Sabre52
Cave Dweller 
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,496
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Post by Sabre52 on Nov 16, 2008 16:02:08 GMT -5
Howdy folks, Just dug these out of one of my boxes. These are the two largest tumbles I've ever done, both in the 1/2 pound+range. Usually don't do pieces this big in my QT 12 cause they crunch up the other rocks but I thought I'd give these a try and they came out pretty well. Cady's Plume from the Basin Road railroad frontage: The white foamy stuff on the left edge is styrofoam. This was removed from a display block for transport and I haven't cleaned it yet.  This one represents one of my most frustrating moments in the Cady's. Found just this single spall as float and it's probably the most colorful stuff I've ever found there. Turned the whole nearby desert upside down trying to find the vein in broke from. It was still sharp so should not have traveled far. I'm usually real good at tracking down sources so the only thing I can figure is some other rotten hound beat me to it because I couldn't find anything else. Drat!!!!  |
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Post by Bikerrandy on Nov 16, 2008 16:42:30 GMT -5
Cool  Those are some sweet looking rocks! |
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Post by Condor on Nov 16, 2008 17:02:21 GMT -5
Nice. I like tumbling big rocks, but you're right, they smash the other ones a lot. Even then, if my goal is to tumble large ones then I just use other smaller rocks that I don't care for just to give me a large polished rock.
Condor
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Post by sitnwrap on Nov 16, 2008 22:00:29 GMT -5
Those have real nice color. I can see why you tore the desert up looking for more.
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rockwolf
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since November 2008
Posts: 97
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Post by rockwolf on Nov 17, 2008 8:13:33 GMT -5
Stunning colours! Please 'scuse a newbie question, but exactly how big is big??
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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 Nov 17, 2008 9:11:43 GMT -5
wolf: The plume is about 3" and almost a cube. The other specimen is triangular and about 4" x 4" by 1" thick.....Mel
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rockwolf
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since November 2008
Posts: 97
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Post by rockwolf on Nov 17, 2008 11:58:43 GMT -5
Thanks Mel!
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rockwizz
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since May 2007
Posts: 971
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Post by rockwizz on Nov 17, 2008 17:27:03 GMT -5
Mel - that is cool stuff...it looks like some of the stuff we picked up over at Cisco Yellow cat. Where is this place where you got these?
Thanks.
Ozzy
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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 Nov 17, 2008 18:38:26 GMT -5
Oz: These came from the gravel bars at the outlet of Afton Gorge ( the Mojave River canyon). You get there by going south on Basin Road off Hwy 15 about 45 miles NE of Barstow, CA. Just go south till you hit the RR tracks and walk the gravel bars that run all along the canyon. To get to the tracks, you should go left on the worst of the two roads where basin road forks a few miles south of 15. The better gravel road just goes back to a mine and the eventually back to the canyon but that section may be private. Canyon is always best after a big flood. Otherwise all the CFMS fieldtrips and trips by the Zzyzx folks tend to pick it over real well....Mel
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Post by sparkles on Nov 19, 2008 16:01:37 GMT -5
Wow Mel! Those are BIG TUMBLES!!! I love the second example, what a stunning rock, that pattern! I can see why you scoured the surrounding area in search of more! Heck... I'd still be there now!  he he he! Did you tumble the batch with "sacrificial" filler rocks? Or as part of a more "complete batch"? I only ask as I've wondered if large, small or a mixture of filler tumbles would assist in the process - I wondered if lots of tiny pebbles would help support the rock and minimise the "smashing" effects... Great tumbles Sir (as always!) Thanks so much for sharing your treasures. Cheers, Sparkles. |
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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 Nov 19, 2008 16:07:41 GMT -5
Sparkles: Tumbled those with a mixed bag of smaller Cady's stuff which surprisingly, made it through pretty well with only a few thinner spalls being broken. All the agate from there is pretty tough and I do think the smaller hunks cushioned the load so things didn't knock together too much . And, in later stages, I used a huge bunch of plastic pellets
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MidNight~Rocksi3
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2008
Posts: 1,716
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Post by MidNight~Rocksi3 on Nov 19, 2008 16:27:50 GMT -5
oooo Roxy likes that idea! .. I think I give it a go around with some bigger ones.. never did try it
or even thought about it.. But da bottom one is muh faaavorite! .
Wicked pattern and colors!
*smiles*
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Post by sparkles on Nov 19, 2008 16:52:16 GMT -5
Thanks Mel,
I shall give it a whirl sometime, I thought smaller pebs might be the way to go - thanks for the pointers, most appreciated.
Cheers,
Sparkles.
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Those are some sweet looking rocks! 
he he he! 
