Good Earth
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2010
Posts: 155
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Post by Good Earth on Jul 11, 2014 14:13:51 GMT -5
These are found all over the Puget sound and Strait of Juan De Fuca. Every time I take someone to the beach and tell them to find jade, they always pick up every green rock in sight, passing over the jades. I'm by no means an expert on the local jades, but I've learned to ID them by the chalky feeling white rind. If you look closely at a specimen, usually you can see fibers running through the rind also. It takes a certain eye to pick them out on the beach, and my wife is way better at it than I am. In fact, this piece is one that she found last weekend at the beach closest to our house (about 5 minutes away). By far the nicest we've ever found, but no where near the nicest I've seen from here. The Rind: The inside:
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Good Earth
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2010
Posts: 155
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Post by Good Earth on Jul 11, 2014 14:09:03 GMT -5
Starting a new topic for Puget Sound beach jades now.
You ever cross the water to Port Angeles? Would love to host ya for a rock hounding trip!
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Good Earth
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2010
Posts: 155
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Post by Good Earth on Jul 11, 2014 12:20:33 GMT -5
Happening tomorrow! I've got some crazy PNW jaspers to share! Looking forward to hanging out with folks and sharing rocks!
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Good Earth
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2010
Posts: 155
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Post by Good Earth on Jul 11, 2014 10:45:47 GMT -5
The second to last photo looks like it *could* be a variolite. Variolites are an altered basalt that forms into an orbicular pattern. I've seen them in many colors/grades over here on the Olympic Peninsula. Your last photo looks very similar to our common chert. It's a brick red mass, that is usually too soft and too fractured for me to work with. I love seeing your collecting trip photos! It's really neat to see the similarities and differences in rocks from across the water. Here is a black/grey variolite I found on a beach facing your island:
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Good Earth
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2010
Posts: 155
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Post by Good Earth on Jul 10, 2014 18:51:21 GMT -5
Thank you both for the speedy very informative replies! I figured the setup was old, but poured babbitts are OLD! Looks like a set up with sealed pillow blocks and a big riser is in order. I wonder if this arbor is worth anything to an antique machinery collector?
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Good Earth
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2010
Posts: 155
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Post by Good Earth on Jul 10, 2014 15:02:10 GMT -5
Buddy of mine picked up a home made 20" saw the other day, and it needs bushings for the shaft. He took it apart this morning and found these. Anyone ever seen anything like this before and have a tip about where to find replacements?
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Good Earth
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2010
Posts: 155
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Post by Good Earth on Jul 8, 2014 10:54:54 GMT -5
Good Earth was the name of my landscaping company first, then it became Good Earth Rocks when I started selling stones. Taken from the Pearl S. Buck novel of the same name. It's been hanging around my neck for 10 years now, and three companies. Sometimes I think it'll never go away...
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Good Earth
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2010
Posts: 155
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Post by Good Earth on Jul 4, 2014 15:55:07 GMT -5
Hey there! Welcome from across the straight in Sequim!
That one is definitely a poppy. Probably attached to the host andesite or basalt where the vein was. I find it by the cart load over here, but yours is the first I've seen from the island. Did you find it on the west or east side?
Nice looking rocks! I'll dig up a photo of our beach jade later for you to compare. Definitely has a chalky soft feeling rind..
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Good Earth
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2010
Posts: 155
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Post by Good Earth on Jul 2, 2014 19:13:57 GMT -5
Working as a landscaper, I've had to move some big rocks into strange places. I purchased a nursery ball cart a few years ago, and I've been able to move some amazingly big rocks with it. It claims to have a 1200lb capacity, but the largest I've ever moved by myself was just under 1000lbs... Once the rock is on the cart, it's nothing to roll around....
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Good Earth
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2010
Posts: 155
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Post by Good Earth on Jul 2, 2014 13:59:09 GMT -5
My beautiful Wife posing with our two dogs on the last day of school... Bear is a pit/lab cross we adopted from the pound three years ago. He's going to be 9 this year. Peetie is a jack russell mix that also came from the pound. She's 12, and we thought we'd make her last few minutes easy, but she's surprised us and is planning to live to be a hundred!
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Good Earth
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2010
Posts: 155
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Post by Good Earth on Jun 30, 2014 23:15:28 GMT -5
This is a great example of why the 50 post rule exists. Not for folks to blow through 50 posts and then sell us something, but so those of us who participate in this hobby can read between the lines of a new member and know them as a human before knowing them as a cash register.
I'm very sorry to hear that this has happened to you. This guy should be banned for life from all participating clubs/forums.
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Good Earth
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2010
Posts: 155
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Post by Good Earth on Jun 30, 2014 21:30:12 GMT -5
Mel- I really liked your photo set the other day showing the associated jaspers that organized with poppy being at the top. I'd say for sure this was part of the same soup that produced the poppy jasper, but possibly with a higher metal content. I don't see many poppy specimens with this much metal. Talk about heavy! This one is quite a bit heavier than the poppy as well... Maybe I'll do a photo post of our jaspers with a bottom to top organization like yours from CA.
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Good Earth
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2010
Posts: 155
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Post by Good Earth on Jun 30, 2014 20:49:21 GMT -5
I'm thinking this new one from the PNW could be classed as a Jaspelite. Super specular hematite with bright red jasper. Anyone with any familiarity with this type of stone want to educate me? Btw- I've got a few pounds of this available if anyone wants to make red soup in their rock saw....
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Good Earth
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2010
Posts: 155
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Post by Good Earth on Jun 30, 2014 20:46:23 GMT -5
This event is shaping up to be intimate with a touch of class (not from me!). If you are on the fence about it, join up and we'll feed you! Big potluck, rock poker, camping, dogs, and talking about rocks all day.
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Good Earth
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2010
Posts: 155
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Post by Good Earth on Jun 25, 2014 21:57:07 GMT -5
Who can choose? Those ALL look great!
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Good Earth
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2010
Posts: 155
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Post by Good Earth on Jun 24, 2014 21:32:36 GMT -5
1st get together of the NW Rockhounds group !! This year held at the Lake Cushman Fire Hall 240 North Standstill Drive, in beautiful Hoodsport Wa!! Invite all your Rockhounding buddies!! Please make sure to RSVP and let us know if you will be wanting table space so we can keep an accurate head count and make sure to have room for everyone wanting to be involved ;-) Look forward to meeting all of you! Schedule: (if it will work out) Friday the 11th Venders Meetup @firehall at 5pm for Meet/Greet and Table preparation/setup (for those who are vending) Saturday the 12th Barter day; trades sales!! doors open to public non venders at 10am sharp! BBQ after 11am!!(might see if anyone wants to volunteer some cooking time) Sunday the 13th FIELD TRIP-TBA :-) for out of towners I can give you plenty of sweet camping options if you plan on staying for the entire weekend! The event page on FB: www.facebook.com/events/740992345953077/?ref_newsfeed_story_type=regular&source=1
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Good Earth
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2010
Posts: 155
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Post by Good Earth on Jun 13, 2014 13:43:15 GMT -5
Very Nice shots! You have a good eye for composition.
That flower third shot from the top... Is that a primrose? I'd love a start if so!
Nice pond too. Did you use EDPM liner or concrete?
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Good Earth
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2010
Posts: 155
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Post by Good Earth on Jun 10, 2014 21:51:54 GMT -5
That's a sweet set-up. Adds many $$ to the value of your home too. One question- Is that hose food grade that supplies the sink? Wouldn't want that taste of hose water to contaminate my Scotch & Water when I descend upon your next free rockhound dinner..
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Good Earth
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2010
Posts: 155
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Post by Good Earth on Jun 10, 2014 21:47:09 GMT -5
Fantastic Sphere, and Superb Stand! Very well composed.
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Good Earth
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2010
Posts: 155
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Post by Good Earth on Jun 10, 2014 10:36:43 GMT -5
Drool. Love this stuff!
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