rockhound97058
freely admits to licking rocks
Thundereggs - Oregons Official State Rock!
Member since January 2006
Posts: 760
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Post by rockhound97058 on Jan 8, 2011 22:10:04 GMT -5
Today it was blue sky and sunny at home so I decides to head a couple hours south into Central Oregon (Antelope/Ashwood) area. My first stop was Antelope at a few places I've collected agate for years. Next was the Donnybrook Thundereggs Bed which was great as I spooked and chased more than a 100 head of Elk (Got Video!). Then farther south into Ashwood. Along my drive I met a Rancher who to my surprise asked if I wanted to collect agate at one of his several properties. You betcha! I was more than excited.... So he told me directions and sent me on my way - with a fair drive in 4wd low range through mud, wind and snow I found the place and I was impressed with the quantity of agate... There's huge amounts of small tumble rough. My largest piece of agate taken was 40-50 pounder! As soon as it dries out he invited me to come back as he's got another propery which has red moss agate. Below are some pics for ya! This was Donnybrook Thunderegg Bed - froze solid!  Anyone need tumble rough! This was an area about an acre solid agate pieces like the picture shows.  These are two slabs I cut this afternoon when I got home. I just did a macro shot to show the interior of the agate. This material is loaded with dendrites, brecciated type material and even looks like it's trying to plume. Everything I brought home (150 pounds?) looks like a cross between piute, polka dot with no dots and a graveyard type material... Very strange agate!   More cutting tomorrow! |
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Post by gr on Jan 8, 2011 22:22:48 GMT -5
90758- I'm droolin all over myself here on that 2nd pic
Gary
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Post by christopherl1234 on Jan 8, 2011 22:50:27 GMT -5
cool finds!
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Haleysdream
has rocks in the head
K-9 unit Rock Hounds
Member since January 2010
Posts: 654
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Post by Haleysdream on Jan 8, 2011 23:13:23 GMT -5
Wow, You are so lucky to be out in the fields digging & gathering , I'm envious and also under a foot of snow & ice.
Nancy
Have fun
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rockhound97058
freely admits to licking rocks
Thundereggs - Oregons Official State Rock!
Member since January 2006
Posts: 760
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Post by rockhound97058 on Jan 8, 2011 23:44:13 GMT -5
Wow a foot of snow and ice! - There was still snow where I was today and in fact when I left to head home it was snowing like crazy! - Figured I better get my fix today as next wednesday they are calling for a heavy snowstorm moving in... Then again a weather man who thinks he knows the weather longer than looking out his window?
We'll see!
Jason
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Post by roy on Jan 9, 2011 2:11:07 GMT -5
looks like angelwing i get up there as well!! good hunting
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rockhound97058
freely admits to licking rocks
Thundereggs - Oregons Official State Rock!
Member since January 2006
Posts: 760
|
Post by rockhound97058 on Jan 9, 2011 11:50:04 GMT -5
I'm sure if I dig deep enough at some time... Yesterday was just surface collecting as the fellow "runs cattle and they are very picky about digging holes" - I could see finding a few pieces of Angel Wing - Later today I plan to cut more... so I'll post more picks of the various patterns.
I love this area in Oregon - I've collected down there for years. Many in public areas and several private pieces of ground. I'm still researching more area's as I have a local rock clubs fieldtrip book from the 1950's and many of their digs came from this area.
Roy did that box'o'rock show up at your place yesterday?
Jason
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Post by roy on Jan 9, 2011 12:53:50 GMT -5
not yet iam telling you that mail lady hates those frbs i should of got her a christmas present but i forgot my mistake! question do's you rock club go on a lot of field trips ? ours dont and they do give up much info either its kinda lame ! if your is going on field trips could i come? heck i would even join your club
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rockhound97058
freely admits to licking rocks
Thundereggs - Oregons Official State Rock!
Member since January 2006
Posts: 760
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Post by rockhound97058 on Jan 9, 2011 14:28:51 GMT -5
Interesting - As said I find it hard to believe the package can get lost between you and I lol. The only thing is I did mail it to the address on your paypal? I guess it's the correct one?
Anyrate The Dalles does not have a rock club - Basically it's just myself that does personal trips and also during the summer I do guide people with pay to dig trips to my claim. Many times though I have buddies tag along though always fun to hound with someone else.
A couple years ago a buddy of mine wanted to try and start a club - however his idea was to start a club and everyone could meet at my place and use my equipment - I don't mind helping people out, but I was real gun shy about that LOL
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller 
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,503
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Post by Sabre52 on Jan 9, 2011 16:07:57 GMT -5
Neat finds. With the orangey tan stuff and the dendrites , it reminds me a bit of Sheep Creek Plume....Mel
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rockhound97058
freely admits to licking rocks
Thundereggs - Oregons Official State Rock!
Member since January 2006
Posts: 760
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Post by rockhound97058 on Jan 9, 2011 19:32:30 GMT -5
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NDK
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 9,440
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Post by NDK on Jan 9, 2011 21:24:03 GMT -5
Sweet finds Jason!
Nate
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Post by roy on Jan 9, 2011 22:12:34 GMT -5
well the mail lady duked me i went out to my shop this after noon as i usally do on sundays and she had put the box by that door who knows when it got there ? thanks jason very nice . being that you have more exsperince than i what do you look for when setting up your cuts on this stuff ? i cut up one of the rainbow ones its just black so far ? wich is ok i know how rough go's i dont expect it allto be perfect
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rockhound97058
freely admits to licking rocks
Thundereggs - Oregons Official State Rock!
Member since January 2006
Posts: 760
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Post by rockhound97058 on Jan 9, 2011 22:47:41 GMT -5
Hey Roy - Great to hear the box made it! - For cutting the glass. The rainbow obsidian - On the exterior of the stone you'll notice layers or parallel lines. If you line up your saw blade in line with these lines you'll produce one rainbow color. If you line it up straight and bump it off just a whisker and cut across a few of these bands, you'll end up with a variety of colors. Just don't cut across these layers as you'll just get black glass. The pumpkin is a free for all which ever yields the best cut for you. The midnight lace - I usually take slabs a couple directions just to get a wide variety of pattern in the stone. Also - If you take the rainbow out in the sunlight and get it wet and look at it, you should see the top and bottom of the stone when you see the rainbow sheen. Also you'll notice a few pieces might have chips taken off an edge, they should show color as well... Sometimes I spall a edge to check for quality. This is what you should see on the exterior of the rainbow- each one of those lines is a layer of rainbow This is lined up in the saw to make a proper cut This is after I make a cut showing the rainbow pattern. This specific piece had some silver sheen and green sheen in it. [/center] |
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Post by Roller on Jan 9, 2011 23:06:36 GMT -5
great finds and thanks for the show ....
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Post by tandl on Jan 13, 2011 11:33:18 GMT -5
thanks for the post , you got some goodies . that dendritic is real nice , so is the obsidian .
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Post by yurila on Jan 14, 2011 22:55:57 GMT -5
Hi Jason, nice rocks, great dendritic one. Is it from the ranch or Donnybrook place? thnak you for sharing.
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Post by kap on Jan 14, 2011 23:23:26 GMT -5
Nice finds Jason!!! Thanks for showing how to line up the rainbow.
Keith
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rockhound97058
freely admits to licking rocks
Thundereggs - Oregons Official State Rock!
Member since January 2006
Posts: 760
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Post by rockhound97058 on Jan 14, 2011 23:47:33 GMT -5
Yurila - The agate I collected is from a Private Ranch in the Ashwood area. During my venture on that day I ran into a rancher on the road and he actually invited me to check out his property. Pretty amazing! Not too often someone asks if you'd like to collect in their property. I was really tempted to dig agate as there were a few pieces in the high tens if not 100's of pounds. However Cattle Ranchers do not like holes, so I respect that and only surface collect, unless the owner says differently
Donnybrook is a little blip on the side of the road on the Antelope side where we dig Thundereggs. Typically Donnybrook isn't a high producer of Thundereggs, and then the quality is few and far between. Very difficult bed to dig as well.
The entire area has lots of potential for finds, however you really need to know where you are - As for some reason Antelope has a bad reaction to collectors. I've been warned several times for even collecting road-cuts on county roads. Not sure what happened in years past, but for some reason the area had a negative attitude.
No problem Keith! - I should post that on a new thread so others can find it and enjoy it as well.
Jason
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Post by roy on Jan 15, 2011 0:36:07 GMT -5
ya i got that same vibe there they dont like outsiders there at all we ate at the cafe one mourning and ask a few locals if there were areas to collect and they acted like someone stole there goat! i think that those rashneeshi and afew bad rock collectors really ruined them
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Gotta lick those rocks to see if they shine!!
