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Post by rockpickerforever on Mar 22, 2018 10:31:52 GMT -5
Bluesky78987 Susan, Good to know I'm not the only one that saw it that way. Jean
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NRG
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2018
Posts: 1,630
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Post by NRG on Mar 22, 2018 10:55:08 GMT -5
I love my 20 pound boulder of premium quality Lavic. A good friend walked right by it seconds before I picked it up out of the dirt. Ahem..... Cough..... I think I know who that friend is. I'm happy you have that piece. You deserve it.
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NRG
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2018
Posts: 1,630
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Post by NRG on Mar 22, 2018 10:57:53 GMT -5
He was looking for stuff that was so supreme that the queen wouldn't be able afford it. Point of order, sir! Had nothing to do with affordability. I was looking for supreme quality for my Queen. Rotf
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Tommy
Administrator
Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,680
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Post by Tommy on Mar 22, 2018 11:35:20 GMT -5
First, let me say we didn't think Old Route 66 was so bad. Either it has been repaved since 2012 when Susan was there, or we are simply used to much worse, lol. It has... we were just there end of January and it was completely different. The old road was horrible ... Nice trip report Jean! Thank you for taking us along.
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Post by aDave on Mar 22, 2018 13:02:48 GMT -5
Jean rockpickerforever, it's funny how you mentioned the optical illusion thing with the lava flow at the crater. I actually had the opposite experience while driving back from AZ last week. I found myself looking out in the desert while on 40 and I thought I was looking at lava flows like the one in Lavic. It actually took me a few minutes to realize I was looking at cloud shadows across the terrain. It is amazing how similar the shadows and the lava actually look.
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Post by rockpickerforever on Mar 22, 2018 13:41:06 GMT -5
aDave, I know just what you mean! Funny how lighting can play tricks on our eyes. Now I know there are at least two people on RTH that are as observant as I. I don't walk through life with blinders on. All the better to find rocks...
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Post by rockpickerforever on Mar 22, 2018 16:31:54 GMT -5
Because all you impatient people are just dying to see what these are gonna look like, here's a sneak preview.
I had to open the Lortone QT12 up today, to add another cup of 30 grit, drain off some slurry (too much, too thick) and add water to adjust it. It was making "the slurry is too thick" sound. Threw in a few more rocks as well, to bring the stone volume back up to where it should be.
These are just a few random rocks, pulled out of the barrel and rinsed off. These first ones are from Lavic on 2/17/18, started on the coarse grind on 2/25. You'll notice I didn't bother to pick all the grit out of the holes. Important if you are moving on to a finer grit, not so to put back in tumbler and add more 30 grit. By this time, the grit (the last added on 3/15) was pretty well broken down, no larger pieces moving in the slurry. I'd say the 30 grit was broken down to 220, or finer.
Like Randy 's Garage Rocker Montana agates, many of these would make better tumbles if tickled with a grinder a bit. No grinder, so I'm just gonna let them tumble.
When these are ready to move on, I will get any remaining grit out with a pressure washer. You need to be absolutely certain that your rocks are not harboring coarse grit when you move them on to fine. Better yet, grind off all the pits that will hold grit first before tumbling. No pits means no place for grit to hide. An even better solution, don't use rocks with pits! I know this isn't always practicable, especially when you've paid good money for them sight unseen. You do what you have to do.
A few yellow/green from Lavic. The area has a veritable color palette of colors.
Lots of brecciated patterns, chalcedony infills.
The outer two are stromatolites, from the area around the Cargo claim, the middle right from same area, a fossilized coral. And the middle left is a conglomerate from Ocotillo Wells. Sorry for crummy pic quality. Low light outside, and rushing to get them taken.
The smaller stromatolite.
These are some jasper shards from the Picacho Recreation area. Similar to stuff found out at Indian Pass.
This last one just a patterned red rock from Ocotillo Wells.
These have been rolling now for only 25 days, and I've used a total of 4 cups of 30 grit SiC. Okay, so I haven't been adding every 3 or 4 days, it just seems like it, lol. But I add as often as I see it needs it.
Only another 2 or 3 months to go! I will try to continue with updates.
Jean
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Post by Pat on Mar 22, 2018 16:40:51 GMT -5
Jean, always like your trip reports and rock photos. Haven’t been on a field trip in years, except for these reports. An arm chair trip for us. 😀
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Post by socalagatehound on Mar 22, 2018 17:01:38 GMT -5
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Post by aDave on Mar 22, 2018 19:36:00 GMT -5
Jean rockpickerforever, your photos of your Lavic stuff simply emphasizes why I love tumbling this material. There are so many variations, yet the stuff is just beautiful IMHO. I'm happy for you. I gotta get back out there to add to what I have. Hmmm, maybe next weekend since the rain has gone through the area. Don't know yet.
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Mark K
Cave Dweller
Member since April 2012
Posts: 2,600
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Post by Mark K on Mar 22, 2018 22:34:08 GMT -5
He was looking for stuff that was so supreme that the queen wouldn't be able afford it. Point of order, sir! Had nothing to do with affordability. I was looking for supreme quality for my Queen. Rotf I really like your queen. I hope she keeps you around for a long time.
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Post by nowyo on Mar 23, 2018 7:13:56 GMT -5
Great report, Jean. Lavic is on our list of places to get to and now it's not that far. Maybe this fall. We went that way once but wound up going north of I40 instead for whatever reason. Like your description of the lava flows-over by Amboy is similar.
Russ
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Post by rockpickerforever on Mar 23, 2018 7:30:32 GMT -5
Great report, Jean. Lavic is on our list of places to get to and now it's not that far. Maybe this fall. We went that way once but wound up going north of I40 instead for whatever reason. Like your description of the lava flows-over by Amboy is similar. Russ Thanks, Russ. We haven't been north of I-40, but I have seen info on a few areas up there in old gem trails books. Wondering how much of it is still legal to collect?
Glad that you are settling in in NV. Have been a few recent stories on the news about people bailing from CA, to places like NV, AZ and TX. After being born and raised here, can no longer afford to live here. Will probably follow suit and vamoose from Dodge before too long.
Besides high cost of living, along with many others, we're tired of paying high taxes to provide for illegal immigrants and people that don't want to work. or high speed bullet train. Gov Moonbeam does NOT represent the views of hard-working Californians, only the ones looking for a handout.
You really should take a trip to Lavic, before the dems take that away from us, too. As soon as we think one fight with them is over, they start all over again.
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Post by nowyo on Mar 23, 2018 8:52:33 GMT -5
I hear you about CA-brother in law retired there in December and by mid January had moved to Vegas. I reckon we'll be okay here in Nevada-be better if we could give Clark and Washoe Counties to California, though.
On North of I40, we were following directions in one of the guidebooks and you know how that goes. "Drive 1.1 miles and turn right on the good road." So we drive 1.1 miles and...there is no road. Wonder if he meant the road 1/2 mile back? Maybe we go further? Anyhow, we just wound up driving the powerline road, taking a few side roads, getting out and wandering around. Did find some decent stuff and have some of it in the tumblers now. Did see a tortoise that day, had a good time just messing around.
Now if it would just quit snowing so we can get out and do some wandering around up here. You folks take care.
Russ
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Post by rockpickerforever on Mar 24, 2018 0:38:25 GMT -5
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Post by aDave on Mar 24, 2018 11:53:26 GMT -5
I keep digging into the buckets of Lavic jasper on my patio and admiring them. Took a few more pics to share. These will keep my two tumblers engaged for the next year or three. I like that so many of the rocks are already tumbler sized, so I don't need to break them up. Jean, you really got alot of nice variety. I don't remember my stuff being so varied, but I haven't looked in a while, and I haven't rolled much of it lately. I was doing as you...pretty much picked up tumbling fodder which is quite plentiful out there as you know. I still have about 1.5 buckets of the stuff, and I still find myself wanting to get back out there. I can't wait to see how yours turn out...here's a sneak peek of shiny stuff for you.
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Post by rockpickerforever on Mar 25, 2018 16:48:56 GMT -5
Now THAT'S what I'm talking about, aDave! You really got a fine shine on those, and I don't see any (obvious) fractures or pitting. So much variety! I have tumbled Lavic before, just not any that was self collected. Any sub-par material that goes through the tumbler this time I can only blame on myself, lol.
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Post by aDave on Mar 25, 2018 19:18:00 GMT -5
Now THAT'S what I'm talking about, aDave ! You really got a fine shine on those, and I don't see any (obvious) fractures or pitting. So much variety! I have tumbled Lavic before, just not any that was self collected. Any sub-par material that goes through the tumbler this time I can only blame on myself, lol. Jean, I know you haven't tumbled a bunch of this stuff yet, so I'll offer some advice if you don't mind. Actually, while not shown in the photos, there are a decent amount of pits in some of the rocks. Banded material seems to have less pitting. Brecciated stuff is kind of a crap shoot. I think you'll find there is a "point of no return" with the Lavic. Perhaps better stated, there comes a point where no amount of tumbling will remove all pits, as just when you think you'll take care of some, new ones pop up. It's just the material. Obviously crevassed rocks are discarded. There's no recovery from there. With the Lavic, I pretty much get to a point where I'm happy with the shaping and just deal with the pits I'm left with. Originally, I was trying to tumble out pits I was seeing, but new ones always seemed to occur. If I continued with that route, I'd be left with nothing. Hope this helps to some degree.
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NRG
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2018
Posts: 1,630
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Post by NRG on Mar 25, 2018 19:55:40 GMT -5
This thread is full of litho-porn....
Gratitude to all!
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grizman
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since July 2011
Posts: 878
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Post by grizman on Mar 25, 2018 22:01:12 GMT -5
Thanks for taking me along on your trip Jean. I didn't find the night in the truck cab too cold at all...
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