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Post by Bluesky78987 on Dec 7, 2017 11:04:24 GMT -5
I like the thunderegg cab best.
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Post by Bluesky78987 on Dec 7, 2017 11:01:50 GMT -5
Those are STUNNING! That indonesian opalized wood is waaay better than the slab I was able to win - mine was mostly white and chalky when it arrived in the mail. I had to return it, for the price. I'm shy now to order another from her. Maybe there will be a sliver or two at Q - yours is amazing! I think my favorite is that translucent indonesian tube agate though. Stunning.
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Post by Bluesky78987 on Dec 7, 2017 10:46:19 GMT -5
I am getting antsy, I leave Bakersfield the 29th for Q. Looking forward to seeing everyone!! Hi Christopher! Will be watching for you! 24 days till Q (for me), yippee!!!! The anticipation is the only thing that makes up for it getting dark early this time of year!
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Post by Bluesky78987 on Dec 7, 2017 10:29:21 GMT -5
Soooo jealous! Looking forward to seeing updates as they come though! Let's hear about all the features you have planned!
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Post by Bluesky78987 on Dec 7, 2017 10:25:45 GMT -5
Awesome! I love how the shpere shape allows a better appreciation of some features than the cab shape. Like the tubes on the palm and the eye on Brazillian #2. Really awesome stones!
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Post by Bluesky78987 on Dec 6, 2017 11:11:09 GMT -5
Bluesky78987 and melhill1659 Soham Harrison puts out excellent tutorials. Don't know if inlay is one of them. Free. Youtube. Ooh, I love Soham Harrison. Almost as much as I love Nancy LT Hamilton!
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Post by Bluesky78987 on Dec 6, 2017 10:17:17 GMT -5
Well that's great gemfeller! A neighboe I didn't know I had. Your gem shows and dive boats aren't too bad either! Yes! Dive boats. When ya diving next? Probably not for a while - I actually haven't gone in a couple years. Burned myself out on local diving. Northern Channel Islands are world class though.
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Post by Bluesky78987 on Dec 6, 2017 0:27:39 GMT -5
Well that's great gemfeller! A neighboe I didn't know I had. Your gem shows and dive boats aren't too bad either!
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Post by Bluesky78987 on Dec 5, 2017 23:52:27 GMT -5
Thanks a lot guys. Now I think I HAVE to have one of those things! No, stop, shaddup, I just talked myself out of that temptation! Gaah!
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Post by Bluesky78987 on Dec 5, 2017 23:49:38 GMT -5
All OK here in Camarillo -- so far. Thanks for the concern. It all depends on which way the winds blow. We had a power outage most of last night but now all seems copacetic except the lights flicker ominously. I just feel very bad about the people in Santa Paula/Ventura and elsewhere who have lost everything in these fires. We're ready to go if things change suddenly. What? You live in Camarillo? I would have sworn on my rocks that you lived in AZ. Thoughts with anyone in danger tonight. (I live in the land of concrete, 3 blocks or so from LAX so I'm fine).
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Post by Bluesky78987 on Dec 5, 2017 10:38:57 GMT -5
Huh, I'd be interested in finding the Indian cab sellers too. There's that one guy who always comes - is it Village Gems? or something - I know he imports his cabs, but he's from Boston or something.
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Post by Bluesky78987 on Dec 5, 2017 10:31:35 GMT -5
Yowza!
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Post by Bluesky78987 on Dec 4, 2017 22:53:08 GMT -5
Ha, not for me. Probably because I cab more soft rocks so I'm more used to those than to agates. I end up having to redo agates over and over, sigh. (Maybe not anymore though, hee!)
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Post by Bluesky78987 on Dec 4, 2017 22:49:25 GMT -5
Nice! Those are some seriously large slabs too. Nice friends!
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Post by Bluesky78987 on Dec 4, 2017 22:47:35 GMT -5
Those are gorgeous, as usual. Prudent man is just perfect, but I like the Needles Blue the best! (It was me who asked for the better pic of it - thanks!) Love that stuff - something about the blue/brown combination.
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Post by Bluesky78987 on Dec 4, 2017 22:42:17 GMT -5
Yeah, that plume does look quite similar gemfeller. Interesting re the E330. I have one of those little feather ridge plume slices with the gap in the middle. Might try it. I could see it being TX material also victor1941.
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Post by Bluesky78987 on Dec 4, 2017 15:08:56 GMT -5
To be fair, I'm going with "really soft rocks" not necessarily "the softest rock I have". But I pulled out a couple that are like a mohs 3, so I expect that probably qualifies! Plus, soft rocks are so fast to cab, way funner than boring ole agates! (just kidding).
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Post by Bluesky78987 on Dec 4, 2017 15:07:22 GMT -5
Thanks y'all! I'm finding that I think more about the piece if I do it as a tute, taking pictures as I go - helps me be in the moment with it.
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Post by Bluesky78987 on Dec 4, 2017 12:09:49 GMT -5
I think there are about 6-8 vendors open for business and a few more are getting there. I really like the slower pace, might have to come early more often. Tony Pretty quiet, wishing you a productive show this year!
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Post by Bluesky78987 on Dec 4, 2017 12:07:03 GMT -5
Ok, finished it last night, what fun! For once everything went according to plan. Water drippers didn't clog, wheels didn't unspin on me (don't even ask), didn't spill the sludge water, didn't drop and break my rock or my camera! First, had to use steel epoxy to fill in the back side. With the way I did it, the back side is all uneven because the different bits of stone are all different thicknesses - I lined up the fronts during construction, to preserve materials, not the back. Some of those turquoise bits were extremely thin - the bottom right one was about 3/32" thick. I just blobbed the epoxy on not too carefully since I knew I was going to be forming the outside and flattening the back. If the piece was already the right size, I would have made a little bucket by putting blue tape around the outside to hold the epoxy. You can see it's not very even, but it doesn't matter, I had to lap it down to the right thickness anyway. Let cure for 24 hours. Help it along a little with the heat from a lamp if you maybe didn't mix the epoxy in exactly the right proportions. ;-) Drew on the oval: After trimming on the saw (can't say how great it is to be able to use the trim saw in the house, after dark - that little guy was a great purchase): Ground the outline on the 220 wheel (would normally use the 80 wheel but didn't want to catch one of the edges; and, materials are soft enough that it was fast.) Domed the top and lapped the back flat: See how the thickness of the stones is quite uneven. That Kingman (?) piece on the left was much thicker than all the rest of the pieces. Then, sand and polish like any other cab, being careful of the different hardnesses. Finished! Inspired by rockjunquie , I got out my spin-on polishing disc and the 50,000 diamond paste, which I've never bothered to use before. It made a big difference on the turquoise. This thing is SHINY! On my next one I think I'll make the black and white bits narrower, but overall I really like it! Got set it now so I can wear it at Q!
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