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Post by gingerkid on Jan 9, 2013 18:35:17 GMT -5
Cool. Looks like you like garnets. Looking forward to more pics. Thanks, Don!! Yes, I confess, I'm a garnet addict.  Sure would love to have a grossular specimen from Quebec. Or even a reddish-brown hessonite specimen would be sweet. :cheesy: :drool: |
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Post by jakesrocks on Jan 9, 2013 18:40:37 GMT -5
I'll post a pic later for you.
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Post by jakesrocks on Jan 9, 2013 20:06:03 GMT -5
Here you go Jan.   As soon as I get a fairly warm day with low humidity, I'm going to hit the crystals with my soda blaster to clean them up. |
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Post by jakesrocks on Jan 9, 2013 23:11:02 GMT -5
Scored a nice little cluster of Uvite garnets tonight. Nice dark green crystals. Also 4 other thumbnails. I'll post pics in a few days when they get here.
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Post by jakesrocks on Jan 10, 2013 0:51:28 GMT -5
Couldn't resist. Had to bid on one more tonight. Along with the Uvite, I got a nice Wulfenite from New Mexico, Boulangerite from Romania, A Goethite pseudomorph after pyrite from Utah, A very nice cluster of tiny green tourmaline crystals from Brazil, And a beautiful tangerine colored Quartz crystal from Brazil.
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Post by gingerkid on Jan 10, 2013 11:24:08 GMT -5
:cheesy: Love your garnet specimen! Looks great to me even though you said it needs cleaning.  Wow, you won a lot of awesome specimens!! Don, did you win a Uvarovite garnet or Uvite tourmaline specimen? Here's a few more:  "Raspberry" Grossular Garnet from Mexio Have a pair of very nice Mexican raspberry grossular garnets in matrix that rocks2dust/Kevin is kindly holding for me, along with a Namibian spessartine xtl.   Copper on Adularia from Osceola Mine, Shaft 10, Calumet, Michigan, USA  Laboratory-grown Bismuth Hopper from Germany  Rare Burmese Painite  "Cherry Blossom Stone" Pinite from Japan Haven't placed this in a box yet:  Chinese Chiastolite semi-polished slice  Chrysocolla from Arizona |
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Post by jakesrocks on Jan 10, 2013 11:41:15 GMT -5
It was listed by the seller as a Uvite garnet. I'll take a better look when it gets here. I just thought it was a really nice specimen.
Everything shipped this morning. Only one state away. I may have them by Saturday.
Bidding on 3 more today, including a very nice silver wire specimen from China.
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Post by jakesrocks on Jan 14, 2013 23:00:16 GMT -5
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Post by gingerkid on Jan 15, 2013 0:26:35 GMT -5
;D Your specimens are awesome, Don! Really like the azurite concretions (blueberries  ). |
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rockingthenorth
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2012
Posts: 1,637
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Post by rockingthenorth on Jan 15, 2013 0:35:02 GMT -5
I hate to ask this but what is a thumbnail. everyones pics are great
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Post by jakesrocks on Jan 15, 2013 0:45:36 GMT -5
Tammy, a thumbnail specimen is one that's small enough to fit inside of a 1-1/4" cube box. Also called a perky box. Some of mine are really too tall to fit in those boxes, so I bought 1-1/4" square by 2" tall boxes. They would be considered large thumbnails.
Really small specimens are called micromounts. They are best viewed under a microscope. Slightly larger than a thumbnail is considered a miniature. Then comes small cabinet and cabinet specimens.
Generally, the smaller the specimen, the more perfect the crystal forms will be.
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Post by jakesrocks on Jan 15, 2013 17:58:53 GMT -5
Here you go Tammy. This might explain things better. Starting on the left of the pic. Micromount box. They usually have a magnifying lens built into the lid. 3/4" cube box. Thumbnail box. 1-1/4" cube. Tall thumbnail box. 1-1/8" square by 2" tall. Miniature Box. 2" cube.  |
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Post by gingerkid on Jan 16, 2013 0:34:57 GMT -5
Pretty cool explanation, Don!! Hi, Tammy!  I discovered that collecting thumbnails, small cabinet specimens, and micromounts is fun (and addictive, lol) and are usually a less expensive means of having very nice "mini" examples of fine and rare specimens.
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Post by jakesrocks on Jan 16, 2013 0:40:59 GMT -5
You're right about it being addictive. I keep telling myself that I'm going to go for a month without bidding on any. Then the dealers I usually buy from send me their updated lists.
I've found good sources for the different size boxes, mineral tac and mineral squares if you're interested.
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Post by gingerkid on Jan 16, 2013 1:31:08 GMT -5
LOL, I understand about telling yourself how you'll wait and then see one you cannot resist the temptation on bidding or purchasing it, Don. Yes, please tell us where to find supplies for specimens!! Thank You!! Do you know of any reasonably priced displays/cabinets for specimens? Here's a few more of my collection: another garnet, lol  Goldmanite Garnet  close-up of Goldmanite Garnet the red arrow points to the garnet xtls edited to remove the painite since it was previously posted :blush:  Pyrite from Little Jonny Mine in Colorado  Montana Corundum/Sapphire from Rock Creek  Namibian Jeremejevite |
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Post by jakesrocks on Jan 16, 2013 21:43:41 GMT -5
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Post by gingerkid on Jan 21, 2013 13:14:03 GMT -5
Thank you, Don!!! Enjoyed looking at the specimens listed also!! Don, what specimens are you bidding on now? Just kidding, but wondered if you have bid on some this week. ;D
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Post by jakesrocks on Jan 21, 2013 13:20:09 GMT -5
No bidding this week. Over the weekend I ordered a bunch of stuff to build a mineral and fossil prep bench. Can't afford to bid on minerals until my paypal account gets caught up.
I am watching an interesting slab of Jadeite though. Might get it later today.
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Post by gingerkid on Jan 25, 2013 1:49:52 GMT -5
LOL, Don, did you purchase the jade?? What is a fossil and mineral prep bench? Is this a place for you to work on these materials only? Here's a couple more specimens I wanted to share with y'all.  Russian Staurolite on Mica Schist (haven't placed this one in a box yet)  Pyrite Cube from Spain  Fluorite from Mexico |
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Post by jakesrocks on Jan 25, 2013 10:02:36 GMT -5
Nice specimens Jan.
I guess a fossil and mineral prep bench is what ever you want it to be. The one I'm building will be equiped with a Foredom flex shaft tool, an air scribe, a pencil air grinder and a hood with dust collection fans and filters. It won't be a very big bench. Maybe 3' long by 2' wide, and with good lighting built into the dust hood.
As it starts to come together, I'll post pics.
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Sure would love to have a grossular specimen from Quebec. Or even a reddish-brown hessonite specimen would be sweet. :cheesy: :drool: 
Wow, you won a lot of awesome specimens!! Don, did you win a Uvarovite garnet or Uvite tourmaline specimen? 
). 
I discovered that collecting thumbnails, small cabinet specimens, and micromounts is fun (and addictive, lol) and are usually a less expensive means of having very nice "mini" examples of fine and rare specimens. 
Nov 15, 2024 17:44:51 GMT -5
Nov 15, 2024 17:44:51 GMT -5
