RedwoodRocks
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since March 2003
Posts: 762
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Post by RedwoodRocks on Feb 27, 2005 1:18:34 GMT -5
Here are some pictures of my latest batch. Sorry but the pictures did not come out very well. The formula was Coarse - a long time, some a few weeks, for others a couple of months 120/220 - one week 500 - 6 days 1000 - 5 days cerium Oxide - 6 days Also, after each run, rocks were washed in ivory soap shavings for a few hours to clean off rocks and pellets. The picture is all the rocks, sorry KD forgot a scale, guesttimate is 3/4 to 1 1/2 inches.  This is the Botswana agates.  This picture has Blue Lace and Mex Lace agate.  This is a picture of Blue Quartz, Carnelian and maybe a piece or two of the Graveyard PT agate, and Mozarkite.  This last picture is odds and ends - tigereye, sodalite, pet wood, bacon agate, red moss agate, red and white jasper, etc.  Thanks for looking, Cal |
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Blue Tigereye
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since January 2005
Posts: 118
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Post by Blue Tigereye on Feb 27, 2005 2:59:03 GMT -5
WOW!! Great shine on those! I like them all!
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llanago
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2004
Posts: 1,714
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Post by llanago on Feb 27, 2005 10:19:05 GMT -5
Cal, those are beauties! Love those Botswana's - the banding is so neat. And the blue lace is so pretty! They are all beautiful!
Coarse - a long time
LOL! Ain't it the truth! I have had to run some in course for so long I lost track of how long! Sure pays off in the end though!
llana
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Post by Cher on Feb 27, 2005 10:22:53 GMT -5
Wow Cal those are gorgeous. The blues are just beautiful, I need to get me some of that blue lace, it's so beautiful. I'm going to have to give that cerium another try, I keep forgetting that I have some of it. I always look forward to your pics, they are fantastic, thanks for posting them.
Cher
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Post by sandsman1 on Feb 27, 2005 10:29:48 GMT -5
dam cal lookin good they all came out great ,, nice mix
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Post by krazydiamond on Feb 27, 2005 10:30:12 GMT -5
that blue lace is so striking! all of them are gems!
thats a lot of rocks, Cal! never heard of "bacon agate" before..?
KD
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69beeper
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2004
Posts: 377
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Post by 69beeper on Feb 27, 2005 13:50:49 GMT -5
Wow, EXCELLENT batch you have there Cal!! That sure is some beautiful rock! Great job, and that shine...  The Bots and Blue lace are my favs!! Jimmy |
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RedwoodRocks
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since March 2003
Posts: 762
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Post by RedwoodRocks on Feb 27, 2005 14:17:37 GMT -5
Hi all, Thanks for the kind replies.
I took the pictures indoors under a combination of Halogen and flourescent lighting. To be honest, I think the photographer is more at fault then the lighting. I should have tried to take the pictures outdoors, but I had already picked out my favorites and put the rest into a giant bow with other tumbled rocks.
Yes, KD, Big Red does produce a whole bunch of rocks. Of course, it takes a long time to get a whole batch out of coarse. I am re-thinking the process- each week about a pound of rocks is ready to move from coarse into the next stage. I also have a Lortone 33-B, So... I am thinking of using the smaller Lortone for everything but the coarse stage. This method should produce smaller batches, but each small batch would finish sooner. And, I could run one type of rock through the process. Thus, lessening the chance that a bad mix of different rocks would lower the shine factor.
The bacon agate I won on Ebay. I was attracted by the banding pattern in the rock. But, overall, I am a little disappointed as the agate is very pitty between the bands. The banding sort of looks like bacon, brown with lighter colored banding. The bacon agate is just to the right and above the piece of sodalite.
Cal
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Post by connrock on Feb 27, 2005 19:04:23 GMT -5
That is a beautiful assortment of colors cal!! They came out great!! Tom  |
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Post by rockyraccoon on Feb 27, 2005 19:39:02 GMT -5
oh cal what an enjoyable looking batch with all those different ones! you outdid yourself here!
kim
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Banjocreek
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since March 2003
Posts: 1,115
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Post by Banjocreek on Feb 27, 2005 22:14:18 GMT -5
All very nice Cal.
I'm drawn to the Botswana Agate myself.
But the shine on all of them is really terrific.
I sure is a beautiful batch you got there.
Suggestion-
I use my 2 Thumbers B for rough only.
Keeping the 60/90 rolling and hand picking each week what moves up.
Recharge, add more stones, and carry on.
Then break it down 6# 120/220
6# 500, 6# 1000 0r 3 pound and then all 3 pound and 1.5 pound for polishes
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Post by cookie3rocks on Feb 27, 2005 23:16:08 GMT -5
Yummy Yum Yum! I love the blue lace. I got some on ebay a while back that turned out to be internaly fractured, but after going back thru coarse for the 3rd time, there's going to be some nice pieces. Do you have a 15# Big Red too? Gotta throw everything in there but the kitchen sink to get a load, huh? That is if your a small fry like me The "Little Ed" I bought (home made) from Stoner holds two 3# barrells. I culled the stuff that's going nowhere fast tonight and started 2 barrells in CO. For 7+ MOHS, you can't beat it. Your formula sounds a lot like mine, but I have a feeling you will have the bragging rights on this batch. Well done! cookie |
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Post by creativeminded on Feb 28, 2005 9:38:27 GMT -5
Thank goodness I had my keyboard pushed under the desktop, I would have gotten drool in it.
The botswana and blue lace is absolutely beautiful.
Tami
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stefan
Cave Dweller 
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
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Post by stefan on Feb 28, 2005 11:15:11 GMT -5
Awesome- shine on!
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Rose
Cave Dweller
Member since November 2004
Posts: 875
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Post by Rose on Feb 28, 2005 11:35:39 GMT -5
Very nice - I love the botswanna agate !
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chassroc
Cave Dweller
Rocks are abundant when you have rocktumblinghobby pals
Member since January 2005
Posts: 3,586
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Post by chassroc on Mar 1, 2005 13:07:49 GMT -5
Hey Cal...Great Stuff! That beacon Agate has great banding. Love the blue lace
csroc
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