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Post by puppie96 on Oct 17, 2005 1:49:01 GMT -5
I've been turning out a lot of rocks, but haven't taken pictures recently. So today I got out on the deck and took shots of a whole bunch of batches. It's amazing how much there is. These are a few of the first batches. Some of them were in photos before, but I got some glass things to put them on and make somewhat better arrangements. These are all collected rocks. These are all from South Dakota in the Badlands/Black Hills area. They are mostly prairie agates & jaspers & pet wood, I believe. First, here are several group shots.    And a close up:  There are some rocks that have a very subtle striped effect to them, looks kind of like rainbow obsidian, but it doesn't usually take the intense polish that obsidian is famous for. It looks like it could be really beautiful if sliced. It tends to have some porosity and chips easily. Does anyone know what it is? There's some below and some in the other pictures, too.  The orange polka dot rock is unlike any others! I was wondering, could this be fossil coral?  These interested me too, since they look like some kind of fossil shell.  And this one looks like flames -- does this one have a name?  And these are just pretty!  Thanks for looking! |
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Post by LCARS on Oct 17, 2005 1:50:39 GMT -5
I like pictures!
Mmmmm, pretty rocks... Mmmmmm
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Post by rockds on Oct 17, 2005 2:14:02 GMT -5
nice looking rocks u got there. really like the 3rd from bottom w/ "shell ribs" and red splotched. Last one is interesting also.
thanks for sharing
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Post by puppie96 on Oct 17, 2005 2:28:31 GMT -5
I'd really like to know whether it could really be a shell -- sure looks like it.
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agatenut
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since August 2004
Posts: 127
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Post by agatenut on Oct 17, 2005 5:56:40 GMT -5
The fossil on the right looks likesome kind of coral to me.
agatenut
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Post by Bikerrandy on Oct 17, 2005 6:30:50 GMT -5
Sweet! I like the one with the black flames.
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Post by Alice on Oct 17, 2005 8:07:13 GMT -5
Great batch Pup!
Some of them sure are very pretty.
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Post by Cher on Oct 17, 2005 9:22:48 GMT -5
Wow Puppie, you sure picked up some interesting stuff out there, makes
me want to head for the Dakota and do some rock hunting myself. Love
all the different colors you have, sorry I'm no help in identifying them.
Cher
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Post by creativeminded on Oct 17, 2005 10:02:59 GMT -5
Those aren't pretty, they are beautiful.
Tami
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stefan
Cave Dweller 
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
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Post by stefan on Oct 17, 2005 12:43:31 GMT -5
I'm seeing some fossil coral there- also some real nice pet wood- outstanding batches!
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,504
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Post by Sabre52 on Oct 17, 2005 15:51:39 GMT -5
I'm with Agate nut. Looks like a fossil coral to me. Man that's nice too. Got to make me a trip up to those badlands sometime. Colorful material you've got up there!...mel
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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 Oct 17, 2005 16:50:32 GMT -5
Wow Pup, great shine on some very colourful rocks!
I throw in another vote for fossil coral.
I think that one with flames is "Flaming Puppiestone"! ;D
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Post by krazydiamond on Oct 17, 2005 19:07:38 GMT -5
;DFlaming Puppiestone ;D
great batches from the badlands! the only thing i even sort of recognize is the pet wood...really great selection of colors and wow, you nailed the shine! what polish did you use?
KD
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brian
having dreams about rocks
Member since September 2005
Posts: 70
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Post by brian on Oct 17, 2005 20:07:34 GMT -5
Amazing variety and shine.
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Post by rockyraccoon on Oct 17, 2005 22:18:59 GMT -5
puppie you have some great looking rocks in that batch. do you have some bubble gum agate and prairie agate in there? great colors!
kim
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Post by puppie96 on Oct 18, 2005 0:37:12 GMT -5
Thanks! Yes, Kim, definitely some bubblegum agates. By the way, Shawn looked over these with me and pointed out the bubblegum agates in the rough -- they are pretty obvious.
The variety is amazing. To put this in perspective, remember that we are two tourists who are only collecting as a little sideline to liven up a long drive, using the rocktrails guides available to anybody, and not spending an enormous amount of time being selective -- if it was pretty and colorful it went in the bag, the bags filled up in a hurry, and it was 107 out there and there were rocks as far as you could see. I swear there are no bad rocks in the Badlands.
Lots of pet wood, yes. And those two really look like shells, don't they, as well as the one that looks like coral.
I've got a bunch more of it too and more on the way!
Oh yeah, polish....I've been grinding it in barrels and then putting it in the Lot-O-Tumblers after they are well shaped and good surfaces. After using 500 grit for 24 hours, Iolox 50 for 24 hours, I put it in a soap and water wash with a little CPP alumina (why not) and then rinse it and then put it in the polish barrel. Recently I'm using TXP alumina with Glossine as as additive (in the lot o tumbler it takes 1/2 teaspoon of polish and half of that measure of Glossine). As usual the big challenge is getting them done enough before trying to polish them. In these photos there are a lot of surface imperfections and dings that really aren't visible to the naked eye, or at least are more subtle.
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Post by stoner on Oct 18, 2005 0:59:20 GMT -5
Nice pickin's Puppie. Lots of variety and the shine is superb. It's amazing what digital cameras pick up that aren't so obvious when just looking at the stones.
Ed
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Post by puppie96 on Oct 18, 2005 2:20:05 GMT -5
Nice pickin's Puppie. Lots of variety and the shine is superb. It's amazing what digital cameras pick up that aren't so obvious when just looking at the stones. Ed Yes, it is just amazing. It works on the positive side more than the negative, really, since you can see so much detail that you can't see otherwise...Here in MO there is a lot of lace agate, and the only way really to see the fine banding is with a digital image. The amazing thing is that this is just a small fraction of the stuff I've got finished, and more is very near to finished, and it is all just great. I am so ready to go back to South Dakota! |
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