TwoDogs
off to a rocking start
Member since November 2004
Posts: 5
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Post by TwoDogs on Dec 4, 2004 8:45:31 GMT -5
A while ago some Ocean Jasper pictures were posted by James ( andy321.proboards16.com/index.cgi?board=Pictures&action=display&thread=1087419159). They were amazing, and made me feel quite inspired (as do most of the pictures posted here), but I had trouble finding Ocean Jasper rough at a reasonable price. Finally the Gem Shop had tumbling grade rough in stock at $5.00 per pound, so I bought some. This is what it looked like in the box:  Here it is wet (it amazes me what a little rinse can do):  Here it is after 8 days in 60/90, wet:  And a close-up of some of the nicer pieces (after 8 days in 60/90, wet):  I'm pretty satisfied, so far. It will probably be springtime before I finish these, but in case anyone is thinking of buying some of this, I wanted to show what it looks like. Incidentally, The customer service at The Gem Shop was outstanding - I'll definitely buy more stuff from them in the future. |
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HarryB41
has rocks in the head
Member since September 2004
Posts: 605
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Post by HarryB41 on Dec 4, 2004 11:44:05 GMT -5
Awesome box of rocks!
It does amaze me how they look dry to wet.
Harry
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Post by Cher on Dec 4, 2004 12:42:55 GMT -5
WoW There's some nice looking stuff there. I'm curious though, can anyone tell my "WHY" is it called "Ocean Jasper"? I have some stuff that I'm tumbling now that looks an awful lot like some of the pieces you have there ... I sure as heck didn't get them out of any ocean though.  |
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Post by rockyraccoon on Dec 4, 2004 13:06:26 GMT -5
they are looking good - please keep us posted as they progress.
kim
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rollingstone
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since July 2009
Posts: 236
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Post by rollingstone on Dec 4, 2004 16:36:39 GMT -5
TwoDogs, I'm impressed. I thought that $5/lb ocean jasper would be garbage, but you've some excellent pieces there. I look forward to seeing it finished up, even if it won't be until springtime.
Cher, it is called ocean jasper because it is mined from some location in Madagascar that is underwater (under the ocean) except at low tide. All hand-extracted, and shipped from this very remote site by small boats. It was actually discovered about 75 years ago, then the site was "lost" for about 7 decades. The stuff was "rediscovered" a few years back, and I think it made some big debut in the Tuscon rock show around 1999, and was a big hit. Hard to come by, exquisitely beautiful. Jame's photos of it are still my favourite tumbled rock photos I've ever seen posted in this forum, and that's not to take away from the scores of other wonderful pics here.
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Post by connrock on Dec 4, 2004 16:54:09 GMT -5
You did get some nice rough for only 5 bucks/lb !! I can't wait to see it finished and I bet you can't either!! Thanks,,,,, Tom  |
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llanago
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2004
Posts: 1,714
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Post by llanago on Dec 4, 2004 17:39:02 GMT -5
two Dogs, those are going to be some awesome rocks when you finish! Can wait to see them.
Who would ever thinl - except us rock folk - that what is in the first picture ends up looking like the third and when finished will knock yer socks off!
You definitely got some nices stones!
llana
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Post by Cher on Dec 4, 2004 22:41:09 GMT -5
That's interesting. Hey Two ... can you take a close up of the red/black stone and the green stone with the darker green spots? Sounds like I have about the same thing but just not from the ocean. Maybe from an ocean a zillion years ago. |
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TwoDogs
off to a rocking start
Member since November 2004
Posts: 5
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Post by TwoDogs on Dec 5, 2004 8:06:32 GMT -5
RosebudMN - Here are three closeups. They're dry in these pictures I hope I got the ones you were asking about. I'm pretty new to tumbling, so I'll ask a couple of questions for the dieties. Up close, lots of cracks and pits are visible. I presume that more time in 60/90 would help - is this a logical conclusion? Or, in order to get a smooth surface, would I end up with M&M-sized pieces? And (last question), does rough pre-forming with a saw provide significantly better results than the ol' hammer-and-chisel approach (seems to me it would, but this is just a guess)? Dan    |
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Post by Cher on Dec 5, 2004 8:19:09 GMT -5
Thanks Dan, you did get the two I was asking about. The green ones in the first close up, mine are similar but don't have the yellow spots in them. On the second close up, the red/black on the right was the other I was wondering about. Those are definitely awesome pieces, hard to tell the size though. Looking at them, I would leave them in the coarse grit longer. Or, if you have a dremel, you can try touching them up in just the areas that need more removed.
Cher
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Post by creativeminded on Dec 5, 2004 9:31:06 GMT -5
Those are some very nice rocks, you are doing a great job on those.
Be careful rock tumbling is very addictive. You may go crazy but one thing for sure you will never loose your marbles you can tumble yourself some more.
Tami
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Post by Toad on Dec 5, 2004 21:08:39 GMT -5
Hey Dogs, that is quite a diversity of designs and colors for the same rock. Awesome. Just to totally hijack the thread, have any of you ever seen Nebula stone? It has very similar patterns to the Ocean Jasper, only different colors. Check out the site: www.nebulastone.com/ |
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Banjocreek
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since March 2003
Posts: 1,115
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Post by Banjocreek on Dec 6, 2004 0:47:52 GMT -5
Just by way of trimming, and preforming-
I have a 4" trim saw and will sometimes take stone (like your Ocean Jasper) and run it in the 60/90 for a week or more.
Since I try to keep the pieces fairly large (golf Ball size or so), I can pull them out after a few weeks and cut little slabs and work pieces individually to help improve the overall end result of the barrel load.
Thats when I decide which ones don't need to take up space and go in a junk box used for fill in 60/90 next time around.
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Banjocreek
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since March 2003
Posts: 1,115
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Post by Banjocreek on Dec 6, 2004 0:49:53 GMT -5
I also wanted to say that I am impressed with the stuff you got there for $5.00 a pound.
It looks like you got some real promising pieces.
Nice Job.
It's gonna look great finished!
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rollingstone
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since July 2009
Posts: 236
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Post by rollingstone on Dec 6, 2004 1:45:50 GMT -5
Toad, I checked out the link to "nebula stone", and did an internet search on it as well. If I stumbled across stone like that myself, I'd jump for joy. But would I buy it online?? ... uh uh (as in "no"). Seems to me like some self-promoters are hyping this stuff as some magical healing stone or a rare and unusual gemstone, but I don't think it is either. A pretty tumbled stone, has potential there.
Just my opinion.
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Post by krazydiamond on Dec 7, 2004 18:58:41 GMT -5
i meant to reply to this thread when you forst posted, 2Dogs, those are some great rocks you got for $5 a pound. Kingsley North lists is at $25 a pound!!! so ya done good...
i got a 5 pound chunk of the stuff that i don't know how to deal with yet... i ain't taking a hammer to it, that is for sure, but it's more than my 6" saw can handle...i am hoping i'll get my 10 inch tile saw working well enough to do justice for it.......
it is a beautiful stone,
KD
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Post by Toad on Dec 7, 2004 21:12:49 GMT -5
Toad, I checked out the link to "nebula stone", and did an internet search on it as well. If I stumbled across stone like that myself, I'd jump for joy. But would I buy it online?? ... uh uh (as in "no"). Seems to me like some self-promoters are hyping this stuff as some magical healing stone or a rare and unusual gemstone, but I don't think it is either. A pretty tumbled stone, has potential there. Just my opinion. I agree with you as far as all the mysticism and self-promotion goes. But the stone itself looks interesting to me. I first found out about it in Lapidary Journal several years back. I looked it up again when I joined this forum. I'll probably buy some when I get a tumbler. |
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rollingstone
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since July 2009
Posts: 236
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Post by rollingstone on Dec 7, 2004 22:02:35 GMT -5
If you can get some as rough, then I think it would make a great tumbled stone. I only saw that they were hawking their finished stuff.
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Post by Toad on Dec 7, 2004 22:06:03 GMT -5
If you can get some as rough, then I think it would make a great tumbled stone. I only saw that they were hawking their finished stuff. They sell slabs for sure, and I would assume rough, but I haven't asked. |
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69beeper
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2004
Posts: 377
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Post by 69beeper on Dec 8, 2004 13:26:47 GMT -5
What a score! I want some... lol
Can't wait to see the finished product.
Jimmy
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