Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2015 18:56:28 GMT -5
The malachite got me back in the game and all the compliments for my polishing has inspired me to work some grueling hours so ya'll have some nice things to look at. Has to be at least three god awful hours a day so ya'll better enjoy this. The piece that I damaged is pretty much repaired and you can hardly tell that sometimes my brain is broken. I had to go back to the 100 to get it all off. Front side but it really is a double sided cab though. ![](http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h375/wampidy/hand%20cabs/P6170012.jpg) Back side or other side and yes that is an excellent heart that showed up. ![](http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h375/wampidy/hand%20cabs/P6170017.jpg) It is a curved cab too ![](http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h375/wampidy/hand%20cabs/P6170016.jpg) ![](http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h375/wampidy/hand%20cabs/P6170014.jpg) A fish face cab that almost wasn't a fish when I got done grinding on it. ![](http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h375/wampidy/hand%20cabs/P6170026.jpg) Back side that I did not finish polishing because there is a fracture I did not want to stress. ![](http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h375/wampidy/hand%20cabs/P6170027.jpg) A druzzy cab. ![](http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h375/wampidy/hand%20cabs/P6170032.jpg) ![](http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h375/wampidy/hand%20cabs/P6170033.jpg) Another druzzy cab that I am not sure how I am going to finish. The druzzy butts up to a layered portion that needs polished but there is no way I can do it without messing up the druzzy. Shaky old hands. ![](http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h375/wampidy/hand%20cabs/P6170006.jpg) ![](http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h375/wampidy/hand%20cabs/P6170009.jpg) ![](http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h375/wampidy/hand%20cabs/P6170006.1.jpg) Next one on the list. ![](http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h375/wampidy/hand%20cabs/P6170039.jpg) ![](http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h375/wampidy/hand%20cabs/P6170040.jpg) A small lab cab. The back side has gold lines that flash. ![](http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h375/wampidy/hand%20cabs/P6170004.jpg) ![](http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h375/wampidy/hand%20cabs/P6170001.jpg) I had this jadeite from Myanmar half finished and tried to finish it on the 3000 soft diamond wheel. Well, it worked for the malachite. Need to step back and do something different. Pretty though. ![](http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h375/wampidy/hand%20cabs/P6170000.jpg) I am loving the malachite. It hasn't made me sick yet so must not be getting any overspray OR I AM A TOUGH OLD BASTARD. HAHAHA Jim
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,694
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Post by Fossilman on Apr 18, 2015 19:06:06 GMT -5
Would you like at those!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Jim you did great!!!!!!!!!!! Thumbs up
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2015 19:08:57 GMT -5
Thanks Mike. After looking at the photos I see that the one is not quite finished. lol Jim
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Post by washingtonrocks on Apr 18, 2015 20:04:40 GMT -5
Damn, I'm going to have to get me some of that Malachite! ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png) Great shine. Good work on all of them.
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Post by orrum on Apr 18, 2015 20:27:36 GMT -5
You done good!!#! Wow!!#
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Post by braders on Apr 18, 2015 20:49:20 GMT -5
Looking good
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Apr 18, 2015 21:14:52 GMT -5
Nice job on the cabs Jim. Malachite is some amazing looking stuff.
Chuck
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Post by rockjunquie on Apr 18, 2015 21:35:04 GMT -5
Thanks for walking us through your gems. Your finished malachite look great! The lab is sweet, too. There must be a trick to it that I just don't know because I ruin every piece I touch. ![:(](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/sad.png)
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Post by nowyo on Apr 19, 2015 8:36:20 GMT -5
nice work, Jim.
Russ
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Post by snowmom on Apr 19, 2015 12:31:17 GMT -5
wow! Love that green GREEN green! Labradorite is fascinating. sweet color in the jadeite... watching closely. keep 'em coming! ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png)
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 19, 2015 14:41:34 GMT -5
Thanks for walking us through your gems. Your finished malachite look great! The lab is sweet, too. There must be a trick to it that I just don't know because I ruin every piece I touch. ![:(](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/sad.png) Tela, I finished the lab with the soft diamond just like the malachite. The back side of that piece would probably never clean up and I was afraid I was going to go through the flash on the front before it cleaned up. I was lucky I think. I can not tell how deep the flash is and I hate to ruin a piece to find out. I have a couple more small pieces I am going to work on and maybe do a blow by blow with the camera at each step. It looks pretty fragile but held together pretty good. Jim
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 19, 2015 14:46:14 GMT -5
Thanks all for the compliments.
I got lucky with the malachite. my flat lap was down so I went to the only other thing I had and it worked. Now that my machine is up and running I am going to give it a try but I have a feeling the bumpy velcro with diamond pads are not going to get the job done like the soft wheel did. Jim
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Post by rockjunquie on Apr 19, 2015 15:40:11 GMT -5
Thanks for walking us through your gems. Your finished malachite look great! The lab is sweet, too. There must be a trick to it that I just don't know because I ruin every piece I touch. ![:(](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/sad.png) Tela, I finished the lab with the soft diamond just like the malachite. The back side of that piece would probably never clean up and I was afraid I was going to go through the flash on the front before it cleaned up. I was lucky I think. I can not tell how deep the flash is and I hate to ruin a piece to find out. I have a couple more small pieces I am going to work on and maybe do a blow by blow with the camera at each step. It looks pretty fragile but held together pretty good. Jim That would be cool to see, Jim. I just ruined the last best that I had. There is something really fundamental that I seem to be missing.
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Post by Bluesky78987 on Apr 20, 2015 16:07:01 GMT -5
Hey Jim, is that Lab from Fred's stone? I like this cab -- I'm partial to the orange Lab flash.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 20, 2015 17:50:37 GMT -5
Hey Susan, Bluesky, long time no see.
Yes it is from Fred. Do you remember where he got it? I guess I could go back and and check the messages.
I also like the yellow flash but I also like some blue streaks in it like this stuff. That cab is pretty small (1.5" tall) but I have some larger ones from the same slab that I am working on now. When I say "working on" it is a loose reference to something that has been cut but could be in a bin marked from 50 to 13000 and when I get to that grit again it may or may not move up the ladder depending on about 47 different factors. The two main factors are "I forgot where I was so I have to go back a ways" and "damn, this has to have some HXTAL put on it". The second one could be years but I am getting better.
By the way, do you want that cab? Of the next two coming up one is headed back for HXTAL (could be years) and the other is real thick but I do not want to grind it down because it has flash on both sides and I do not know how to tell how deep it is yet. Jim
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Post by Bluesky78987 on Apr 20, 2015 18:16:44 GMT -5
Cheers Jim! Yes, I disappeared, had to quit my job and start my own law firm! I'm a small business owner now! But getting back to the rocks. Missed y'all!
Fred got that rock for $4 at a bazaar in Madagascar, if I remember correctly. Good place to go on vacation!
You keep the cab, I just like seeing the pics of it.
One way to tell how deep the color goes is to look at how the flash is oriented on the first side. Put the sun over your shoulder and rotate the rock until it's flashing most strongly. Now stick an imaginary dart in it parallel with the sun rays blasting into it over your shoulder as the stone blinds you with its flash. Then, flip it over, and draw another imaginary dart. If the darts are like two ends of the same dart, the flash goes all the way through and you don't have to worry. It's not like Rainbow obsidian, or American opal, where you can grind through the layer. The layer more tends to dwindle down. (Sorry if you already knew all that, I couldn't tell).
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Post by pghram on Apr 20, 2015 18:47:43 GMT -5
The second Malachite is really nice, & the flash in the lab is super.
Rich
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Roger
fully equipped rock polisher
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Member since January 2013
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Post by Roger on Apr 20, 2015 23:24:48 GMT -5
Nice work Jim. I love malachite, but have not had any luck finding good material at reasonable prices. I am jealous!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2015 8:23:36 GMT -5
Cheers Jim! Yes, I disappeared, had to quit my job and start my own law firm! I'm a small business owner now! But getting back to the rocks. Missed y'all! Fred got that rock for $4 at a bazaar in Madagascar, if I remember correctly. Good place to go on vacation! You keep the cab, I just like seeing the pics of it. One way to tell how deep the color goes is to look at how the flash is oriented on the first side. Put the sun over your shoulder and rotate the rock until it's flashing most strongly. Now stick an imaginary dart in it parallel with the sun rays blasting into it over your shoulder as the stone blinds you with its flash. Then, flip it over, and draw another imaginary dart. If the darts are like two ends of the same dart, the flash goes all the way through and you don't have to worry. It's not like Rainbow obsidian, or American opal, where you can grind through the layer. The layer more tends to dwindle down. (Sorry if you already knew all that, I couldn't tell). No I did not know that so thank you very much. I may even be able to remember that. Good luck with the small business even though luck has a pretty small part in it. I think your tenacity will shine here. Jim
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2015 8:25:26 GMT -5
Nice work Jim. I love malachite, but have not had any luck finding good material at reasonable prices. I am jealous! Where are you Jeff? Potential customer here. Jim
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