fwfranklen (Mike)
spending too much on rocks
Rock-ON--Have you kissed your rock today?
Member since August 2012
Posts: 379
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Post by fwfranklen (Mike) on Aug 5, 2012 11:02:19 GMT -5
Hello everyone! What a great site...glad to have come accross it. I'm finally getting to unpack my rock/lapidary shop. Not sure how to set it up everything...has to fit in the basement. Rock tumblers.  10" saw.  24" saw.  drilling setup.  Thunder egg equipment.  Core cutting equipment.  Sphere Equipment.  Some rocks.     |
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fwfranklen (Mike)
spending too much on rocks
Rock-ON--Have you kissed your rock today?
Member since August 2012
Posts: 379
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Post by fwfranklen (Mike) on Aug 5, 2012 11:03:48 GMT -5
Yikes!!! I better resize some of these pictures!!!!!!
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fwfranklen (Mike)
spending too much on rocks
Rock-ON--Have you kissed your rock today?
Member since August 2012
Posts: 379
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Post by fwfranklen (Mike) on Aug 5, 2012 11:14:25 GMT -5
Some rough rocks.   |
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itsandbits
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since March 2012
Posts: 825
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Post by itsandbits on Aug 5, 2012 11:23:05 GMT -5
Welcome
it looks like you have made a good sized investment; hope to see some pictures of your past and future work
Lloyd
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Post by jakesrocks on Aug 5, 2012 12:03:04 GMT -5
Welcome aboard fwfranklen. Your pics remind me of my move from California to South Dakota. Never again.
I'll die right here with my rocks and equipment, before I'll move all of it again.
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fwfranklen (Mike)
spending too much on rocks
Rock-ON--Have you kissed your rock today?
Member since August 2012
Posts: 379
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Post by fwfranklen (Mike) on Aug 5, 2012 12:31:33 GMT -5
Agree'd it took several years to get this stuff bought and stashed. I can now get things set up. I have realized that I bit off more than I can chew...might have to take some time off from work just to get the rocks going again.
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fwfranklen (Mike)
spending too much on rocks
Rock-ON--Have you kissed your rock today?
Member since August 2012
Posts: 379
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Post by fwfranklen (Mike) on Aug 5, 2012 12:33:32 GMT -5
Some used discarded equipment that I aquired. Would like to convert to diamond when funds allow.   |
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jason12x12
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since October 2011
Posts: 798
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Post by jason12x12 on Aug 5, 2012 12:47:06 GMT -5
wow amazing equipment.. keep us updated please
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Post by jakesrocks on Aug 5, 2012 12:50:21 GMT -5
With a little TLC, that Star Diamond unit will outlast you. From the green paint, I'm guessing the second pic is one of the older Covington units. That's a goodun too.
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shermlock
has rocks in the head
Member since August 2011
Posts: 612
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Post by shermlock on Aug 5, 2012 15:31:38 GMT -5
With a little TLC, that Star Diamond unit will outlast you. From the green paint, I'm guessing the second pic is one of the older Covington units. That's a goodun too. Agreed! Both good rigs. I look for those same items at estate sales. A good bath, some oil and they will run like new in my experience. Did you acquire all these items or was this a move and you are now unpacking? I'm going to be jealous if you tell me it was an estate sale type thing...just lie to me if it was an estate sale. Lol. Scott |
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fwfranklen (Mike)
spending too much on rocks
Rock-ON--Have you kissed your rock today?
Member since August 2012
Posts: 379
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Post by fwfranklen (Mike) on Aug 5, 2012 15:55:25 GMT -5
LOL...No shermlock, it has taken me around 8years to get it all...some I bought off eBay and some I bought from estates. The rest I purchased new or had built for me like the sphere machine, core drill, and hydralic press (for breaking rocks).
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Post by jakesrocks on Aug 5, 2012 15:59:43 GMT -5
I'll be nice and won't make Scott jealous of my estate sale buy a few years back.
Nice sphere machine. looks a lot like one I've been building.
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fwfranklen (Mike)
spending too much on rocks
Rock-ON--Have you kissed your rock today?
Member since August 2012
Posts: 379
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Post by fwfranklen (Mike) on Aug 5, 2012 16:14:52 GMT -5
A guy named John Daly from Grand Junction, Co. bulds these and sells them for $500.00. I met him through a Spheres group at yahoogroups. Of course the diamond cups I purchased separately and are from Highland Park lapidary Co. hplapidary.com |
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shermlock
has rocks in the head
Member since August 2011
Posts: 612
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Post by shermlock on Aug 5, 2012 16:23:30 GMT -5
Whew...on the non estate purchase...
Thanks Don...I hate drooling on the computer.
I'd like to see the hydraulic press in action...Never seen one used for rocks before. Does it break them in a controlled way or is it just "splitsville?"
Scott
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Post by Bikerrandy on Aug 5, 2012 16:24:31 GMT -5
That's some clean work on the sphere machine, how big will it cut?
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Post by rockjunquie on Aug 5, 2012 17:23:55 GMT -5
Hi there! Nice tools ya got there.
You'll be rockin before yee know it!
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fwfranklen (Mike)
spending too much on rocks
Rock-ON--Have you kissed your rock today?
Member since August 2012
Posts: 379
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Post by fwfranklen (Mike) on Aug 5, 2012 17:24:20 GMT -5
As it was out of the box it would do a 5-6" sphere but that is max. I'm re-doing the hinge that connects each motor to the base. That is the week point. Even then the max this could do is 8". My sphere pre-forms are such that it takes little grinding and using diamond cups instead of the grit fead system adds to helping get to the 8" size. However since I have no core bits that size (yet)...but will use the old try and true "slab saw" preform.
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fwfranklen (Mike)
spending too much on rocks
Rock-ON--Have you kissed your rock today?
Member since August 2012
Posts: 379
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Post by fwfranklen (Mike) on Aug 5, 2012 22:15:12 GMT -5
Scott, the hydraulic press is pimarily used to break off the unwanted matrix from mineral samples. Or if I saw of the matrix I use the hydraulic press to make the sawed edge look more natural. I have used it to break off the unwanted ryolyte from thunder eggs so I can polish them in the vibe or tumbler. I put different ends that I made for the ram end...hard to see in picture the blunt end is sitting on the vise. A chisel, bunt, and point ends is what I made. I can get more control.  |
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Post by jakesrocks on Aug 5, 2012 23:43:54 GMT -5
On the sphere machine I'm building, I used heavy duty spring loaded fire door hinges. Here's a pic.  |
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fwfranklen (Mike)
spending too much on rocks
Rock-ON--Have you kissed your rock today?
Member since August 2012
Posts: 379
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Post by fwfranklen (Mike) on Aug 6, 2012 5:44:41 GMT -5
Nice! Will you still need bungees or springs to keep the tension against the preform?
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