metalsmith
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Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on Apr 29, 2017 12:09:13 GMT -5
Capt'n I've always heard that living a fun life wards off insanity 😂😂 And how is that working out for you?
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metalsmith
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on Apr 29, 2017 1:31:54 GMT -5
I'm a sucker for succulents and cacti. Love them!
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metalsmith
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on Apr 29, 2017 1:29:12 GMT -5
FWIW, I believe that the times have been such that we've seen a large amount of recycling of precious metals. First the gold / silver prices were high so the general public cashed in and secondly austerity times made it difficult not to sell the family silver so to speak. Any number of what might be viewed as opportunities for those with cash then...
1) buy gold / silver at relatively low prices (look at the long-term historical to see how high they really are); compare the price of property v gold; the price of the $ v gold 2) whilst all this recycling has been going on, rocks have been pulled off the recyclables and sold on some of our favourite internet auction sites. It seems to me the prices are pretty cheap and that when the current influx of recycling slows then this secondary source of gems will dry up, relatively speaking.
There are rocks and there are rocks.
Either I'll die rich or I'll be the one with the prettiest gravel on my grave in the cemetary - if I can afford anything more than a pauper's burial.
Again, this does not constitute financial advice.
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metalsmith
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on Apr 29, 2017 1:21:00 GMT -5
I never understand stocks up metal down, stocks down metal up. Bonds up metal down....billy needs silver , silver up. If I held a large portfolio and had watched the price rise, what I bought for a dollar is now "worth" five. I believe that is only because some fool is willing to pay that right now. I might begin to think that the stock price was overvalued. I don't believe there is much more to gain. In fact, I'd like to sell before the market realises the 'value' has gone as far as it's going, the optimism runs out and the price drops. But what alternative investments are there? Art,fine wine, property ... gold! With (some) economic prosperity, art, fine wine and property prices seem high too. Why is gold so low? It has a good fundamental. I'm going to take my money out at the top and put it in at the bottom. Of course there are false bottoms and false tops. Generally, putting your money in at the bottom and taking out at the top is a winning formula. Can you recognise a top / bottom. Can you get the timing right? Gamble away. This doesn't constitute financial advice.
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metalsmith
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on Apr 28, 2017 14:14:39 GMT -5
Come on guys'n'gals! Competition needed! Home-made Easter Cake Easter theme / egg-shaped / easter coloured cabochons wanted. Where are you? A couple of days remaining...
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metalsmith
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on Apr 28, 2017 13:02:24 GMT -5
Just for info, I came across - via Jim Clark of the Yahoo facetters group (hope it is ok to re-post those numbers here) some stats on the machines used in USFG Single Stone Competitions. Note that not all entrants list the type of machine used:
2016 SSC 18 Facetron 16 Ultra-Tech 6 Graves 6 Raytech Shaw 2 Facette 2 Polymetric 2 Home made
2015 SSC 15 Facetron 7 Ultra-Tech 8 Graves 4 Facette 3 Polymetric 3 Home made 2 Lee 1 Raytech-Shaw
2013 SSC 19 Facetron 15 Ultra-Tech 7 Graves 4 Raytech Shaw 3 Facette
What I would take from this is that cutters on all of the above machines consider their stones to be worthy of competition entry. Of course one cutter might be over-confident and cr@p. Another might lack confidence and be great; yet a third might just not care. With low numbers like this, there will be as many variations in skill and attitude as there are facetters. However, if I cut a "dog's dinner" I know I wouldn't be entering it, so I suspect that at least more than competent jobs were undertaken by all entrants.
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metalsmith
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on Apr 28, 2017 12:54:13 GMT -5
High speeds burn diamonds. Slow speeds take time. In between, choose your rate!
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metalsmith
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on Apr 27, 2017 2:14:48 GMT -5
I can't see they were regularly flooded and living in pit houses. Pit houses are cool in the summer and warm in the winter, but after 1150 they got tired of getting flooded out and built above ground. Is there any evidence for this or just a suggestion? If they built many canals then no doubt this would influence groundwater levels unless the canals were well lined or sited below the elevation of the base of the pits. Maybe they flooded themselves out?!
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metalsmith
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on Apr 26, 2017 14:07:14 GMT -5
Was flooding the reason for building on platforms? "Between A.D. 450 and 1150, Hohokam homes were “pit houses.” People dug shallow pits and built houses inside... By 1150, people were building rooms above ground." I can't see they were regularly flooded and living in pit houses.
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metalsmith
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on Apr 25, 2017 17:16:10 GMT -5
Hmm. I think I'm going to have to put this idea to the test and cast some bronze blanks then lathe/mill them into some gears! See how close I can make it. At the very least it will be a fun project Just need to find some decent photos of the part, or better yet some designs with the number of teeth/angles. Good luck with that. Images of the index wheels can be found here. The drop-down should give you the details on the no of teeth and the rest is simple maths. Old style mastThere's a make your own gemstone facetting machine exploded construction diagram here together with some newer masts / jamb-peg and all sorts. HTH
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metalsmith
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on Apr 25, 2017 16:46:39 GMT -5
I believe that this rough was from the Rogerley Mine. Yeah, Weardale, County Durham. I believe the mine is now closed - recently so what you have / can get in the near future is probably all there will be. It might be worth picking up some pieces. Yup LOL - yeah! That's what happens! You did well! I think that's the best thing for it. Any pressure on setting would propagate those fissures. Yes please - I'm not on Facebook.
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metalsmith
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on Apr 25, 2017 12:39:50 GMT -5
I watched the various videos - thank you!
Those guys were chasing shadows though weren't they? At the cost of significant loss of life. Still great for exploration. I liked how the two head Spanish honcho's high-tailed it back to Spain leaving the slave as the guy who knew most about what was what and leading the next stage of the exped (still as a slave mind)!
Isn't that the paradigm that modern business is built on?
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metalsmith
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on Apr 25, 2017 12:35:00 GMT -5
Why don't more people make their own faceting machines? They really don't seem very complicated. Basically just a spinning diamond disc with a mast. Getting the right angle seems to be the most difficult part with the stone holder, but the body of the machine looks easy especially if you have a lathe and can center everything yourself? Precision would be my guess. Getting the right angle... yes that's right. All the minute deviations would add up to a stone where the meet points, well, wouldn't meet at the end. I'm sure a modicum of accuracy could be achieved that would out-perform say the jamb-peg, but not up to modern cutting standards that are to 0.1 degree.
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metalsmith
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on Apr 25, 2017 12:31:39 GMT -5
Dry? Walnut / maize (corn) particles perhaps; the latter is used for brass.
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metalsmith
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on Apr 25, 2017 12:29:21 GMT -5
from Tennessee. Putting polished rocks on a trail sounds very cool. But DO expect them to disappear. But what a fun experience for the person finding the stones! My family keeps up two Geo-caches and I always put a polished stone or crystal point in the cache and they are almost always the first to go. You too! Respect.
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metalsmith
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on Apr 25, 2017 12:28:48 GMT -5
Hi from Yorkshire England. Putting tumbles on trails sounds great. Kudos.
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metalsmith
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on Apr 25, 2017 12:24:22 GMT -5
Pleased to meet you. I've been here - on and off - for about 5 years. We must have just missed each other.
I'm based in Yorkshire, England. We have some local fluorite. It can be difficult to pick up / store without damaging so facetting is a no-no.
There are a couple of possibilities ... was it green / also some purple from Alston / Weardale from the North or purple Blue John from Derbyshire. Cutting it is one thing, setting it would be quite another without turning it into fluorite sugar. Or is it a collectors gem? If you managed to finish it, my congratulations!!
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metalsmith
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on Apr 25, 2017 12:17:45 GMT -5
Welcome from Yorkshire, England.
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metalsmith
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on Apr 25, 2017 1:26:20 GMT -5
Wrong Barnes Butte, metalsmith. That one is located in Prineville, OR. Ok - thanks for clarifying ... does this help? Hopefully in the right place this time.
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metalsmith
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on Apr 23, 2017 2:08:20 GMT -5
Flaming beautiful, that dryhead!
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