habbie
starting to shine!
Member since February 2011
Posts: 48
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Post by habbie on Apr 26, 2011 10:28:18 GMT -5
I have a large chunk on pet wood, been trying to cut slabs off of it but it breaks into small pieces when I do. I think I would be better off (the saw to) to just break it up with a large hammer and see what comes out. I really do not believe it will hold up while tumbling. Any suggestions?
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Post by johnjsgems on Apr 26, 2011 10:33:26 GMT -5
A lot of the RV park lapidary shop people we see at our Winter shows either won't allow cutting AZ wood or make the person stand by the saw. AZ wood especially is known for being badly fractured. If your pet wood breaks up and fresh surfaces look glossy you can tumble it. If it is dull/pitted you probably won't get very good results. Chuncks of bad wood look nice as garden rock or specimens.
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,709
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Post by Fossilman on Apr 26, 2011 12:01:34 GMT -5
My bad stuff I place in my rock and bone garden...........
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
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Post by stefan on Apr 26, 2011 12:29:56 GMT -5
Difficult call. Most pet woods replaced with quartz material will polish. Some of the calcite replaced stuff is a lost cause. On trick I use when cutting is to tap the rock first and looks for potential fractured areas. These I hammer away leaving me with a smaller solid hunk to cut. Some wood (notably the AZ pet wood and a lot of stuff from New Mexico) is just not made to be cut. It does tumble nicely and often gives nice blocky finished stones. When you do come across a cuttable chunk- oooo it is so worth the trouble!
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habbie
starting to shine!
Member since February 2011
Posts: 48
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Post by habbie on Apr 27, 2011 12:28:27 GMT -5
out comes the hammer LOL ty for all your imput
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on Apr 27, 2011 18:40:43 GMT -5
Yep, brittle or fracture pet wood is a real blade breaker. If it's glassy at the break it's fine tumble material but I wouldn't risk taking a saw to it.....Mel
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Post by Rockoonz on Apr 27, 2011 22:44:30 GMT -5
Opalized wood tends to fall apart when cut using oil in my experience.
Lee
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
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Post by stefan on Apr 29, 2011 7:49:21 GMT -5
Water too! I have some Real nice Opalized wood that is a bugger to cut- When it does cut well it is great stuff- but getting it thru the saw can be a real pain-
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MikeS
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2009
Posts: 1,081
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Post by MikeS on Apr 29, 2011 20:27:48 GMT -5
Same here...I have the same problem with wiggins fork opalized wood...lots of broken pieces, but the few nice slabs I get out of it make it worhwhile...the rest goes in the tumbler...
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