|
Post by connrock on Oct 5, 2015 9:24:04 GMT -5
After a LOT of thought throughout a 2 year period I decided to quit working with rocks and making jewelry. It was a long,very hard decision but I hadn't even touched a rock or used any of my equipment for over 1-1/2 years. I also felt that I had "peaked out" with my ability to make jewelry and although I tried VERY hard I just couldn't do better.It started to become very frustrating for me trying to better myself and I knew it was time to move onto something else in my creative life. I kept one 6 lb/double barrel rotary and one Lot-O-Tumbler and although I thought I got rid of most of my rocks ,I'm finding more and more every day I clean! LOL I searched the web to find something I liked and thought I could do and found a man named George Goehl who (in my opinion)is an artist with an oxy/acet outfit.This is a gallery of a few of the pieces George did,,, linkGeorge has several free instructional/informational videos,,, link and also sells detailed instructional videos for only $5.00 each,,, link. To say the least,George has helped me a lot in my new artistic venture. I'm now in the process of cleaning out 2 rooms of "stuff" that I have "collected" for the past 50 years!! LOL It's VERY difficult for me to go from "I may need this some day" to "I'm 71 years old and won't live long enough to use this" but I'm making the transition as I clean and throw out a LOT of "stuff"! I've been on this board for quite a few years now and I've REALLY enjoyed everyone's friendship,help and loyalty to the world of rocks and metal.I still pop in here once in a while but not on a daily basis anymore and I'll continue to do so as long as God lets me. This is one of my attempts at working with metal,,,, Thank you ALL for being you! Tom Kuzia connrock
|
|
Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,711
|
Post by Fossilman on Oct 5, 2015 9:33:47 GMT -5
That's a nice job....Hate to see ya' go,but we all come to that cross road in life.....Enjoy your new adventure and pop in once in awhile!! Good luck too.....Two thumbs up
|
|
|
Post by Peruano on Oct 5, 2015 9:49:20 GMT -5
I recently delivered a donation of a half pickup load of bike parts and slightly more than four bike frames, misc wheels, etc to our local bike repair coop ( they teach bike mechanics and outfit homeless, needy, and others with bikes). I (needed?) the space for rock equipment. I told them I was in the process of changing hobbies from bike restoration and collecting to rock hounding and lapidary. You have to keep the excitement going somehow. So I'm especially appreciative of your recent creation of aminiature bike as a product of your new hobby. Nice work and great detail. Enjoy the torch and all it brings you. Tom
|
|
|
Post by Rockhobbit on Oct 5, 2015 10:27:45 GMT -5
I will miss you! 9 years we have been friends on here!! Sheri
|
|
|
Post by orrum on Oct 5, 2015 10:50:24 GMT -5
Hey thanks for your help with my first tumbling efforts and specially the Loto!!! Don't go completely away, post your metal creations on the misc thread. We will enjoy your wotk!
|
|
|
Post by 1dave on Oct 5, 2015 11:13:13 GMT -5
connrock - Tom, Your giving spirit keeps expanding and will always be with us. A very humble THANK YOU!
|
|
bushmanbilly
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2008
Posts: 4,719
|
Post by bushmanbilly on Oct 5, 2015 11:22:30 GMT -5
Good luck with you new hobby. Thanks again for the tumbling help you gave me many years ago.
|
|
|
Post by rockjunquie on Oct 5, 2015 16:13:02 GMT -5
I hate to see you go, but I do understand your need to move on. I hope your new hobby is rewarding and fun for you.
|
|
liz
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since September 2014
Posts: 83
|
Post by liz on Oct 5, 2015 17:01:06 GMT -5
Beautiful work!
|
|
|
Post by mohs on Oct 5, 2015 17:02:46 GMT -5
Life's a rocky road w/lots of twist & turns which your mastering brazen on!
Ed
|
|
|
Post by Pat on Oct 5, 2015 17:14:46 GMT -5
Good luck to you. I understand your position. I'm also cleaning out, but remaining in this lifelong wonderful hobby.
Looking forward to seeing your new creations.
|
|
grizman
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since July 2011
Posts: 878
|
Post by grizman on Oct 5, 2015 18:00:34 GMT -5
I never knew you, but I sure did try and digest all the info you shared with the forum. Thanks for the time you spent as a "rocker"!
|
|
snuffy
Cave Dweller
Member since May 2009
Posts: 4,319
|
Post by snuffy on Oct 5, 2015 18:17:05 GMT -5
I understand where you are coming from!!I am almost there myself.A stage a lot of us go through apparently judging by the folks who come and go over the years.
snuffy
|
|
timloco
has rocks in the head
Member since April 2012
Posts: 545
|
Post by timloco on Oct 5, 2015 19:21:53 GMT -5
Have fun with your new hobby! I've got 4 or 5 hobbies that I cycle through :-)
|
|
|
Post by Jugglerguy on Oct 5, 2015 20:07:14 GMT -5
Tom, you've had more influence on my tumbling than anyone else here. You were more active here a few years ago and always explained why something should be done, not just what to do. You are a great teacher. Thanks!
Oh, and I love your rock hound song!
Rob
|
|
|
Post by connrock on Oct 7, 2015 6:54:07 GMT -5
Thank you ALL for your kind words and thoughts! I'm happy to know that I've helped some of you,in one way or the other,and if anyone still needs my help please just ask and I'll try my best to do so. connrock
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,563
|
Post by jamesp on Oct 7, 2015 7:50:46 GMT -5
Attempt at metal working ?? Soldering 50 spokes on a hub is out there, like master of solder. I asked you about this.
|
|
|
Post by connrock on Oct 8, 2015 9:20:47 GMT -5
Hi James,,, Brazing the spokes to the hub isn't as difficult as you may think but trying to do all of this on the small piece of 1/2"steel plate I worked on was! I used a couple of pieces of steel as spacers under the plate to try to not burn the particle board I used as a table.You can see a burned spot at the bottom where I went a little too close to the end of that plate with the torch!!!After a few more mishaps I decided to get rid of my lapidary stuff and build myself a real steel table in another room with a concrete floor,,,,cuz this one has a wall to wall carpet,,,,with a few burnt spots in it now! LOL connrock
|
|
|
Post by rockjunquie on Oct 8, 2015 10:25:42 GMT -5
Hi James,,, Brazing the spokes to the hub isn't as difficult as you may think but trying to do all of this on the small piece of 1/2"steel plate I worked on was! I used a couple of pieces of steel as spacers under the plate to try to not burn the particle board I used as a table.You can see a burned spot at the bottom where I went a little too close to the end of that plate with the torch!!!After a few more mishaps I decided to get rid of my lapidary stuff and build myself a real steel table in another room with a concrete floor,,,,cuz this one has a wall to wall carpet,,,,with a few burnt spots in it now! LOL connrock Does all that steel cause a heatsink problem? When I was working borosilicate glass we used a lot of graphite blocks- they are fire proof, hold heat and are not a heat sink.
|
|
|
Post by connrock on Oct 9, 2015 8:41:14 GMT -5
rock-j,,,, No heat sink problems at all cuz the oxy/acet flame is very hot. You can see here that the flame s very hot,,,,, linkThe soldering blocks used for silver soldering jewelry won't take this heat and the flame destroys the blocks. connrock
|
|