elementary
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Post by elementary on Feb 9, 2012 11:11:59 GMT -5
So today I am sitting right now in a little 'business' cubicle waiting at the local County offices for jury duty to truly begin.
I always find this responsibility daunting, not for the duty itself - which I find vital to our system of law and order - but for the sheer drudgery of the day.
I may complain about the DMV, but at least that wait is less than a full 8 hour day.
It's like being at an airport but your plane is never leaving, never taking off, and there's no CNN playing on TV. There's no restaurants to wait at, no magazine stands to browse. All you do is sit...and sit...and sit...and if your 'flight' is called, it could be a 2 or 3 or 7 day layover before you are released back into the real world.
Again, I don't argue with my need to do jury duty, but it's going to be a long day.
And can they pick a more festive color for these walls?
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elementary
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Post by elementary on Feb 8, 2012 22:44:27 GMT -5
Wonderful material - and I like the squared off cabs.
And I know a few people who would go crazy for that BC rhodonite.
Lowell
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elementary
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Post by elementary on Feb 8, 2012 22:40:44 GMT -5
I like the laguna, but that blue dino heart is something special.
Nice choice for that stone!
Lowell
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elementary
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
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Post by elementary on Feb 6, 2012 22:45:22 GMT -5
I've been lucky enough to hook up with a great guy from across the pond. I sent him a batch of SoCal t-eggs and he returned the favor with European material. The batch is a mixture of items I've never seen with some wonderful eye-catching specimens. I'm overjoyed as I now have a batch of new material to put into my World-Wide agate display at my club's show in March. I owe him another box. Esterel T-egg, France Monchstal, Thuringia, Germany Nesselhof, Thuringia, Germany Liebachtal, Black Forest, Germany Hohenstein Ernsttal, Saxony, Germany St Egidien, Saxony, Germany Spieberg, Thuringia, Germany Felsenschlag, Thuringia, Germany Nowy Kosciol, Poland Thanks for looking, Lowell
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elementary
fully equipped rock polisher
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Post by elementary on Feb 6, 2012 22:26:50 GMT -5
One of your most amazing posts!
Thank you for sharing,
Lowell
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elementary
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
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Post by elementary on Feb 5, 2012 22:17:44 GMT -5
I've found a few pieces there, but the most interesting item on the agenda, besides the impossible to find Boron wood (1 piece in 5 or 6 trips through there) are the irregular nodules on the hills to the west of Boron dry lake. Several books list chapenite coming from that location (A brecciated jasper resealed with agate). The hillside is sprinkled with broken and chipped specimens - many are cracked or have a poor interiors. They look like this: Here's the best one I've cut - brecciated and resealed, though without the colors of Siam Siding or Fort Irwin's nodules. Compare with Siam Siding Chapenite: Don't know if this interests you or not - Just an FYI. Lowell
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elementary
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Post by elementary on Feb 4, 2012 22:02:50 GMT -5
So this is why I like Mississippi River agate. I have to thank John (Thunder69) who just dropped another box on me. I now have to come up with something of equal Wow value. So - what follows are the best pieces from the two MFR boxes I've received from him. Some people have compared the banding with Fairburns, and though others will argue, I think in the best cases the banding is some of the best you can get in the good ol' U S of A. You can see the colors that I hope to intensify with heat treating. These guys I've pulled because their patterns are complex and their shape makes them easy to contour polish. But enough. Enjoy the show... Thanks for looking, (and thanks to John!) Lowell
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elementary
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Post by elementary on Feb 4, 2012 21:15:10 GMT -5
It was about two years ago that the clubs in my area (Ventura CA) were notified that a local dealer/rockhound had passed away and that his son was opening up his backyard for a sale. The place - known as the Harris House - coughed up hundreds of pounds of dino bone, olden t-eggs from Zacatecas Mex, Dugway Ut, Hauser Bed CA, & Priday OR. There were Keokuk-type geodes, piles of huge Lavic jasper chunks, a crate of variscite, two buckets of Mexican fire agate, a crumbling bin of rhodochrosite, bins of quartz crystal plates, Brazilian carnelian, and cannisters of Turritella agate, Howlite, and Strawberry Onyx. Obsidian consisted of gold sheen, silver sheet, rainbow, snowflake, and tears. Petrified wood from at least four states was present. Phew....and a lot more. The sale was the first Sat of every month and the gluttony went on for at least 8 months before it shut down. Two months ago it reopened, and though there's not much high quality material left, surprises are still found. So - here's a shot from the third month of the sale from 2009: Here's the place today: At first glance, there seems to be little difference, but take a look at the pile behind the white bins, and the bins in the back center right. Here is the find of the day - Guadalupe Poppy Jasper - alas not by me: Here's my haul - 135 pounds - over 50 of apache tears. You hear that Mel!!!! I think I got your tears covered for some time to come! My daughter's haul: And my stuff: Assorted broken t-eggs for the kid's booth at our show and my classroom - with one I'll see if I can polish: A piece of gold sheen that is very bright and I'm going to see if I can get my friend to knap a couple gold sheen arrowheads for me. Turritella(WY) and Lambert Ranch Crinoid Limestone (TX) T-eggs from Zacatecas and Dugway. Palm Root End Cuts (CA) and quartz crystal plates (ARK) Barite (?) nodules with red/yellow agate interiors(UT?) Big Solid Chunk of Red Moss from ? I'll end with a couple old photos of the place back in 2009: And two from today: (Yes, that's me....) Thanks for looking, Lowell
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elementary
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Post by elementary on Feb 1, 2012 22:56:14 GMT -5
Love that material.
It always brings to mind what a winter storm might be like on the Great Lakes...
Don't know why, but it has that mood to them...
And the cabs are nice too...
Lowell
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elementary
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Lagunas
Feb 1, 2012 21:02:11 GMT -5
Post by elementary on Feb 1, 2012 21:02:11 GMT -5
Very very very very very very very very nice haul you got at that show/sale. My favorites are the last few - and that yellow is intense! Are you getting jaded yet - getting let down when the colors or patterns are not as intense as the prior cut? Or are you murmuring under your breath with each 'clunk' off the saw: "Damn, I'm a lucky fellow." Carlos, As for Lagunas - they are from Chihuahua Mexico, 150 miles south of the Texas border. See following link for information: thegemshop.com/osc/mining_laguna_loc.phpIncludes maps. Lowell
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elementary
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Post by elementary on Feb 1, 2012 20:54:15 GMT -5
A huge thank you Michael for that info!
Don, I was wondering if pyrex would work as well.
I'll keep all updated with the adventures of toasting agate.
Lowell
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elementary
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Post by elementary on Feb 1, 2012 20:51:31 GMT -5
In setting up another trade with John (thunder69) for more agate, he brought up the experience that after a long day hunting agates along the river, he'll see the agates in his dreams for a few days.
I've had similar moments when I'm either anticipating or had just returned from wandering the desert wasteland where I dream of scanning the dirt and sand for nodules and agates. When I wake up I get so irritated when I actually don't have the material I collected in my dreams. I figure I earned it doing all that hard work in my sleep, I should have it once I wake.
But alas...
Anybody have these? I figure they're common, but hey - thought I'd ask.
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elementary
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Post by elementary on Jan 31, 2012 22:42:02 GMT -5
Bob,
The 2012 show is down in Riverside Co. July 13 through the 15th. A few of my club members will be displaying, but I'll just be visiting. It's hard to dedicate a weekend away from home right now for my guilty pleasure with what is needed for set-up and breakdown.
May your show go well,
Lowell
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elementary
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Post by elementary on Jan 31, 2012 21:36:30 GMT -5
Mel - and everyone else,
I would never do anything that would put children at risk. My goal is to talk to the woman (artist) who was the advisor when we bought the kiln.
Nor am I going to misuse equipment bought with school money (or my own.) I'll be taking this whole endeavor slowly.
Thanks for the concern. I'm just excited to try this thing, but I won't be reckless in pursuing the goal.
But man - I am really curious about the results.
Lowell
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elementary
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Post by elementary on Jan 31, 2012 10:05:44 GMT -5
Damn, that's it!!!!
My school has a kiln!!!!!!
A hahahahahaha!
And nobody is using it right now!
Time to play Dr. Frankenstein!
Thanks for the heads up,
Lowell
Now to double check what kind of container could handle the heat and sand.
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elementary
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Post by elementary on Jan 29, 2012 23:48:55 GMT -5
Thunder69 sent me a box of his Mississippi agates a while back and I've had fun polishing a specimen or two every few months. The golden colors of these agates are wonderful, and the patterns in the agates is very detailed and ornate. While reading over June Zeitner's Southwest Mineral & Gem Trails Guide for the Southwest (Lapidary Journal (C) 1972) I found a paragraph that caught my attention. pg 137 First of all, Zeitner claimed that a skillful cutter could cut cat's eye stones from the rough. She didn't give details. But when it came to heat treating, there was quite a bit. Ken Kyte is said to have developed a heat treating method for enhancing the color to brighter oranges, yellows, reds, and pinks. He would pack the agates in large containers of sand, then put them in a gas oven (his was one he had rigged outside). He turned up the heat carefully, 50 degrees at a time, until it was as high as it could go. Then he left it on 'for a while' and then started to turn down the heat. Once the heat was off, he left the agates in the cooling oven overnight without peeking. The color is said to have gone completely through the stone - and doesn't look artificial - just an augmentation of what color the stone had previously. In the stones I have, I can see some that look red or pink or yellow or orange, and if the heating works, their banding is going to be outstanding. So - any advice on what containers might work best with this, what might have been the max temp of ovens in 1972, and is anyone willing to try before I destroy my own oven??? You can see samples of this agate on John's thread: forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=specphoto&thread=41668&page=1Thanks for any advice, Lowell
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elementary
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Post by elementary on Jan 29, 2012 23:30:13 GMT -5
I'm in a similar boat.
My wife gets off work at 7:00, and my daughter started Kindergarten this year, across town, and started soccer. So where I used to be able get home at 3:30 and get home to fiddle with rocks for maybe 1 1/2 hours two days a week then pick up my daughter from daycare around 5:00 (which was around the corner), I've only been on my Titan 3 hours since December. It's life - and I love my family, but I've been very short of temper lately and I can completely attribute it to the fact that I get off work, pic up daughter, go to store, cook dinner, clean up, give daughter bath, and put her to bed (bath and bed is shared work on alternating nights.) And there are days where 15 - 30 minutes in the garage would lower my irritation, but it hasn't been happening. I am moved from one 'need' to another 'need'. I work to live. I do not live to work. I'm just lucky the Agate Index can be done in the evening when I am little tired and watching TV with my wife. Don't ask me about my weekends... I know I can't control much of my life, but I want some of my life back.
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elementary
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Post by elementary on Jan 29, 2012 23:11:18 GMT -5
Man,
I love seeing what you work on. Each time you make me say "Wow!" or "Holy Cr*p", or "Awesome."
Thank you for sharing your talent with the rest of us, and that you are so humble about it only makes it more special.
(Not that I'm trying to convince you with praise, but might you consider showing your material at the CFMS show in Ventura in 2013?)
Lowell
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elementary
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Post by elementary on Jan 28, 2012 21:58:54 GMT -5
Gary,
I'm glad that dino poop worked out for you. Looks like you made something extra special with it. Great work.
Lowell
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elementary
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Post by elementary on Jan 28, 2012 20:05:19 GMT -5
I disagree.
I believe it's Azurite and Malachite, unless I'm wrong and then I believe it's what the correct person says.
You can see I'm a man of my beliefs - unless you don't believe me...
So on that note, maybe it really is Malachite and Azurite...
That is, unless I'm wrong...
llewoL
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