jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,561
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Post by jamesp on Nov 20, 2013 10:22:04 GMT -5
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Nov 20, 2013 10:26:40 GMT -5
Great colors, great patterns and great shine. Nice batch!
Chuck
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Post by rockpickerforever on Nov 20, 2013 10:29:48 GMT -5
Those are beautiful, James! I went back to try to pick out some favorites, but they are all so nice. Okay, I'll pick 6, 7 and the 4th to the last. Thanks for posting them.
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,352
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Post by quartz on Nov 20, 2013 12:43:11 GMT -5
Seems like every time you put up a new batch, it's better than previous one. Colors and pattern impressive, thanks for the show. Is the new oven helping w/colors, or more knowledgeable about hunting area, or both? Larry
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Deleted
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Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Nov 20, 2013 13:25:21 GMT -5
Frikin amazing James. The second photo that shows the face and sides of the ? buttons, stars really held my eye because of the contrast from one side to the other like it is going around the coral face. You da man. Jim
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bsky4463
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2013
Posts: 1,696
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Post by bsky4463 on Nov 20, 2013 13:51:16 GMT -5
Awesome run. (cant wait for the soundtrack when we view the latest deathplates)
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panamark
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2012
Posts: 1,343
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Post by panamark on Nov 20, 2013 14:03:48 GMT -5
Those are beautiful James. It is interesting that the coral doesn't seem to break consistently either parallel to the corallets (got that right?) or perpendicular to them. My favorites are those that are perpendicular to the growth so that each corallet face is perfectly shown. Thanks for posting!
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,561
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Post by jamesp on Nov 20, 2013 14:08:17 GMT -5
Thanks Jim and Larry. Those are more from Black Bay and Swift Creek area. Cooked w/the old oven. Those are a few more from the last batch. It takes 2 months to finish if the tumblers are not tied up(which they always are). I have just got 35 pounds of these in the buckets below started in coarse grind. They are newer than these. And the newest finds from the hotter oven are not photographed. I said that i was not doing other rocks because i was aware of the vastness of this material. So i dedicated to the coral when i joined this forum less than 2 years ago. And built the large tumbling system to handle the complicated variations. The feedback has been so valuable. And comparing so many materials to see what is out there. I can't keep up. Cut a few slabs but no time to do cabs yet. I am obsessive and am a bit autistic so this is a good rock for my illness. Thanks for looking/noticing. Really
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,561
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Post by jamesp on Nov 20, 2013 14:22:03 GMT -5
Awesome run. (cant wait for the soundtrack when we view the latest deathplates) Plenty of music to handle death plates bsky. But the barbecued Iguana really stimulates the taste buds. Mark, about half the coral splits better along the corallite tubes. And not as easy cross splitting so the hex is displayed. The more the original coral structure is replaced the more 'homogenous' it is.
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carloscinco
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2008
Posts: 1,639
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Post by carloscinco on Nov 20, 2013 19:21:56 GMT -5
Amazing! Really really amazing stuff!
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Thunder69
Cave Dweller
Thunder 2000-2015
Member since January 2009
Posts: 3,104
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Post by Thunder69 on Nov 20, 2013 19:43:50 GMT -5
Killer batch....John
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,561
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Post by jamesp on Nov 20, 2013 20:23:39 GMT -5
Thanks Carlos and John.I wish i could find your silicified palms down here.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Nov 20, 2013 21:03:43 GMT -5
wow
just
wow
Thanks for the soundtrack too...
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panamark
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2012
Posts: 1,343
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Post by panamark on Nov 20, 2013 21:21:04 GMT -5
Okay, James my big question after seeing buckets and tubs and drain racks and even fire-rings I think, full of that beautiful stuff: "What are you going to do with it all?" (awhh, I hate when people ask me that question). Seriously though, I think you can find a good market for that stuff and become the Coral Tycoon or Madre de Todas las Corales Caliente. You must literally have a few tons of it by now. Correcto?
My uncle has an older home in Naples, FL that has patio floors and walkways made from mined semi-petrified coral. It is very beautiful and fascinating and he said they cannot mine it anymore, so it is pretty valuable.
Thanks for all your time posting these!
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,711
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Post by Fossilman on Nov 20, 2013 23:25:26 GMT -5
Well bossman,you already know my views on coral! Freakin' awesome!
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,561
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Post by jamesp on Nov 20, 2013 23:37:01 GMT -5
Okay, James my big question after seeing buckets and tubs and drain racks and even fire-rings I think, full of that beautiful stuff: "What are you going to do with it all?" (awhh, I hate when people ask me that question). Seriously though, I think you can find a good market for that stuff and become the Coral Tycoon or Madre de Todas las Corales Caliente. You must literally have a few tons of it by now. Correcto? My uncle has an older home in Naples, FL that has patio floors and walkways made from mined semi-petrified coral. It is very beautiful and fascinating and he said they cannot mine it anymore, so it is pretty valuable. Thanks for all your time posting these! Welded stuff is a business Mark. Much to the industrial loft areas of urban Atlanta. Been selling it from the farm here for years. And the buildings and barns are welded out of scrap iron. The coral that you speak of is about impossible to get. Terminated for environmental reasons. It is a myriad of corals blended. It is basically what the Keys and the everglades are mad out of. Even a few houses in high end Atlanta are made of that sawn coral. But nothing like the structures in Florida. This one took over a mile of steel and 300 pounds of welding rod. www.flickr.com/photos/67205364@N06/sets/72157628336944117 Thanks Coral Tycoon Jamesp
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Post by pghram on Nov 21, 2013 0:34:13 GMT -5
The variety in those is amazing & they are extraordinarily beautiful.
Rich
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,561
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Post by jamesp on Nov 21, 2013 6:22:04 GMT -5
Thanks Rich. Keeps me occupied
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grayfingers
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Member since November 2007
Posts: 4,575
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Post by grayfingers on Nov 21, 2013 8:41:43 GMT -5
This building is indicative of some serious Professional DIY More beauties, that was a pretty fast rotary batch, no?
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,561
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Post by jamesp on Nov 21, 2013 10:01:07 GMT -5
Making tumbles with out fractures is important to me . I have learned a lot from spearhead/arrowhead guys on the proper hammer. DO NOT use hard steel hammers like all the hammers you buy in the store. Knappers use brass/copper and soft steel. Hard steel propagates fractures. I heat mine to cherry red and let them cool slow to soften them. These are spalling and chipping hammers. Made to break agate/coral/jasper/flint etc with out sending fractures. Check them out from this maker: The 3 Lb. Mild Steel Spalling Hammer My personal favorite! Economical and tough! This hammer is perfect for trimming large spalls and spalling small to medium sized nodules ranging from 2 lbs up to 70 lbs. It's a mild steel that even works well on Dacite and Obsidian, heat treated stone and any grade of chert or flints. Don't let them tell you, "you can't spall with a steel hammer"! I have learned from experts like Steve Berhnes, Claude VanOrder and Gene Stapleton who are experts at spalling stone with steel. This is the mildest steel available, other store bought hammers are too hard and will shatter good rock or cause flakes to fall short. This is a cost effective alternative to copper hammers. Copper hammers are more forgiving in striking improper angles but are expensive. This is a handy item for any rock hunter!
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