FLrockhound
spending too much on rocks
Member since July 2014
Posts: 343
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Post by FLrockhound on Oct 23, 2014 14:23:29 GMT -5
Today while I was walking around my backyard I stumbled upon some rocks I purchased from my local stone yard to use as obstacles for my radio controlled 4 wheel drive rock climbing trucks. I decided to poke around an see if any of them could be broken broken down for tumbling. So, I turned over one of the large rocks and discovered it had a large layer of quartz an inch thick. I busted out my chisel an hammer and went to work separating it from the rock. All in all, it ended up being around 4 lbs of clear crystal quartz. It was a nice unexpected find. I know quartz is really common but, I don't stumble upon rocks that are worth tumbling. I'm hoping to be able to use them for make jewelry and inexpensive Christmas gifts!
Once I finish cleaning and shaping, I will get some pictures on here. They range in size from 1/2"- 1 1/2".
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Post by mohs on Oct 23, 2014 14:31:52 GMT -5
quartz plans rock !
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Post by captbob on Oct 23, 2014 15:25:20 GMT -5
Gotta love the freebies! Where are you in Florida?
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Fossilman
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Post by Fossilman on Oct 23, 2014 18:11:12 GMT -5
Giddy for photos...LOL
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FLrockhound
spending too much on rocks
Member since July 2014
Posts: 343
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Post by FLrockhound on Oct 23, 2014 21:50:47 GMT -5
Gotta love the freebies! Where are you in Florida? Aye captain! I love finding rocks but options are slim. I'm about 40 minutes north of Tampa on the west coast.
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FLrockhound
spending too much on rocks
Member since July 2014
Posts: 343
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Post by FLrockhound on Oct 23, 2014 21:59:05 GMT -5
I'm about halfway finished grinding. 2 or 3 hours left for tomorrow depending on if my ears can handle all the noise. (I should really invest in some hearing protection considering all the noisy machines I use and target shooting I do)
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Post by captbob on Oct 23, 2014 23:15:10 GMT -5
Put a cigarette butt in each ear
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gemfeller
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Post by gemfeller on Oct 23, 2014 23:26:21 GMT -5
I get Captbob's joke but hearing loss is no joking matter. I used substandard ear protection at the rifle range not long ago and now I'm functionally deaf. Someone was firing an extra-loud gun and suddenly it was like my hearing's volume control was turned down about as far as it could go. Now I'm wearing $6 K hearing aids that mostly annoy me and create as many problems as they solve. A $100 investment in top quality shooting "earmuffs" would have left me $5,900 richer and much happier. Protect your hearing! You have no idea how much you'll miss it until it's gone.
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FLrockhound
spending too much on rocks
Member since July 2014
Posts: 343
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Post by FLrockhound on Oct 23, 2014 23:34:16 GMT -5
Thats a good idea haha, too bad I only smoke cigars, they probably wouldn't fit. I guess I could pack my ears like my lower lip with some dip or pouches of the fake stuff that was given to me by a friend who's trying to give it up. After some research I learned what type of quartz I have. It is white crackle quartz not clear quartz. Here's a picture of some I started working on earlier today.
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FLrockhound
spending too much on rocks
Member since July 2014
Posts: 343
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Post by FLrockhound on Oct 23, 2014 23:57:32 GMT -5
I get Captbob's joke but hearing loss is no joking matter. I used substandard ear protection at the rifle range not long ago and now I'm functionally deaf. Someone was firing an extra-loud gun and suddenly it was like my hearing's volume control was turned down about as far as it could go. Now I'm wearing $6 K hearing aids that mostly annoy me and create as many problems as they solve. A $100 investment in top quality shooting "earmuffs" would have left me $5,900 richer and much happier. Protect your hearing! You have no idea how much you'll miss it until it's gone. Yes, I totally agree. I already have a permanent ring in my right ear from the military. Just last week my friend was shooting his .45 right next to me as I was reloading which caught me off guard an I didn't have ear protection and it left my right ear ringing and sounded like it was full of water, any noise above a gentle whisper made me want to stab my ear because it hurt so bad for a couple days. I really should get something now that I'm really thinking about the affects. Were you at an indoor range? In any case I stay far away from those eardrum shatter boxes. I'm sorry to hear about your loss. No pun intended. I know how it feels to lose function of senses that we all take for granted an to lose something that can be prevented would be terrible
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gemfeller
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Post by gemfeller on Oct 24, 2014 1:40:15 GMT -5
FLrocker, no, it was an outdoor range. I have no idea what kind of gun was being fired -- it looked like a military weapon on a tripod -- but it was louder than the howitzers I used to watch knocking down avalanches in Utah's Alta ski area. That sucker was LOUD!
The thing I miss the most is music. I've always had an excellent musical ear (internal) and can "play back" immense amounts of stuff in my head from Bach's Brandenberg Concertos to most of Mozart's works and my beloved Handel, Gershwin and others. But I can never hear new riffs of Cajun Zideco, jazz, or a world of other stuff I want to hear.
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FLrockhound
spending too much on rocks
Member since July 2014
Posts: 343
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Post by FLrockhound on Oct 31, 2014 13:20:56 GMT -5
After tumbling 60-90 for a week I pulled them out and washed them off. They have alot of stress cracks an chipped. I suppose it needed some more filling but there are a couple in this batch that went unscathed. I guess they're living up to their name... Crackle quartz. I will most likely start tumbling them after the new year since I need to get started on some nicer stones for Christmas gifts.
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Fossilman
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Member since January 2009
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Post by Fossilman on Oct 31, 2014 14:22:14 GMT -5
I get Captbob's joke but hearing loss is no joking matter. I used substandard ear protection at the rifle range not long ago and now I'm functionally deaf. Someone was firing an extra-loud gun and suddenly it was like my hearing's volume control was turned down about as far as it could go. Now I'm wearing $6 K hearing aids that mostly annoy me and create as many problems as they solve. A $100 investment in top quality shooting "earmuffs" would have left me $5,900 richer and much happier. Protect your hearing! You have no idea how much you'll miss it until it's gone. Yes, I totally agree. I already have a permanent ring in my right ear from the military. Just last week my friend was shooting his .45 right next to me as I was reloading which caught me off guard an I didn't have ear protection and it left my right ear ringing and sounded like it was full of water, any noise above a gentle whisper made me want to stab my ear because it hurt so bad for a couple days. I really should get something now that I'm really thinking about the affects. Were you at an indoor range? In any case I stay far away from those eardrum shatter boxes. I'm sorry to hear about your loss. No pun intended. I know how it feels to lose function of senses that we all take for granted an to lose something that can be prevented would be terrible My hearing was screwed up at 19 years old,from being in the Army " Combat Heavy Engineers",plus construction my whole life.and hunting..Being fitted now for hearing aids from the VA....Severe hearing damage....
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 31, 2014 15:53:26 GMT -5
FLrocker, no, it was an outdoor range. I have no idea what kind of gun was being fired -- it looked like a military weapon on a tripod -- but it was louder than the howitzers I used to watch knocking down avalanches in Utah's Alta ski area. That sucker was LOUD! Whatever it was, it probably had a "muzzle brake". Those things direct the exhaust gases AND the noise backwards at the neighbors of the shooter. I have left the range on a couple of occasions because of his problem. I wear foam plugs under good quality muffs. Two layers, and still it was uncomfortable. Rick, stay well. Are you going to Oxnard show?
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gemfeller
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Post by gemfeller on Oct 31, 2014 17:18:02 GMT -5
That's interesting Scott. Hadn't experienced that issue before but it's been a long time between range visits. To be entirely forthcoming I have good quality muffs but gave them to my daughter who wanted to learn how to fire an old Model 94 Winchester 30-30. I thought of buying new muffs but decided I could get by with foam. Bad decision!
I'd forgotten about the Oxnard Show. I just may go over tomorrow afternoon -- it's not far from my house. If you're going let me know and maybe we can connect.
Rick
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 31, 2014 19:09:04 GMT -5
Dang, I thought it was next weekend. I have another trip planned for this weekend. We will connect soon enough.
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