jm
having dreams about rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 56 
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Post by jm on Oct 3, 2023 1:45:41 GMT -5
I finished another batch of spheres last spring and then got busy with summer activities and completely forgot to post any pictures of them. I started off with about 100 preforms, but some of them had problems during grinding so I only ended up with about 90 finished spheres. The pile has been shrinking because I've been giving some away to family, so I thought I better get some pictures on here before even more of them go away. Here's what's left.  These are all obsidian from Glass Buttes, OR. Pardon the photography, I didn't realize until after I got them on here that most of my garage (including the fridge) shows up in the reflections on some of them.  These are various granites, conglomerations, and some... umm... other rocks, from Montana, Wyoming, Oregon, and Washington.  Some petrified wood. The big ones are from Washington, the small one is from Arizona.  Here are some agates from Washington, Montana, and Utah.  I don't know what these are, but I like them.  And last but not least, some Richardson Ranch thundereggs.  Hope you enjoy! |
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khara
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2022
Posts: 1,979
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Post by khara on Oct 3, 2023 2:16:06 GMT -5
Really like the petrified wood, obsidian, and especially the thundereggs.👍
How small of spheres have you done? Anything along the lines of beads?
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Post by liveoak on Oct 3, 2023 6:11:56 GMT -5
Those are really cool ! I really like the middle mystery one & +2 on the thundereggs. 
Patty
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Post by vegasjames on Oct 3, 2023 6:53:28 GMT -5
Spheretacular!!!
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rockbrain
Cave Dweller 
Member since January 2022
Posts: 3,167
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Post by rockbrain on Oct 3, 2023 9:09:49 GMT -5
Great looking spheres! That looks like a serious amount of work. I can't imaging how many hours you spent on these.
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Post by chris1956 on Oct 3, 2023 11:54:20 GMT -5
All look great! Really like the thundereggs and the middle one above those.
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Post by rockjunquie on Oct 3, 2023 12:27:44 GMT -5
Nice work! Too nice to pic a fav, but I do like that black wood and t-eggs. Great variety!
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dillonf
fully equipped rock polisher
Hounding and tumbling
Member since February 2022
Posts: 1,622
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Post by dillonf on Oct 3, 2023 18:44:21 GMT -5
Very nice spheres!
The t-eggs came out amazing. I would have never thought they would come out so cool.
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Post by drocknut on Oct 3, 2023 20:23:29 GMT -5
Those are all wonderful. I have never seen Thunderegg spheres, those are fantastic.
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Mark K
Cave Dweller
Member since April 2012
Posts: 2,818
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Post by Mark K on Oct 3, 2023 21:04:05 GMT -5
I have been making preforms lately. ASMOF I have some Strawberry Hill basalt cutting right now that will be a sphere when it grows up.
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jm
having dreams about rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 56
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Post by jm on Oct 4, 2023 1:46:41 GMT -5
Really like the petrified wood, obsidian, and especially the thundereggs.👍 How small of spheres have you done? Anything along the lines of beads? The smallest spheres I've made on my sphere machine are those thunderegg ones in the pictures above. They're about 1.5 inches across. I made some grinding cups to make even smaller ones, but I haven't actually done that yet. That being said, a while back I build a marble mill and made a bunch of beads. The smallest I made were these quartz ones that are about 0.45 inches across.  The mill would probably be able to handle beads from about 1" down to about 1/4". I can't see it working well for anything smaller than that. The thread that shows my marble mill is here.
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jm
having dreams about rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 56
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Post by jm on Oct 4, 2023 1:50:20 GMT -5
I have been making preforms lately. ASMOF I have some Strawberry Hill basalt cutting right now that will be a sphere when it grows up. Just curious, does Strawberry Hill basalt have any distinguishing characteristics that set it apart from regular black or grey basalt? |
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Mark K
Cave Dweller
Member since April 2012
Posts: 2,818
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Post by Mark K on Oct 4, 2023 5:23:59 GMT -5
yes, very colorful
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Post by jasoninsd on Oct 4, 2023 7:03:03 GMT -5
Man I love looking at spheres! You've really got some gorgeous ones!
I could be wrong, but that middle "unknown" looks like Pegratite...aka Spiderweb Jasper.
Just from the looks of it, that black one in the first pic of three could easily pass for Psilomelane!
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Mark K
Cave Dweller
Member since April 2012
Posts: 2,818
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Post by Mark K on Oct 4, 2023 13:11:46 GMT -5
I have been making preforms lately. ASMOF I have some Strawberry Hill basalt cutting right now that will be a sphere when it grows up. Just curious, does Strawberry Hill basalt have any distinguishing characteristics that set it apart from regular black or grey basalt?  IMG_2637 by mrk525, on Flickr |
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jm
having dreams about rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 56
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Post by jm on Oct 4, 2023 14:04:06 GMT -5
Just curious, does Strawberry Hill basalt have any distinguishing characteristics that set it apart from regular black or grey basalt? by mrk525, on Flickr Wow! I like the contrast in that. Does that come from the Strawberry Hill area on the Oregon coast? |
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Mark K
Cave Dweller
Member since April 2012
Posts: 2,818
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Post by Mark K on Oct 4, 2023 14:31:06 GMT -5
Montana
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