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Post by HankRocks on Jan 22, 2024 21:03:34 GMT -5
With the rain all day today I got out some of last 4 months worth of polished pieces; 1) "Mickey and Minnie after running with the wrong crowd"! Not sure where this Thunderegg is from but it may make my cabinet. The crystal filled "ear" is amethyst. I suppose I could turn them the other way. IMG_6010 by Findrocks, on Flickr 2) Brazilian Agate with nice color and a crystal pocket. (The light reflection is very clear, but reflection is blurred in pic) These really take a polish on the Vibe Lap. IMG_6011 by Findrocks, on Flickr 3) Round Mt AZ Chalcedony, This one is two levels, just did not capture in the picture. IMG_6012 by Findrocks, on Flickr 4A) Palm Wood odd shaped nodule. This one is almost 2 1/2 pounds, very agatized. Fortunately the fractures are healed. I left some of the white depressions as i did not want to keep going smaller, and add character. IMG_6013 by Findrocks, on Flickr 4B)Same piece, bottom showing the depth of the agate IMG_6014 by Findrocks, on Flickr 5A) Quartz mini-towers cover agate. Found on east side of Lajitas Mesa up one of the steep, rough washes. Would loved to have found more of this or the source. IMG_6015 by Findrocks, on Flickr 5B) Bottom of same piece showing the agate. The journey down the steep wash was pretty hard on the piece, and on me and my brother for that matter. IMG_6016 by Findrocks, on Flickr 6) One of the West Texas Geodes, the crystals in this one really shine. IMG_6017 by Findrocks, on Flickr 7) Another West Texas Geode. IMG_6018 by Findrocks, on Flickr 8A) East Texas Palm.. This caught my eye as soon as I saw it with the curved surface going from long reeds to end view of the "eyeball" reeds. I cut a flat base so it would stand up. The polish on it is a mirror finish. Left the rough look on both sides to add character. IMG_6020 by Findrocks, on Flickr 8B) Another view of the side with the rougher palm structure showing. IMG_6021 by Findrocks, on Flickr 9) And another of my favorite "Red Plume" biscuits from Walker Ranch. IMG_6023 by Findrocks, on Flickr I have more special ones to pull out, as soon as I get the hood back on the just cleaned 24 inch saw and get everything back in order in the garage. Henry
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Post by jasoninsd on Jan 22, 2024 21:49:04 GMT -5
All of these look awesome Henry. However, there's just something about all the Walker Ranch material I've seen that just seems insanely amazing...and that last one is no exception to that!
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Post by HankRocks on Jan 22, 2024 21:59:41 GMT -5
All of these look awesome Henry. However, there's just something about all the Walker Ranch material I've seen that just seems insanely amazing...and that last one is no exception to that! Fortunately I have more of the Walker Ranch material to cut, including several larger (3+ lb) pieces. They are in the queue!! Walker and Woodward Ranches have the same material as they have a short run of a common fence between them. I remember one of the older guys on the dig with us found a biscuit that must have weighed 40 to 50 pounds. Always wondered if he ever cut it. It had great color and pattern showing on the two or three pieces that were nicked off. Henry
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Jan 22, 2024 23:14:11 GMT -5
Beautiful, Henry! All the drusy makes me smile. 1) "Mickey and Minnie after running with the wrong crowd"! Not sure where this Thunderegg is from but it may make my cabinet. The crystal filled "ear" is amethyst. I suppose I could turn them the other way. Shame on you!
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ThomasT
spending too much on rocks
Trying to keep the dust down.
Member since June 2022
Posts: 259
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Post by ThomasT on Jan 22, 2024 23:19:59 GMT -5
The druzy looks great.
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Post by Starguy on Jan 23, 2024 0:45:43 GMT -5
What a show Henry. That last plume agate is really some eye-candy.
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Post by HankRocks on Jan 23, 2024 7:14:36 GMT -5
Number 8, the Palm Wood, took an interesting journey from rough to polish; Step 1 - 2 - 8 or 9 day runs in a Model B with 35/70 SiC Step 2 - 6 days in 220 SiC in a 3lb Lortone 33B tumbler Step 3 - 6 days in 600 SiC in a 3lb Lortone 33B tumbler Step 4 - 3 to 4 days in 500 AlO Mini-Sonic 10lb hopper ( I never completely clean this barrel out, it's a permanent load of small scraps and already run 500 AlO. I take the larger pieces out with a large plastic serving spoon. For a new set I add about 1/2 Tbls of fresh grit) Step 5 - 3 to 4 days in Tin Oxide in a Mini-Sonic 4 lb hopper ( I save the Tin Oxide polish and re-use it) Step 6 - about 6 hours in Ivory Soap and Borax in the Mini-Sonic 4 lb hopper (after polish is the only soap run in the entire process) That's 3 different machine and 4 different barrels. I am running most of my coarse runs in the Model B with 35/70 SiC with a mixture of sizes including larger pieces. After sorting the ready to move on rocks are separated with the larger rocks starting the process above. The other smaller finished rocks go thru about 7 days each of 80 Sic, 220 SiC, 600 SiC, and 500AlO in the Model B. After that they go to polish in the UV-18 Vib with Tin Oxide. If the rock is very large like the #4 Palm Wood, they make all their steps in a split barrel Model B as they are too large to fit in 3lb barrel or the Mini-Sonic hoppers, or the UV-18. I have about 20 or so larger pieces of Tiger Eye that I have been setting aside after the 500 AlO run. I am going to polishtry them all together in the UV-18 along with about 6 or 7 pound mixture of pre-run ceramics and polished pea gravel. Hope to start it in about 3 days Big slabs are a different process, Ark Quartz, and Apache Tears are a different process. I do keep a note book with dates and which barrel and which grit. I figure that going over on days is not a big deal in tumbling. (confused yet? ) All this keeps it interesting, and keeps the few brain cells I still have functioning.
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Post by HankRocks on Jan 23, 2024 7:20:50 GMT -5
It just dawned on me that Disney has lost the rights to Mickey Mouse so I can use the name if I choose too!!!
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Post by velodromed on Jan 23, 2024 7:47:41 GMT -5
These are all absolutely beautiful! Thank you for posting. I had no idea we had geodes in Texas, so that is cool to know. I’ve heard about that Walker ranch, someday we must make a trip out there. And that palmwood…Amazing! I’ve found some nice pieces of it, but nothing like that.
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dshanpnw
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since December 2020
Posts: 896
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Post by dshanpnw on Jan 23, 2024 7:52:26 GMT -5
Super nice specimens from Texas, Henry. The palm wood is my favorite. The west Texas geodes are superb finds. Thanks for sharing these great finds.
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Post by HankRocks on Jan 23, 2024 8:01:47 GMT -5
These are all absolutely beautiful! Thank you for posting. I had no idea we had geodes in Texas, so that is cool to know. I’ve heard about that Walker ranch, someday we must make a trip out there. And that palmwood…Amazing! I’ve found some nice pieces of it, but nothing like that. There are geodes scattered on a good many of the ranches in the Big Bend are(not the Park!!) They are all private but Teri Smith along with another gentleman lead fee collecting trips to various Ranches out of Alpine Texas. When I get her Spring schedule I will post a link. Sadly, the Walker Ranch along with Woodward are closed to collecting. Same with the Singleton Ranch south of Marfa with it Bouquet Agate is also closed. Palm wood is difficult to find. It's scattered through east Texas and into Louisiana mostly on private land. Have also found a few pieces around Lake Somerville and on some private property near Bedias.
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Post by velodromed on Jan 23, 2024 8:08:06 GMT -5
These are all absolutely beautiful! Thank you for posting. I had no idea we had geodes in Texas, so that is cool to know. I’ve heard about that Walker ranch, someday we must make a trip out there. And that palmwood…Amazing! I’ve found some nice pieces of it, but nothing like that. There are geodes scattered on a good many of the ranches in the Big Bend are(not the Park!!) They are all private but Teri Smith along with another gentleman lead fee collecting trips to various Ranches out of Alpine Texas. When I get her Spring schedule I will post a link. Sadly, the Walker Ranch along with Woodward are closed to collecting. Same with the Singleton Ranch south of Marfa with it Bouquet Agate is also closed. Palm wood is difficult to find. It's scattered through east Texas and into Louisiana mostly on private land. Have also found a few pieces around Lake Somerville and on some private property near Bedias. Thank you, sir! I’ve heard quite a few of the ranches are closed. Bummer. Much appreciated!
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pebblesky
fully equipped rock polisher
Purchased another UV mini bowl for tumbling
Member since September 2022
Posts: 1,442
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Post by pebblesky on Jan 23, 2024 11:51:22 GMT -5
They are all beautiful and unique. The red moss polishes really well without much undercut. Was it polished on a flat lap?
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Post by HankRocks on Jan 24, 2024 4:52:37 GMT -5
They are all beautiful and unique. The red moss polishes really well without much undercut. Was it polished on a flat lap? It was polished on my 20 inch Vib Lap, it had one round flat lead weight caulked to it. As soon as I can get some help with getting the hood back on the freshly cleaned and new oil poured 24 inch saw, there are a good many large rocks in the Boneyard(s) to be cut into both regular slabs, and thicker slabs and end cuts that hopefully will be polished. The thicker slabs, 1/2 Inch plus, work much better in the Vib Lap as the caulk connecting the weights is not affected as much by splashing water in the Vib Lap. Even thinking about fixing up and running a 2nd 20 inch Vib Lap that could be reserved for larger pieces. Just not sure I am willing to take the physical leap of the extra work and time required. It may be that I stockpile cut pieces to be polished during the warmer months. Large Vib Laps are a good bit of work bringing the pan and the rocks outside and then hosing everything off between stages and colder wet weather is not the best for that activity. So little time, so many rocks!!! Henry
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