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Post by tims on Aug 5, 2021 4:57:48 GMT -5
Wow tims , I didn’t think Teepees could be tumbled. I wasn’t sure the host rock would hold up to the abuse. Those tumbles look great!! None of the agates in those photos were tumbled, those only got worked on wheels. I have tumbled several with varied results, and you're correct that the matrix often doesn't hold up well. Most of the ones I find are in chert which is plenty hard to take a good polish, but it's very prone to fractures and chipping when tumbled. They seem to hold up better to grinding with wheels or a flat lap, but still tend to develop fractures or maybe it's just worsening of existing micro-fractures. Most of the nodules i see are in tan chert, but occassionally the matrix is gray or reddish brown. I almost never break nodules and just rely on natural fracturing to expose what i collect, so i wonder if cutting whole nodules might result in more solid and workable pieces.
Very pretty specimen you've got there with a nice variety of colors and well-defined fortifications.
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Post by miket on Aug 10, 2021 14:35:52 GMT -5
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Post by Starguy on Aug 10, 2021 18:00:54 GMT -5
My goodness. Those teepees are cool. jasoninsd sent me some. I can’t wait to work some of them. I’m still working some nice bots but their fortifications don’t compare to the teepees. i’ve been finding a lot of shadow bander bots lately though. |
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Post by jasoninsd on Aug 10, 2021 18:17:44 GMT -5
I was bored at lunch so I thought I'd get a few pics of some of the more interesting ones I collected when I met up with jasoninsd a while back. In digging through the bucket I found quite a few rocks that I don't remember keeping. I'm blaming Jason or my son.   Mike all of those are great looking pieces! I'm still not convinced the black and white one wouldn't be considered a "Hills Agate" by some...but the matrix is Teepee Canyon matrix if I remember correctly...and it looks like it in the pictures. And of course, it WAS found in Teepee Canyon...so maybe Teepee Canyon Agate it is! LOL And I don't remember putting any rocks like those in your bucket when you weren't looking!  EDIT - I think if it were me, I might try to grind that surface down a little on that black and white one to try and expose the rest of the fortifications on that one. Definitely very carefully, but it looks like if some more of the matrix was removed, there's more pattern just below some of that surface... My goodness. Those teepees are cool. jasoninsd sent me some. I can’t wait to work some of them. I’m still working some nice bots but their fortifications don’t compare to the teepees. i’ve been finding a lot of shadow bander bots lately though. I can't wait to see what you do with those Brent! (And I think the Shadow Bander Botswana Agates are just as cool as these...well, darn close at least! ) |
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Post by miket on Aug 10, 2021 21:51:44 GMT -5
My goodness. Those teepees are cool. jasoninsd sent me some. I can’t wait to work some of them. I’m still working some nice bots but their fortifications don’t compare to the teepees. i’ve been finding a lot of shadow bander bots lately though. Thanks! AND don't forget to show the bots, please! |
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Post by miket on Aug 10, 2021 21:54:06 GMT -5
I was bored at lunch so I thought I'd get a few pics of some of the more interesting ones I collected when I met up with jasoninsd a while back. In digging through the bucket I found quite a few rocks that I don't remember keeping. I'm blaming Jason or my son. Mike all of those are great looking pieces! I'm still not convinced the black and white one wouldn't be considered a "Hills Agate" by some...but the matrix is Teepee Canyon matrix if I remember correctly...and it looks like it in the pictures. And of course, it WAS found in Teepee Canyon...so maybe Teepee Canyon Agate it is! LOL And I don't remember putting any rocks like those in your bucket when you weren't looking! EDIT - I think if it were me, I might try to grind that surface down a little on that black and white one to try and expose the rest of the fortifications on that one. Definitely very carefully, but it looks like if some more of the matrix was removed, there's more pattern just below some of that surface... My goodness. Those teepees are cool. jasoninsd sent me some. I can’t wait to work some of them. I’m still working some nice bots but their fortifications don’t compare to the teepees. i’ve been finding a lot of shadow bander bots lately though. I can't wait to see what you do with those Brent! (And I think the Shadow Bander Botswana Agates are just as cool as these...well, darn close at least! ) You might be right, I don't know. That one does seem to be hiding more patterns. And the rocks in the backpack that I'm referring to are the big, heavy ones with absolutely no fortifications.... 🤣 |
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Post by jasoninsd on Aug 10, 2021 21:59:59 GMT -5
Mike all of those are great looking pieces! I'm still not convinced the black and white one wouldn't be considered a "Hills Agate" by some...but the matrix is Teepee Canyon matrix if I remember correctly...and it looks like it in the pictures. And of course, it WAS found in Teepee Canyon...so maybe Teepee Canyon Agate it is! LOL And I don't remember putting any rocks like those in your bucket when you weren't looking! EDIT - I think if it were me, I might try to grind that surface down a little on that black and white one to try and expose the rest of the fortifications on that one. Definitely very carefully, but it looks like if some more of the matrix was removed, there's more pattern just below some of that surface... I can't wait to see what you do with those Brent! (And I think the Shadow Bander Botswana Agates are just as cool as these...well, darn close at least! ) You might be right, I don't know. That one does seem to be hiding more patterns. And the rocks in the backpack that I'm referring to are the big, heavy ones with absolutely no fortifications.... 🤣 Ohhh....THOSE rocks! LOL I'd want to look into it a bit more...but something's triggering a memory that there's a green bit for the Dremel that will take off less (or less aggressively) than a diamond bit. I keep staring at the pattern on that one! The orbs in that one are just off the charts! That one is just really special...it's definitely a specimen piece in my opinion. |
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Aug 10, 2021 22:24:00 GMT -5
Hot damn, miket, nice rocks! That black and white one is too cool for school. Amazing even. I have never seen a Teepee that was something other than the usual colors. It's intriguing. |
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Post by miket on Aug 11, 2021 9:01:04 GMT -5
You might be right, I don't know. That one does seem to be hiding more patterns. And the rocks in the backpack that I'm referring to are the big, heavy ones with absolutely no fortifications.... 🤣 Ohhh....THOSE rocks! LOL I'd want to look into it a bit more...but something's triggering a memory that there's a green bit for the Dremel that will take off less (or less aggressively) than a diamond bit. I keep staring at the pattern on that one! The orbs in that one are just off the charts! That one is just really special...it's definitely a specimen piece in my opinion. Yeah it really does beg to be uncovered, doesn't it? I'm not much on specimen pieces, we'll see what happens...
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Post by miket on Aug 11, 2021 9:02:30 GMT -5
Hot damn, miket , nice rocks! That black and white one is too cool for school. Amazing even. I have never seen a Teepee that was something other than the usual colors. It's intriguing. Thanks Robin.
I have found a few like that before, if I remember right. That one was actually found in the second spot where we went- the same area where I found a rattler if memory serves. It is different, isn't it?
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Post by miket on Aug 11, 2021 19:33:56 GMT -5
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Post by jasoninsd on Aug 11, 2021 19:48:31 GMT -5
miket - I've been on the fence about this one all day. I've compared the fortifications in this one to a bunch of Teepee Canyon Agates. The fortification structure itself looks different to me than that of Teepees. It's cleaner, if that makes sense. That's why I personally am positive this one is a Fairburn (Hills Agate). Of course I could be totally wrong... Can you tell if the matrix area is covering the fortifications? (That's what it looks like to me...)
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Post by miket on Aug 11, 2021 19:59:40 GMT -5
miket - I've been on the fence about this one all day. I've compared the fortifications in this one to a bunch of Teepee Canyon Agates. The fortification structure itself looks different to me than that of Teepees. It's cleaner, if that makes sense. That's why I personally am positive this one is a Fairburn (Hills Agate). Of course I could be totally wrong... Can you tell if the matrix area is covering the fortifications? (That's what it looks like to me...) I'm kind of on the fence also. Maybe someone else smarter than me will chime in... I believe that it is matrix but I'm not 100%. Some is covered by the whiter buildup (showing my ignorance, I don't know what it is) that I've had some success with removing by a soak in muriatic acid. But I've also had some teepees fall apart that way. I think this particular stone would handle it ok, however. |
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Brian
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2020
Posts: 1,512
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Post by Brian on Aug 11, 2021 20:17:43 GMT -5
Whatever that one is, it is absolutely amazing! Part of me would love to know what else is hiding underneath the matrix, but the other part likes it just the way it is. The first half seems to be winning at the moment because that would be unbelievable if those fortifications are as extensive as it is hinting at.
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Post by miket on Aug 11, 2021 20:19:42 GMT -5
Whatever that one is, it is absolutely amazing! Part of me would love to know what else is hiding underneath the matrix, but the other part likes it just the way it is. The first half seems to be winning at the moment because that would be unbelievable if those fortifications are as extensive as it is hinting at. Oh I'm going to look, somehow! |
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Post by stephan on Aug 11, 2021 23:21:21 GMT -5
Some nice ones, miket , whether you found them, or they migrated to your bucket. The b&w is too cool. |
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Post by tims on Aug 12, 2021 1:48:59 GMT -5
miket - I've been on the fence about this one all day. I've compared the fortifications in this one to a bunch of Teepee Canyon Agates. The fortification structure itself looks different to me than that of Teepees. It's cleaner, if that makes sense. That's why I personally am positive this one is a Fairburn (Hills Agate). Of course I could be totally wrong... Can you tell if the matrix area is covering the fortifications? (That's what it looks like to me...) I'm kind of on the fence also. Maybe someone else smarter than me will chime in... I believe that it is matrix but I'm not 100%. Some is covered by the whiter buildup (showing my ignorance, I don't know what it is) that I've had some success with removing by a soak in muriatic acid. But I've also had some teepees fall apart that way. I think this particular stone would handle it ok, however. I'd guess it's lime deposits, that's common with exposed rock surfaces in that limestone. You might try some diluted acid / bathroom cleaner etc. in a small spot and see if it cleans up. |
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Post by fernwood on Aug 12, 2021 3:36:20 GMT -5
The black and white one is begging to be "undressed".
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Post by miket on Aug 12, 2021 9:10:05 GMT -5
Some nice ones, miket , whether you found them, or they migrated to your bucket. The b&w is too cool. Thanks my friend! |
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Post by miket on Aug 12, 2021 9:10:37 GMT -5
I'm kind of on the fence also. Maybe someone else smarter than me will chime in... I believe that it is matrix but I'm not 100%. Some is covered by the whiter buildup (showing my ignorance, I don't know what it is) that I've had some success with removing by a soak in muriatic acid. But I've also had some teepees fall apart that way. I think this particular stone would handle it ok, however. I'd guess it's lime deposits, that's common with exposed rock surfaces in that limestone. You might try some diluted acid / bathroom cleaner etc. in a small spot and see if it cleans up. I think you might be right...thanks. |
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