MidNight~Rocksi3
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2008
Posts: 1,716
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Post by MidNight~Rocksi3 on Jan 8, 2008 21:08:42 GMT -5
Yeah if that's the same one i've seen before.. it's a rerun and the chic digs up this grapefruit sized pet wood rock and said it was worth 500.00 .. if that's so.. I'm digging for wood.. forget the gold.. lol
*smiles*
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Post by deb193redux on Jan 9, 2008 2:50:42 GMT -5
That show bothered me. I met both of the guys, the ranch owner and the shop owner, and wish them well, but values were inflated an misrepresented.
They call the big chunk a $5000 rock bases on the potential number of polished slabs selling at full retail. You have to listen close to understand the dirty rock is not worth $5000 right out of the ground. Even if you made (and got full retail) all the slabs, the equipment and time costs are never mentioned.
They also never mention (other than saying a few dollars a pound) how much the dig fee is. That 500lb rock they said was worth $5000 would cost $1000 at $2/lb.
I watched the rest of the show and it looks like they over sensationalize and inflate value and hide costs across the board.
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MidNight~Rocksi3
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2008
Posts: 1,716
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Post by MidNight~Rocksi3 on Jan 9, 2008 10:08:59 GMT -5
LOL..Iwas just teasin you snowdog dave..*smiles*... But. Ok.. you're right.. I guess the Xfiles is more my thing anyway.... (pouts) LOL
*smiles*
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,466
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Post by Sabre52 on Jan 9, 2008 13:15:42 GMT -5
I watched the pet wood show for the first time last night. I really liked the show and the gal is a cute little filly but I sure wish she wouldn't spend so much time on the ridiculously inflated monetary end of things. I feel it attracts the wrong sort of folks to the hobby. With the advent of E-Bay, I'm already seeing tons of spots get raped by cash seeking commercial collectors. Don't need to have more of that sort of activity encouraged. And man oh man digging in an over-the-head trench without even a hard hat is just friggin stupid. That's an example of doofusness I don't like to see!....Mel
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rallyrocks
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2005
Posts: 1,507
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Post by rallyrocks on Jan 9, 2008 13:56:43 GMT -5
And man oh man digging in an over-the-head trench without even a hard hat is just friggin stupid. That's an example of doofusness I don't like to see!....Mel Likewise swinging a pick without eye protection, bad example in any number of regards...
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earthdog
Cave Dweller
Don't eat yellow snow
Member since June 2006
Posts: 2,731
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Post by earthdog on Jan 9, 2008 21:42:34 GMT -5
I tivo'ed it and watched it tonight. They did say on the first dig that they open to the public a few times a year with a cost of $1.00 a pound. I think most people got it when they said something about the 200# wood was worth around $5000, after it was all cut and polished.
Brand new show!
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rockdewd
has rocks in the head
Member since October 2007
Posts: 605
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Post by rockdewd on Jan 10, 2008 0:22:01 GMT -5
We are seeing a few new members, to the Colorado Springs Mineralogical society, that got all excited about making their fortune rock collecting. I'm sure we will lose a few after they find out how hard of work it is and how few and far between the good finds are. I know a guy who is the most successful collector/miner of amazonite and smoky quartz. He lives in the same size house as I do and basically the same neighborhood. There is another member who is a commercial miner who went through the process of getting all the correct mining permits. He had two extraordinary finds a couple years ago and wouldn't disclose what they sold Tucson for. He only smiled and said they sold enough to mine another year.
BTW I am the 2008 president of CSMS. So I expect you all to address me as Mr. President. ;-)
Rick
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Slydog
has rocks in the head
Member since February 2006
Posts: 555
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Post by Slydog on Jan 10, 2008 0:41:47 GMT -5
What Mel said. That kinda poked me right in the eye too from the very beginning----
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Post by deb193redux on Jan 10, 2008 2:41:14 GMT -5
Dave, I'm just saying what I noticed about the show ;D Post reminders all you want I got no problem. Its all good.
They could have had a good show just showing the nice rock and making the point that after a piece is slabbed and polished it can fetch a few bucks. I think they *did* hide all the cost/effort to prepare a piece, and they did overstate the value of the stone. I think it might attract the wrong kind of rockhounds.
... and no, most people did not get it, no matter what kind of contrary nonsense edog posts. Club members at the Lebanon/Sweethome club were laughing tonight at the value assigned to that rock. Maybe the 1st Ashwood site mentioned $1/lb, but the Sweethome segment said "couple of bucks a pound" - I remember that real clear because I was frustrated they did not say exactly how much. Also, while they referred to preparing the rock, you did have to listen close to get that they were talking baout lots of slabs, each polished and sold at retail. The impression definately was that the stone had most of its value just as it was.
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Post by sandsman1 on Jan 10, 2008 2:50:45 GMT -5
dam man i missed it again haha -- thanks for tryin dave i went to the website tonight and put reminders in for like 4 pages of shows maybe ill get to watch a few hahaha
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Post by takilasunrise on Jan 10, 2008 9:56:14 GMT -5
I like the show, too. Yes, some of the "values" are on the high side, but that's the point of the show, making money from stuff that you wouldn't think you could. Like E-dog says when we watch it, it's what people are willing to pay for it. How many of you would pay top dollar for let's say, a Beanie Baby or a Cabbage Patch doll? Probably not too many (unless you collect them), but because people decided to collect them and collect them all, they are willing to pay top dollar for the more rarer pieces. Same with antiques, hot rods, etc. Also, the show is coming from the angle that the majority of people don't know a thing about lapidary or faceting gemstones, etc. I remember watching the movie "Topgun" back in the 80's. I just got out of the Navy, where I worked on the same jets (in fact, the movie was made on my base and my squadron's executive officer did a lot of the flying in the movie and some of the filming was done right in our hangar!), but while watching the movie, I saw many "un-truths " about the F-14, but being that it was a movie, they geared it towards people that have no clue about them and wouldn't know the difference. Same with this show. Only you "experts" of lapidary know what goes on behind the scenes. There was an older show where they did digs to find antique bottles. One of the best places to find them was where outhouses used to be. I have no clue about the value of antique bottles. Or they did a show about metal detecting and they found belt buckles and buttons from the Civil War. I have no clue about the value of those, either. So I guess my point is, there's no reason to overly critique this show and put it down. I enjoy watching it. These activities are like gambling......you might not find a thing or you might hit it big. It's all about the chase, right rockhounds?
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earthdog
Cave Dweller
Don't eat yellow snow
Member since June 2006
Posts: 2,731
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Post by earthdog on Jan 10, 2008 10:23:19 GMT -5
So what I have to say is nonsense? Sei un asino muti. Don't start your chit again. You pissed off a few people last time you talked chit about someone. For someone that is supposed to be educated, you can be so ignorant sometimes in the way you talk/write to others. It isn't a maybe, I just watched the show again and she did say $1.00 a pound at the Ashland Ranch. The last ranch she dug at, Sweethome Ranch she also said "a few bucks a pound, depending on quality". Not a couple bucks a pound.. Yes I am splitting hairs. A couple is 2. A few is normally 3. As for the value they put on the wood at the end of the show, I don't think they were that inflated. Both men agreed that the big polished slab was worth $2.50 a square inch and at 60 s.i. that is about $150. The "standup" after it was faced and polished they both agreed it was worth around $45. The little "round limb" after it was faced and polished, worth around $20/$30. Go into a large city like Chicago, L.A. Washington D.C. or even New York and look at some of the prices they get for polished rocks, specimens. You'd be surprised. Do a search and see the prices. Here is a link, www.cmpetrifiedwoodandmore.com/polishedpetrified.htmlThe show is not geared for the lapidarist or the excelled rockhound, or even the lapidary expert like deb193redux is. It is geared for the average joe. It shows what is out there and what can become of something anyone can go find. Don't take my assessment on the show, it might be nonsense..
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lsmike
spending too much on rocks
Maxwell's demon lowers tumbling entropy
Member since January 2007
Posts: 468
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Post by lsmike on Jan 10, 2008 10:51:09 GMT -5
Sabre 52 is sure right about the trenches.I know of two guys who were in a house footing and got burried up to their chests.It took the F.D. two hours to get them out-alive but shaken. At the pit where I pick-with permission-I was talking to a loader operator.He was working the"drop"one day when it slid and buried the loader up to the doors!He had to radio another loader to come pull him out.Safety first.Mike.
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earthdog
Cave Dweller
Don't eat yellow snow
Member since June 2006
Posts: 2,731
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Post by earthdog on Jan 11, 2008 15:17:19 GMT -5
3 weeks ago there was a man working for a company that I pour concrete for, he was laying pipe in a 25' trench that caved in on him. They unburried him just below his chest. He was still alive and he thought he was gonna be safe when the wall caved again killing him. The retaing barrier that was in the trench was around 15' tall. The law around here is that the barrier has to come to 6" below the top of the trench. Can we say law suite?
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