elementary
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Post by elementary on Apr 12, 2011 11:05:59 GMT -5
Uh, when you combine those two things, do you have an easier or harder time collecting the agates?
"I've been chasing this Kentucky Agate all morning. I can't seem to catch it!"
"Bob, that's a chicken!"
"Wild, man, wild! I love this festival!"
"No more mushrooms for you!"
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elementary
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Post by elementary on Apr 12, 2011 11:01:26 GMT -5
This has been number one on my bookmark page for a couple years, being the nodule nut I am. It's updated fairly regularly and as a bonus, it has stuff for sale.
Apparently, he also also offers polishing services for specimens.
Lowell
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elementary
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Post by elementary on Apr 10, 2011 21:53:30 GMT -5
A huge thank you guys!!!!! This is great!
Take a look at the Index when it comes out, and if you have material not listed, or samples that would add to (or improve the look of) the material presented, please post and let me know. I know the Ca Index is not complete, but that's why they are designed to be reissued every so often.
Thanks much!
Lowell
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elementary
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TX fire
Apr 10, 2011 21:47:02 GMT -5
Post by elementary on Apr 10, 2011 21:47:02 GMT -5
Yeah, here in California we have fires to clear the brush off the hills to get ready for the rainy season so we can have mud slides. Eventually, if you live near anything flammable, it'll burn. These are pictures from 2005 from in front of my house. We've had three other nearby fires since then. It was amazing watching the firefighters work these flames. The fire would burn almost down to the buildings and then they would hit them hard from air and truck, then head on to the next hot spot. The copters would descend on the other side of the freeway over the Ventura River and suck up water to drop over the fire. Spotter Plane And the helicopter coming down over the freeway into the Ventura River, then taking off right over the neighborhood to hit the flames. Lowell
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elementary
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Post by elementary on Apr 4, 2011 18:50:33 GMT -5
Great agates as usual!
Questions - what is the percent of nodules that you find that have good agate within them? And do you crack them at the site to reduce your load, or do it at home? Or are many of them cracked before you find them? Finally - do different locations provide a better % of good agate interiors compared to others?
Man, you live in a great agate state!
Lowell
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elementary
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Bone!!
Apr 2, 2011 21:25:17 GMT -5
Post by elementary on Apr 2, 2011 21:25:17 GMT -5
Okay, I don't normally post too many 'good stuff' replies - too many other people do a great job of it, but that dino bone demands a response.
Amazing material. Different. And to top it off - gosh darn purty!
Lowell
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elementary
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Post by elementary on Apr 1, 2011 23:12:31 GMT -5
Bob,
After I fix the middle america volumes, the next set of new volumes (10 through 15 maybe) will take all the major material distributed through the state sets and divvy it up into specific types. That way if you are looking to identify a specific sample of material, you don't need to hunt through a bunch of different states, just find the type volume. I am also going to do a separate index so if you know the name or type or location of material, you can look up where to find images of it. What you are suggesting would fit nicely into that index - and upon thinking about it, that book could easily double as a visual glossary of terms - with Mel's oversight for accuracy and input for the type of information you mention. Thank you for the idea! As for work ;D - this is a hobby and putting these books together is, for me, a highly enjoyable aspect of it - when I find the time! I was an english major and creative writing guy in college - and these books scratch my itch to publish. I'm just happy people find them useful. Lowell
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elementary
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Post by elementary on Apr 1, 2011 22:41:15 GMT -5
Mel, I agree with your comments. My breakup of the contents were a quick sample. Your breakdown makes sense. Thank you.
Don, Thank you for the jade. I definitely would like a couple good sample images of northern jade. I have a friend who said he'd provide Jade Cove material, but I have nothing from farther north.
Jack, Thank you for the images. I should be able to get a couple into the index. Please PM me with how you want the photo to read - your true name or your screen name. I've heard of Goose Lake having t-eggs on the Western Side - haven't seen them, though. It would be interesting to see the ones you're talking about. **
One note - the CA index is not comprehensive right now, but I want to get it out. It's been a while since the last index came out. I want to get this done so I can go back and start updating the others.
Thank you for your interest,
Lowell
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elementary
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Post by elementary on Apr 1, 2011 19:25:11 GMT -5
Legal disclaimer: I forgot to give Mel credit on my post a while back as he is the one who donated the material to start my student giveaway section and still helps keep it going.
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elementary
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Post by elementary on Apr 1, 2011 19:19:03 GMT -5
Those are awesome. Can't wait to see the cabs from them!
Oh, wait, wrong section... sorry about that....
Truthfully, some of the largest and best pieces I've seen. Looks like someone did a great job polishing the edges as well. Where do you keep them?
(And did you get anything else from that auction?)
Lowell
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elementary
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Post by elementary on Apr 1, 2011 19:15:00 GMT -5
(I'm posting here because the Index is kept here.)
I posted my question elsewhere but it was read only 29 times and responded to once (thanks Jakesrocks), and I really need to know what you guys/gals want since the agate index is for your use.
My concern - the Ca Agate Index file is quite large. 40 MB or so:
My question - Do you want the file in one large download, or would it be better if it is split into two?
Jakesrocks suggested splitting it into N and S California. It's a good suggestion but I hesitate because most of the material is SoCal and also I don't want to split the types into two separate files. Rather, if I use two files, I'll just put pet wood, fossil, nodules etc, general agate into one file, and agates with inclusions, jaspers etc, into a second.
If you find these files helpful, please let me know how you want this one to be provided - complete, or split into two sections.
Thank you as always for your support.
Lowell
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elementary
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Post by elementary on Apr 1, 2011 18:58:27 GMT -5
(Hey Mel - you don't come off as a know it all, hmmmm, more like a sage dispensing knowledge to us humble folk struggling through these piles of rocks trying to make sense of them all. )
I am constantly amazed at Mel's knowledge. Some of my favorite rock-hounding times were sitting in his backyard just chatting about rocks (and baby turtles and scorpions and ...) It was sad that it took his moving to Texas for that to happen.
Truthfully, if it wasn't for Mel, I wouldn't have even considered doing the Agate Index series alone. He lends a credibility to the whole project that I can't even approach. (For those interested - the California Index is, at long last, essentially done at 126 pages...should be out after editing by next weekend.)
But this is Bob's thread - so to you - I am always blown away by your work. I enjoy looking at everyone's crafts and cabs, etc, but the level of mastery you have achieved is awe-inspiring and the dedication you have made to quality is evident in both how you treat the material and in the material you work. I look forward to reading the article. Thank you for all the great lessons you have posted here and elsewhere.
Lowell
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elementary
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Post by elementary on Mar 27, 2011 18:57:01 GMT -5
rocpup,
Good looking material you found. It's always fun to roam a virgin spot and see what what comes up.
Regarding the comments of deb193redux - I don't know him, have not traded with him, and have only interacted via simple comments on posts - so I don't want to sound like I'm biased one way or another - but I did not see the slight in his initial posts. I've read both of your slab postings straight through several times to see if there was anything that I would consider an insult or attack on your specific material. Deb193 gave opinions on AZ material cabbing material, in general, but I did not see any attack on your slabs, just statements made in response to how they looked in the photos.
From my vantage point, your reaction seemed excessive - which obviously triggered his response.
I hope you sell your slabs. I hope you find wonderful material. I hope you continue to post material here on the board. But in the future I would suggest a private message to anybody you feel did you wrong to try to find out if there was some miscommunication.
Good luck hunting,
Lowell
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elementary
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Post by elementary on Mar 27, 2011 3:04:06 GMT -5
Well, the index is at 100 pages and I'm not done working on it. I still have general agates, general jaspers, chalcedony, and peripheral material to go, and blah blah blah...
Essentially, the file is already 30+MB in size and it could reach 35. That makes it the largest file by quite a bit. I'm thinking I might split it, but I don't really want to do that, but as this project is for your use, I would like to know what would work best for you: One big long file? Two moderately large files?
Thanks for you help!
Lowell
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elementary
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Post by elementary on Mar 26, 2011 12:05:53 GMT -5
Those are gorgeous!!!
I'm glad you decided to get that bucket out!
I only have a few left to play with and I've separated the ones that show agate and those that have a lot of that muddy matrix along the outside. I'm hoping to figure out how best to cut to them so I don't lose out on the patterns.
Great job, and that first reshot cabochon is incredible!
Definitely a purple Mexican!
I have a dealer here who is real good IDing agates. He just gave a talk at our club. I'll show him a couple and see if he can't place the source.
Lowell
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elementary
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Post by elementary on Mar 26, 2011 11:50:04 GMT -5
I popped open the link thinking, "Okay, it'll be okay." but you elicited a "Wow" from me as soon as it opened. Great job!
Clean, easy to read, not cluttered. Good luck with it!
Lowell
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elementary
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Post by elementary on Mar 26, 2011 11:44:34 GMT -5
Steve,
If I can be so bold,
I really like the first one, especially the mirror in the middle.
I agree that you really don't need titles on this case since the goal is to show off your echo stones rather than show a variety of locations, though a small printed card in a corner explaining where the majority of the material is from wouldn't hurt (I'm a label reader - and when I display, even though most walk by, I always try to put information in for those who share my interests.) I really like the multi-leveling effect, which is hard to see in the photo.
As for the other display, I like it, with the height and the spacing of the large pieces, but some of the smaller pieces near the front seem a tad crowded near the bases of the larger pieces. Would it help the spacing to pull them out an inch? Your large pieces are well separated, but the small ones look be be huddled up against the bases. As for labeling, not necessary, but your title - agates of the world (for me) cries for a label telling me from which parts of the world these agates are from. I see mexican, but I also see a dugway. If I saw an agate I didn't recognize, I'd want to know it's origin. (Wow, what part of the world is this guy from?) Just a thought. The material is incredible and I would be hunkered down by your case for quite a while admiring it! (I bring my own handiwipes and Windex to shows for just this reason.)
Lowell
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elementary
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Post by elementary on Mar 22, 2011 21:57:17 GMT -5
I love that nodule! Beautiful!
You've posted a few recently that have caught my eye - are they from a new area for you or from a place you've hunted before?
I'm about done with the California Agate Index and am looking to start redoing the rest of them with additions.
When I do Arizona I'd like to add this guy (and the others). Is west of Phoenix as general as you want to go, or is there a more precise location I can use?
Thanks, and keep cutting those things. Can't get enough of that stuff!
Lowell
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elementary
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Post by elementary on Mar 18, 2011 22:01:27 GMT -5
Jaw dropping...
I mean, I know Laguna's are great and all that, but that second one is killer! Normally I cringe when fortification stuff is chopped up, but you are hitting new highs every time you post.
Excellent eye and excellent handiwork.
Lowell
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elementary
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Post by elementary on Mar 18, 2011 21:57:33 GMT -5
Oh, I wish I could head out there one day! There and Baker Ranch are the two places on my visit list.
Great pieces!
Lowell
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