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Post by Peruano on Aug 10, 2020 7:11:46 GMT -5
I could not decide why you pictured your hand down by the blade, but then realized you are Proudly showing how big the blade is. You must be coming from a frustratingly small or no saw. Congratualtions. Take lots of photos soon - maybe while the saw is running because the plexiglass cover will get grunged. Congratulations on the purchase. Use shims rather than overtightening the vice. I managed to break one half of the vice by honking on the tightener too much.
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Post by Peruano on Aug 3, 2020 7:54:42 GMT -5
Take time for what's important.
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Post by Peruano on Aug 3, 2020 7:52:48 GMT -5
Everything horseman suggests is possible and likely to be successful. Using knapping fragments and other hard flint/chert or agate sources will result in material that will shine up well in vibratory tumbler. As to bola ties, many pieces of petrified wood come with convex surfaces that could potentially sawed off at appropriate thicknesses to make a polished stone for further art use. Often beach cobble and alluvium deposits yield rounded material that is suitable for slicing with whatever saw you have. My first tumbling success was using chips and fragments created by road graders through an area of Pedernal Chert (a ubiquitous source of knapping material for prepueblo native americans in New Mexico. It polished wonderfully in a vibe with little preprep other than picking the correct sizes and thicknesses. Hey! Freestyle lapidary is encourage if sometimes not efficient.
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Post by Peruano on Aug 2, 2020 9:14:29 GMT -5
I doubt is always the same plant, but the occurrence of green plant-like growth is widespread throughout the SW and other parts of the arid world when you have quartz or other translucent materials on the ground. Condensation on the bottom and light passing through from the top produces a perfect environment for such growth. That's why that piece of quartz often has green and a bit of soil clinging to the bottom when you first pick it up.
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Post by Peruano on Jul 31, 2020 20:52:03 GMT -5
Depending on your saw and your activity schedule, the choice can be on how much you like to or have trouble with cleaning and draining your saw. Water begets rust, oil is tranquil even when left in the saw for months. Do I want to drain my saw every day I use it, . . . no! Can I use some sort of rust inhibiter, . . yes but it often dries to make as big of a mess as any oil splash and you are lucky to still avoid rust. If you are feeding fast water is not as good at cooling as oil. Me. I use oil in my trim saw and clean it up with dawn and oil dri granular absorbant. No problem for my system.
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Post by Peruano on Jul 29, 2020 6:12:12 GMT -5
One of the nice things about working a show is the meeting of people. The show provides the stimulus to talk, learn, and barter. You will get your money back just in the pleasure of sorting and identifying.
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Post by Peruano on Jul 26, 2020 16:44:49 GMT -5
Another perspective would be that a properly designed clutch would not require that the oil be clean. I'm sure most folks here run their slab saws with mightly dirty oil without bog down issues. My experience with Covington clutches is that they are temperamental, often require readjustment or more specifically said, tend to prompt folks to over adjust them. I have an old Covington with the feed screw powered by the blade motor and no clutch and it works fine. The clutch on the enhanced version reminds me of the slushamatic trannys that used to come in Chrysler corporation cars. Fortunately most of those are gone.
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Post by Peruano on Jul 25, 2020 14:52:55 GMT -5
Take the time to visit the Challis Hot Springs. Nice environment. I had read that there was agate around there and just blindly hit some what I thought were BLM roads (gravel) off to the east of the Hot Springs site (probably on 93A). What I was finding was clearly golf ball sized float, lying on the surface of grazing land. I'm sure there are better sites, but I did not have the info or time to explore further. I was going on the fragmentary notation in the Western Gem Hunters Atlas.The 1965 and 1971 editions. Let me know if you want me to send a pdf of the appropriate page by PM or email.
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Post by Peruano on Jul 21, 2020 13:09:52 GMT -5
At the risk of starting a flame war, yes the folks at JB are of a different ethnic background and perhaps run a slightly different business model than some other folks expect. But they are in business and trying to serve the community. If you want to shop elsewhere, do so. Lets not let nationalism or other misperceptions influence what they have to offer. These times they are capable of emphasizing the wrong things.
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Post by Peruano on Jul 21, 2020 13:06:05 GMT -5
My impression is that there is no shortage of Turitella material. Enjoy the outing. Open space is a luxury in these times of stress.
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Post by Peruano on Jul 21, 2020 7:14:15 GMT -5
If you have soft rocks, slurry buildup occurs more obviously. Adding water gently to produce the right amount of action but not something excessively runny is the target. I use the rule that if I can see the water in the bowl, I have too much. If the rocks are not moving in a churning motion, I probably have too little water. You have to give things a bit of time to mix together so make changes slowly. Good luck and enjoy.
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Post by Peruano on Jul 19, 2020 6:46:30 GMT -5
You have caught the bug and your efforts are yielding some great results. Continue on.
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Post by Peruano on Jul 15, 2020 11:33:08 GMT -5
Learning how to read the rock is a great sport even justifying a saw. It's always a joy to find you were correct in judging that the rock had value (charm) inside.
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Post by Peruano on Jul 15, 2020 6:16:28 GMT -5
Quite a challenge. I hope your friend realizes how much effort you invested in the process. That is a big one.
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Post by Peruano on Jul 13, 2020 6:32:08 GMT -5
I bought a ring made by a local artisan in Latin America made from a tumbled piece of pig tusk. It was beautiful and quite comparable to ivory. The pigs were hunted as destructive agricultural pests so it was supporting conservation to buy the jewelry. Elk teeth are quite popular in some crowds.
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Post by Peruano on Jul 10, 2020 17:25:30 GMT -5
You don't have to slab them, but at least try to polish one face to let their real true beauty show. Those would all be spectacular once faced.
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Post by Peruano on Jul 10, 2020 13:37:18 GMT -5
I'll offer a few observations. I started with a home-made 12" slab saw and found it met most of my needs. When you have a small saw you tend to gather smaller rocks. I later fell into a 14/16" old vintage HP slab saw and with a bit of work to make a top came up with a great saw. It obviously accommodated big rocks when needed, seemed to cut faster, and was a great addition to my shop. Not long after that I "fell into" a 20" Covington (again an older model) and so I can compare with a spectrum spanning 12 - 20". Maybe its me but the larger saw is my least favorite. The design of the new HP's is very similar to the old ones. I know there have been critics of the Chinese fabricated HPs but I still think they are a good option for the money and in the right hands (i.e. someone who respects what the machine can and can't do). Yes, given the option I'd buy an old HP saw, or a Diamond Pacific Saw, but we can't all get that lucky. Many skin divers dive to 90 feet because that's the limit, but things can be just as much fun at 30'. I feel that way about saws, you will cut material to meet the capabilities of your saw and most of us can be satisfied with what will fit in a 12 or 16" saw. Clearly much depends on where you get your material and how big it is when it first enters your shop. Me, I'm an old 75 years and like to work with manageable sized rocks and am used to working with smaller sized slabs. Go figure.
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Post by Peruano on Jun 26, 2020 17:52:47 GMT -5
Right!
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Post by Peruano on Jun 26, 2020 12:57:54 GMT -5
Try your local hobby store for a product called Hobby Proz maxicure. The pink top stuff is " extra thick" .they have a medium and a thin version too. Heat your rock a bit and fill cavity ( more than once if glue dries down) then sand and polish. Sometimes if glue still has a bit of grab some of the dust from edge of cavity will bind with glue and obscure the color difference or edge. My bottle has a phone number 505 3323797. The glue must be cured and too coarse of a wheel may pull it out so be gentle.
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Post by Peruano on Jun 26, 2020 12:57:39 GMT -5
Try your local hobby store for a product called Hobby Proz maxicure. The pink top stuff is " extra thick" .they have a medium and a thin version too. Heat your rock a bit and fill cavity ( more than once if glue dries down) then sand and polish. Sometimes if glue still has a bit of grab some of the dust from edge of cavity will bind with glue and obscure the color difference or edge. My bottle has a phone number 505 3323797. The glue must be cured and too coarse of a wheel may pull it out so be gentle.
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