stefan
Cave Dweller 
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
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Post by stefan on Jun 30, 2005 19:58:18 GMT -5
Not sure what to call em- Boy this is a lot harder than the sands tutorial looked! But here they are for your entertainment- I did not polish them yet (the leather belt and sponge and polish thing has me very intimidated- maybe tomorrow)  Dang picture sucks too!!!! Ok My dial up keeps cutting out the camera is too jumpy (ha) and I've had enough- Sands just go ahead and delete this! Night all! |
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Post by Cher on Jun 30, 2005 20:20:18 GMT -5
Not sure of the first one but looks like picture jasper or flint and some ocean jasper to me. C'mon now, get on with it, lets see what you do to them. Make 'em shine pretty now. You can do it, I have total faith in your addiction ... I mean in your ability. *smile*
Cher
PS ... Don't 'cha just hate when the camera gets all jumpy and no matter what you do, you can't hold it still. It's the electricals you know. Put your tinfoil hat on and it'll quit jumpin'.
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Post by docone31 on Jun 30, 2005 20:49:32 GMT -5
Those are called cabochets technically. If it was all that easy, everybody could do it. What Sands, myself, and Krazy did, and do, is keep at it. The best teachers of all are the stones that do not work out easily. When that happens, we dig in, shift to a lower gear, and find out why, and how. It does come. It is part touch, part equipment, part desire, part sheer luck, then, mostly experience. It is doing it over and over, and not quitting.
The problems really get complicated when the Electricals start hovering around us and we hear things...... You canot! It won't work! You are no good! They know..... They are coming..... It should have been done differently..... So and so can do it better.....
They feed on that.
Keep moving forward. One day, you will wake up, do it, and be able to teach someone else.
Keep moving forward.
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ArkieRockhound
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since February 2005
Posts: 870
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Post by ArkieRockhound on Jun 30, 2005 22:16:33 GMT -5
It can be disheartening, the first time you try. Each time you try again, it will feel more comfortable to you and they will look better. I'm just learning, but it is so much fun when you finally get one you are proud of. I think they're looking good!
Trish
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Post by rockyraccoon on Jul 1, 2005 0:14:46 GMT -5
i think the cabbing helped me to understand everything better. it's like watching what goes on inside the tumbler in fast forward. wish i could see them better stefan. if you've gotten this far, polishing should be a breeze. looking good!
kim
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
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Post by stefan on Jul 1, 2005 8:40:38 GMT -5
Ahh sorry- Last night was bad- I had a bad day at work (just all round crapola) then my New sanding belts came in !!!! I popped em on before the soccor game and started to grind! I was in heaven! Then the soccor game came up and our team (my wife and I coach) got blown away! The kids were soooo bummed! Well I should just hung it up then and there- but I decided to grind some more-Well first thing I did was go from 220 to 600 (and proceded to cook the 600 belt!) then I thought about a polish try but finally quit for the night- sorry about the pix- I think the rocks were still trembling from the grinding experience! Ok the ID on em is from right to left- Some kind of Gness from the Adirondaks; bubble gum agate; pet wood; and Ocean jasper (this one is pretty cool as I left the back of it in the druzy state) I'm gonna polish these tonight and get a better picture- Thanks doc for putting it in perspective! I guess I should be proud of the fact that I'm gonna learn a new skill!
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Post by krazydiamond on Jul 1, 2005 12:11:51 GMT -5
i was so proud of the first cabs that i did, i look at them now and cringe that i posted them in here, haha. but as Doc said, you just do another and another and then another one until you get the hang of it. the bright side, Stefan? the ones that you really screw up, you toss those bad boys in the tumbler and in a few weeks they are looking pretty good anyway!!!
shame about the new belt tho! did you order spares?
also, you should never grind (or use the saw) when you are tired or in a bad mood, that is when the Electricals sneak up on you and bite you in the butt!
KD
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
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Post by stefan on Jul 1, 2005 12:33:26 GMT -5
Well I did not order spares (the wife cringed at just the one!) but I think I might be able to still use the left side (i'm right handed) I have a few real nice slabs that I was gonna work with but I think I'll just put em on hold till I get the hang of it! Oh and I shoulda known not to work on them while tired and frustrated! Dang electricals! Plus I got to remeber I GOTTA GRINDER!!!!!!
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Post by sandsman1 on Jul 1, 2005 15:21:57 GMT -5
stefan just take the belt off and run it the other way they have an arrow on them and everytime i usta change to a dif grit i would turnit and run the other way this way you use up both sides of the belts,, i had a prob with only feelin comfortable workin on the one side of the belts in the beginning so thats what i did --- but now i seem to use the whole face of the belts
hey just take your time and keep doin dif pieces if one gives you a prob put it down get another one and start it i didnt finish a stone to polish for months prob -- i just worked at shapeing to get the hang of it i still doit sometimes ill sit and rough shape 10 or 15 cabs and start them again another day when my back feels ok again --- if you rush its no fun every one you do you will feel better about and get better too
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Post by Tweetiepy on Jul 1, 2005 20:43:19 GMT -5
Well Steph those are very nice, but you just gotta quit blaming the camera at some point - I thought you had a tripod!  cant wait to see them polished up! |
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Post by docone31 on Jul 1, 2005 21:10:21 GMT -5
Stefan, start dopping those bad boys. It makes it easier to go lightly on the belts. WIth those belts, go lightly, use lots of water. Like Sands says..... flip those belts also. They will handle it.
Now you know why we chase the grail. On one hand, it is so simple. On the other, it is like chasing the dragon. My first ones were absolute crap. My petrified wood just chipped away. Some, no matter what I did, just fought back. Some set records, but in the beginning it was rare, and unpredictable.
You want some real pointers? Sands. He has it down to a science. I work with a lot of cabs, and his are some of the finest ones I have ever seen. He also likes other people to succeed also. PM him, and have him walk you through each step.
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
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Post by stefan on Jul 2, 2005 9:15:51 GMT -5
Thanks for the encouragement- Sands has been a huge help right from the get go! I worked some more last night and a couple came out pretty cool- (sorry It was late and the camera was upstairs) I'm gonna work em some more today and I'll snap a couple of pix (with the tripod this time!) It is strange cause this is so much fun but at the same time so aggrivating! I tried to polish but the leather belt is still new and I was running it to fast (it just would not hold the polish) I'm gonna switch pullies today and try to break in the new leather belt-
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flowoxsgarden
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since May 2005
Posts: 196
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Post by flowoxsgarden on Jul 2, 2005 12:08:14 GMT -5
I know what you mean stefan. I had went over to lotarock's to try out his Genie and I have to say I was in heaven. It is frustrating though when you have a piece that just doesn't want to go your way. He gave me a piece of petwood to turn into a cab and that thing about drove me nuts. I kept having to go back and forth on the wheels to get it just right and still didn't get the shine that I wanted but it was satisfying enough. I did feel like I was one with that darn machine though. It was meant for me and I don't have one  |
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
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Post by stefan on Jul 2, 2005 19:15:38 GMT -5
Thanks flow! Yes it is very frustrating- but somehow fascinating! Just to watch to rock take shape! I worked on some today and I was feeling "in the grove". I love the smell and sound and the feeling of the rock! Well you know what I mean! Hey and if you keep your eyes open and work hard You can get a machine! (course I think the Genie may have spoiled you!)
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flowoxsgarden
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since May 2005
Posts: 196
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Post by flowoxsgarden on Jul 3, 2005 15:36:37 GMT -5
that Genie definately has spoiled me and I want one so bad. Anyone know where I can find one cheap. I tried to do a search but haven't had any luck sofar |
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
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Post by stefan on Jul 4, 2005 7:10:10 GMT -5
CHEAP- NO WAY! I called around and searched the web- no luck- one shop (can't remeber which one) said they have only had one used genie- the guy was just trading it in for another genie- well as they were unloading it someone came up and asked them to load it into his car! Didn't even ask what the price was and if it ran- THere just are not a lot of used ones for sale! I told the wife that if I hit the lottery that is one of the first things I'm getting! Good luck with your Genie quest!
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ArkieRockhound
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since February 2005
Posts: 870
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Post by ArkieRockhound on Jul 4, 2005 9:38:24 GMT -5
I've seen several Genies on Ebay lately, and of course, they sold for much less than I paid for mine. I've seen them go for less than $500. Just put it in as a favorite search and have them notify you when one comes up.
Trish
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Post by creativeminded on Jul 5, 2005 9:06:21 GMT -5
You are getting a great start, keep up the great job.
Tami
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
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Post by stefan on Jul 5, 2005 9:30:09 GMT -5
Trish the only genie I've seen for that was pretty beat (missing motor and SC wheels pretty cupped) I must watch Ebay a little more closly! Course I refuse to do the paypal thing (Got screwed pretty good by them once already) and I'm so leary about buying things based on someones opion- plus too much of the wording is the same- "don't know what this is worth- got it at an estate sale seems to work good- could make some neat stuff with it- Well I worked with a professional estate liquidator- and the first rule was to know what you are buying- She could tell you to the dollar what EVERYTHING was worth- So either these people are buying blindly- or they are feeding us a line of bull!!!! Sorry I just had a 3 day weekend and my mind is recharged! Ebay does have some good deals but when your talking $500 for a cab unit plus shipping (at least another $50) plus a motor (New- $150- used $75) then new wheels (SC are around $35 each) your approaching the price of a new one?
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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 Jul 5, 2005 9:52:43 GMT -5
Stefen, Nice work there...the middle ones certainly look like some kind of ____lace and the right one like ocean jasper to me...csroc
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cant wait to see them polished up!
