Digforcrystals
spending too much on rocks
Member since July 2008
Posts: 351
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Post by Digforcrystals on Apr 25, 2011 22:07:49 GMT -5
I got a bunch ( 20 pounds ) of fire agate today. Some pieces obviously have fire showing and lots of other has the band to where I know there is fire in it.
This is a BUNCH of fire agate and I am wondering what the best course of action with the batch should be.
I am thinking of just tumbling in the rough grind to see what is revealed. I know there are tricks to fire agate but my knowledge is limited on this subject.
If you had twenty pounds of fire agate and very little time , what would you do?
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Post by Rockhobbit on Apr 25, 2011 22:52:33 GMT -5
The tumbler is a good idea for the stuff not showing fire. It is a great first start. The others, you have to carefully grind away the layers to expose the fire. You want to go as far as you can without popping the bubbles. It can be tricky but if you are patient and careful, you can do it. Sometimes working with a dremel can get more fire in the pit areas. Just dip the stone in water frequently. If you pop the bubbles, you loose the fire. Good luck!
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playin4funami
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since March 2011
Posts: 87
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Post by playin4funami on Apr 25, 2011 23:05:21 GMT -5
not sure but you could send me some, that would help you get them finished,lol!
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Post by Jack, lapidaryrough on Apr 25, 2011 23:09:39 GMT -5
Depends on the agate, doe`s it have a clear our white agate cap. or a Botoytial formation.
White agate cap, i`d grind down to the brown lament layer. careful not to go beyond the last clear layer. With a stack of diamond blades, or a 80 grit diamond wheel.
For the botoydial formation. i run them in a vibra-sonic tumbler. with 80 grit. And sort them often.
Back light the rough. the best material will have a matrix back, deer creek is white and soft. Mexican is red with spots, and very hard matrix.
Dark brown agate is the best material. the light material will show ghost fire.
decide if the concave our convex side of the agate well have the best fire. often the convex will have more blues & purples. and the greens. I think it`s the refractive index of light passing around in the agate.
trim saw the material, as i said back light it and find the clear zone to cut it.
Careful not to cut into the brown agate.
rough grind the agate before tumbling.
I have 6 lbs. running in a Viking North double barrel 12 ponder.
i sorted out about 8 Lbs. from a lot of Deer creek and Mexican material.
though the first run was in a rotary tumbler with about 35 lbs. of fire agate, grit run was 60/90 for two weeks. helps to zone the material for fire & cutting on trim saw.
i have found that deer creek well have one our two layers of fire. and the Mexican material has the best fire next to the matrix layer. our convex fire side.
Elders of past have said to try breaking the clear cap off with a hammer.
Best to grind.
Very rare material an hard to get. at i good price. for mine run select or just mine run!.
Jack
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peachfront
fully equipped rock polisher
Stones have begun to speak, because an ear is there to hear them.
Member since August 2010
Posts: 1,745
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Post by peachfront on Apr 27, 2011 8:46:21 GMT -5
When I was new to the hobby, I stupidly tumbled a bunch of fire agate in the Lot O Tumbler. The fire was all removed before I knew quite what happened. This is not the fault of the tumbler. It's the fault of my ignorance, because I did not fully understand how aggressive the action was of my new tumbler. I thought it was gentle because, as a vibe, it did so little shaping. Ha ha ha.
My vote is grind carefully by hand if you see fire. Jack's detailed advice looks right to me, since you have quantity, but I am not going to do large lots of Fire Agate again, just small individual pieces.
If I had lots of material and little time, I would cherry pick some personal pieces and try to sell or barter the rest, which is probably not very helpful advice for you. But that's what I would do.
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