dantrag
off to a rocking start
Member since August 2012
Posts: 7
|
Post by dantrag on Aug 10, 2012 23:52:37 GMT -5
As promised, here are the fresh slabs of the pastelite that your wonderful members identified for me. My old beat up tile saw did not have a very good time with this huge chunk. Had some pieces fracture off but we finally made it through. This is my first time cutting rock from my first time rockhoundng. There was a little void in the rock that was full of crystals that was unfortunately mostly destroyed in the cutting process. I was really surprised to see all the pinks and blacks interplaying throughout the inside of the specimen. I imagine that it would look very nice polished up. I have several other unidentified pieces but it is still 105 degrees in my garage out here in Goodyear, AZ. imgur.com/a/DoXNo
|
|
|
Post by helens on Aug 10, 2012 23:59:25 GMT -5
You need to get a nicer saw, but at least you got 2 really gorgeous slabs out of it:)!!
|
|
|
Post by Bluesky78987 on Aug 11, 2012 1:54:59 GMT -5
There's something amazing about finding it, choosing it, carrying it back to the car (that's a big one), slabbing it, and then cabbing it . . . start to finishh . . . do you have access to cabbing equipment? or, what do you plan to do with it now?
I disagree with Helen somewhat -- if it broke in the tile saw, it would have broken in a lapidary saw too. They aren't "all that". ;-) Better, yeah, but not THAT much. Think of it this way -- it can break now, or it can break later, just when you're almost done polishing it . . . ;-)
|
|
|
Post by helens on Aug 11, 2012 4:45:08 GMT -5
You can still get a few killer cabs out of it:)!
I want to go find a rock, cut it and cab it:(.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 11, 2012 8:31:36 GMT -5
I have to agree with bluesky. Rocks fall apart all the time. In fact if I open my slab saw and the slab is in one piece I am really happy. Rocks have fractures because that is part of their life from childhood to death and we just have to deal with it. Some can be repaired, some can be worked around and yet others can be tossed in the scrap pile. If you play with rocks fractures are a part of it that you just have to get used to.
I started with a tile saw and the big ones can be tough. I just tried to cut them on the fractures so I had smaller pieces to work with. I refuse to take a hammer to them because that just causes more fractures. You will get the hang of it pretty fast and find out how much easier it becomes. We have a couple of people on here that also do their shaping on the tile saw.
Love the pink in your stone. It should be a great one. Jim
|
|
dantrag
off to a rocking start
Member since August 2012
Posts: 7
|
Post by dantrag on Aug 11, 2012 12:33:54 GMT -5
I would love to make a cab out of it but I don't have access to the equipment. I plan on saving the slab until I do though.
|
|
|
Post by mohs on Aug 11, 2012 12:47:37 GMT -5
did you hound that in Az? what area?
Only a few mo weeks and the mornings will be cooler then it'll be time to rock hard in these hot parts
Ed
|
|
|
Post by mohs on Aug 11, 2012 12:50:06 GMT -5
o it was hounded in Burro Creek ! slaps forehead unfortunately I've never visited that area maybe some day
|
|
|
Post by helens on Aug 11, 2012 15:09:33 GMT -5
Heeeyy!! I was only teasing about the saw!!! He's already got a better saw than I do!! (I got picked on in PM for saying it, but I was only ribbing him!!). Your saw makes no difference whether a rock is cuttable or not, but it was a dumb thing to say to someone brand new. Sorry!!
|
|
|
Post by Pat on Aug 11, 2012 15:16:03 GMT -5
I figure it is always better for a rock to break or fracture at the beginning of the process. : ) You're on your way. When you've cabbed it, I hope you show us.
You're on your way! Congratulations!
|
|
|
Post by catmandewe on Aug 11, 2012 15:30:13 GMT -5
Nice colors and that is a pretty good cut for a tile saw. Nice job..................Tony
|
|
dantrag
off to a rocking start
Member since August 2012
Posts: 7
|
Post by dantrag on Aug 19, 2012 17:30:23 GMT -5
Hey no offense taken. I appreciate how friendly and helpful everyone is here. I am really quite new at all of this and was wondering if anyone could direct me to maybe a "Rockhounding For Dummies" or 101 or something along that nature. While out hunting I am really not sure what I should be looking for and would really appreciate any nudges in the right direction I can get. Thanks for your consideration.
|
|