mrflake
having dreams about rocks
Member since August 2003
Posts: 58
|
Post by mrflake on Oct 8, 2003 14:46:53 GMT -5
Following confusion over words and meanings on another thread I just wondered what parts of the world were represented in this message board. personally as most will no doubt now know I am from the UK, and you guys in the states don't know how lucky you are with so many outlets for supplies over there, over here you can probably count the lapidary supplies outlets on one hand.
|
|
James
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since October 2003
Posts: 876
|
Post by James on Oct 8, 2003 17:24:54 GMT -5
I'm from Modesto California. Home of Scott Peterson...lol. Anyway, there are no local store's in my area that carry lapidary/tumbling supplies. I have to order all of my stuff online. However, California is a vast, rich, resource of rocks and minerals. We have a lot of rockhoundind site's here. I just havn't got out there and looked yet. I actually just order a book on rockhounding in California. It's a big state and I don't know how far I'm willing to drive to find this stuff. But it should be interesting. I can't wait! ;D
|
|
|
Post by SPareTime on Oct 9, 2003 10:22:13 GMT -5
I live by Dtroit, Michigan.
And although we do have Lapidary supply stores (a few), we have no good areas that I know of for rockhounding.
|
|
J9
having dreams about rocks
Never met a rock I didn't like
Member since October 2003
Posts: 66
|
Post by J9 on Oct 9, 2003 10:30:33 GMT -5
I live in the foothills above Sacramento, California. (Maybe next door to Arnold someday!) I drive about 1/2 hour to Sacramento to get my grit and other supplies - small shop but it has the basics. I live in a great area for rockhounding (near where gold was discovered) and lots of interesting items in the Sierra Nevadas. But, I need to know what to look for. It's a learning process....
|
|
Robert
off to a rocking start
Member since April 2003
Posts: 15
|
Post by Robert on Oct 9, 2003 20:46:22 GMT -5
Is OZ considered a country? ;D
|
|
WilliamC
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2003
Posts: 416
|
Post by WilliamC on Oct 9, 2003 21:36:53 GMT -5
Greetings All, Beins as I live in Northern Mississippi, was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, and grew up in Mobile, Alabama, I consider myself a proud resident of the still-occupied Confederate States of America...but seens how we was licked far and squar by them d*mnyankees all those years agone, I don't really hold it against the Union anymore. At least not much I did get some schoolin' up thar in Long Island, New Yawk, and I do have a brother who is livin' in Keneddycut, and as I done gone and married me a woman from Pennsyvanie, well I guess that just makes me a typical citizen of the USA ;D WilliamC
|
|
|
Post by hermatite on Oct 10, 2003 10:17:07 GMT -5
I'm a western canadian by birth and inclination but now am living in New Hampshire...the granite state. I was really happy to see that granite polishes beautifully since the geniuses that previously owned my house tore out the flowerbeds and replaced them with about two tons of rough granite gravel. I shouldn't have to buy stones for about a hundred years!
|
|
Djinjuice
starting to shine!
Member since March 2003
Posts: 47
|
Post by Djinjuice on Oct 12, 2003 2:57:07 GMT -5
Hey James, I am wonderin' if Mrflake knows who Scott Peterson is ! I am here in Las Vegas, Nevada, which becomes hotter than the 9th circle of hell during the summer. But right now it's pretty nice, 85-95 degrees and low humidity. I'm gonna try and hunt for some apache tears (obsidian) this weekend, and if I have some good luck I might send you some Mrflake! Wish me the best! ;D
|
|
donwrob
has rocks in the head
Member since June 2003
Posts: 509
|
Post by donwrob on Oct 12, 2003 9:41:48 GMT -5
mrflake, it sure looks like you are severely out numbered here so far buddy. But, we are real glad to have you on the board. I'm another one from the states. I live in East central Ohio 'the buckeye state' ;D And, everyone knows what a buckeye is I hope.... it is a worthless nut . You can crush them up and poison fish with them if you are really bored or hungry I guess..hehe. Thanks for the thread, it is nice to see where everyone is from, Don
|
|
mrflake
having dreams about rocks
Member since August 2003
Posts: 58
|
Post by mrflake on Oct 12, 2003 11:34:42 GMT -5
Scott Peterson.... so just where did his pregnant wife go the.... ( good ole google!!)
Went to a rock and fossil fair today, got some small geodes, very nice, and just as i was leaving i saw bag of rough Aventurine, so i bought it to tumble and see what all the fuss was about on the other thread!
Come on, there has to be someone else from the UK who reads this board, although it has toi be said at the rock fair it was mainly minerals and fossils for collecting, tumbling was in very shoirt supply, one stand out of around a 100. Did have an informative chat with a bloke who makes silver chain jewellry, very impressed, he also uses tumbled stones to make Intarsia with, very neat.
|
|
James
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since October 2003
Posts: 876
|
Post by James on Oct 12, 2003 22:44:36 GMT -5
Yeah, I need to check into some rock shows in my area. I've never been to one and I'm sure it would be very educational. Plus, you can actually see what you are getting instead of like when you order online and get a bunch of crap rock mixed in with the good stuff.
|
|
WILDONE
off to a rocking start
Member since September 2003
Posts: 13
|
Post by WILDONE on Oct 12, 2003 23:38:29 GMT -5
I am from the Good ole USA too. Southern California,Victorville that is, High Desert, Rattle snakes and coyotes{auto-correct: MOV files not allowed}ed here from New York City,got me some Goats,chickens,rabbits and a pig....coyotes ate the chickens , I ate the pig ;D, now I tumble rocks I went to a couple of places I found on a local web site. but I dont know what I am looking for looks like ,so I got what looked pretty... been to palos verde, wrightwood mountians 4 corners in barstow and stoddard wells road. I tumbled some stuff from stoddard wells in a scholastic tumbler, now i have my first "real" load going in a lortone hope it works Glad meet you all and am willing to meet with any one that comes to the Mohave desert to find some rocks and will travel to vegas and arizona to hunt with ya WILDONE
|
|
|
Post by Original Admin on Oct 13, 2003 1:44:34 GMT -5
I am from Manchester in the UK. And I am totally jealous of Americans who can go out walking and pick things up off the floor to tumble. I'm off to Norfolk on Friday to collect a load of Flint and Amber from the coast to tumble. I wont be finding anything so glam as Carnelian or Amythist. Andrew.
|
|
James
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since October 2003
Posts: 876
|
Post by James on Oct 13, 2003 1:47:30 GMT -5
been to palos verde, wrightwood mountians 4 corners in barstow and stoddard wells road. I tumbled some stuff from stoddard wells in a scholastic tumbler, now i have my first "real" load going in a lortone hope it works Glad meet you all and am willing to meet with any one that comes to the Mohave desert to find some rocks and will travel to vegas and arizona to hunt with ya WILDONE I'm planning a trip to "Opal Hill Mine" in Palos Verde. Items on the menu? Fire Agate: www.bovagems.com/eclectic/HTML/19980301_9803FIREAG.html www.bovagems.com/eclectic/HTML/19980901_9809FIREAG.html www.desertusa.com/magjan98/stories/opal.html Check out the pic's and read the artical's. But you better not go there without me and come back with tales of glory and riches! You're lucky you're already down there. It's a 600 mile drive for me...
|
|
James
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since October 2003
Posts: 876
|
Post by James on Oct 13, 2003 1:51:54 GMT -5
I am from Manchester in the UK. And I am totally jealous of Americans who can go out walking and pick things up off the floor to tumble. I'm off to Norfolk on Friday to collect a load of Flint and Amber from the coast to tumble. I wont be finding anything so glam as Carnelian or Amythist. Andrew. If I find any extras I'll send them your way.
|
|
mrflake
having dreams about rocks
Member since August 2003
Posts: 58
|
Post by mrflake on Oct 13, 2003 3:00:48 GMT -5
wow, after all that it turns out that Andy who's page and forum this is is from the UK!!!!! How about a thread for links to good sites to get rough from, or good shops, ans also a thread about where good natural rough has been located. In that vein , Andy, where are you going for the amber in Norfolk, I gather there is Jasper and Amythest to be found in the north area of Hunstanton. My "son " is at college in that area and we camp over there quite a lot, shall have to sort a meeting next year (warmer camping weather!) ....can't belive there is another UK here, and one who actually started the page!
|
|
|
Post by docone31 on Oct 14, 2003 21:00:57 GMT -5
I am here in Floriduh. The land where the IQ is not allowed above 68. Here we have at out feet, fossilized sea shells. Period. The few stones locally are iron nodules said to be from the big asteroid. My wife and I moved here from Oregon. I had at my feet stones beyond description. I even picked up a piece of red obsidian from Mt. St. Helens. In Oregon, stones and handmade of any quality was not politically correct. Here in Floriduh I have met more pioneers in lapidary, faceting, metalsmithing than I have ever met before. Most here call those retired folks Q-Tips. All you see is a tuft of hair and their automobiles drive themselves over curbs, into picture windows, wrong way on the interstate, etc... They all retired from something, and something here attracted some really savvy lapidariasts. I feel privileged, as much as I hate it here, to just be free to speak and show my work to them. I have learned more here in such a short time, than I had learned before. I get to talk faceting with the gentleman who faceted a 400ct yellow saphire that is on display at the Smithsonian. We talk tools, techniques, approaches to cutting that is phenominal. This weekend he is going to let me borrow a textbook on meetpoint faceting that has been out of print for 40yrs. Floriduh may not have rocks, but it sure has rockheads.
|
|
DurboRox
off to a rocking start
Member since October 2003
Posts: 12
|
Post by DurboRox on Oct 19, 2003 10:27:53 GMT -5
I live in northern New Mexico. Last weekend my partner and I went up to Abiquiu, home of Georgia O'Keeffe, and found Abiquiu agates--blue, white, white shot through with red. They're in the tumbler now. The Jemez Mountains are nearby, and I've gone there to hunt marine fossils with my most excellent and awesome nephew. We've also gone to a place east of Dixon, NM, and have found lepidolite. New Mexico even has Rockhound State Park down in the southern part of the state, but I haven't been there yet.
|
|
Lyonnesse
off to a rocking start
Member since October 2003
Posts: 2
|
Post by Lyonnesse on Oct 29, 2003 18:14:33 GMT -5
I'm another member from the UK ;D I'm at the other end of the country from Andy - down in Cornwall near Lands End. I don't tumble rocks but I do collect a lot of them Luckily the Cornish beaches, especially around Marazion and Penzance, are chock-full of pebbles and an amazing hunting ground. Andy, do you have Clarence Ellis' excellent little book "The Pebbles on the Beach"? My Dad bought a copy for me many years ago and it is an excellent guide - probably one of the very few UK specific ones available. Last reprinted around 1972 though. It's well worth tracking down and very comprehensive. Last week I found what I think is probably a largish pebble of deep yellowy orange jasper in a pebble bank at the top of the beach at Penzance. It's now one of my treasures Lyonesse
|
|
mrflake
having dreams about rocks
Member since August 2003
Posts: 58
|
Post by mrflake on Oct 30, 2003 5:59:30 GMT -5
Hi Lyonesse, you are in my favourite part of the Uk, i envy you, my brother in law is in Bodmin and last year I tried to sell up my business and move not too far away into Devon (westward Ho!) but fate decided I should stay put. I understand there are Opals somewhere in Cornwall, have you ever found any, ( and what about ilegal panning for gold down there?). It's a shame you don't tumble as with the beach stones a lot of hard work is already done for you, and you might get a bit of spare cash selling them to tourist shops, unless the market is saturated already with polished souvenir beach stones. If you ever want to look at tumbling then visit www.gemcraft.co.uk they had a deal going on a starter kit and their service to me has been excellent.
|
|