Mazanec
spending too much on rocks
Member since March 2004
Posts: 355
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Post by Mazanec on Apr 1, 2004 9:49:23 GMT -5
How do you think the hobby will change over the next couple decades? I read an article recently in WIRED magazine about cultured diamonds...I expect it is not too many years before diamond abrasive is cheaper than silicon carbide is now (that is what we use, right?). Any other forecasts or comments?
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WilliamC
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2003
Posts: 416
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Post by WilliamC on Apr 1, 2004 13:58:29 GMT -5
Greetings All, I read the same article a while back, but my understanding of it was that the culturing methods are unique in that they yield gem-quality diamonds. Artificial diamonds are already avaliable you know, all the diamond grit currently being sold is from man-made diamonds. Methinks silicon carbide will be cheaper than diamond forever, so I doubt it will ever be replaced in tumbling applications. For an inexpensive book on the various lapidary techniques check out "Introduction to Lapidary" by Pansy Kraus, it goes into all the various ways gems rocks are worked with. www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0801972663/qid=1080844104/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/104-3868315-3779137?v=glance&s=booksWilliamC
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Mazanec
spending too much on rocks
Member since March 2004
Posts: 355
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Post by Mazanec on Apr 1, 2004 14:35:56 GMT -5
Will molecular nanotechnology affect the hobby (it seems it will affect everything else!)?
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WilliamC
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2003
Posts: 416
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Post by WilliamC on Apr 1, 2004 14:47:11 GMT -5
Greetings All, I think the primary consideration for rock tumbling is that it's low-tech and inexpensive, so I really don't know if any future hi-tech developments will impact it. As for creating artificial gems, there's already an industry for artificial rubies, sapphires, and emeralds but many people will still pay a premium for natural stones. Most of the semi-precious gems are cheaper to find than they are to make. Another excellent inexpensive book is "gemstones of the world" by Schumann, it has all sorts of information about artificial gems and uncommon gems and lapidary material. www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0806994614/qid=1080847080/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/104-3868315-3779137?v=glance&s=booksWilliamC
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Mazanec
spending too much on rocks
Member since March 2004
Posts: 355
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Post by Mazanec on Apr 1, 2004 15:18:16 GMT -5
Actually, it would be harder to make "natural" looking polished stones using nanotechnology than by our method. For each one, you would have to specify the random pattern of color throughout the stone, on an atomic level. Something like a million million million million locations. And since these stones represent time and effort anyway, I think our hobby will survive.
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thewiz
has rocks in the head
"What good is money if you don't spend it"
Member since January 2004
Posts: 735
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Post by thewiz on Apr 1, 2004 15:19:26 GMT -5
molecular nanotechnology
WOW
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Post by creativeminded on Apr 1, 2004 15:52:28 GMT -5
I don't care how far technology goes to try and reproduce nature there will always be people that prefer natural over manmade. Even though the Emerald I got my mother off of e-bay was synthetic it is still beautiful.
Tami
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Post by hermatite on Apr 1, 2004 16:17:07 GMT -5
Interesting topic. I have to agree with the comment that technology will probably have little effect on this hobby. But, if I think about what the future holds for it in general, I have to think that as more and more spaces become protected people may have to turn to distributors for rough. Not that we already don't mind you, but I can see a time when the simple act of picking up rocks will be, if not illegal, then frowned on in the same way that digging wild orchids out of a ditch is frowned on. And, I predict (swami herm at work here) that the hobby will grow as more people catch on to the pure pleasure of creating objects of beauty from something so simple as a stone from their driveway. It's all part of the larger disconnect we are all bound to feel as we become increasingly urbanized. I also predict that the Red Sox will go all the way this year (but I've been wrong before).
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MichiganRocks
starting to spend too much on rocks
"I wasn't born to follow."
Member since April 2007
Posts: 154
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Post by MichiganRocks on Apr 1, 2004 16:30:11 GMT -5
If it becomes a question of technology, then I'll be looking for a new hobby. I've had enough of technology in my life. I don't need it in my rocks as well.
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WarrenA
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2003
Posts: 1,530
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Post by WarrenA on Apr 2, 2004 1:43:20 GMT -5
look at what cars have done in the last 10 years, perhaps someone will invent an electric motor that will speed itself up and keep a load running at a constant speed all by itself
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Post by hermatite on Apr 2, 2004 10:06:13 GMT -5
Know what I'd really like to see developed? something that I could wrap rocks in when I break them up that won't shred. I've tried towels and pieces of leather but inevitably the rock cuts through as I'm hammering them. Not that it's a big problem....I have lots of spare material. But it's on my wish list.
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SirRoxalot
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since October 2003
Posts: 790
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Post by SirRoxalot on Apr 2, 2004 14:21:15 GMT -5
A few future possibilities, on the rock collecting side rather than the rock tumbling side:
Industrial diamonds become very cheap, so diamond drills of all sizes are affordable to the collector. Imagine having a nice fast backpack-able 1" core drill... aarrgggghhhh.... drool, drool.
Cheap diamonds means that we'll all be able to afford a diamond chainsaw; currently retailing for about fifty grand if I remember correctly, a new chain going for ten grand. Great strides are being made in synthetic diamonds, but the price of diamond lapidary equipment is still so high that lapidary is a dying art, very sad.
The ultrasonic drill, developed by NASA for use on distant planets, becomes widely available. Light, fast, takes little power, whatta tool. Why is it that mineral collectors are still basically in the stone age, using chisels and hammers?
Massive advances have been made in the field of lasers; from room-sized to keychain sized. Laser pointers are great for amusing cats, but I'm still waiting for a cheap small one that cuts rock. Maybe the trillions pissed away on Dubya's insane Star Wars fantasy will produce a spin off! Hey, a guy can can dream.
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Mazanec
spending too much on rocks
Member since March 2004
Posts: 355
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Post by Mazanec on Apr 2, 2004 14:58:11 GMT -5
SirRoxaLot: Yeah...I always used toy ray guns as a kid, would love to have the real thing! And I can't imagine getting into this hobby without the support of this Forum...a big change right there!
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Post by creativeminded on Apr 2, 2004 16:32:13 GMT -5
Hey I just thought of something, as technology develops and the more man goes into outer space we rock hounds just might get even more interesting rocks to tumble as long as there isn't any radiation. Tami
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SirRoxalot
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since October 2003
Posts: 790
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Post by SirRoxalot on Apr 2, 2004 18:40:11 GMT -5
Getting a little off topic, but I can't resist the urge to brag a bit... yesterday at my club meeting we had a major meteorite collector give a talk, and he brought specimens of Moon and Mars meteorites... so I got to handle a piece of the Mon and a piece of Mars... the former worth five to six figures... what a treat!!! And the more mundane meteorites he brought were softball sized Saharan and Russian, a couple were just fabulous, best I've ever seen! Just a total thrill, and I'm not really even into meteorites.
Shows to go ya that if you stick with something, like the local club, man, you might just eventually be treated to a once in a lifetime experience!
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Mazanec
spending too much on rocks
Member since March 2004
Posts: 355
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Post by Mazanec on Apr 5, 2004 10:17:47 GMT -5
Maybe we will have different abrasives someday? Like Borazon (boron nitride) or carbon nitride?
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RiverOtter
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2004
Posts: 339
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Post by RiverOtter on Apr 5, 2004 13:07:49 GMT -5
Hey hermatite, have you tried Kevlar for your problem of a material that wont shred? Not sure if it would work or if it would even be cost effective. Just a thought.
Otter
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Mazanec
spending too much on rocks
Member since March 2004
Posts: 355
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Post by Mazanec on Apr 5, 2004 13:12:50 GMT -5
Another thought...how resistant is the hobby to economic dislocation? Some people, for example, think that the Hubbert Peak in petroleum could happen soon and cause another Great Depression, like the old Energy Crisis but worse. How would that change rock tumbling?
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Post by cookie3rocks on Apr 5, 2004 19:59:42 GMT -5
If technology can in anyway make gemstons 8+ hardness polish more quickly I'm there! most of the stones I'm getting now are saphires, rubies and emarelds and I'm not the most patient person in the world, uh, state, uh, area code.
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