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Post by gemkoi on Sept 13, 2006 22:50:41 GMT -5
 This is a fine example, one of the best i ve have seen of AZ tiger eye. This cabochon was not cut by me. IT was cut by a Globe, AZ native who goes by the name of Mitchell Dale. His website is cabsbymitch.com I just had to buy it when i saw it as AZ tiger eye is extremely rare stuff. I still have some lower grade rough, were i can pull the fibers of crysotile out of the rough. This is very bad becaue Chrysotile is a form of Asbestos. yum.  make sure when ever cutting to wear a heavy breather mask. The whole yellowish area reacts like MarraMambe tiger eye. And is highly chatoyant. enjoy~ |
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stefan
Cave Dweller 
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
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Post by stefan on Sept 14, 2006 10:08:02 GMT -5
Awesome- My sister is always yelling at me when I work any kind of tigereye- Even Wet (or so she says) the fibers can become airborne- I have one more small cab of Tigereye that I'm working on- then the rest will probably fed to the tumbler-
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Post by gemkoi on Sept 14, 2006 12:38:12 GMT -5
I have a pdf a professor sent me in which he explains the process of formation of Tiger eye. AS there is no solid theory on what actually causes the fibers. IN his work it sums up that Tigereye is not a sudo of asbestoses and actually forms as silica fibers.
The biggest misnomer in the whole rock cutting world is how any rock can damage your health if you cut it. I personally say only copper sulfides and Shell can react fast in the lungs and cause problems. But still most wont truly effect your health unless you been cutting it for 40 years. I know a couple old timer Turquoise cutters here locally that have a pickled liver. They don't drink, but they been cutting turquoise for 40years and not wearing at least a dust mask.
Theres the same idea around Tiffany stone. Because of its Beryllium content. Though its only 2% at most in any rough. It still wont give you a health problem unless you use poor ventilation, not enough water, and been cutting it over 40 years.
The same applies to any radioactive stone. cinnabar in quartz i would worry about. Though cinnabar is an oxide, its still mercury. So it would scare me either way.
Anyone want to read that PDF email me and i will send it on over.
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desertdweller
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since August 2006
Posts: 1,803
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Post by desertdweller on Sept 14, 2006 14:32:22 GMT -5
I disagree, I think working on any type of rock, If your using a dry grinder or saw will contribute to if not create several health problems. It may take years for problems to develop but any health problems can easily be avoided by wearing protection, laytex gloves, dust mask, etc. Why even chance it?
We have made several trips to a mine here in Arizona to fill orders we have been getting for Cinnabar, mettacinnabar and other materials of that nature. I have no problem working with it, most of the time I do wear laytex gloves but as far as having to worry about mercury poisoning, the material doesn't have a chance to get hot enough for the mercury to vaporize when its being worked on a wet wheel. Now the saw is a different story, I have had a few pieces that I examined after cutting and found small vugs where the mercury had vaporized and was trapped in the rock, leaving small beads of the liquid form of mercury.
My advice to anyone that works with lapidary materials would be to always research a material if your not familiar with it. There are so many rocks that contain lead sulfides, arsenides and other chemicals that become poisonous when they are exposed to any kind of heat.
No reason to take a chance with your health.
Shain, Have you heard of Dreamy Draw Pass? It's off of Northern and 16th st? Somewhere in the surrounding area they had huge ovens that were being used to extract mercury from the cinnabar that was being mined. Supposedly if you were driving along that road when the ovens were being used, it would leave you in a dream-like state. The ovens were out in the open air so fumes were escaping, anyone in that area would be experiencing the adverse effects. That is how the road got it's name. Least that is the information I have read about it.
Sunnyslope is one of the strangest areas I have ever seen. That whole suburb was built on hills that are made up of mostly cinnabar. I have seen some strange behavior while driving through Sunnyslope. Some guy was arguing with a telephone pole, he even kicked it, I watched a man and a lady go into a phonebooth (before thay removed all of them) and they started beating each other up, dozens of other people were watching them too like it was no big deal. I think because of all the cinnabar, eventually some of the mercury would have to be poisoning the water there or maybe escaping into the air on the hot summer days because it really is a strange area.
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Post by gemkoi on Sept 14, 2006 16:59:57 GMT -5
You make a good point Jamie, Dry cutting to me should never be done. For this reason. besides the problems you have when working the material, blistering, healed fractures popping and vapor effects from such materials as Cinnabar in quartz.
Im sure you've experince the smell Copper Oxides give off when cutting. No matter how much water is used. Those are particals none the less and it doesnt matter how tolerant one may be to it. NOt everyone will have the same effect. So its best regaudless to use precaution when cutting any rock. Though more people will be indanger more often from using Silicon wheels which can fly apart at high speeds, or dislodge parts of the wheel which can strike the face. If one is cutting any rock without water or coolant there is gonna be problems.
I have cronic bronchitis since i was 14. And It gets inflammed anytime i work copper oxides. even with a mask and lots of water.
But if you look it up, people who die of silicouise(sp?) are not rock cutters, and silica is the largest group in the Element table lapidaries cut. I dont think there ever been a recorded case of such. But it doesnt mean you shouldnt use water when cutting any rock. If you use a dry grinder i personally say your wasting time and your health. And for folks who dont live in a dusty area like here in the Sonaran Desert, one can have similar problems just for the high particulates in the air.
I never heard that story, but never wondered why. Wouldnt surpise me. Theres a few miners out here that say one of the lost dutchman/peralta mines is now a track home deveopment.
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Post by cpdad on Sept 14, 2006 17:46:52 GMT -5
very nice cab(super nice)...and the rest of the reading is super interesting also.
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
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Post by stefan on Sept 15, 2006 11:39:56 GMT -5
Well I never (repeat NEVER) cut dry- I have read that a lot of the dust borne problems occure in concrete (oops Cement) cutters that cut the material DRY!!! I guess I worry more about Radon Gas (My shop is in my basement) than any health problems from my rocks!
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Post by sandsman1 on Sept 15, 2006 19:33:51 GMT -5
lookin good shain very cool cab great bold colors
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wades
starting to spend too much on rocks
Gottfried Reiche (1667-1734)
Member since February 2006
Posts: 202
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Post by wades on Sept 15, 2006 20:38:52 GMT -5
{snip}Shain, Have you heard of Dreamy Draw Pass? It's off of Northern and 16th st? Somewhere in the surrounding area they had huge ovens that were being used to extract mercury from the cinnabar that was being mined. Supposedly if you were driving along that road when the ovens were being used, it would leave you in a dream-like state. The ovens were out in the open air so fumes were escaping, anyone in that area would be experiencing the adverse effects. That is how the road got it's name. Least that is the information I have read about it. {snip} This was so interesting I had to look further. I found this document which says in part: It is a cool-looking cab too. |
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Post by rhodescabbin on Sept 17, 2006 13:50:32 GMT -5
Hi Shain,
Man that cab is eye candy!!! Do you remember the slabs O sold a couple years ago that first I called California Tigereye, then American Pietersite, then even AZ Tigereye??? The changing names were due to peolple sending me articles, old ones, of the various Tigeryeye type rocks in America...Now that rock I had bought in rock sale by Bend OR for 50 cents a Lb. One of my sons found it and asked me about it. The rock looked like junky Petrified wood and I almost tossed it but he pointed out the fiber that was like strands that didn't feel like rock. I asked the seller and he said it might be Asbestos. (scary thought) I bought it and cut it and that first cut, I will never ever forget the beauty it gave up as I washed it.
I saved the slabs for quite awhile so I could study up and make sure I wasn't gonna be selling anything dangerous...Man I just looked and had hoped I had saved a picture, dog-goneit!!! It had the same silky, chatoyant look as your cab but the colors were lighter and I can't explain. The slabs were about 6"X5".average.
I have kept my eye open for more of that stuff and this cab here is the closet thing I have found to that, very missed rock. It went on the auction block, slab by slab...
I was hoping you might recall it and be able to put a name to it...
Thanks-Dale
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Post by rhodescabbin on Sept 17, 2006 13:55:46 GMT -5
Oops forgot something. I use a Richardsons Ranch High Speed Sander for most slab and rock face polishing. Its all dry sanding. I used the dust mask for awhile but found its just not enough on the first stage grit as its moving alot of rock. So I got an army surplus gas mask. Itsa pain but well worth it..
Also the Late Great Shirt Quants used to tell me that Mitchell Country, here where I live used to be dependant on its cinnebar mines, which eventually closed...Its Highway 26, halfway between John Day and Prineville if anyone has checked any deposits out. I haven't as I always get sidetracked with Jaspers and Agates when I get time to hound...
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Post by gemkoi on Sept 17, 2006 20:33:05 GMT -5
I do recall Dale, Was one i didnt say anything about back then becasue i myself have seen very, very little in person. And the Guy i got this cab from states how rare the stuff is, and hes from Globe. I know were it comes from, NorthEast of Globe off highway 70 in an old ghost town called Chrysotile. And guess what they were mining. Yup, Asbestos. The stuff is so soft too, not something i would recemend for most jewelry settings.
I have a similar dry sander, the guy i bought it from made it, but copyied the design from Richardsons. Talk about flying dust. I rarly use it anymore for that reason. And becasue the blistering on the rock face i was getting from the heat.
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pbpd81
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since August 2006
Posts: 102
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Post by pbpd81 on Sept 20, 2006 23:52:57 GMT -5
That is an awsome cab. Beautiful stone.
KimJ
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