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Post by lbowman1 on Feb 7, 2007 12:16:07 GMT -5
I' ve learned a valuble lesson: Never tell your teenaged son that tourmaline is pyzoelectric. I told him about that property a couple months ago and later I heard a loud crack and some profuse swearing that I wont repeat here. He said almost the same thing my nephew said when he found out why you don't hang on to the wires sticking out of a pyzo-igniter on a gas grill. I laughed at him and retrieved my uncrushed stone and thought that was that. It didn't stop there. He started pulling pranks on his unsuspecting friends by getting them to smash tourmaline. Then other kids wanted to try it too just to make sure it wasn't a joke. Then I hear from school about him creating a disturbance because of all the people watching the "bash the rock" game during lunch. You know some parents get called to school because of drugs or because their kid is huffing house hold chemicals. I get called because the kids are getting buzzed on tourmaline and my son is the pusher. I don't know whether to be relieved or embarrassed.  But on the upside...see Spacegold. Some rocks fight back! Lori |
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junerev
spending too much on rocks
Member since April 2006
Posts: 265
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Post by junerev on Feb 7, 2007 12:23:21 GMT -5
too funny
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Post by ladyt on Feb 7, 2007 12:37:02 GMT -5
LOL That is funny! Tonja  |
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Post by Tweetiepy on Feb 7, 2007 12:49:50 GMT -5
I'll have to be the idiot who asks "what's pyzoelectric?" What does it do?
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Post by lbowman1 on Feb 7, 2007 13:25:21 GMT -5
Some types of rock have pyzoelectric properties which basically means they release an electrical charge when a sufficient amount of pressure is applied. If you hit them hard enough that usually works.
A lot of gas grills use an igniter that consists of a little plunger that strikes a little piece of rock to light off the gas. I've seen a cigerette lighter that claimed to use "pyzo-ignition" too. I forget how much of a zap it gives you but it sure can make somebody yelp.
Lori
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stefan
Cave Dweller 
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
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Post by stefan on Feb 7, 2007 13:55:53 GMT -5
LMAO_ See kids do learn it from home!!! I coulda said something about "shocking" but I thought better of it
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Post by parfive on Feb 7, 2007 15:42:08 GMT -5
Dumb question - Who's payin' for all the tourmaline?
Rich
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Post by lbowman1 on Feb 7, 2007 16:03:28 GMT -5
I found all mine. Black shorl is pretty common around here even if it is tiny pieces.
Lori
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Post by Cher on Feb 7, 2007 20:09:07 GMT -5
So you're saying they give off a spark when you whack them? I've seen sparks when I've whacked rocks before, didn't think it was a big deal ... unless I'm not getting the idea of how big of a spark it makes or something. Any chance he was wearing safety glasses? I looked up pyzoelectric and found this ... "Quartz, a piezoelectric material" different spelling, is it the same thing?
2nd question after who's paying for the tourmaline is ... How did he get a hammer into school?
Hmmmmmmm ... Hammer? Whacking tourmaline? That ought to send someone into orbit.
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jjckitti
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since January 2007
Posts: 775
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Post by jjckitti on Feb 7, 2007 20:53:36 GMT -5
Yes you could be called for much worse things. hilarious
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spacegold
has rocks in the head
Member since September 2006
Posts: 732
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Post by spacegold on Feb 7, 2007 21:03:32 GMT -5
Thanks for sharing that one, Lori. It is a smiler alright.  |
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Post by lbowman1 on Feb 7, 2007 22:06:00 GMT -5
I don't know what they were whacking it with. The principle didn't say. He was trying to look really strict and all but he had that look on his face like "I can't believe this." Of course this is the school with the ingredients for thermite in a text book and they couldn't see anything wrong with it. At least the earth science teacher had the good sense to look up tourmaline in a book before I got there.
After I got home I looked it up in a new book I've got. It says it also works with heat and friction. I have noticed I have more static when I wear my tourmaline bracelet. I wonder if that has something to do with it? I thought it was just me walking on carpet. Wonder what happens when it's tumbled?
Lori
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Post by Cher on Feb 7, 2007 22:13:25 GMT -5
I thought tourmaline was kind of soft and had the idea it couldn't be tumbled. I'm not 100% sure on that though. Funny about your bracelet but I don't see why it couldn't be part of the problem with your static ... kind of adding to the existing problem of winter carpet static. Sometimes those little zaps can hurt like the dickens.
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Post by lbowman1 on Feb 7, 2007 22:25:22 GMT -5
I have had some tourmaline chip beads. They were freeform. I assumed they were tumbled.
I do know they shatter real good. ;D
Lori
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junerev
spending too much on rocks
Member since April 2006
Posts: 265
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Post by junerev on Feb 8, 2007 6:03:40 GMT -5
I have a whole bag of black tourmaline that you couldn't tumble.....it's almost like Mica it's so bad.
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
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Post by stefan on Feb 8, 2007 11:17:42 GMT -5
Tourmaline is Mohs 7 to 7.5- shares both pizio and some other property (has to due with electrical charges and pressure) It has a "positve" and a "negatice" end- and will generally collect more dust (static charge) than other Minerals (so will QUartz) It is not the best to tumble as the lower grade stuff is EXTREMELY fractured and brittle- and the High grade stuff is just too expensive- Here is a sample of Watermelon tourmaline  This is about an inch and a half by 3/4 of an inch- and retailed for $42 about 10 years ago- |
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Post by lbowman1 on Feb 8, 2007 12:50:25 GMT -5
Yep, watermelon is expensive stuff. If he had smashed some of that to dust we'd be fighting like two dogs right now.
Lori
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181lizard
Cave Dweller
Still lurking :)
Member since December 2005
Posts: 2,171
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Post by 181lizard on Feb 8, 2007 14:51:39 GMT -5
What ever it is tourmaline does...they're using it in blowdryers now. Yeah! Go figure!
About 4 years ago, Aveda started using it in some of their beauty care lines. Supposedly gave that GLOW to a face sorely lacking. (whatever...)
Now, ya can't hardly find a blowdryer that doesn't say "tourmaline technology". Something to do with Ions.
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Post by lbowman1 on Feb 8, 2007 15:49:19 GMT -5
Now I'm confused. What is that supposed to do? I know some make up has little silica spheres in it to make it shiny. I don't think I'd like little crystals. Sounds abrasive. There's a reason you don't use baby powder on your face--it hurts! I would think tourmaline would be more likely to cause pain than talc.
The hair dryers I have no clue.
Lori
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