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Post by rockpickerforever on Oct 8, 2014 13:08:24 GMT -5
Okay, James, you asked for it. BUT, it's not sixteen inch, only a couple.
Yeah, did it on my 8" Ameritool flat lap.
Here's a link back to the entire thread: forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/post/686507/thread
I sent it to Scott, so he could finish it up for me. Turns out it was not quartz, but glass. The bubbles in it looked cool, like a flat galaxy or something, but that flaw did not allow him to get a good polish on it, try as he might. (Thanks, Scott, I still appreciated the extra mile you went for me .
jamesp, you are correct about it being easier to make a sphere when you start with a mostly round-ish rock. I found a round, bumpy rock at my friends in Ramona (where I've done some prospecting). I think it is a rhyolite, but it has some strange swirls in it. I made it more spherical on my flat lap as well. I'll post the pics as soon as I can locate them.
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spiritstone
Cave Dweller
Member since August 2014
Posts: 2,061
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Post by spiritstone on Oct 8, 2014 13:15:44 GMT -5
Whoa! you floored me on this accomplishment, done on a flat lap machine. Applause!
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,169
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Post by jamesp on Oct 8, 2014 13:17:34 GMT -5
Wicked shooter marble Jean. I'd be proud. Sorry about the mis-measurement.
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Post by captbob on Oct 8, 2014 13:17:41 GMT -5
You ground a sphere on a flat lap and accuse me of having too much free time!? criminy...
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spiritstone
Cave Dweller
Member since August 2014
Posts: 2,061
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Post by spiritstone on Oct 8, 2014 13:20:28 GMT -5
What made those garden rocks so round, and what is that guy gonna do with that monster spree ? I could not tell you. I read up on them a few years back not long after bringing home a bucket of them, but I dont seem able to find the info again. The cannon ball size is most common and I found one that looks like a giant peanut. "shell" LOL Some where found containing fossils "very well preserved" after opening them. Mine, so far nothing but black shale.
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Post by rockpickerforever on Oct 8, 2014 13:26:25 GMT -5
Wicked shooter marble Jean. I'd be proud. Sorry about the mis-measurement. Thanks, James. About the mis-measurement - seems most guys have a tendency to overstate lengths You ground a sphere on a flat lap and accuse me of having too much free time!? criminy...
Oops, you're right, captbob. That was back when I had more free time, lol.
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Post by captbob on Oct 8, 2014 13:33:59 GMT -5
pffffft !! Your new avatar kinda reminds me of my workin' days (25 years!) on a boat. This was my typical work day a few years back -
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Post by rockpickerforever on Oct 8, 2014 13:34:51 GMT -5
Is that good or bad?
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Post by captbob on Oct 8, 2014 13:36:38 GMT -5
Boats good, years in the sun bad. It was a fun ride!
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Post by rockpickerforever on Oct 8, 2014 13:43:14 GMT -5
Lookin' good at the helm, captbob! Fishing charters, parasailing (or whatever it's called)? Three hour tours?
I get it about the sun being bad. Nuclear sun here in SoCal. Have gotten more than my share of it.
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Post by rockpickerforever on Oct 8, 2014 14:19:01 GMT -5
Second rock sphered on flat lap. This one wasn't as hard as the clear one, and since it started out in a more spherical shape, it didn't take as long. I'm not going to bother starting a new thread for these. jamesp won't mind, he asked for it.
This is the round rock found up in Ramona I was talking about when we last went prospecting up there. Looks like rhyolite with chalcedony inclusions? There were some flecks of metal, but they were mostly on the outermost edges, and disappeared as I ground it down.
Wet, shows a little bit of the chalcedony/quartz-like inclusions I'm talking about.
And made more spherical.
Closeup. You can see it has some pits, with some of the polish (50K diamond paste) still stuck in them. Don't know what it is, but it is interesting.
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,169
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Post by jamesp on Oct 8, 2014 14:51:54 GMT -5
We could call it spheroidilite. Discovered by the great sphere maker that started all this. Almost looks like it has fossils Jean. Rhyolite does that too though. I am looking to make many more small spheres. Just ones that i can chunk in the tumbler to finish, like 2-3 inchers. They used to make marbles out of agate appropriately called 'Aggies'. Wonder what kind of machine they used. Jugglerguy Rob sent me some fine unakite pebbles like the one in this thread to play with. they are on the target list.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,169
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Post by jamesp on Oct 8, 2014 14:56:05 GMT -5
Common captbob, lets go with priratebob, you look the role. Cool photo What part of Florida are you at?
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Post by captbob on Oct 8, 2014 15:05:52 GMT -5
Madeira Beach/ St. Pete/ Tampa Bay area Did get married on a pirate ship... this here vessel
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Post by rockpickerforever on Oct 8, 2014 15:10:43 GMT -5
Arrrghhhhh, ye look the part, captbob!
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,169
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Post by jamesp on Oct 8, 2014 15:12:58 GMT -5
Madeira Beach/ St. Pete/ Tampa Bay area Did get married on a pirate ship... My cousin on the left, my family from Fernandina Beach, home of the Fernandina Pirates. Also one of the biggest drug smuggling small towns in the 70's. That place was crazy.
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Post by rockpickerforever on Oct 8, 2014 15:15:26 GMT -5
What??? No hooks, or peg legs? They look like Disneyworld pirates to me, lol!
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Post by captbob on Oct 8, 2014 15:21:09 GMT -5
What??? No beer? <----- fixed it for ya
closest I come to owning or wearing any pirate apparel is a Tampa Bay Buccaneers hat
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spiritstone
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Member since August 2014
Posts: 2,061
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Post by spiritstone on Oct 8, 2014 18:44:14 GMT -5
Second rock sphered on flat lap. This one wasn't as hard as the clear one, and since it started out in a more spherical shape, it didn't take as long. I'm not going to bother starting a new thread for these. jamesp won't mind, he asked for it.
This is the round rock found up in Ramona I was talking about when we last went prospecting up there. Looks like rhyolite with chalcedony inclusions? There were some flecks of metal, but they were mostly on the outermost edges, and disappeared as I ground it down.
Wet, shows a little bit of the chalcedony/quartz-like inclusions I'm talking about.
And made more spherical.
Closeup. You can see it has some pits, with some of the polish (50K diamond paste) still stuck in them. Don't know what it is, but it is interesting. I take it a disk does not last you very long. Going to have to give it a try one day. Smaller one first.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,169
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Post by jamesp on Oct 8, 2014 18:55:45 GMT -5
What??? No hooks, or peg legs? They look like Disneyworld pirates to me, lol! I wouldn't mess w/my cousin. He can wear a pink tu tu, and I'm keeping my mouth shut. I ground a 3 inch coral ball this afternoon. that schnit is hard. Probably a 20 minute job.
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