grayfingers
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Post by grayfingers on Dec 6, 2013 9:39:42 GMT -5
James sent me a chunk of his coral, not so much for color, but to see how hard it is. I spalled off a chip, it flaked off sharp. I would say it is as hard as any chalcedony that occurs here in the west, except possibly the really clear MT agate. I decided to try a couple shapes, they are double sided, probably would poke a hole in a critter if one were to shaft them. They have only been in polish since yesterday afternoon, I had to pull them to see how they are coming along.
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Dec 6, 2013 10:41:25 GMT -5
Did you feel that you were safe grinding the slots w/out breaking? You have a unique set here. That interests me. I have no cabbing equipment but want to do unique shapes. Like this. And long delicate shapes. And 3-D stuff from tumbles. Using unconventional shaped wheels. Finishing the saddle between tangs looks challenging. Did you use a saw to cut the slots? That stuff spalls fairly good. I ill send you the real McCoy. Now that i have been told by the knappers finally what is best. The clear and also bland coral. Cooks often to milk white. It's junk to me. They test it when buying slabs. By knocking a small chip off the edge. The longer and thinner the chip the better. It takes a tiny tap to chip. And it chips leaving a waxy shiny surface. Cuts through heavy paper like it is not even there. By the way, obsidian is the sharpest edge apparently on earth.... "It is still used today as the premier tool in surgery as blades in scalpels, since fractured obsidian makes the cleanest and most precise cuts of any material."
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grayfingers
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Post by grayfingers on Dec 6, 2013 10:55:02 GMT -5
Yep, all cutting and grinding/shaping were done on the tile saw. The slots are tricky, they need to be wide enough to allow the insides to polish. I use busted tempered glass in the smalls so it gets into the little spaces, but still would have to buff with a dremel to get as shiny as the rest of the point.
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Post by pghram on Dec 6, 2013 11:33:55 GMT -5
Looking good, do you plan to ploish them more?
Rich
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Dec 6, 2013 11:37:20 GMT -5
And how much time to grind and smooth?
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grayfingers
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Post by grayfingers on Dec 6, 2013 12:28:12 GMT -5
Rich, I tossed them back in with the rest of the batch to shine up some more. (3lb. bowl on a UV 10)
James, If I am on a roll I can cut and shape a point ready to vibe in 15-20 minutes, provided no unexpected surprises. If one cuts the slots on the side it seems to be easier than on the end. like these are. Back when Home Depot carried the $88 Workforce 7" tile saws, I liked it so much that I went back later and bought the last one they had. That way I can switch blades in a minute. I use a thinner porcelain blade on one saw for slabbing (Hot Dog) and a thicker, cheaper porcelain blade for grinding and doming ($20 contractor by MK) I cut with the saw set in a black cement mixing tub in the basement, the big tub holds a lot more water, and I fill it up to the max, seems to cut better, blade lasts longer. Safely glasses and shooter's ear muffs are the safety gear. The little bowl on the UV 10 will(120,500 and polish)a batch in as little as 3 days.
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Dec 6, 2013 17:13:20 GMT -5
Three days. And you go from tile saw cuts to polish. So fast.
You would be dangerous with a cab machine.
If the Chippewa caught you making spearheads out of Seminole material they would all turn grey instantly. They would scatter and run for their life.
The Seminoles loved for whites to come into their territory. Easy fare. The whites never did 'conquer' that group. They got all the Georgia tribes(Creek and Cherokee mostly). But is not exactly open plains in Florida.
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grayfingers
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Post by grayfingers on Dec 6, 2013 18:44:24 GMT -5
Yeah, the Chippewa ruled the woods, they were guerrilla fighters. When they came out onto the prairies and open country the Sioux kicked their azz. They usually fought for vengeance, not conquest.
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Dec 6, 2013 19:03:13 GMT -5
They should have commissioned the Chippewa to get after those elusive Seminoles. I think each is a master of his own turf. It is all very interesting. There was a British explorer/reporter named William Bartram. A biologist. He reported accurately as a scientist would. His drawings proved it. He reported on alligators that were well over 20 feet long and bass that were 20 pounds. He commissioned the native people to help him do many things. He saw them shoot a rabbit in the eye with a little 24 inch straight bow from 20 paces. He is good reading. Because he was so involved with the native people. Makes his writings very interesting.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 7, 2013 0:09:28 GMT -5
I can see a new movie series.
The Wars of the Ancients.
You guys are awesome. Thanks for allowing me along for the ride.
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Dec 7, 2013 0:22:34 GMT -5
Bill has some fascinating knowledge. Native America was pretty much wiped out in the east when the west was still supporting a lot of activity. Nagutch(later)
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Dec 7, 2013 0:32:39 GMT -5
Yep, all cutting and grinding/shaping were done on the tile saw. The slots are tricky, they need to be wide enough to allow the insides to polish. I use busted tempered glass in the smalls so it gets into the little spaces, but still would have to buff with a dremel to get as shiny as the rest of the point. Does tempered glass work as good vib media? I have a about 20 gallons of it. I wondered if it would act as a good media. Do you use it tumbled or untumbled? It is 1/8" thick so my pieces are small. Ever use it in a rotary?
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grayfingers
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Post by grayfingers on Dec 7, 2013 8:48:42 GMT -5
James, I use the glass mixed with ceramics in the vibe and just the glass in the rotary. Glass was free, and as it wears smaller I just add another handful. As they get really small they can carry grit or polish into spots otherwise mostly missed. I toss it right in, no need to pre-tumble. This was 3/16 shelves. used mix on left, unused on right.
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Dec 7, 2013 9:15:56 GMT -5
I see. I have tumbled many things other than rock. And used some wild medias. Always like to hear about tumbling media.
A father/son factory close by extrudes pencil erasers in every color. The tumble them after cut to length. In rotary screen baskets like lotteries use. 3 feet diameter x 4 feet long 1/4 full.
So you do 3/16. And i got 1/8. It all sounds good. Thanks.
By the way. i have tumbled 3/8 tempered (blue ish) table glass to very rounded in 3-4 days in rotary. But it took 3-4 weeks to round bottle and non tempered glass.
I am sending you a couple of fist/2 fist size chunks of the heated boring white coral that is prized by the knappers. Just to chip it up. It basically shoots the chips away. The molecules or whatever are blasting the chip away as if they are under internal pressure. Long shinny squirrel skin cutting chips. They will cut thru buckskin like 4 mil poly. A wallet sized slab would provide enough chips to butcher 50 small game animals. Easy. And it chips with the impact of any quartz base hammerstone found most anywhere. I cooked some Montana for Fossilman and it does the same way. Turned Translucent to cloudy. Super waxy/shiny fracture faces. Explosive chip release. I got some of your Montana pebbles. I will bake a few to see how they do. As a confetti ed magazine makes a big bag full, so does a fist sized knapper rock make a lot of volume in chips.
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Dec 7, 2013 9:25:52 GMT -5
By the way. Nothing breaks into tiny pieces faster than that tempered glass. That is what caught my attention.
I was breaking the glass out of a big stack of aluminum frame widows to sell the aluminum and noticed how fast it generated media sized particles.
Just never tried them.
It's good to know other genius. What genius in the plural form.? geniusi geniuses ah so be it, spell check says geniuses
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grayfingers
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Post by grayfingers on Dec 7, 2013 11:49:24 GMT -5
James, thanks! Looking forward to playing with the white stuff. The glass lasts a lot longer in the vibe than I thought it would. Kind of fun to bust it up too. I will soon be posting shots of that baked piece you sent too. I believe the batch has polished, (I reuse my polish, a combo of Cerium and AO) I add small amount of water, vibe for a minute and strain off. Drys out in a few weeks. The points shined up fine. This shape might make a good pendant with a sinew wrap around the base looped for a cord or chain.
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Post by pghram on Dec 7, 2013 12:18:26 GMT -5
Those extra few days really made a big difference, very nice.
Rich
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Dec 7, 2013 14:01:32 GMT -5
With that polish those are rated for supersonic speeds.
Which reminds me. A man was caught shooting arrows out of a shot gun during bow season. He removed the lead from the shell and pushed the arrow down the barrel and onto the packing plug in the shell. Presto. supersonic arrow. That ain't right.
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grayfingers
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Post by grayfingers on Dec 7, 2013 14:29:18 GMT -5
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Dec 7, 2013 16:08:28 GMT -5
You must be snowed in Bill. i can't believe i sent you fractured. That black stuff is hard to see fractures being opaque. I picked color and maybe did not check cracks. That one is a doozy.
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