metalsmith
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Post by metalsmith on Nov 9, 2016 8:24:42 GMT -5
Hi Tims Cool! ... if it can be worked, it can be worked. Whether or not it is Copal or Amber may influence its durability. A good treatise on the differences and how to test it can be found here. There are clear differences that gemmological testing can identify (before the durability test disappoints you) see Charts here. In the absence of much else, ether and polarising filters can be used to achieve a reasonable level of comfort that you have one or the other.
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metalsmith
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Member since October 2012
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Post by metalsmith on Nov 7, 2016 17:16:40 GMT -5
gemfeller Thanks for the offer. I'll pm my information. Haven't seen a manual yet. I don't even know if I have all the parts. Just stumbled on this thread ... did you get it up and running?
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metalsmith
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Member since October 2012
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Post by metalsmith on Nov 7, 2016 17:00:06 GMT -5
Ignore - one of the images was very slow to load
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metalsmith
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Member since October 2012
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Post by metalsmith on Nov 7, 2016 13:14:03 GMT -5
Cool rocks, but not shown to their best maybe as there's a strong colourcast.
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metalsmith
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on Nov 7, 2016 1:28:54 GMT -5
Congratulations on both acquiring the machine and your first stone. When I got my first faceting machine I was told that you're not really a faceter(or) until you throw away the diagrams and start cutting your own designs. Looks like you accomplished that with your very first stone. Keep us up to date on your faceting adventures. Haha well it was a steep learning curve cutting my first. I think I need to work through a design and be able to successfully put a design shape to a rock before I'd call myself a facetter. I'm working though Herbst at the moment and I don't envisage any stoppers. I've always believed in working with a stone rather than against it. You can see from the start it had a lozenge shape, but in the 5th image down, that it wasn't quite true. It makes sense to preserve as much of the stone as possible and I only had to trim around 1mm from one side. Yes, from a humble tumblestone it is quite transformed. Thanks for commenting.
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metalsmith
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Member since October 2012
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Post by metalsmith on Nov 6, 2016 18:13:38 GMT -5
That is NICE! Beautiful grain in that wood. Thanks, the grain has come up well. The fine-cellular nature of the wood apparently gives it suitability. My daughter trialled it and reported back that all was well.
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metalsmith
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on Nov 6, 2016 16:16:32 GMT -5
Further to some gardening action, I rescued a couple of small pieces of cherry wood as well as a number of boughs. I read somewhere that it is particularly suitable for guitar plectrums (plectra?). My eldest plays the guitar and it's his birthday coming up. So today's mission (among others) was to knock up a thin cherrywood cabochon! This didn't quite fit in the creations including stone category, but was made using the same skills. Home grown, seasoned and made. Flat lapped to 1200 grade and finished with museum grade preservation Renaissance Wax...
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metalsmith
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Member since October 2012
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Post by metalsmith on Nov 6, 2016 6:30:06 GMT -5
Open-ness and clarity. If I'm buying slabs / rocks, I don't want things hiding. I'd like to see it from a good angle and the bad: all angles in fact. I wouldn't be hammering home the weaknesses and detriments, but just make sure that they're visible and if you know how it is to work, then add that. The buyer will appreciate you know something of the rock rather than just someone (else) selling a slab, knowing nothing.
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metalsmith
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Member since October 2012
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Post by metalsmith on Nov 6, 2016 6:19:33 GMT -5
I promise Denmark has Black or clear flint and granite + rhomb phorphyr and that is that. Really nothing worth trading. Really nothing worth trading, tut! Did you read up on Grimes Graves - that black flint was so important it was traded widely across the continent at a time when archaeologists had previously thought that 'society' was just a few folk sharing a hut and a goat. Here's a black flint from Norfolk, England that comes from broadly the same area as Grimes Graves. I found the flint then later researching it, found the info on GG. We were visiting friends there. When I exclaimed how black the flint was and it was really remarkable, the said they never noticed - it was just what the driveway and local paths were made of. I borrowed a piece. One day I might re-ignite the trade and value of Norfolk black flint. My wife says I have Norfolk'n chance. Anyway here's a starter: Not well polished at all since it was cut and facetted on a general purpose diamond grinding disk, but hey! Probably around 12mm across. When I find my calipers again, I'll let you know...
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metalsmith
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on Nov 6, 2016 5:41:10 GMT -5
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metalsmith
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on Nov 6, 2016 2:40:06 GMT -5
Goat expectations?
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metalsmith
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on Nov 6, 2016 2:39:36 GMT -5
Who ya going to call? Goat Busters! Oh you would have - beat me to it!
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metalsmith
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on Nov 6, 2016 2:30:16 GMT -5
Well it's your local beach, but the all inclusive for everyone else, costs including time, travel and accommodation makes for a very expensive rock. By contrast the prices on ebay might be considered reasonable if rhomb porphyr is your thing. You can set prices for what you want - the question is - are they selling? If so then you're up and running! I could make a quazillion dollar😆 Do I qualify for a finder's fee?
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metalsmith
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Post by metalsmith on Nov 5, 2016 17:54:10 GMT -5
WHAT porphyr on eBay?? Had to do a Quick search on eBay and the prices are totally CRAZY! I mean who wants to pay a quazillion dollars for that! You can go to the Beach and collect for free all the porphyr you want. Fine now I know what to stuff in the box for Scott. Must remember to photograph my father inlaw's collection of flint tools. It's fun to watch the difference from the continents. Well it's your local beach, but the all inclusive for everyone else, costs including time, travel and accommodation makes for a very expensive rock. By contrast the prices on ebay might be considered reasonable if rhomb porphyr is your thing. You can set prices for what you want - the question is - are they selling? If so then you're up and running!
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metalsmith
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on Nov 5, 2016 16:17:45 GMT -5
Yeah for the past couple of months eBay has been my Best friend until customs started to paying notice to the boxes from us postal and took out all my packages for toll. But I Think I'm covered for the next 200-300 years now. I promise Denmark has Black or clear flint and granite + rhomb phorphyr and that is that. Really nothing worth trading. I see rhomb porphyr on ebay! As per previous discussions, it only occurs in 3 places (known) in the world. Black flint - see my contribution to the discussion hereKnappers would be well into black flint and since the good old days (as in the link) the blackest flint was considered the best. I think it is too easy to suppose that the rocks you are so familiar with are nothing special. See the recent 'discovery' of aquaprase: the locals didn't think much of it either.
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metalsmith
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Member since October 2012
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Post by metalsmith on Nov 5, 2016 15:59:50 GMT -5
Agatised Dumortierite / Dumortierite in Qz?
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metalsmith
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Member since October 2012
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Post by metalsmith on Nov 5, 2016 15:52:17 GMT -5
Welcome from Yorkshire, England My wife returned from Berlin the other week with a rough Azurite for me, describing how it was the best one of the bunch (and it is good), she perused, selected and confirmed it by licking. I was proud. Actually, I'll have to educate her on which rocks not to lick; we just had a mountain / molehill concern after she and the youngest decided to sample Lily pollen ... toxic tho' more to cats than humans it turns out. Still, best not to over-indulge.
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metalsmith
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on Nov 5, 2016 15:44:22 GMT -5
Great tutorial!
I think I may try to use the clip-bath approach you demonstrate here for heating facetter dops.
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metalsmith
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Member since October 2012
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Post by metalsmith on Nov 5, 2016 12:34:04 GMT -5
Ok, so lets just imagine there's the chance to play with some ace kit or sit down and read the books. Well I've done a little of the latter, but wouldn't you just have to have some 'hands-on'? For my first meet-point facet, I dug out one of my first ever tumblestones. It always had ambition above it's station, so I helped it out...sard: 90, 75, 60, 45 and zero degree angles; the overall shape was inspired by the piece - it just wanted to be that way:
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metalsmith
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Member since October 2012
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Post by metalsmith on Nov 4, 2016 3:25:36 GMT -5
I wouldn't have thought I'd get such a warm welcome as an offcumden on an international scale. However I did and my thanks.
(No that's not English, it's 'Yorkshire')
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