Sabre52
Cave Dweller 
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,504
|
Post by Sabre52 on Nov 13, 2005 14:24:46 GMT -5
OK Randy: Since you're seriously hurting for pics , here are a couple from a batch of Lavic Siding Jasper I just took out of the rough grind ( six weeks of 60-90). Should have another batch of a Hornitos Jasper mix coming out of the final polish tomorrow....Mel   |
|
|
|
Post by LCARS on Nov 13, 2005 15:06:54 GMT -5
Oooooooooh  Looks like lava  |
|
|
|
Post by Alice on Nov 13, 2005 15:11:04 GMT -5
awsome!
|
|
|
|
Post by krazydiamond on Nov 13, 2005 15:41:47 GMT -5
ooo, i love that piece in the second picture in the upper left hand corner, looks like confetti.
KD
|
|
|
|
Post by Cher on Nov 13, 2005 15:50:36 GMT -5
lol that one caught my eye too KD, very nice stuff.
|
|
|
|
Post by Bikerrandy on Nov 13, 2005 19:34:54 GMT -5
Those are sooooo cool Cher, thanks for posting darlin!!  Oh, and you better have the camera ready for tomorrow's batch! ;D |
|
|
|
Post by joe on Nov 13, 2005 21:07:48 GMT -5
Those look yummy Mel!
|
|
|
|
Post by rockds on Nov 13, 2005 21:13:56 GMT -5
nice job mel, look good enough to eat
robert
|
|
|
|
Post by creativeminded on Nov 13, 2005 21:18:00 GMT -5
Way too cool.
Tami
|
|
rollingstone
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since July 2009
Posts: 236
|
Post by rollingstone on Nov 14, 2005 1:30:09 GMT -5
Mel, intriguing patterns on those, and, WOW, what did you do?? -- spray them with fluorescent paint to get them that bright?!!
|
|
Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,504
|
Post by Sabre52 on Nov 14, 2005 10:13:08 GMT -5
Rollingstone: Pics were taken wet in the sun. Actually I was a bit disappointed in the pictures The sun made the wet stones too reflective. The colors and patterns are really much more vivid than the pics show....Mel
|
|
stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
|
Post by stefan on Nov 14, 2005 10:47:44 GMT -5
wowzer on those mel can't wait to see em out of polish!
|
|
|
|
Post by gaetzchamp on Nov 14, 2005 22:11:59 GMT -5
Mel-
You've really gotten some nice stuff to work with. Where have you been getting it? I don't recall, but how many tumblers do you have or what is your set-up like? You seem to have a lot going on right now! A lot of cool stuff going on right now, I should say.
Gaeter
|
|
Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,504
|
Post by Sabre52 on Nov 15, 2005 0:06:01 GMT -5
Gaeter: Yep, when I'm not working with hawks and owls at the Raptor Center, I'm playing with rocks. I'm retired now so have lots of free time. Most of what I've pictured lately has been self collected either on the Mojave Desert or around my ranch in the Sierras. The Lavic Siding Jasper is from a famous location along old Route 66 not far from the Bagdad Cafe of cult movie fame. The plume is from the north Cady Mountains where I spend a lot of time prospecting. Mainly though, I prospect in the Sierra jasper belt as I spend so much time at the ranch anyway and all those Hornitos jasper varieties are within five miles of our ranch house. I'm of nervous disposition and constantly roam the hills for rocks. Also find a lot of poppy jasper right on our own ranch especially in the horse pastures and in the creek.Very fun and convenient to hunt rocks without even getting in the car! I have slab and multiple trim saws, a Diamond Genie, several Lortone tumblers and a horribly noisy Mini Sonic. The mini-sonic got me exiled to a new shop I had built last year so now everybody's happy. Only thing that would make things better is a faster tumbler and a super fast slab saw. Man, my old clunker is slow!....Mel
|
|
|
|
Post by gaetzchamp on Nov 15, 2005 0:52:01 GMT -5
Does this Lavic material have lots of pitting and does it polish up well for you?
Gaetz
|
|
Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,504
|
Post by Sabre52 on Nov 15, 2005 9:21:26 GMT -5
Gaetz: Lavic Jasper is kind of a tricky material to work with, especially when cabbing. Some of the jasper has softer bands and often the pieces contain crystal vugs or softer hematite which will undercut . The nodules have a twisted convoluted exterior also so the hunks broken off the exterior for tumbling can be pitted. Tumbling in coarse for at least six weeks or so is necessary and I often sort out part of the load and run it even longer. If you pick out the good stuff though, it works up to a very fine finish and the patterns are truly unbelievable ranging from lacey bands and whorls to brecciated, plume, or orby types. The collecting site itself has lots of material to offer still ( also some fine plume and moss agate at the site) but the best area is unfortunately a military bombing range. Most the good quailty pieces you find now are under a pound in weight. One can only dream of the fine material that still remains in the "keep out" zone....Mel
|
|
|
|
Post by pinemountaintrader on Nov 15, 2005 22:24:04 GMT -5
Those are soooo beautiful. You HAVE to post more pics when they're done. The close-up is so intriguing, I can't imagine them looking any better |
|
