Post by nowyo on Aug 28, 2013 23:22:30 GMT -5
Well, I've been lurking on here long enough, was going to join in long ago but my job was keeping me too busy. Now I don't have a job, and I'm still busy, but howdy. Not retired, but voluntarily unemployed for a bit while I catch my breath again. Couldn't think up a clever handle, so nowyo means northern Wyoming. Wasn't really blessed with the clever gene. I've been interested in rocks for most of my life, but most of my collecting interest was fossils. Not that I know a lot about them, but they are fun to go look for.
Was never really into the lapidary part of things, but my father in law got into rockhounding after he retired. When he passed away he had two Lortone tumblers full of obsidian in the garage, mother in law just wanted them out of there. The wife and I brought them home, where they sat for a couple of years, then I started looking for what to do with them. Found this place, found instructions for tumbling obsidian, followed them, and by the geebus, it worked. Since then we've tumbled a bunch of stuff, mostly agates and jasper, using information mostly gathered from this site.
A couple of years ago we picked up an old Frantom saw-grinder unit off of the Craigslist in Las Vegas. After some fits and starts got the saw working, which made me think there's more to this whole thing. Once the end of summer rush of harvesting in the garden is done, I'm going to try making some cabs and whatnot. The old wheels on that machine are kind of worn, but I reckon it'll be good enough to play with and get started. I did see a thread about people fixing up these machines, so I'll have to jump on that.
For me, really, the getting out and looking for interesting rocks is the main draw. I also hunt and fish and it doesn't take much of an excuse to get me out in the mountains or in the desert, the wife goes along, and she's been getting really good at spotting stuff. We both just enjoy getting out and wandering around.
As far as collecting, I've collected fossils in New York state, oh yeah and garnets at Gore Mountain, fossils and pyrite in Vermont, assorted cool stuff on old tailing piles in Colorado, and around here some agates, jaspers, petrified wood, and "pretty" landscaping rocks. My Brother in law and mother in law are now both down near Palm Springs, so on our spring visit back in March (I really don't think I want to go visit them from April to November) we stopped and got some dumorterite (sp?) and swung by the south Cady's. Didn't have a lot of time, drove up north and west of Ludlow and found some cool looking jasper before we had to get on the road back home. We've also poked around some in the Goodsprings district and up around Goldfield in Nevada.
I'll quit boring you for now, and I'll try to contribute what I can with my meager knowledge, while I continue learning from all of you.
Was never really into the lapidary part of things, but my father in law got into rockhounding after he retired. When he passed away he had two Lortone tumblers full of obsidian in the garage, mother in law just wanted them out of there. The wife and I brought them home, where they sat for a couple of years, then I started looking for what to do with them. Found this place, found instructions for tumbling obsidian, followed them, and by the geebus, it worked. Since then we've tumbled a bunch of stuff, mostly agates and jasper, using information mostly gathered from this site.
A couple of years ago we picked up an old Frantom saw-grinder unit off of the Craigslist in Las Vegas. After some fits and starts got the saw working, which made me think there's more to this whole thing. Once the end of summer rush of harvesting in the garden is done, I'm going to try making some cabs and whatnot. The old wheels on that machine are kind of worn, but I reckon it'll be good enough to play with and get started. I did see a thread about people fixing up these machines, so I'll have to jump on that.
For me, really, the getting out and looking for interesting rocks is the main draw. I also hunt and fish and it doesn't take much of an excuse to get me out in the mountains or in the desert, the wife goes along, and she's been getting really good at spotting stuff. We both just enjoy getting out and wandering around.
As far as collecting, I've collected fossils in New York state, oh yeah and garnets at Gore Mountain, fossils and pyrite in Vermont, assorted cool stuff on old tailing piles in Colorado, and around here some agates, jaspers, petrified wood, and "pretty" landscaping rocks. My Brother in law and mother in law are now both down near Palm Springs, so on our spring visit back in March (I really don't think I want to go visit them from April to November) we stopped and got some dumorterite (sp?) and swung by the south Cady's. Didn't have a lot of time, drove up north and west of Ludlow and found some cool looking jasper before we had to get on the road back home. We've also poked around some in the Goodsprings district and up around Goldfield in Nevada.
I'll quit boring you for now, and I'll try to contribute what I can with my meager knowledge, while I continue learning from all of you.