Dyed agate anyone?

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unclesoska freely admits to licking rocks All those jade boulders tossed in search of gold! Member since February 2011 Posts: 934	Dyed agate anyone? Oct 8, 2011 20:10:33 GMT -5 Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by unclesoska on Oct 8, 2011 20:10:33 GMT -5 Howdy all! Just wonderin if anyone out there dyes their agates. I'm interested in the technique involved, might wanna try it on a few! :cheesy: Any recipes appreciated!

adrian65 Cave Dweller Arch to golden memories and to great friends. Member since February 2007 Posts: 10,790	Dyed agate anyone? Oct 8, 2011 23:20:34 GMT -5 Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by adrian65 on Oct 8, 2011 23:20:34 GMT -5 I'm sure Daniel (deb) used to enhance the colors of some clear agates by treating them in some acid. The process involved some sugar also. He got really nice brown/black bands, very natural colors. Adrian
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roy gets rocks for Christmas no rock gets left behind Member since October 2010 Posts: 6,390	Dyed agate anyone? Oct 9, 2011 10:41:14 GMT -5 Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by roy on Oct 9, 2011 10:41:14 GMT -5 this is something i would like to know i have close to 100 lbs of clear oregon beach agates that would be fun to play with !
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Rockoonz misunderstood rock expert Member since August 2009 Posts: 11,448 Member is Online	Dyed agate anyone? Oct 9, 2011 18:21:35 GMT -5 Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by Rockoonz on Oct 9, 2011 18:21:35 GMT -5 Roy. try dropping a couple of those agates into the coals on a charcoal grill or your fireplace. Sometimes heat treating will bring out colors. Lee
	“You preachers of equality, the tyrannomania of impotence clamors thus out of you for equality: your most secret ambitions to be tyrants thus shroud themselves in words of virtue. Aggrieved conceit, repressed envy—perhaps the conceit and envy of your fathers—erupt from you as a flame and as the frenzy of revenge.” —Friedrich Nietzsche

unclesoska freely admits to licking rocks All those jade boulders tossed in search of gold! Member since February 2011 Posts: 934	Dyed agate anyone? Oct 9, 2011 20:55:47 GMT -5 Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by unclesoska on Oct 9, 2011 20:55:47 GMT -5 Thanks Lee, I'll give it a whirl...

deb193redux
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Dyed agate anyone? Oct 10, 2011 15:06:24 GMT -5

Quote

Post by deb193redux on Oct 10, 2011 15:06:24 GMT -5

Yes heat (keep below 500F) will often bring out reds/brown in some agates and flints.

The sugar-acid method is ancient and described in a book by George Fischer (of Fischer Stone) wher ehe covers dying various colors and also introducing inclusions.

www.ganoksin.com/borisat/nenam/black-dying-agate.htm

I did a few cooks, and have various results. I am sure I have nto perfected the method regarding ideal slab thickness, rock selection, cooking time, ... etc.

forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/index.cgi?board=sawingb&action=display&thread=33886

forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/index.cgi?board=sawingb&action=display&thread=34092

forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/index.cgi?board=sawingb&action=display&thread=38119

forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/index.cgi?board=sawingb&action=display&thread=38247

Have about 5-6 new slabs that got left in the sugar for about 6 months cause I got distracted. I will try to cook them in the next month or so.

Last Edit: Oct 10, 2011 15:07:44 GMT -5 by deb193redux

grayfingers
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Dyed agate anyone? Oct 10, 2011 16:06:23 GMT -5

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Post by grayfingers on Oct 10, 2011 16:06:23 GMT -5

Great thread! I have a lot of clear agate as well. I have been playing around with Methylene blue. Had it from my days as a hobbyist tropical fish breeder, it is used to treat fungal infections. I remembered that it really seems like a dye if you get it on you. So I have soaked a couple pieces of rock in it. The clear agates I tried have not really taken much up, but they are whole small stones that had been tumbled through 220 grit. I think it would work better if I try a raw slabbete. I did get success with this piece of what seems to me to be quartz, that has embedded flecks. This soaked for about 3 weeks, then just washed off. (It also was tumbled through 220 before dyeing)
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Last Edit: Oct 10, 2011 16:07:12 GMT -5 by grayfingers

aquila non capit muscas

unclesoska freely admits to licking rocks All those jade boulders tossed in search of gold! Member since February 2011 Posts: 934	Dyed agate anyone? Oct 20, 2011 19:58:27 GMT -5 Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by unclesoska on Oct 20, 2011 19:58:27 GMT -5 Those look amazing- any before pix?

grayfingers
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Dyed agate anyone? Oct 20, 2011 20:57:23 GMT -5

Quote

Post by grayfingers on Oct 20, 2011 20:57:23 GMT -5

No, wish I had... just tossed it in. It was a milky white with the sparkly flecks. Still not sure if solid agate slice will take it up, I checked a little slab that had soaked a week and a half, on the tile saw it seemed to only penetrate a little. Will try soaking longer, thinking about trying to simmer some in a pan. Also trying some Malachite Green.

aquila non capit muscas

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