ziggy
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 483
|
Post by ziggy on Dec 8, 2016 14:49:48 GMT -5
Anybody like to eat lobsters? Here in Cali we have a law on the books (perhaps a county law) that makes it illegal to feed lobster to prisoners more than 3 days a week. You might ask why? Because in the late 1800 and early 1900 the commercial fisherman would have their nets clogged with lobster while fishing for halibut and other desirable fish. So many lobsters they were 'junk'. Fast forward to when someone saw the opportunity and rebranded lobster from trash to gourmet. Same bug on the ocean floor, new marketing. I bet you are happy about that too! Yogurt? Soured milk! Dry aged beef? Yep, it's just carefully rotted. Now we can add leather wrapped pet rocks and chocolate diamonds to the list of rebranded goods. Regular diamonds is also brilliant. Think of the publicity and marketing it took to get men to pay three months salary for a diamond for their new wife. All for a relatively common hunk of carbon. Do you wear prescription glasses? One Italian company runs that biz. I buy good quality cheaters at Costco for about $6 ea. But go to a luxottica branded optometrist and they can be $1000. Depends on style popularity and brand. Certainly the cheapest frames you will get are $80 or so. For injection moulded plastic screwed together with special hinges!!! They are all a ripoff born of brilliant marketing and salesmanship. Amen, and very well said.
|
|
ziggy
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 483
|
Post by ziggy on Dec 8, 2016 8:02:04 GMT -5
Well, if Nordstrom is anything like Levian (with their formerly only sold to industry as low cost abrasive "chocolate diamonds") they already have it patended, trademarked on the name, and copyrighted on all promotional materials regarding to said leather wrapped rocks. They did a brilliant bit of putting a brand new business together, don't you think? They bought an exclusive for the entire supply of previously garbage rough stones, repackaged them as "chocolate" and almost certainly made a true fortune. I absolutely love that! I think they are scum. Selling scum. The entire diamond industry is a scam. I'll call it my favorite scum scam. The whole industry is a farce. I can go and pay $1,500 for a diamond. The fact that I can't turn around and sell the next day without a huge loss tells me the entire thing is a scam. I mean, you just can't re sell any diamond these days for what you bought it for. Turns out that in reality diamonds aren't all that rare (until De Beers makes them that way.) The thing that I really hate about chocolate diamonds is the fact that they facet them as if that helps them in some way. There is still no fire or brilliance when you see them which is supposedly the (regular) diamonds entire mystique. Anyone with any common sense will see their lack of value as something to look at and especially buy. My hubby bought a stone for me when we were young. Paid $800.00 for it. It was supposedly flawless and of the higher end in clarity. When I tried to pawn it to borrow some money, the pawn shop would only loan the price of the gold in the band. They said the diamond is worthless to them. Sorry, I'll try not to get so far off subject (leather wrapped rocks) next time.
|
|
ziggy
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 483
|
Post by ziggy on Dec 7, 2016 21:18:34 GMT -5
Hmmmmmm, I've got 2 half hides & lots of rocks out in the field. Wonder if I could get $45.00 each for them ? Well, if Nordstrom is anything like Levian (with their formerly only sold to industry as low cost abrasive "chocolate diamonds") they already have it patended, trademarked on the name, and copyrighted on all promotional materials regarding to said leather wrapped rocks.
|
|
ziggy
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 483
|
Post by ziggy on Dec 4, 2016 21:51:02 GMT -5
Naptha is essentially gasoline ++. That is not going to do a thing to epoxy except make it stink. "Aircraft remover" will make the epoxy gel up and able to be scraped away. I cannot speak as to what it will do to sterling silver. Aircraft Remover is the single nastiest solvent I have ever worked with (and I worked in a solvent recycling center!) Wear gas mask, and research the appropriate gloves to use, do it outside and be very careful, that sh|t is n@sty! Methylene penetrates most rubber glove materials, making your skin BURN!! In hindsight, there are very few rocks I would even consider using aircraft remover on. Just not worth the hastle. Even the few dollars worth of sterling ain't worth it. Gold? Yeah, I'll recover the gold using this product. Where my husband used to work they used Aircraft remover to dissolve two part epoxy paint that was used to paint their machines when a part that was machined got painted by accident. He said that stuff is strong enough to burn your skin clean off.
|
|
ziggy
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 483
|
Post by ziggy on Dec 1, 2016 22:17:45 GMT -5
I looked for the other half of the stone in the ring, its here somewhere. The pendant stone is gone and it was the whole stone. Like I mentioned these stones came out of the same matrix along with the stone I am posting now. This stone you can see the radiating crystals from the eye, then they disappear and there is some pink translucent mineral. Looks like the pink translucent was there first (unless it ate part of the thomsonite iris) as the radiating crystals stop before its round. So you think its not thomsonite? There is another eye on the other side. That one looks like thomsonite I also wanted to complement you on your metalwork.
|
|
ziggy
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 483
|
Post by ziggy on Nov 30, 2016 22:07:29 GMT -5
I didn't realize that thomsonite could have fortification lines. I have only see it with eyes. I guess I learned something new today. I guess we're all being educated. I got to looking and found this photo of some thomsonite. Look at the one left middle. Looks a lot like his I would say. His green one does not have the typical chlorastrolite (the name for green thomsonite or greenstone) turtle shell look though. If it was more contrasting it would be more typical and even more valuable. Still, portions of it do look like pale colored greenstone and the copper inclusions are a positive and not unusual to be found in association with thomsonite of either variety.
|
|
ziggy
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 483
|
Post by ziggy on Nov 27, 2016 21:03:49 GMT -5
Every time I see Fordite I get sick to my stomach. My husband worked in the body shop at Jeep in Toledo for 15 years and watched literally TONS of that stuff in the rough go by every day on the car carriers on the assembly line. If he only would have known then that it would someday be so valuable. He said he could just chip it off with his tools there and it was sometimes 4 and 5 inches thick over the entire carrier. The factory actually had a special area where an outside contractor came in and pressure blasted the stuff off every now and then. They used lots of metallic paints and there was layer after layer of every color they used in varying combinations. He retired from Jeep in 1999 before Fordite was popular.
|
|
ziggy
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 483
|
Post by ziggy on Nov 27, 2016 13:31:36 GMT -5
If a file doesn't scratch it, acid test unnecessary. Many times agate grades into quartz, think Brazil agates. This does seen to be agate by texture and the druzy tells us a lot. I'd be happy with agate family stuff... I was just suggesting some things he could test before asking. Not necessarily in any order. Let common sense rule of course when doing tests.
|
|
ziggy
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 483
|
Post by ziggy on Nov 26, 2016 8:34:48 GMT -5
Alabaster is gypsum and would be very soft. Yeah, I didn't do a scientific study on what it might be. Just searched for michigan rocks since he said he thought it was from michigan. Found one that looks like his. Like I said, nothing to stringent was used in my idea. The rock in my photo is Alabaster and not quartz. Even the Alabaster I was referring to was not the Gypsum variety. This following passage was from the wiki on Alabaster: "Alabaster is a name used in two different fields with two different meanings. This article concentrates on the archaeological and stone trade professional meaning of the word. They define "alabaster" by a set of external characteristics: a usually light-coloured, translucent and soft stone that has been used throughout human history mainly for carving decorative artifacts. In this sense it refers to both gypsum and calcite, two distinct varieties of minerals.[1] Geologists define alabaster strictly as a compact and fine-grained variety of gypsum.[2] Chemically, gypsum is a hydrous sulfate of calcium, while calcite is a carbonate of calcium.[1] The calcite variety is also known as onyx-marble, Egyptian alabaster, or Oriental alabaster and is geologically described as either a compact banded travertine[2] or "a stalagmitic limestone marked with patterns of swirling bands of cream and brown".[1] "Onyx-marble" must be understood as a traditional, but geologically inaccurate term, since both onyx and marble have geological definitions distinct from even the widest one applicable for alabaster." I was referring to the calcite variety, My apologies on how sloppy I was. I should have just called it calcite. As always, the best way to get help identifying a rock or mineral is to not only post a photo, but do some preliminary testing of your own before asking for help. Do a scratch test. (Now I see you said a file skipped off so it must be hard as he**. I missed that part when I first read your post. Was that edited in later?) Did you actually try and just drag the corner of the file across it to scratch it? Do a streak test. Drop some acid on it. See how it fractures. If possible, do a specific gravity test. If you can't narrow it down some that way, there is no way someone can actually tell what someone else has just by a photo.
|
|
ziggy
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 483
|
Post by ziggy on Nov 25, 2016 21:54:25 GMT -5
Maybe alabaster??
|
|
ziggy
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 483
|
Post by ziggy on Nov 19, 2016 22:58:23 GMT -5
The big thing about torque and loctite is the variable. Most people don't have a torque wrench and the fixture will get how much vibration? I wasn't implying that one needs a torque wrench to properly tighten this stuff. The hardware used when constructing something with 80/20 uses socket head cap screws. These are tightened up using an allen wrench (also known as a Hex Key.) Allen wrenches are the size they are (lengthwise) to give enough muscle to tighten up cap screws to their correct torque. (Unless you're really soft handed and wimpy, then you can use a cheater bar.) We are talking inch pounds of torque not foot pounds, until you get up into 1/2" and larger sized allen wrenches, then it could amount to foot pounds. Remember, we are talking aluminum here and the stuff is designed to crush flat easily if properly torqued which can be done with the standard allen wrench that fits that cap screw. Below is the info provided about this little known feature by the 80/20 company on it's website. Once this stuff has been tightened to the point where the drop lock feature is engaged, if you loosen it back up the locking feature will no longer work in that spot on the extrusion and some form of thread lock is required if you re-tighten the nut in place. When you look at 80/20 profiles that have been used and taken apart, you can see all of the t nut shapes still in the extrusion where the locking feature was engaged. It only crushes and doesn't spring back when the crushing force is removed. This is one problem that 80/20 does not mention anywhere in their literature (they probably know about it though) and has been learned from more than ten years experience using the stuff. But, if the drop locked fastener is not disturbed it should (theoretically at least) not need thread locker. I have never trusted it. Nothing is perfect. Use thread locker. I also said yes, loctite is good. Always loctite this stuff with at least blue. Never use red loctite (high strength) on anything unless it is intended to never be loosened back up. The only way to get red loctite loose is with heat (lots of it.) Green is like blue in that you can get it loose again but it is medium high in strength. It is called wicking green and is designed to be applied to threads already tightened in place. They also have purple for small (fine) threads and low strength. Red and blue are both available in liquid and semisolid and both have a different number in the name. The thing about socket head cap screws and allen wrenches is that the cap screw edge locks down nicely as well, when its matching allen wrench is used to tighten it up as hard as one can pull. Just make sure you don't strip the socket when pulling. Still, always blue loctite every bolt on a machine that might vibrate loose. It works on Harleys. One more tip. 3m makes a line of thread locking compounds that perform as well as brand name loctite for way less in price. 3m thread lock
|
|
ziggy
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 483
|
Post by ziggy on Nov 19, 2016 16:28:09 GMT -5
Well actually Ziggy said: (I could only afford the $45.00 ones from Hans Lapidary.) So far, I have purchased four of the six wheels my home made cabber needs from Hans Lapidary in China. I have three in my possession and am waiting on the fourth one to come. The 280 grit and the 600 grit performed as expected. The 60 grit wheel they sent was no way 60 grit. More like no grit. Even the epoxy looked like crap with spots of thin epoxy in quite a few places. You could see some diamond in there, but it was not 60 grit. It did a better job of polishing like a 1200 or 3000 grit wheel would do, but could not remove amounts that a normal 60 grit wheel would. Rather than try and return and settle for a good wheel which would be a hassle to actually do I gave up on that wheel and re gritted that one to 35 grit. I am considering getting a 120 grit to go between the 35 and the 280. I hope those are what they say they are. So, be warned, Hans Lapidary wheels can be OK, or not.
|
|
ziggy
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 483
|
Post by ziggy on Nov 18, 2016 22:31:15 GMT -5
Are you on a very tight budget? If not then I found 30 grit sintered (as in a full 3 mm of diamond blended into the steel. Not inexpensive by any means, and I dont know if they are anywhere near the quality of Neo-Sint, but they are around half the price lol Good luck!!!!! Sintered 30 grit Ziggy's hubby speaking again.... Holy ****. I could never even think about spending half that amount on anything lapidary related. I inherited my trim saw and had it thirty years before I could afford to get it running and afford a new blade. Rather than spend umpteen thousands on a cabbing machine, I opted to build one from scratch using water jugs, re-purposed 80/20, scrounged up motor, Plywood, velcro, surgical tubing and pet store water valves. The only thing I bought were the bearings, shaft, pulley, and cabbing wheels. (I could only afford the $45.00 ones from Hans Lapidary.) I am what you would call, hmmmm, what is that word, POOR. From a poor family. Not so upwardly mobile. Fixed income. Worked all my life to get ahead and never reached the destination. Hospital bills to go broke by. Hard life and bad genetics has taken a toll and now I'm on total disability. 30 years as a welder gave me emphysema/COPD and bad genetics gave me two carotid artery surgeries, three stents near my heart, and blocked arteries throughout my body. Oh, lets not forget the atrophied right kidney that has failed completely and the left one in stage three failure because of previously stated blockages. I have something called familial hyperchloresterolemia. That is where the body makes massive amounts of bad cholesterol and triglicerides regardless of diet. My dad and all my uncles (6 I think) died before age 60 from this. Believe it or not, that is just the tip of the iceberg. The bright side for me? I made it to age 61. I have survived longer than any male in my family. I can only thank SSDI for finally getting me the good doctors I have now. They gave me a drug called Gemfibrozil and things are at least looking better there. I could only dream of ever buying a cabbing wheel for over $300.00. Ziggy's jaw hit the floor when I showed her how much that sintered wheel costs. After looking at the soft wheels at the link you provided, I see they sell soft wheels for about the same as Hans. Are the shipping charges reasonable there? Do they take Paypal? I would switch to Johnson Brothers just to avoid the slow boat from china free shipping. If they don't take Paypal I can't do business online with them. Nevermind, I just checked and they don't use paypal. That, plus they raise the price by 3 percent if you purchase by credit card. Really? Cash or money order? They need to come into the 21st century. Guess I'll just have to keep waiting on the boat. (Still need two wheels.)
|
|
ziggy
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 483
|
Post by ziggy on Nov 18, 2016 22:13:04 GMT -5
I've never used such a coarse grit, 300 was my coarsest, so I don't have any advice. I hope your multi-coating works. Keep posting updates. We appreciate it. Lynn Yep. It's working out great now. I think the second coat of epoxy helped hold the grit better, and the more even coating I did prevents the individual grit pieces from pulling out of the epoxy. So, from now on, I'm not even going to mix my grit into the epoxy. I'm just going to brush on the base layer of epoxy, then sprinkle the grit on by hand to get the most even coat, then re-coat with epoxy after the first coat sets up. The 35 grit thing is perhaps not the same as the 300 grit thing Sometimes you learn by doing.
|
|
ziggy
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 483
|
Post by ziggy on Nov 18, 2016 22:05:06 GMT -5
I used it at work to build fixtures for testing and assembly. It is very stable if you use the correct hardware and the right amount. Use lock tight on the threads. If you don't plan on moving parts of the 80/20 use red or green. But to if you plan on removing bolts or adjusting , you should use blue. It will see vibration so loc tight would be a good idea Yep, lock tight with blue if you plan on disassembling in the future. Also, the extrusion of the 80/20 has a slight angle on each extrusion face angling towards the t nut slot. Proper tightening will crush the angle to flat if the correct torque is reached and the connection should (theoretically at least) not come loose due to vibrations and stuff. This feature is designed into the stuff and most people don't know about it but if you read their specs and stuff the info is there.
|
|
ziggy
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 483
|
Post by ziggy on Nov 17, 2016 22:38:43 GMT -5
Hubby's drive "gears" for lack of a better name were re-glued with proper PVC cement after the epoxy that was working ok failed upon removal of the gears from the machine. Took the spacers off and the epoxy just let go. The PVC cement works great (as it should.)
|
|
ziggy
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 483
|
Post by ziggy on Nov 17, 2016 22:25:03 GMT -5
OOOOPs, looks like maybe the wrong pic. Nice looking rock there though.
|
|
ziggy
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 483
|
Post by ziggy on Nov 17, 2016 19:03:19 GMT -5
broseph82 , I'd post pics but no matter how I try I can't get that to work! An I consider myself pretty computer savvy. If it's permitted I can always email them. Post your pics to photobucket or some other photo hosting service. Link from that picture to here using the insert image button in the tools at the top of the editor. Make sure you remove the http:// (included by default in the insert image box) either from the box or the address you are linking to. If you don't it won't recognize the addy.
|
|
ziggy
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 483
|
Post by ziggy on Nov 17, 2016 14:23:53 GMT -5
The following was written by Ziggy's husband. Well, the first try was almost an epic fail but not quite. The diamonds worked great at cutting a really hard stone I've been working on. Trouble is, everywhere they were applied sparsely, they came off. If they were sitting more alone than in a group, they lifted right out of the epoxy. The epoxy still looks great, just no diamonds left in it in large areas. I suspect that this happened due to the large grit I am employing. It was big enough that when sitting alone in epoxy on its own, it was obviously catching on the rock and pulling out. I came to the conclusion that I needed more even and slightly thicker of a coat of diamonds. I actually mixed almost twice as much grit in to the epoxy and then I went over it again sprinkling grit onto the wheel to even up the coat while spinning it around. Then, after that coat tacked up, I applied another coat of epoxy over with no diamond grit. Below are three pics of how the wheel looks now, epoxy still wet. I am hoping the second coat of epoxy will minimize single particle loss.
|
|
ziggy
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 483
|
Post by ziggy on Nov 16, 2016 16:23:05 GMT -5
35 grit epoxied in place 1st view 2nd view 3rd view Different parts of the wheel in each pic. Middle pic shows what looks like maybe a little thin on the grit in that one. The other two thirds are pretty even. He used 1 gram of grit and enough epoxy to cover the wheel with the grit mixed in. He just got lucky with that. This model airplane propeller balancer was a perfect support for the dowel and wheel. Hubby has that for his quadcopters that he builds and flies. When he's not cabbing or flying quads he sometimes launches a rocket he made from scratch. When I say from scratch, that includes packing homemade fuel in the homemade motors. The dowel in the picture below moonlights as a rocket fuel packing rod when it's not busy holding up diamond wheels. The lines are depth gauges for the parts of the motor that he packs. The propeller balancer has rollers that the dowel sits on. (Overkill) 95 carats left. The epoxy
|
|