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Post by tims on Aug 28, 2021 13:38:45 GMT -5
Do they jump out in hand? I often do not notice flaws/cracks until a photograph a piece. It is still a very pretty cab. Not so bad, the flaws aren't overwhelming in hand. Close up under LEDs, yikes. I am pleased they held together with no huge breaks, that's often what happens when i tumble teepees. Will be finishing a 12# load today with a few in there so fingers crossed for some survivors.
Thanks for your positivity i appreciate it, fumbled rocks can be a bummer.
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Post by tims on Aug 28, 2021 1:53:28 GMT -5
Been cobbling together wheels to cab with an old 2-wheel arbor. All 6 x 1.5" ... 80 and 220 hard diamond wheels, a vintage c220 silicon wheel (seems smoother than 220, using to bridge to 600), a 600 diamond soft wheel, then expander drum and belts for 1200, 3k, 8k, and 15k. On solid material like the obsidian below it works ok, though the first 2 hard wheels can leave some brutal gouges if i slip and catch the edges. Fractured material ends up with fractures for some reason lol.
Turitella, teepee canyon agate, Black Hills jasper, and some kind of flashy obsidian (that i managed to cut not to flash). Criticism and suggestions welcome. This jasper did ok except it's a bit foggy right in the center, probly run it again from 600 on
Didn't notice the gouges in the larger obsidian until i took pics, it'll be going back to the 220 silicon wheel
thanks for looking!
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Post by tims on Aug 28, 2021 1:22:32 GMT -5
Hope you can still work some of this rock, it's awfully pretty. Inspiration is a strange thing. Seeing the successes and failures here in the forums often sparks me to try something.
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Post by tims on Aug 28, 2021 1:03:13 GMT -5
Details. The flaws really jump out
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Post by tims on Aug 27, 2021 22:43:54 GMT -5
Tim, that's kind of teasing! LOL Those look fantastic...but I'm dying to see them "in focus"...that first one especially. (I'm not one to complain about someone else's pics...as mine aren't the best usually! LOL) I'm with you, might set up lights tonight. The fun is in the details for sure.
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Post by tims on Aug 27, 2021 21:18:34 GMT -5
Well, the solid one had a hidden fracture, oh well. Got through most of the chip on the other so i'm even. Also shaped up a scrap piece rather than tossing it in the tumbler. Quick pics as the sun set may try again with lights as auto-focus really didn't appreciate them:
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Post by tims on Aug 26, 2021 19:14:26 GMT -5
fernwood when you say it shouldn't be tumbled in a 3# like that, do you mean not in a 3# or in a 3# but better cushioned / etc? Or both? I only have a 12# so everything goes in it including fracture-prone agate, so i'm just trying to gauge how dumb i am ... That is still a very pretty agate.
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Post by tims on Aug 24, 2021 21:58:28 GMT -5
Okay...so I'm stoked to see how these turn out! That top one would be killer due to all the orbs! Fingers crossed on that one holding up to the wheels! That second one looks really solid and has a nice fortification pattern in it! Thanks Jason. Yeah the one with orbs has a ding on the face, can't tell how deep it goes but hoping i can grind past it. Picking up surface finds i find a whole lot of odd-shaped and small pieces that usually aren't fit for cabbing so really hoping at least one of these turns out. I've also got some pieces too big for my 10" saw ... might haul them to the Rock Shed and see what they'd charge to cut some slabs for me.
Curious to see what you do with your big slabs.
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Post by tims on Aug 24, 2021 1:54:17 GMT -5
I haven't done any teepee cabs but figured it's time to try. Trimmed up some tumble rough and got a couple pre-forms cut today, hoping they'll survive the wheels. Sorry for the crap pictures it was getting dark but if they finish ok i'll get good pics:
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Post by tims on Aug 24, 2021 1:41:55 GMT -5
Dang jasoninsd that amethyst-y banding is gorgeous. You got some nice big cuts out of those too, lots to play with.
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Post by tims on Aug 22, 2021 19:29:21 GMT -5
Some pretty ones Jason
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Post by tims on Aug 17, 2021 14:11:41 GMT -5
$300 for that lot is a serious steal. I have a 10" saw that looks identical to your stand-alone saw, so i'm assuming yours is a 10" also? And i have a 10" flat lap that resembles your Craftsman. You could probably get 300 each out of those if they're in good working condition.
Fair warning if you do decide to start cutting / polishing, be ready to throw some more money into your equipment and supplies. I got a lesser deal that included my 10" saw, another 6" saw, a 2-wheel arbor, and a vibe tumbler for $400, and I've probably spent twice that on blades, wheels, grit and misc. supplies. Not trying to dissuade you from lapidary work just sharing my own experience.
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Post by tims on Aug 13, 2021 2:38:11 GMT -5
1 and 5 blew me away. Your wraps really compliment the stones.
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Post by tims on Aug 12, 2021 19:33:48 GMT -5
Almost all my stuff is surface finds, i don't dig and very rarely chink nodules. I do have a few whole nodules to cut, will post pics if there are any fun surprises.
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Post by tims on Aug 12, 2021 19:31:56 GMT -5
Holy smokes tims ! That last one is the bomb-diggity! Wowza! I thought about going down there this week...but figured I didn't want to fight my way through the motorcycles in Custer...or on the way to and from... I figure I'll get down there in the next couple weeks though! Thanks Jason. I was surprised, there wasn't much bike or tourist traffic Tuesday afternoon, and once i hit gravel i didn't see another soul until heading home on 16 again. But you're right i bet getting through Custer would be a nightmare, and the canyon can be trying with just normal tourists and RVs. I'm coming from the west so don't have to deal with Hell Canyon most times. If you see a rusted out green Explorer 2-door feel free to throw rocks at me
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Post by tims on Aug 12, 2021 19:19:42 GMT -5
found the one i was looking for. not as hot as mikeT's but some similarity in pattern and colors. i think this guy came off the Sawmill Springs side of the hill ... i call agate from that draw teepee canyon agate since it's basically just the other side of the hill, but Hills Agate works too
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Post by tims on Aug 12, 2021 19:01:37 GMT -5
miket posted that pretty B&W agate and got me thinking i'd seen something similar, but i haven't found it yet. did find one with similar pattern but more ordinary teepee coloring in the bits and pieces i collected Tuesday:
This is a tumbled teepee with less common coloring, though not as good contrast as Mike's:
This is an endcut of a teepee nodule i found a few years ago; first agate i cut (tile saw yikes) and then hand-polished the face. Shows some of the diversity that pops up in that canyon:
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Post by tims on Aug 12, 2021 1:48:59 GMT -5
miket - I've been on the fence about this one all day. I've compared the fortifications in this one to a bunch of Teepee Canyon Agates. The fortification structure itself looks different to me than that of Teepees. It's cleaner, if that makes sense. That's why I personally am positive this one is a Fairburn (Hills Agate). Of course I could be totally wrong... Can you tell if the matrix area is covering the fortifications? (That's what it looks like to me...) I'm kind of on the fence also. Maybe someone else smarter than me will chime in... I believe that it is matrix but I'm not 100%. Some is covered by the whiter buildup (showing my ignorance, I don't know what it is) that I've had some success with removing by a soak in muriatic acid. But I've also had some teepees fall apart that way. I think this particular stone would handle it ok, however. I'd guess it's lime deposits, that's common with exposed rock surfaces in that limestone. You might try some diluted acid / bathroom cleaner etc. in a small spot and see if it cleans up.
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Post by tims on Aug 5, 2021 4:57:48 GMT -5
Wow tims , I didn’t think Teepees could be tumbled. I wasn’t sure the host rock would hold up to the abuse. Those tumbles look great!! None of the agates in those photos were tumbled, those only got worked on wheels. I have tumbled several with varied results, and you're correct that the matrix often doesn't hold up well. Most of the ones I find are in chert which is plenty hard to take a good polish, but it's very prone to fractures and chipping when tumbled. They seem to hold up better to grinding with wheels or a flat lap, but still tend to develop fractures or maybe it's just worsening of existing micro-fractures. Most of the nodules i see are in tan chert, but occassionally the matrix is gray or reddish brown. I almost never break nodules and just rely on natural fracturing to expose what i collect, so i wonder if cutting whole nodules might result in more solid and workable pieces.
Very pretty specimen you've got there with a nice variety of colors and well-defined fortifications.
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Post by tims on Aug 2, 2021 4:29:27 GMT -5
I've done a 5"x3" end cut (1 side) by hand using tumbling grit on a piece of glass. It took approx 30 hours, but at least half that time was just getting it past the 1st stage ... as mentioned saw marks are a pain. It's the first stone i cut and first i polished, and i'll treasure it until i die.
I know a guy that just rubs oil on his rocks to make them shine. Epoxy might give you good results. Whatever floats your boat.
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