metalsmith
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Post by metalsmith on Apr 1, 2017 23:46:55 GMT -5
What I have should make a decent start. I'm not anywhere near full time lapping. I work 5 days / week and study other times / run sometimes / play here at RTH and do my lapidary just for a couple of hours / day. At the weekends I'll sometimes do half a day; rarely a full day. I'll start by seeing what I can achieve with the set up I've acquired (/am acquiring) and go from there. Even if it sees me through the summer and autumn, that will be great. Come winter play time might be reduced or it may need an additional cell or something else to take up my time. We'll see. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. Pics please. Or it never happened. Well it hasn't happened yet to be fair... I've studied the youtube video, worked out what I want / need and placed some orders. Possibly the most important part - the solar panel arrived yesterday, but I don't have a camera right now. I might be able to take one on my phone. Several components were sourced from China and might take a little while to arrive. Even when it does, the postal service from home to me is even slower! Be patient, it's happening! Pics to follow.
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metalsmith
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on Apr 1, 2017 15:29:22 GMT -5
I had a 50W 12volt out in a remote location on the farm that kept a 1/10 acre pond filled for years. Pumping out of adjacent creek. Loved it. Pumped during day light only. No battery/control. Darn good application for a tumbler. Surprising the output. Cloudy UK an issue. Do your sun calculations carefully. What I have should make a decent start. I'm not anywhere near full time lapping. I work 5 days / week and study other times / run sometimes / play here at RTH and do my lapidary just for a couple of hours / day. At the weekends I'll sometimes do half a day; rarely a full day. I'll start by seeing what I can achieve with the set up I've acquired (/am acquiring) and go from there. Even if it sees me through the summer and autumn, that will be great. Come winter play time might be reduced or it may need an additional cell or something else to take up my time. We'll see. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.
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metalsmith
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Member since October 2012
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Post by metalsmith on Apr 1, 2017 0:15:15 GMT -5
Seems wrong to 'like'... thanks for posting. It is always good to spread knowledge and awareness. These things can be devastating, but there will always be a few that will survive and these will go on to form the basis of the stronger populations of the future.
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metalsmith
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on Mar 29, 2017 12:14:55 GMT -5
Aussie goods Check out the detail. This stone has been reflected to give it a step up, as if it needs it?! I'm not impressed by the practice of reflecting it.
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metalsmith
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on Mar 29, 2017 12:11:21 GMT -5
That golden honey jasper sure is sweeeet!
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metalsmith
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on Mar 28, 2017 0:23:47 GMT -5
I can see something that might be described as a pointed lense shape. Are bats ears that shape? Some are but those are more to be found on the side of their head than projecting from the top. It looks to have a greenish tint to me. The leaves of the tree the nest is in are much bigger, but if the hummingbird is bringing in moss and other material, is it possible that it could be a small leaf / leaf-tip? Just a thought. Maybe you're seeing more in the photo than I can. Bats' ears Hope this link works ... Google images Bats ears
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metalsmith
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Post by metalsmith on Mar 27, 2017 23:16:42 GMT -5
Beautiful images!
You don't say what kind of time separation is involved between them. I wonder whether the 'bat' is in the early days, chicks, before developing feathers don't look anywhere near so cute! They look like bats almost...
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metalsmith
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Post by metalsmith on Mar 27, 2017 23:11:20 GMT -5
I also love opals, just haven't really discovered much by way of reliably photographing them. The photos I have just look flat, compared to the depth and fire.
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metalsmith
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Post by metalsmith on Mar 27, 2017 23:02:50 GMT -5
eventually i'll try some faceting News flash - you already are, my friend!
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metalsmith
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Post by metalsmith on Mar 27, 2017 22:58:31 GMT -5
This is reminiscent of some of the early stuff I did freehand on a bench grinder *LOL*. Yes, it takes a lot of patience and development of skills. Keep up the hard work and bear in mind a faceter for the future!! Chas u are a terrific cheerleader for faceting. I hope you never change! Thanks Scott... I just need to do some now! My facetter and I are temporarily separated, though I'm working on bringing a Lortone Beaver into life so that I can keep busy until I can look forwards to the day we're reunited. This was exactly how I started. I don't want to jump the thread, but here's a small image of a Scottish Carnelian that I cut. Yeah, I agree, looking back,it could do with a polish. 1200# was as much as I had back then. I have 30,000 today. Wow ... looking back ... The shift from cabbing towards my interest in facetting is quite obvious in my work from this and quite a few other pieces (where the facetting aspects were developing, but not as strong as here). This was probably the most hand-facetted piece that I cut (toss-up between this and a shield-cut chrysocolla). Facetters and glennz01 will appreciate the need to balance every cut. Cutting cabochons by hand in this manner means that every facet needs to be orientated as closely as possible and believe me they don't need to be out much before it is quite clear that symmetry has been lost. Around 0.1mm is my tolerance for hand cutting by eye. So anyone still reading should re-appraise Glennz01's Bornite and imagine how hard it is to match the angles and generate they symmetry he has just by hand. This took freaking hours and several recuts; at the time I was cutting by hand using a bench grinder Hand-cut Scottish Carnelian
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metalsmith
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Post by metalsmith on Mar 27, 2017 14:13:24 GMT -5
That is some true red on that last one! It's my favorite. Love that long oval shape. Just that ^^^
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metalsmith
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Post by metalsmith on Mar 27, 2017 14:11:52 GMT -5
For tumbling, yeah, in general. But specifically, if you were in the polish zone and a coarse crumb of SiC spit out from under the hood, it would scratch things up. Mainly because the polish wouldn't break the crumb down quick enough.
For facetting, a definite 'no'; contamination can be a big problem.
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metalsmith
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Post by metalsmith on Mar 27, 2017 14:08:57 GMT -5
Remember the saying, What Would You Like The Numbers To Say.
The system that was installed 10 years ago was $8.26 a watt, after rebates about $6. Which numbers do you think the solar company used. You and I, well not you because you are not in the US, spent $2.26 per watt to bring that price down. That system is in the downhill part of it's life. It does not produce the energy it did when first installed.
The system being installed now is just over $4 a watt before rebates. It may or may not have a better life cycle then a system installed 10 years ago. Only time will tell.
Battery's have a long way to go to be cost effective as storage for the average person.
In most areas you simply can't beat the cost of power supplied by a power company. If the Green People can get the CO2 tax high enough that will change. Of course everything will be more expensive when that happens......................................MrP LOL I'm a numerical modeller so I can get the numbers to say what I want Re the price of power supplied by PowerCo I agree wholeheartedly. Given my situation, I guess one solution might have been to purchase a small meter and clip it to the wires and pay for the energy directly. However right now I don't know quite what the future will bring. So a few quid paid out now guarantees that I'll be able to continue cutting stone whatever the 'weather'.
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metalsmith
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Post by metalsmith on Mar 27, 2017 14:02:05 GMT -5
melhill1659That first slab is a beauty that barely needs a quick polish to finish it. I'm happy enough with diameters and ratios so it's not all gobbledegook. The motor gives broadly the right number of revs so if I can find a pulley wheel to match the one on my Lortone then it should all be sweet. And although the outside of a big wheel travels a lot faster than the inside, the number of revs is the same. A technical argument with my youngest last week was that the belt is motionless relative to the wheel for the duration of the travel, even though the wheel is moving
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metalsmith
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Post by metalsmith on Mar 27, 2017 1:35:38 GMT -5
Hobo's Dad You are correct. The pollution left behind from solar production is terrible..........................................MrP At least it's in China! Well there are costs and there are costs. One youtube video (sorry I didn't capture the link at the time) said the costs had fallen by around 75% over a decade. This chart shows the fall over a longer period - from $100/ watt back in 1975. I can find another youtube video that says to expect to pay $2 - 3 / watt plus shipping - that was just last year. I've paid £1.40 / Watt - around $1.55 and that includes shipping and additional equipment in order to realise a workable power supply from that. Also, many of those costs would not be repeated should I expand the number of panels. Another source stated Bloomberg estimated the costs would fall by up to 60% by 2040. But those are consumer costs for one panel + other equipment to run it. What are the bulk costs? Considerably lower, no doubt. Around $1/watt. What are the actual costs of the panels? Apparently China is now looking to increase it's solar capability and the price for this: ... 8c / Watt. At current prices. So by 2040 (assuming the forecast comes off and taking a lower value than the estimate) $4/ watt. Battery technology and costs are also evolving. So the future looks bright for Solar!
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metalsmith
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Post by metalsmith on Mar 27, 2017 0:47:37 GMT -5
If my motor cunningly does just the right revs, is it not simply the case that I need a v-belt pulley at the same diameter as the motor's pulley wheel? Then the grinding wheels will do just the same revs? Will check the link. Thank you.
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metalsmith
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Post by metalsmith on Mar 27, 2017 0:37:21 GMT -5
FWIW, purely on appearances, I'm also going with Charoite.
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metalsmith
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Post by metalsmith on Mar 26, 2017 14:41:49 GMT -5
I made this years ago ... I know this wasn't the question, but btw, that is super tidy silver-smithing you have there. I hope it has survived the tests ok.
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metalsmith
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Post by metalsmith on Mar 26, 2017 14:37:41 GMT -5
Pic 1 Pic2 Sorry to hijack this thread; I have need of some similar help. Further to a 1/3 hp motor purchase, I'm looking for a belt wheel as in (melhill's) images above. The shaft is 8mm or I think that translates to US 5/16ths. What am I looking for exactly, belt-wheel; pulley-wheel? If you guys have this as (reasonably) standard then I should be able to source one in the UK. Just not quite sure I know what I need. I'm going to stick with melhill's @anybodythatknowsmotors Thank you!
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metalsmith
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Post by metalsmith on Mar 26, 2017 14:21:48 GMT -5
Impressive! Is the back flat? Do you use a genie type machine? This took some skill and patience. Good on you, Glenn. It has 7 sides to it and 7 sides on the point as well. Similar setup to the genie. This is reminiscent of some of the early stuff I did freehand on a bench grinder *LOL*. Yes, it takes a lot of patience and development of skills. Keep up the hard work and bear in mind a faceter for the future!!
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