highplainsdrifter
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since December 2008
Posts: 1,266
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Post by highplainsdrifter on Feb 10, 2009 23:53:27 GMT -5
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88pathoffroad
spending too much on rocks
Oregon ROCKS!
Member since August 2008
Posts: 305
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Post by 88pathoffroad on Feb 11, 2009 0:59:53 GMT -5
Holy smokes, nice material! Ouch ouch ouch! Hot stuff!
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DeanW
has rocks in the head
Member since December 2007
Posts: 721
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Post by DeanW on Feb 11, 2009 10:53:01 GMT -5
:drool:
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muleshoejoe
off to a rocking start
Member since July 2008
Posts: 16
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Post by muleshoejoe on Feb 11, 2009 20:17:37 GMT -5
Boy HPD that is some killer stuff. I love the Blue Mtn PJ. It is my favorite of all the PJ's. Is it possible to still collect that stuff or is it all claimed? I would love to collect a few chunks of that. What grits are you using to polish the faces? Do you have saw marks you are grinding out? I have used silicon carbide belts and have not had much luck rough grinding and was wondering if diamond is the way to go. Are refurbished the way to go vs. new belts? And where do you get them? I see your stuff and it makes me want to get the expando unit back out. .
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SteveHolmes
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2009
Posts: 1,900
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Post by SteveHolmes on Feb 11, 2009 20:25:38 GMT -5
What some more awesome slabs HPD! The Blue Mountian is my Fav too! But those sagenite sprays really put an explosion in that Big Diggins Agate! Steve
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,462
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Post by Sabre52 on Feb 11, 2009 20:27:18 GMT -5
Man, I love that Big Diggins agate! Seems to be no end to the types and patterns from that one relatively small area. I gotta get down there for the show sometime soon! First time I've seen the red sagenite from there . All my finds had white or black....Mel
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Post by MrP on Feb 11, 2009 21:45:46 GMT -5
Sure are nice......MrP
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highplainsdrifter
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since December 2008
Posts: 1,266
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Post by highplainsdrifter on Feb 11, 2009 22:39:43 GMT -5
Boy HPD that is some killer stuff. I love the Blue Mtn PJ. It is my favorite of all the PJ's. Is it possible to still collect that stuff or is it all claimed? I would love to collect a few chunks of that. What grits are you using to polish the faces? Do you have saw marks you are grinding out? I have used silicon carbide belts and have not had much luck rough grinding and was wondering if diamond is the way to go. Are refurbished the way to go vs. new belts? And where do you get them? I see your stuff and it makes me want to get the expando unit back out. . I'm not sure if you can collect Blue Mountain without permission from the claim owners. I got quite a bit of it from Kop Kopinski (sp?) who owns a claim. He also owns the Lucky Strike thunderegg mine and I usually get some of the jasper when I go there in the summer. He has some awesome stuff!! This is my grit flow: 100,220,325,600,1200,3000, optical grade cerium. I refurbish SiC belts with diamond powder. I posted the method in the Lapidary Tips category. My nemesis is the jump from 325 to 600...I spend a lot of time on the 600 belt. I think I need to introduce an intermediate step.
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Post by frane on Feb 12, 2009 13:50:22 GMT -5
You really have some amazing material! I have seen you mention Opticon a few times. I gather it is a sealer/stablizer. Does it go on easy and not give a problem when polishing? Fran
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88pathoffroad
spending too much on rocks
Oregon ROCKS!
Member since August 2008
Posts: 305
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Post by 88pathoffroad on Feb 12, 2009 15:17:56 GMT -5
Maybe you could go from 220 to 400 and THEN 600. That's how the lapidary shop that I use is set up. My biggest problem is getting rid of real deep scratches from the 100 or 180 diamond wheel, then making the 220 scratches disappear. The SiC belts at my shop are generally so worn out they feel slick on first use.
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chinook203
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since February 2006
Posts: 849
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Post by chinook203 on Feb 12, 2009 22:36:35 GMT -5
Those are all breathtaking and you did a terrific job on the pictures! That big diggins is great!
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highplainsdrifter
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since December 2008
Posts: 1,266
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Post by highplainsdrifter on Feb 14, 2009 11:18:04 GMT -5
You really have some amazing material! I have seen you mention Opticon a few times. I gather it is a sealer/stablizer. Does it go on easy and not give a problem when polishing? Fran Opticon is an epoxy based fracture sealer made by Hughes Associates. I've had good luck with it. The resin is quite viscous and requires heat to get into the cracks, then you add a hardener and wipe off the excess. It can be a little messy. When I seal a fracture, I usually just do the whole surface and wipe off as much as I can. The piece then polishes beautifully. If you put too much on, that can be a problem. Drifter
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bushmanbilly
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2008
Posts: 4,719
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Post by bushmanbilly on Feb 14, 2009 12:01:11 GMT -5
Sweet slabs. I really like the Blue Mountain Picture Jasper.
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Post by Bejewelme on Feb 16, 2009 22:33:50 GMT -5
HPD: WOW another great set of material! I have to go with the Big Diggins Sagenite as my favorite!
How about a photography lesson?
Can that be your next tute? Your photos are awesome!
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