022
Posts: 1,979
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Post by khara on Feb 17, 2023 16:21:07 GMT -5
Welcome! Yes, Jugglerguy has brought many people here! 👍 How was your polka dot agate trip? Did you find some nice material? An Oregon Thunderegg dig trip is something I’ve wanted to do since I was a kid but I wasn’t ever successful in convincing my parents to take me back then. I plan to do a trip some day, though I’m not sure which location.
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Post by opalpyrexia on Feb 17, 2023 16:25:21 GMT -5
Welcome from Washington.
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Post by Pat on Feb 17, 2023 16:30:33 GMT -5
Welcome from California.
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Post by jasoninsd on Feb 17, 2023 17:05:29 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum from South Dakota!!
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christibeach
off to a rocking start
Member since February 2023
Posts: 13
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Post by christibeach on Feb 17, 2023 18:00:01 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum from Central California! After a quick Google search I'll assume you're in the Pacific Northwest. It was either that or Purdue University Northwest. Haha, yes- sorry. We are located in the Pacific Northwest. My husband and I live along the coast in Washington state. I added an edit to clarify, thank you! And thanks for the welcome!
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christibeach
off to a rocking start
Member since February 2023
Posts: 13
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Post by christibeach on Feb 17, 2023 18:34:30 GMT -5
Welcome! Yes, Jugglerguy has brought many people here! 👍 How was your polka dot agate trip? Did you find some nice material? An Oregon Thunderegg dig trip is something I’ve wanted to do since I was a kid but I wasn’t ever successful in convincing my parents to take me back then. I plan to do a trip some day, though I’m not sure which location. Thank you! That's no surprise to me, I see his videos get re-posted often in all of our Washington State/PNW Rockhounds Facebook groups. For those who want detail, and are willing to invest the time upfront to learn the tumbling process well, videos like his are fantastic! I absolutely loved the Polka Dot Agate mine! I've done a few thunderegg digs in Oregon, and they are by far my favorite. The owners are awesome, the prices are reasonable, and they fight to keep it a family safe atmosphere so kids can come and learn to dig as well. They also run events like night digs- nap through the heat of the day, and dig past midnight if you want. They even offer on-site camping for the night dig participants! They also have a lot of diversity in the colors/mineralities in the thundereggs, unlike some Oregon dig sites that seem to produce predictable colors and patterns. My favorite Polka Dot geode that I dug has a WIDE array of colors with some fascinating "stalagmites/stalagtites" connecting the micro-druzy covered botroydial pocket inside the geode. I'll post a photo below, although the photo doesn't do it justice! Richardson's Rock Ranch used to be the best place to go and dig in central Oregon, but they had to shut down their public digging. They had too many people stealing rocks in bags, loading up their trucks and driving off, etc. Between that, and the astronomical insurance rates they were having to pay to let people dig, they shut down the public dig sites. However, they still have a HUGE retail location at the ranch with rocks from around the world, including their own materials. It is well worth stopping by, and it's very close to Polka Dot Agate Mine! 10/10 would recommend an Oregon t-egg trip!
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Post by Starguy on Feb 17, 2023 19:24:02 GMT -5
Welcome from Idaho.
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lapidarycentral
starting to spend too much on rocks
(Brian Rhode) LapidaryCentral.com - Fueling your Lapidary Addiction.
Member since August 2021
Posts: 218
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Post by lapidarycentral on Feb 17, 2023 19:28:23 GMT -5
Welcome from Olympia, Washington!
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Post by vegasjames on Feb 17, 2023 20:45:16 GMT -5
Welcome from Southern Nevada.
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Feb 17, 2023 22:07:48 GMT -5
Hi and welcome from Northern Arizona!
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Tommy
Administrator
Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,881
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Post by Tommy on Feb 17, 2023 22:42:20 GMT -5
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Post by Jugglerguy on Feb 18, 2023 12:39:00 GMT -5
Welcome, Christi. I think you'll like it here.
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dirtsifter
Cave Dweller
Co to za kamyczek?
Member since September 2022
Posts: 402
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Post by dirtsifter on Feb 18, 2023 13:37:02 GMT -5
Hi and welcome from north central New York! This forum is full of accomplished artists in the lapidary arts who enjoy helping each other. Michigan Rocks is how I got here as well. Check out Currently Rockhounding YouTube channel as well. He is on the forum too. He's in your neck of the woods.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Feb 18, 2023 15:07:09 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum! Rumor has it Lucky Strike will be open some this summer for digging if you want to check that location out. They have some really good eggs.
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Post by Rockoonz on Feb 18, 2023 18:30:23 GMT -5
Welcome from AZ, formerly SWWA. We have made many trips to the Polkadot mine, amazing place for sure. During the week between Prineville and Madras shows there are a couple other T-egg sites near Lucky Strike that I may visit, it would be cool to be able to go to lucky strike too. Richardsons? Um, okay.
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Post by susand24224 on Feb 19, 2023 2:01:39 GMT -5
Welcome from central Washington!
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