rollingstone
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since July 2009
Posts: 236
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Post by rollingstone on Oct 18, 2008 3:32:33 GMT -5
Here's a crazy lace tumble from some rough I bought last spring in a rock shop in I think it was Globe, Arizona. I picked thru their pile for the best rough, but I wish now I'd picked up a lot more. Next time. If I can reflect for a moment -- I got my first tumbler as an Xmas gift when I was 14 (about 35 years ago). The kit included some "tumbling rough" to get me started, and some of that was Mexican crazy lace. That's what hooked me, those patterns were amazing! When I got back into rock tumbling many years later, I could just never find crazy lace rough to match the image in my brain of my first tumble. Maybe I was glorifying that first tumble, but when I saw the rough in the Globe rock shop, I knew I had found some rough that was much better than even the image in my brain of what I tumbled so many years ago. Things are turning cold in these parts, with heavy frosts most mornings now. I'm thinking that this year I'll take a holiday from taking pics in the low-light of winter, freezing my fingers off. So these are probably my last pics until next March or thereabouts. Well, here's some tumbled Mexican crazy lace pics....              Thanks for looking! -Don |
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adrian65
Cave Dweller 
Arch to golden memories and to great friends.
Member since February 2007
Posts: 10,790
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Post by adrian65 on Oct 18, 2008 6:10:25 GMT -5
Amazing, simply amazing! Both my wife and my daughter are in awe after looking at those beauties, not speaking about me! I'm glad you finally fulfilled your childhood dream  . I would be even more glad if I'd know you will still make some pics for us from time to time during the long Canadian winter which is about to come. Hundreds of happy people are more important than ten frozen fingers Adrian |
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Post by Bikerrandy on Oct 18, 2008 6:57:52 GMT -5
That's one of the coolest batches of crazy lace that I've seen, awesome!!  |
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Post by krazydiamond on Oct 18, 2008 7:07:28 GMT -5
that's the stuff that got me addicted as well. that is one fine batch of lace, Don!
KD
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rockerfellerz
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since August 2008
Posts: 120
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Post by rockerfellerz on Oct 18, 2008 7:56:04 GMT -5
Wow! I could look at those for hours, Absolutely top notch stuff!
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Post by Tweetiepy on Oct 18, 2008 8:25:15 GMT -5
Those are fabulous - one of my first was crazy lace too!
We're having below freezing nights here too - just take pictures inside (by a window if need be) don't deny us a little warmth during those looooooong winter months
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SteveHolmes
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2009
Posts: 1,900
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Post by SteveHolmes on Oct 18, 2008 8:31:35 GMT -5
Really Nice batch of Crazy Lace Don! I'll give you a break and say...if that's the last batch of tumbles we see out of you until Spring...than you sure picked one heckofa batch to go out on! That will at least keep me warm during the Winter months. I wouldn't mind seeing some throughout the Winter....but can you imagine the blossoms that will be coming out in the Spring!! Great batch as usual RS. Good-Luck with the coooooold weather.
Steve
Steve
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Roger
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since August 2005
Posts: 1,775
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Post by Roger on Oct 18, 2008 10:07:07 GMT -5
oh my.........Thats awsome!!
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firewalker45
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since August 2006
Posts: 929
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Post by firewalker45 on Oct 18, 2008 10:55:42 GMT -5
Grade A++++++++++ your tumbles are amazing! Daniel
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Post by frane on Oct 18, 2008 13:05:04 GMT -5
WOW! Not only do they have a nice shape, the patterns are fantastic! I love that crazy lace!
Fran
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Post by Michael John on Oct 18, 2008 13:30:51 GMT -5
Phenomenal batch! Have you thought of taking the smaller pieces from that batch and making your first gem tree with them? That would be another wonderful first!
Just a suggestion ... the next time you get some good crazylace, cut it into preforms before you tumble it, so that you'll be able to make pendants and other simple jewelry, and possibly try your hand at wire wrapping. They'd be very meaningful gifts for family and friends.
You could also cut it into "Mexican-ish" forms, such as sombreros, burros, cactii, etc before tumbling, to make a display scene.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,496
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Post by Sabre52 on Oct 18, 2008 15:35:26 GMT -5
Awesome batch Don! I can never get enough of crazy lace. As with you, it was one of the first materials I ever bought and worked and it still is always one of my favorites. Unending variety of colors and patterns. Love the rootbeer and white fortifications in your batch.....Mel
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Saskrock
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2007
Posts: 1,852
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Post by Saskrock on Oct 18, 2008 17:25:31 GMT -5
WoW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Post by sparkles on Oct 23, 2008 6:55:35 GMT -5
Humbled - Those are astonishing Don!
The patterns and colours are just what we would expect from A grade Mex Lace - you hit 'em for 6 with that tumble Sir - What a result!
I have to ask though - did you have the same frustrations as I did with some of those tumbles? The original rock seems to have a variety of planes and fissures particularly between the transparent layers and the really white ones, did your batch drop cracks and marks as these elements came in to play.
Cheers,
Sparkles.
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rollingstone
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since July 2009
Posts: 236
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Post by rollingstone on Oct 24, 2008 2:06:03 GMT -5
Thanks for the kind words everyone. Much appreciated!
Sparkles, I didn't really have a problem with the planes and fissures that you mention. On one otherwise nice stone a few of the orbs actually fell out of the stone somewhere late in the tumble, and there were some fully-healed fracture lines in a few other stones that I couldn't decide whether they added to or distracted from the stones, but otherwise things behaved pretty well. I did use a Dremel to remove some of the rougher areas after a week or two in coarse grind though. Plus when I picked through the rough rock in the rock shop I was super-choosy, selecting only the best 2 or 3 pieces in the entire bin (I had to limit my bag weight for the airline, so had to be brutally selective over how much I could carry home.)
-Don
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Post by stoner on Oct 24, 2008 2:57:34 GMT -5
And I bet the first batch you did all those years ago was perfect just like you turn them out now!!!!! Damn fine job Don. Hey, if you aren't going to post new batches, just post repeats for us, we won't mind one bit! We'll call it Don's winter reruns. Much better than watching reruns on TV!!!!!
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morticiamonroe
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since October 2008
Posts: 147
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Post by morticiamonroe on Oct 27, 2008 7:35:48 GMT -5
Holy cow, those are gorgeous!
I got some Mexican Lace from the rockshed. I'm excited to get started with it.
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. I would be even more glad if I'd know you will still make some pics for us from time to time during the long Canadian winter which is about to come. Hundreds of happy people are more important than ten frozen fingers 
