jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,179
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Post by jamesp on Jan 14, 2018 6:23:09 GMT -5
Ordered a box from tkvancil's source. Some above average colored crazy lace. Not to mention cool hematite inclusions, brecciation and druzy pockets. Amazing stone. Note simulated 'turquoise ?' at top. Never took a polish. Oh well. Single piece of glass run w/crazy lace in vibe stages came out unscathed. Burned out on tumbling rocks and dealing with cracks and pits for a while. Looking to tumble with out blemishes and pre-grinding. So moving to glass for a spell since it is often blemish free. However glass is a lot more work when roughing because it will disappear on you if you do not pick thru it every few days. The coarse SiC does not break down very fast with glass so best to recapture the SiC and reuse when doing a pick thru. And it makes some serious concrete like mud that will concrete quickly on the bottom of the rotary barrel if it is stopped for only a few minutes. There are two large glass blowing operations in the city that have piles of free colorful waste glass and most are tumble size. One studio has a stack that has been sitting for years and must be several large dump truck loads. Owners were thankful to see some of it removed. And were mesmerized at the tumbled glass. Neither was aware it could be tumbled. They both have big glass grinding and sawing operations. 16 and 24 inch laps. Diamond band saws and circular saws. 8 foot wet belt sanders. Basically lapidary shops to kill for. Several workers working glass constantly on the machines. Being paid and not fair. Both studios have date-night-out schools and large parties late into night lol, a wild bunch of artisan folks. My first attempts at making colored glass. To be tumbled.
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Post by captbob on Jan 14, 2018 7:27:21 GMT -5
I had been wondering about the crazy lace progress. Looks like that batch turned out quite nice. Burned out on tumbling rocks and dealing with cracks and pits for a while. Looking to tumble with out blemishes and pre-grinding. So moving to glass for a spell since it is often blemish free. Tumble better rocks! Had also wondered if/when burnout might occur. Surprised it took this long. Your experiments on faster and faster tumble runs are TRULY interesting, and admirable. But... all that work seemed to make the tumbling process - work! I'm sure you find it all a challenge, and hopefully still enjoy it. But all the daily checking and moving rocks for this and that stage run - and in such quantity, has to become tedious at some point. I sure couldn't wouldn't do it. Your ( outstanding) results speak for themselves, but don't take the fun out of it. Or it's not as much fun! Too much of a good thing can be a bad thing.
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Post by fernwood on Jan 14, 2018 7:33:11 GMT -5
That lace is crazy! Also like the glass and story behind it.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,179
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Post by jamesp on Jan 14, 2018 8:08:56 GMT -5
Many recipes, abrasives, barrels, slurries, machines. Got it dialed in for my needs finally. May one day build about 15 rotary tumblers with 10 foot long shafts on the retired greenhouse bench supports and do contract tumbling of various materials. Hire a human to run it. Lot of demand for tumbled parts and materials.
Believe me, any future exotic collecting trips will invigorate tumbling rocks. Been chomping at the bit to go back to the Rio. Going to build a camp able machine out of a 4WD Toyota Sequoia soon. Same vehicle as our Tundras except with an SUV box sitting on the frame. Looking at 2007 and earlier with the same 4.7 liter our trucks have as I am familiar with mechanics after 18 years owning Tundra. Lower mileage say +/-140,000 miles - Sequoia, family owned. They are so reliable.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,179
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Post by jamesp on Jan 14, 2018 8:18:24 GMT -5
That lace is crazy! Also like the glass and story behind it. I suggest buying some of that fernwood. A good bit of it was mushy and soft, but the good material made up for it. Those glass artisans are a hearty bunch.
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Post by 1dave on Jan 14, 2018 8:23:44 GMT -5
Many recipes, abrasives, barrels, slurries, machines. Got it dialed in for my needs finally. May one day build about 15 rotary tumblers with 10 foot long shafts on the retired greenhouse bench supports and do contract tumbling of various materials. Hire a human to run it. Lot of demand for tumbled parts and materials. Believe me, any future exotic collecting trips will invigorate tumbling rocks. Been chomping at the bit to go back to the Rio. Going to build a camp able machine out of a 4WD Toyota Sequoia soon. Same vehicle as our Tundras except with an SUV box sitting on the frame. Looking at 2007 and earlier with the same 4.7 liter our trucks have as I am familiar with mechanics after 18 years owning Tundra. Lower mileage say +/-140,000 miles - Sequoia, family owned. They are so reliable. Drive a cement truck to the Rios and tumble them in place?
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,179
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Post by jamesp on Jan 14, 2018 8:27:04 GMT -5
Many recipes, abrasives, barrels, slurries, machines. Got it dialed in for my needs finally. May one day build about 15 rotary tumblers with 10 foot long shafts on the retired greenhouse bench supports and do contract tumbling of various materials. Hire a human to run it. Lot of demand for tumbled parts and materials. Believe me, any future exotic collecting trips will invigorate tumbling rocks. Been chomping at the bit to go back to the Rio. Going to build a camp able machine out of a 4WD Toyota Sequoia soon. Same vehicle as our Tundras except with an SUV box sitting on the frame. Looking at 2007 and earlier with the same 4.7 liter our trucks have as I am familiar with mechanics after 18 years owning Tundra. Lower mileage say +/-140,000 miles - Sequoia, family owned. They are so reliable. Drive a cement truck to the Rios and tumble them in place? Park that rig at one of the many gravel pits and go to it. Who gets the abrasive bill ?
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Post by HankRocks on Jan 14, 2018 8:34:50 GMT -5
I suspect the diesel bill will be higher than the abrasive bill running the truck for a week or so.
Need me some Rio's!!!, maybe Feb or Mar.
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Post by 1dave on Jan 14, 2018 8:50:14 GMT -5
I suspect the diesel bill will be higher than the abrasive bill running the truck for a week or so. Need me some Rio's!!!, maybe Feb or Mar. Alternative: rent adjacent motel room, fill with tumblers.
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Post by orrum on Jan 14, 2018 9:43:16 GMT -5
Liking the glass work a bunch Jim!!! Good crazy lace, it could be my fav rock overall. Saw something new in Quartzsite. Where they make surford's the colored epoxy runs off and makes what looks like Detroit agate or fordite. It's incredible bright and cabs great, wonder if it would tumble???
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Post by txrockhunter on Jan 14, 2018 10:14:06 GMT -5
"also wondered if/when burnout might occur. Surprised it took this long. Your experiments on faster and faster tumble runs are TRULY interesting, and admirable. But... all that work seemed to make the tumbling process - work!
I'm sure you find it all a challenge, and hopefully still enjoy it. But all the daily checking and moving rocks for this and that stage run - and in such quantity, has to become tedious at some point. I sure couldn't wouldn't do it.
Your (outstanding) results speak for themselves, but don't take the fun out of it. Or it's not as much fun! Too much of a good thing can be a bad thing."
[/quote]
Can't say it any better than That!
You're right, James, a good haul from the Rio would re-energize that tumbling bug!
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tkvancil
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2011
Posts: 1,546
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Post by tkvancil on Jan 14, 2018 10:32:44 GMT -5
Some very cool pieces of lace in there with a nice shine. Well done!
Vugs voids etc. used to bother me as well. Began to look at them as "part of the rock" and keep most. Still can't abide most fractures though.
Been liking the multi-colored glass you've been showing. Makes me want to do what I have hoarded ... don't like the gas issues though. Man made glass only thing I get that problem with.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,179
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Post by jamesp on Jan 14, 2018 10:33:12 GMT -5
I suspect the diesel bill will be higher than the abrasive bill running the truck for a week or so. Need me some Rio's!!!, maybe Feb or Mar. Jealous of you and txrockhunter living in the land of agate and pet wood. Could not be responsible with time if living there. Would always be rock hunting, how do y'all discipline yourselves ? Need to train those gravel pit workers to collect and send those fine Rio agates out. A simple bagging jig. 50 POUND BAGS ASSORTED AGATES The pits close to the river are so loaded with fine agate and wood. Only to be used mostly as road bedding under asphalt - ouch. No telling how many fine pet palm and wood deposits are on those giant ranches down there as far as the eye can see.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,179
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Post by jamesp on Jan 14, 2018 10:44:25 GMT -5
Some very cool pieces of lace in there with a nice shine. Well done! Vugs voids etc. used to bother me as well. Began to look at them as "part of the rock" and keep most. Still can't abide most fractures though. Been liking the multi-colored glass you've been showing. Makes me want to do what I have hoarded ... don't like the gas issues though. Man made glass only thing I get that problem with. Thanks Ken. Thanks for telling me about the contact for the crazy lace. One of the first tumbles that the soft spots and vugs were a positive addition to the tumble. That lace trim around them is just to cool and being so opaque the cracks are hard to see. Liked the pink/orange slurry. Unusual slurry color. The barrels I made with the big 6" Fernco caps helps a lot with gas expansion. It can bulge outward to about 2 inches before it blasts off. Gives fore warning and serves well as an expansion bellow. It also let's you know your grind is going well, the faster the expansion the faster the grind. The hand blown glass has more bubbles than the machine made and is yet worse at generating gas.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,179
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Post by jamesp on Jan 14, 2018 10:47:41 GMT -5
Liking the glass work a bunch Jim!!! Good crazy lace, it could be my fav rock overall. Saw something new in Quartzsite. Where they make surford's the colored epoxy runs off and makes what looks like Detroit agate or fordite. It's incredible bright and cabs great, wonder if it would tumble??? Yea, each crazy lace is like a world of it's own. Complicated patterns. I had given some to some kids and they got lost in it lol. Can you give me the name of the epoxy lamination ? I'd like to give it a go.
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Post by HankRocks on Jan 14, 2018 10:54:29 GMT -5
One of my goals this year is more collecting trips. George West Wood, Rio Agates, Big Bend Ranches, Deming Agate. Hope to do another San Jacinto short trip later in the Spring. At 66 I am always looking to collect with someone, more fun and it is safer. Makes the wife happier knowing someone is with me. Happy wife! happy life!!
Will stay tuned for Texas trips any of you folks put together and make a real effort to hook up for at least part of it.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,179
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Post by jamesp on Jan 14, 2018 10:59:54 GMT -5
I suspect the diesel bill will be higher than the abrasive bill running the truck for a week or so. Need me some Rio's!!!, maybe Feb or Mar. Alternative: rent adjacent motel room, fill with tumblers. The motel workers were mystified by the buckets of rocks covering most of the floor. Tumblers would blow their minds further. Kitchen passes may be difficult to come by if staying long enough for a tumble cycle. It could be attempted though.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,179
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Post by jamesp on Jan 14, 2018 11:17:15 GMT -5
One of my goals this year is more collecting trips. George West Wood, Rio Agates, Big Bend Ranches, Deming Agate. Hope to do another San Jacinto short trip later in the Spring. At 66 I am always looking to collect with someone, more fun and it is safer. Makes the wife happier knowing someone is with me. Happy wife! happy life!! Will stay tuned for Texas trips any of you folks put together and make a real effort to hook up for at least part of it. What if wife is happier knowing there is a potential Life insurance pay out ? You never really know...must be paranoia or from watching ID station too much. George West is a spot I wish I had knowledge about. Stopped by there to and from the Rio. Found small pieces of palm there and it was of fine quality. Wood too.
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Post by HankRocks on Jan 14, 2018 11:57:42 GMT -5
It's must be because she's afraid she couldn't find another handsome stud like me ....uhhh yeah sure, we'll go with that.
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Post by HankRocks on Jan 14, 2018 12:06:18 GMT -5
Not sure what the cleaning folks thought when they saw the buckets of rocks in both my room and Jeremy's room at the Antelope Lodge in Alpine last March, those were small rooms so 10 to 12 buckets made a real dent in floor space.
Speaking of buckets, I keep 10 empties along with a digging/collecting tool boxes ready to go. Same with clothes. Truck can be loaded in 5 minutes and ready to go.
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