noto
off to a rocking start
Member since June 2006
Posts: 2
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Post by noto on Jun 23, 2006 20:54:20 GMT -5
Hi all,
I have always wanted a rock tumbler as a kid and finally bought one of the cheap little ones that comes with a few rocks... They are just about ready to come out of the polish I think and im excited. I have been reading everything I can find online about rockhounding. I have found very little info about where to find cool rocks in austin or lakway where I live.
Any help would be appreciated.
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Post by rockds on Jun 23, 2006 22:59:10 GMT -5
Hello noto and welcome. You like me are kinda located in not so great an area to find anything worth having. To get to the good stuff (good free stuff anyway) you are gonna have to travel a little bit. If you go East a little past I45, you run into nice areas of pet palm/wood, jaspers and agates. Going South just North of Corpus you can find pet wood and agates.
Of course there is always e-bay.
robert
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noto
off to a rocking start
Member since June 2006
Posts: 2
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Post by noto on Jun 24, 2006 11:28:42 GMT -5
Thats what I was afraid of  I guess there is always ebay but I kind thought it would be cool to find my own stuff. If there is anyone in the austin area that knows of some spots or would take me along on a few hour drive to some decent spots let me know. |
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blarneystone
spending too much on rocks
Rocks in my head
Member since March 2010
Posts: 307
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Post by blarneystone on Jun 26, 2006 8:46:51 GMT -5
Hi Noto and welcome to the board,
I live in the Houston area and have family in Bastrop. I've done some hounding in Bastrop but not in Austin. I would think that any river or creek bed in Texas will relinquish Pet Wood and Pet palm but little agate or jasper. You can also find quartzite and flint nodules in that area which polish up nicely in a tumbler. I've found some stuff that looks like it might be agatized but not the same quality as found further south and west.
Last weekend I went with my father in law (Joe) to the Brazos river about 30mi West of Houston. He knows a fella that has a ranch that the river runs through so we had access on private land. When the river is at normal levels, sand bars are exposed and it's easy to walk on them and search for stones. In 2 hours I picked up a five gallon bucket's worth of beautiful Pet wood.
If you can't get access to a river from private land then you can get to 'em via public right of ways....like where a public road crosses a river. Then you can walk up the river on the banks...most land owners do not mind this, according to my father in law, but don't wander away from the river on to private land.
One other great source for rock in your area is the Little Gallery & Rock Shop in Smithville , Tx. It's owned and run by Lorene Kohut, a prominent American artist and rock hound. It's located at 125 Kellar Rd. 78957 in Smithville and is well worth the drive from Austin. If you go be sure to ask if she has any Amethyst cathedrals in the back...she'll let you take a look if she does. She orders them direct from Brazil. The last time I was there she had a pair of 5 footers...beautiful! Here's the number: 512-237-3656
Hope that helps...Maybe someday we could meet in Bastrop for a rock hounding excursion. One of my mom's neighbors is a Lapidary and is a knapping expert (makes stone tools and points) his name is Mac Ellis. I haven't had a chance to meet Mac yet but he might be interested in putting together a hounding expedition.
Hope that helps Noto!
Dan
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terryb
off to a rocking start
Member since November 2005
Posts: 15
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Post by terryb on Jul 21, 2006 0:46:03 GMT -5
Hi Noto,
Go west to the Llano area. You can find a good assortment of stones underneath the Llano river bridge just north of downtown Llano. There is a park there and good rock hunting just below a small dam that is there. You can also go north of Llano a few miles and find Llanoite. The only place in the world where it exists. You can also go south to the Bastrop area. My daughter and I like to go to that area and rock hunt. I wish I could tell you exactly what rocks you can find there, but I am also new to rock hunting and I'm not very good at identification yet. I will try to send you some pictures of some rocks that I polished from both areas if I can find them. Good luck!
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blarneystone
spending too much on rocks
Rocks in my head
Member since March 2010
Posts: 307
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Post by blarneystone on Jul 24, 2006 13:57:17 GMT -5
Hey Terry - Can you give a specific location in Bastrop? I'm there almost every weekend and am looking for more rock hunting grounds....
Thanks,
Dan
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I guess there is always ebay but I kind thought it would be cool to find my own stuff.
