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Post by jakesrocks on Oct 4, 2015 11:28:51 GMT -5
Came out great Tom. Without something like soda blasting they won't come out much cleaner.
I'm still going with coral, regardless of what the "experts" say. I've seen lots of South Dakota agates, but never seen one with that many eyes.
I'd take it with you to the next big rock show in Rapid City, or to the South Dakota School of Mines. Let the real experts have a look at it. I can see that piece causing a lot of excitement.
With it cleaned & waxed, many of the fortifications do look like Fairburn patterns. Like I said, let the real experts look at it. A piece like that could be worth a small fortune.
Whatever you do, don't let anyone talk you into cutting that beauty.
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Tom
fully equipped rock polisher
My dad Tom suddenly passed away yesterday, Just wanted his "rock" family to know.
Member since January 2013
Posts: 1,557
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Post by Tom on Oct 4, 2015 11:48:10 GMT -5
Thanks guys, there definitely is some sign of Fairburn patterns in parts. Amy, it really does have fossil written all over it. You need to hold it to see it maybe. Its hollow, not like a Geode hollow, the walls are thin. Looking at it one can just see that it was a living "thing" along time ago. I got my friend to bring his cut coral to our rock club shop yesterday to take a picture of it, its somewhat similar to this one but definitely fortification patterns and much much thicker walls. It also came from the Black Hills area but not sure where. Ummm and oh ya I forgot to take the damb picture.
I have full intentions of going back to SD for 3 weeks this summer, I so very much love it there. To bad us Canucks can only stay in the USA for 6 months max:( Checked out housing prices and they were cheap compared to where I am in Canada. I will take your advice Don, this is by far my favorite piece I own. And to think I actually found it, extra bonus.
I Promise never to cut it.
Just had a look at the patterns again, I think there is some Fairburn in it for sure (I hope) LOL
Thanks again guys.
Tom
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timloco
has rocks in the head
Member since April 2012
Posts: 545
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Post by timloco on Oct 4, 2015 11:53:38 GMT -5
Yea that looks somewhat like the agate we get on the eastern plains in Colorado.
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Post by jakesrocks on Oct 4, 2015 12:47:33 GMT -5
Quote --- I more or less finished the coral, I soaked it in CLR for a couple days, scrubbing it every once in a while. It came a bit cleaner but not much. Instead of using baby oil I heated the coral under a heat lamp and then melted Ren wax on it. Not sure if its as good as baby oil but it will harden and nothing should stick to it. If its good enough for the British Museum its good enough for Tom These are the finished images taken with a real camera this time. Tom, I haven't tried Ren Wax yet, and it may be different from most waxes. The reason I use baby oil is that I've found that most waxes tend to turn yellow with age. I'll have to look up Ren Wax & see what they say about it.
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Tom
fully equipped rock polisher
My dad Tom suddenly passed away yesterday, Just wanted his "rock" family to know.
Member since January 2013
Posts: 1,557
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Post by Tom on Oct 4, 2015 13:40:14 GMT -5
I hear you Amygdule, I really do:) If it is not a coral it is a sponge or some other ocean going critter. I wish you could see it in hand. It does look somewhat like the patterns in your agates, I won't dispute that. It is definitely agatized material but it is still a fossil of some sort. I will actually get a picture of my buddies coral from the same area. Maybe today:)
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Tom
fully equipped rock polisher
My dad Tom suddenly passed away yesterday, Just wanted his "rock" family to know.
Member since January 2013
Posts: 1,557
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Post by Tom on Oct 4, 2015 13:43:23 GMT -5
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Post by jakesrocks on Oct 4, 2015 14:29:52 GMT -5
Yup, I looked it up. Gonna get a can. Also want to try their cleaner on an antique barristers bookcase that I store my rock books and some minerals in.
Oh, sponge is a type of coral. That's what I'm thinking you have.
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Tom
fully equipped rock polisher
My dad Tom suddenly passed away yesterday, Just wanted his "rock" family to know.
Member since January 2013
Posts: 1,557
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Post by Tom on Oct 4, 2015 15:12:40 GMT -5
I hear you Amygdule, I really do:) If it is not a coral it is a sponge or some other ocean going critter. I wish you could see it in hand. It does look somewhat like the patterns in your agates, I won't dispute that. It is definitely agatized material but it is still a fossil of some sort. I will actually get a picture of my buddies coral from the same area. Maybe today:) It's the fossil of a cavity that was in the bedrock. You mean a nodule of agate don't you LOL
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iamnoone
having dreams about rocks
If it's not shiny, it's not finished
Member since October 2013
Posts: 69
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Post by iamnoone on Dec 13, 2015 2:38:45 GMT -5
Beautiful!
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,159
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Post by jamesp on Dec 13, 2015 6:33:28 GMT -5
Magnificent stone Tom. Consider worn botryoidal formation. Botryoids form in layers of random diameters and wear with concentric rings. Often with hollow areas behind the botryoidal coating. These bots worn intentionally by tumbling. Wish I had a hundred pounds of broken pieces of that to tumble whatever it is. These corals are called a psuedomorphs. They never completely filled with silica to make a solid fill. It got sealed in the process and the remaining or leaching silica formed botryoids instead. But the botryoids are a separate formation and have somewhat independent and random patterns than the normally repetitive patterns of corallites of this particular coral. Coral can be tricky to ID though. it sorta obeys it's own set of rules. Two coral experts discussing coral iD often ends up with two black eyes. Your stone is a good debate piece. I have humbly shed my opinion.
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,685
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Post by Fossilman on Dec 13, 2015 10:03:45 GMT -5
Some how I missed this page,but after looking at the photos Tom-I too,say you have a piece of some type of coral family.... Usually agates don't lace out like that rock does....
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