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Post by tntmom on Sept 6, 2012 22:31:43 GMT -5
AWESOME Chuck!!! Your batch looks fantastic!!! Yes, the absence of lots of cushioning or a stray hard rock chip that slipped into the batch will cause frosting. I always do 50% ceramics. I don't polish in rotaries so I'm not sure what the best method is to slow it down. Have you tried adding Borax to the load when you add your grit? In the vibe it thickens it up a lot and burnishes a bit while sanding. Maybe a couple of tablespoons would get it nicely thick and slow? I'm soooo happy to see this batch! I knew you would nail the obsidian just like your other incredible batches!!!
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Post by tntmom on Sept 5, 2012 23:13:28 GMT -5
I LOVE seeing the trip photos!!! What beautiful photos, sad that so much was burned but that creates a whole 'nuther rock hounding experience.
I've been to burn sites in Washington and that's where I have found the "opalized" pieces of quartz. What causes something to opalize? Is it the heat or something else?
You and Christa look soooooo happy!!! I see no goofiness from you.... just the "glow of love"!!! ;D
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Post by tntmom on Sept 5, 2012 0:23:47 GMT -5
Oh Yeah! You could not have perfectly contained, preserved, slabbed and shown those shell fossils any better!
John and Chuck....... DANG I'm jealous!!!!
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Post by tntmom on Sept 4, 2012 18:14:15 GMT -5
Beautiful batch Snuffy! I'm not too familiar with Flint Ridge, never worked any, but..... the stuff I've seen doesn't seem to have that much red, this is REALLY pretty!!!
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Post by tntmom on Sept 3, 2012 15:15:13 GMT -5
Awesome work Gary! I remember pm'ing you last year about your neat resin stone chip cabs. I think they are awesome and a great reason to save all those tiny saw trimmings!!!
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Post by tntmom on Sept 3, 2012 15:04:22 GMT -5
My gosh that Amethyst is about the coolest thing I've ever seen! All are very beautiful!!!
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Post by tntmom on Sept 3, 2012 15:00:56 GMT -5
Awesome material and your "Lick of Flame" is spectacular!
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Post by tntmom on Sept 3, 2012 14:58:51 GMT -5
Wow, I have missed some reading the last few days! AMAZING and LOVE the Charoite!!! I have one little tiny small purple piece that I haven't worked up the nerve to start yet, yours is just incredible!
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Post by tntmom on Sept 3, 2012 14:51:36 GMT -5
WHOA!!! Amazing cabs! 1, 3 and 6 knocked my socks off!
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Paiutte
Sept 3, 2012 11:34:31 GMT -5
Post by tntmom on Sept 3, 2012 11:34:31 GMT -5
some resemblance to Belvade jasper - but not quite isn't "hidden" and "claim" incompatiable? you have to public file claims. not that the exact words matter. its closely guarded. LOL Yeah, guess "closely guarded" would be a better choice of words The person I got if from went on a trip to Oregon and Nevada with the 71 year old owner. He also brought back McDermit Purple Jasper and Blue Hill Jasper but I have only worked the Paiutte so far. Tony, this will be on Ebay pretty soon. When I was at Michael's house he was taking the large slabs out side and dropping them on the concrete. I jumped every time one broke, but that's how he weeds out the fractures The ones that broke he put into a bucket (that's where the two slabs I got came from) and the ones that didn't break, he took back into his shop for knife scales. He uses two full size sister slabs for his scales. The smaller slabs will go on Ebay.
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Paiutte
Sept 3, 2012 0:06:18 GMT -5
Post by tntmom on Sept 3, 2012 0:06:18 GMT -5
Very interesting stuff.... like Morrisonite...... This is from a 40+ year hidden claim. I don't know the specs except it is in or between Oregon and Nevada..... I was only given a couple of pieces from my friend to play with.... here is my first cab (wish I had more!!!!!) the slabs: The cab: The depth is incredible.... I could bury myself in it! (EDIT 09/03/12: Took a daylight picture this morning around 10am)
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Post by tntmom on Sept 2, 2012 13:27:18 GMT -5
I really enjoy seeing your batches Chuck and Andrew! Such a variety with an excellent shine! Love that Crazy Lace!!!
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Post by tntmom on Aug 31, 2012 21:17:40 GMT -5
HAPPY BIRTHDAY BEEF!!!!!!!!!
I miss you soooooo much!!!!
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Post by tntmom on Aug 31, 2012 21:13:57 GMT -5
OH! That Amy looks to have some gemy!!!! My fave pieces of Amy I have ever worked were Chalcedony! IMO that's what yours looks like!!!!!
I would have to agree on the ob. Silver sheen is metallic looking when it's cut parallel to a band which produces a magnificent silver sheen. When cut differently it produces beautiful bands but you don't usually see the iridescence sheen. Rainbows will still show color in the bands but I haven't had any luck with silver.
I'm not a big slabber so someone correct me if I'm wrong! Love getting the slabs though cut in all different angles!!!
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Post by tntmom on Aug 31, 2012 21:04:00 GMT -5
Cough, cough, cough!!! Dang Garry!!!! It's sooooo beautiful! Now I'm even more sad.... guess I was 15 miles away from you and Woody a week ago. I'm pouting..... Btw... never heard of Mt. St. Helen's Blue Jay.... going on a google adventure now
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Post by tntmom on Aug 28, 2012 22:39:57 GMT -5
About a week and a half ago the girls and I took a trip to a southern Western WA Island to visit a custom knife making friend that I have never met before in person. It was the highlight of my summer!!! He has a two story rock workshop, every piece of equipment you can imagine, cool dogs and a gravel driveway made up of slabbettes (including turquoise)!!! He recently went on a secret trip with a 70 year old rock hound that wanted to pass on a secret site that has been hidden for around 40 years so that it wouldn't be lost (I guess only a small handful of people know of this site as of today...) My friend offered me a few slabs of this secret material as well as a bunch of other stuff. My daughters spent the day rockhounding his driveway while I learned things from my mentor!!! First... some of my daughter's driveway finds (+ some stuff that he gave them directly from a scrap box) Thulite, Brenda Agate, WA Zoisite, Cripple Creek, Australian Rainforest Jasper, Leopard Skin Jasper, Some kind of killer red jasper, Indonesian purple chalcedony, Shattuckite, India bloodstone and parts of it are the real deal with blood and plasma only! I don't have a clue what the scale at the bottom of the picture is (these are just some of my favorite pieces out of the Country Fresh Fruits & Vegetable box they brought home!). And some of mine: Dumorterite, Cassiar Nephrite BC, Powell River Porphyry (sp?), Burro Creek Pastelite, Morrisonite, Nacazari Turquoise, Larsonite, Rhodonite and Chrysocolla in Chalcocite. Here's a close up of the Nacazari Turquoise along side a cab I did not too long ago of the same material. Takes a KILLER shine!!! And here's the KILLER RARE stuff (The Paiute is from Oregon and the Blue Hill is from Nevada)! The purple stuff is McDermitt Purple Jasper that I haven't preformed yet. This is Paiute Jasper and Blue Hill Jasper. The Paiute looks like Morrisonite and the Blue Hill is named after blue agates that will compete with Ellensburg, but my stone is the orange "Rooster Tail" looking jasper found on the same hill! Here's the etchings of the Paiute and the Blue Hill (excuse my feet... I took these pictures on our glass patio table in a hurry, didn't realize my ugly toes were showing through :blush: (DRY slabs): Here's the preforms after shaping on 180 grit. A little more shaping to do but this is the jist of it and I think they are going to come out killer! Avoided fractures and the only pit I have to fill is a small druzy on the back of the Paiute.... might not even fill it because it's centered and cute. These pics are taken WET with flash at 6:30pm in the evening outside. The Blue Hill looks mostly accurate in color but the Paiute is much darker green in person, the flash seemed to wash it out a bit... I can't wait to finish these!!!
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Post by tntmom on Aug 27, 2012 1:01:50 GMT -5
Hi Jamie! Great to see you posting!!!!! Your advice and instructions in past posts over the years has been something I have referenced too many times to count. And.... you and your husband's rocks are my favorite pieces in my collection!!!!!! Loving the "Shout Out"! WHOOT WHOOT!!
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Post by tntmom on Aug 26, 2012 20:30:59 GMT -5
Nice!!! I love your unique style, it's awesome!!!
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Post by tntmom on Aug 26, 2012 20:12:50 GMT -5
WOW those are amazing! And the fact that your son got a perfect tumble finish on the leopardskin and had soft snowflake in there that turned out awesome just blows my mind!!! WTG!!!
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Post by tntmom on Aug 25, 2012 18:16:28 GMT -5
Pretty cabs, the Dino especially! That scorpion though gives me the creeps...
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