Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Mar 3, 2009 13:26:30 GMT -5
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Simon
spending too much on rocks
Member since March 2009
Posts: 352
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Post by Simon on Mar 3, 2009 14:44:26 GMT -5
Typical nothing of any interest in Wales other than fossils, and sheep if you're that way inclined.
Thanks for the link very interesting
Simon
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Post by Jack ( Yorkshire) on Mar 12, 2009 4:04:31 GMT -5
There is plenty elswhere in UK.
Its just the abundance and Quality that is missing at times
Jack Yorkshire UK
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Dave Austin
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since January 2008
Posts: 104
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Post by Dave Austin on Mar 16, 2009 17:04:45 GMT -5
Been frinding some really nice lumps of flint lately in the local fields in and around Stamford, Lincolnshire, the farmers really help me out when they have deep ploughed the fields. I am supposed to be walking the dogs, but am finding really lumps of rock at the same time - who says blokes aren't multi tasking!
Cheers
Dave
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Post by sparkles on Mar 17, 2009 15:22:00 GMT -5
Hi Folks, Sorry I've been somewhat abscent - moving house at the moment! Anyhow... Yup - those pamphlets are interesting - there's a few more out there too - well worth tracking down - will post links when I find some time. It's really great to have an active UK contingent to share the knowledge with... So - Wales... Well I found loads - and I mean LOADS of Red Jasper on the beaches of North Wales - there's also a fab variety of Purple Jasper up there too. Plenty to pick up and polishes beautifully. Also some fantastic Limestone fossils - the Lithostrotion I collected and polished last year was a highlight... Plus some very interesting (although not overly spectacular) Agates. Don't discount the local stuff just beacuase you see it all the time! There are some beauts out there - you just got to pick 'em! I spent 2 days trawling the beaches of North Wales - recoverred about 60lb of lapidary materials in rocks and pebbles. A couple of my welsh finds... Rhyl Jasper Lithostrotion - Fossil Coral Welsh Agates Cheers, Sparkles.
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Dave Austin
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since January 2008
Posts: 104
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Post by Dave Austin on Mar 18, 2009 4:04:28 GMT -5
Morning Sparkles, well you certainly are producing some nice items here, sad you have to lose time to the house move, are you staying in Norfolk?
Anyway, the dogs are in for a bonus walk this morning, the sun is shining and the fields are calling me to do another flint harvest.
Even though we have all manner of semi precious rough out in the workshop, there is just something special about working locally found rocks that seems to bring more satisfaction. As you know I collected some flint from a field in Hertfordshire recently, well it got the better of me and I did a ruch job on a small piece, just ran it over the 100 grit diamond wheel, then onto a 400 sic belt and then a 600 sic belt and onto the felt pad with some ceriium oxide and do you know what, even with this minimal effort the finish is just like a mirror and when you look at the finished face it has a real depth.
In fact if I don't get a courier call today I think I will spend most of my day split between the field and the workshop - utopia ha ha!
Cheers
Dave
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Post by sparkles on Mar 18, 2009 7:56:02 GMT -5
Hi Dave,
Yup indeedy - when you find a gem and put a shine on it - the satisfaction is immence. I love polishing my own finds - they just make me smile all the more.
Uh-oh... my secret is out.... That flint takes such a shine it's almost untrue. I have polished all sorts of rocks and the best shine on any I've worked has been on flint from the garden... It really really is mirror like hey?! Oh yes - there's a heap of fun to have with that stuff. Can't wait to see how you use it. I found myself looking for the darkest plainest looking pieces as the deep dark blackness takes on a real translucent depth that is replicated by no other mineral. It's awesome. So glad your having fun with the stuff.
And yes - I'm still in Norfolk, just moving down the road a ways. Man I'm envyous - I REALLY need to spend some time on the wheels, it's just such a come down to be packing and moving - and the new place has neighbours and so it may be some time before I can set up an acceptable workshop that doesn't drive them insane. Oh well - maybe it's the excuse I need - just how loud is your set-up when your rough grinding the stones? My polish pads are quite quiet - but the grinder makes a hell of a din.... I think I must build a better system.
Have fun!
Cheers,
Sparkles.
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Dave Austin
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since January 2008
Posts: 104
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Post by Dave Austin on Mar 18, 2009 10:38:02 GMT -5
Hi Sparkles,
I don't think it's too noisy, maybe the saw is the loudest thing when in use, otherwise not too bad, although the tumblers used to make a din when we had plastic barrels running, but no more we are on rubber now thanks to Mr Evans!
Well I did go down the fields but the farmer has turned the field over again with a smoother plough so there wasn't a great deal to be found, never mind found a few bits to keep me out of trouble.
Cheers
Dave
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rockwolf
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since November 2008
Posts: 97
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Post by rockwolf on Mar 19, 2009 8:24:48 GMT -5
Hello! As a micro mineral collector, I've collected plenty of interesting specimens from all over including Wales! Can't speak much for tumbling/lapidary material though as it's a new found passion of mine! Thanks to Sparkles though I'm now keen to explore the north Wales coast!! About flints - I recently acquired a load of old 'Gems magazines' and there was an article in one about flints that had 'pictures' inside them. I've forgotten the actual name but *think* they were referred to as 'scenic flints'! Has anyone here ever found any? Would love to see some and would love even more to collect some!!
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Dave Austin
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since January 2008
Posts: 104
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Post by Dave Austin on Mar 19, 2009 13:28:59 GMT -5
Hi Rockwolf,
you have aroused my interest with your mention of the flints that had pictures in them, that would look really fantastic, maybe someone else here could educate us dome more.
Cheers
Dave
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Post by Jack ( Yorkshire) on Mar 20, 2009 3:54:52 GMT -5
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Dave Austin
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since January 2008
Posts: 104
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Post by Dave Austin on Mar 20, 2009 4:28:50 GMT -5
Moning Jack,
not surprised you were gutted, from agate to chert eek! I felt gutted when Sparkles told me that what I though was black agate was in fact high grade flint, you live and learn.
Having said that I did a bit of work on a bit of the flint and was really rewarded with a super finish, so I guess that even though a stone may not be what we thought it was, if this finished item comes up good then it's worth it and in the end if you are selling your products it's all down to what the buyer finds attracive.
We have loads of the well known stuff like rose quartz, denim lapis, carnelian etc, but this bit of flint has given me the best finish ever.
We plan to wrap some of the flint in copper wire, the elctrical stuff that comes out of twin and earth and see what response it gets and of course it can be sold at a lower price than if we had used sterling silver or gold filled so it might appeal to a larger audience.
We are also using whatever we find in the fields and there are some lovely nodules that look like pebbles and once sliced they reveal some really interesting patterns inside.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and most of the time we like what we see.
Have fun
Cheers
Dave
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rockwolf
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since November 2008
Posts: 97
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Post by rockwolf on Mar 20, 2009 4:32:28 GMT -5
They look good to me Jack! I'd be pleased with finds like that! As to what they are I'm not sure really! Would have assumed myself that the LHS one was a Jasper, but have no idea about the RHS one! Will dig out that article about the 'scenic flints' to see where they were from as I can't remember at all! *Think* it may have been Norfolk...
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Post by Jack ( Yorkshire) on Mar 21, 2009 3:46:41 GMT -5
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Post by Michael John on Mar 23, 2009 5:43:42 GMT -5
Sparkles, do you have any pics of the purple jasper from north Wales?
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rockwolf
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since November 2008
Posts: 97
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Post by rockwolf on Mar 24, 2009 8:31:49 GMT -5
Jack & Dave - could you please pm me your e-mail addresses? Have scanned article about the 'scenic flints' and yes they are from Anglia! (Only B&W pics though alas!)
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Dave Austin
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since January 2008
Posts: 104
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Post by Dave Austin on Apr 8, 2009 16:55:30 GMT -5
Hi All,
as a result of my courier work on my bike I found a plentifull resource of black flint again, this time the location is around the edges of the car park at the services at Stansted on the M11. They have been doing a lot of building work there of late and have made big mounds around the edges of the car park with the spoil.
If you happen down that way before they sow the grass seed it could be worth a stop for some free material.
Happy hunting
cheers
Dave
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Dave Austin
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since January 2008
Posts: 104
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Post by Dave Austin on Apr 10, 2009 5:47:51 GMT -5
Morning all, I have just made a new post on my blog showing the huge lump of flint I found at Stansted M11 services, this is going to make a lot of jewellery pieces, you can see it here: www.roughrocks.co.uk/?p=152cheers Dave
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Dave Austin
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since January 2008
Posts: 104
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Post by Dave Austin on Apr 26, 2009 16:22:43 GMT -5
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
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Post by Deleted on May 14, 2009 17:52:30 GMT -5
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