jamesp
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Member since October 2012
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Post by jamesp on Apr 10, 2013 8:03:46 GMT -5
I tumble a lot of agate.I have to break a lot of it from larger chunks and small pieces.I sit in a chair and use a piece of thick plywood with a sheet of rubber or leather nailed to it.Basically to cover my lap.The hammer is an 8 once ball peen-it is very small.It is used to knock or chip tumbling size pieces off of larger chunks or split smaller pieces.Safety glasses and gloves/long sleeves needed.The sitting position is comfortable.You have great control.It is the same position knappers use to craft their arrow and spearheads.I get great production and look forward to this process since converting to a chair.I do it outside and lay a sheet down to collect the pieces.I'm telling you,it works real good.
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Post by Noosh9057 on Apr 10, 2013 9:19:00 GMT -5
Great idea.
Roger
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
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Post by jamesp on Apr 10, 2013 9:50:24 GMT -5
Whatever makes life easier on aging old man Roger.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2013 13:15:54 GMT -5
pictures or it doesn;t exist! B-)
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
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Post by jamesp on Apr 11, 2013 22:31:00 GMT -5
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2013 22:38:00 GMT -5
you clay-zee man. you clayzee indeed.
dude, I used to have a pair of cheaters pink like that!
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,563
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Post by jamesp on Apr 11, 2013 22:47:04 GMT -5
A store called 'The Rugged Warehouse' went out of business and i bought 20 pairs for $20 in every color known to the free world.phat for sur
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Minnesota Daniel
freely admits to licking rocks
A COUPLE LAKERS
Member since August 2011
Posts: 891
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Post by Minnesota Daniel on Apr 13, 2013 1:21:28 GMT -5
And the kids are all asking, "What the hell are cheaters?"
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,563
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Post by jamesp on Apr 13, 2013 7:31:30 GMT -5
Shotgunman is getting up in age:>
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 17, 2013 16:03:36 GMT -5
And the kids are all asking, "What the hell are cheaters?" lol Cheaters are the reading glasses we use when our arms get to short to read, BUT we are too cheap to buy prescription glasses from the opto-doc. Usually 3 pairs for $18 at Costco or similar elsewhere. You put them on, check the board to see if you can read and, if you care, check the mirror to see if they look good too. Get the right magnification for your arm length and get back to reading in short suit. Jim is my hero at $1 pair for 20 pairs in random colors. Today he seems to be rocking the green, but to start this thread he was pink.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,563
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Post by jamesp on Apr 17, 2013 19:47:41 GMT -5
Rugged Warehouse went out of business and i bought 20 in about every color.Found 3 of the 20 in my motorcycle frame,14 are lost and still got 3 left.Sorry to be so color repetitive.Many are in my ponds.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 20, 2013 18:00:57 GMT -5
Rugged Warehouse went out of business and i bought 20 in about every color.Found 3 of the 20 in my motorcycle frame,14 are lost and still got 3 left.Sorry to be so color repetitive.Many are in my ponds. Don't tell me, you bend over to check something and they fall into the pond?? That sounds so like ME!! lol
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on Apr 24, 2013 20:46:14 GMT -5
That's a pretty cool idea. Only part I don't get is when I crack up rock it actually breaks up the limestone I'm hammering one. Don't all that smacking get transmitted to your legs and hurt them? I get down into a squatting position on a limestone slab under the big oak by the creek. Usually wind up having a tough time getting unfolded and standing back up after my legs get stiff and the gull danged chiggers get in my britches. Be thankful you don't have them in Commiefornia Scott. They're miserable little sum bee atches!....Mel
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,563
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Post by jamesp on Apr 25, 2013 1:44:17 GMT -5
It takes me a while to stand up too Mel-rode hard and wore out.To the point i do not squat well.A long handle on a tiny 8 once ball peen delivers high velocity blow.The 3/4 inch plywood nuetralizes the impact very well.Breaking down larger pieces weighing over a pound or more i use larger hammer and squat position.Trying to get smaller chunks so i can sit on my buttocks and reduce those chunks to tumblers.Which is the part that takes so much time. Never heard of Commiefornia:>We have Alabamastand,our beloved neighbors to the west.They make coffee cups w/the handle inside the cup.Been picking on those poor Alabaman's for years-love hate thing:>
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herchenx
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Member since January 2012
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Post by herchenx on Apr 26, 2013 13:19:10 GMT -5
do you notice fractures in the pieces that come off? That is one thing that has stopped me from going after larger chunks with a hammer is the fear that the broken-off pieces will be all fractured. I've ended up slabbing them to 1" thick and then using a chisel to create clean breaks.
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snuffy
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Member since May 2009
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Post by snuffy on Apr 26, 2013 13:23:28 GMT -5
Who was it that had a fit if you talked about breaking rocks with a hammer? A couple years ago on here.Just made me remember. snuffy
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,563
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Post by jamesp on Apr 27, 2013 4:55:45 GMT -5
Why did they not like the use of the hammer?In my case it is my saw and cab machine-like nice shapes for jewelry-carefully chipped shapes.It's not easy to do.If you cut-grind-chip-crush in an attempt to make attractive rocks;you do not have much choice.This is a tumbling forum......many tumbled rocks are hammered or crushed. Now i got warned about using a steel hammer on coral because it puts fractures in it.The knappers use brass and copper hammers,sledges and chippers on most of their knapping materials.I have not mastered that art. Going to the knap-in at Cartersville Georgia this weekend to learn more about the way they use these soft tools to reduce their rock. If i found a silicified sabre tooth lion skull or other rare preservation then shoot me dead if i broke it down to tumble.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,563
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Post by jamesp on Apr 27, 2013 5:08:16 GMT -5
John Herchenx-That is the absolute best way to get fracture free tumbles.Gotta a saw a lot of corals to get a prince-many are frogs.Gotta big pile of sawn corals that are rejects but heat treat to great color.Those reduce so easy and fracture free. I do much better reducing a sawn rock-even if it is 7 inches in diameter round and just split in half.If you hit it on that sawn face it chips off so much more fracture free.Slabs 1-2 inches thick are too fun too reduce. A lot of the color is in the rind of the coral and they are large so i will 8 pound sledge 'plates' off and bring them home.Like slabs almost. Protective gear to avoid severing arteries-weird,i know.
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darstcreek77
has rocks in the head
Member since April 2011
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Post by darstcreek77 on Apr 29, 2013 6:42:32 GMT -5
wearing a welding helmet isnt weird you sitting in a jon boat wearing a welding helmet breaking rocks is weird !lol
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,563
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Post by jamesp on Apr 29, 2013 6:48:09 GMT -5
Thank God i rarely see another soul when i go up these little rivers.Nothing sneaks up on me except kayaks and they just have to put up with Freddie Kruger. Thanks for noticing darstcreek77
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