QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,634
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Post by QuailRiver on Sept 29, 2014 16:27:13 GMT -5
You definitely do not need 80gt for Rhodochrosite. 280 or even 360 would be fine for rough grinding Rhodochrosite. I remember the man who taught me how to cab back in the early 70s showing me a Rhodochrosite cab he completely cut and polished by hand using SC wet dry/paper for shaping and sanding, and he polished it with a little cerium oxide on a piece of denim cloth. Beautiful slab by the way! Larry C.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,634
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Post by QuailRiver on Sept 25, 2014 20:03:45 GMT -5
If I remember correctly Will Smith bought out the remaining inventory of parts from the folks that made the American Faceters. Will is currently the president of the U.S. Faceters Guild and he or someone else who could probably tell you where to get a new belt can be reached at the U.S. Faceters Guild's Yahoo group page. groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/usfgfaceterslist/infoLarry C.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,634
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Post by QuailRiver on Sept 25, 2014 0:33:57 GMT -5
I sure would love to find a local (for me) deal like this one on CL in Leonard, MN. The guy has a 36" Beacon Star slab saw for $600. bemidji.craigslist.org/for/4683780821.htmlHope somebody in this group can get it! Larry C.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,634
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Post by QuailRiver on Sept 24, 2014 22:16:03 GMT -5
Yes Lee is correct, Rick Scott just purchased most of the lapidary equipment division of Raytech Industries and when I last talked to him a month or so ago, in addition to maintaining his normal Raytech-Shaw faceting machines and parts sales, he was in the process of receiving the equipment and parts inventories for the other Raytech lines he has purchased from Lyman Industries and is processing it all. A massive undertaking. Plus he was setting up his accounts with all of the machine shops and suppliers for the new lines. He told me he was currently working 18 hours a day. So I don't think waiting a month and a half to bill is a normal practice for him, I think he is just temporarily over-whelmed. If it will help put your mind at ease Arrowheadave, Rick Scott is a sole proprietor, all of the machining is subbed out and Rick has no full time employees, just one young lady who helps him part time. So I don't think you likely have any worries about someone else getting your payment info. Some of the vendors I buy from regularly keep my CC info on file permanently as a standard practice and I haven't had any problems so far. Larry C.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,634
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Post by QuailRiver on Sept 19, 2014 19:11:15 GMT -5
Very pretty and vivid color! Number two is my fav!
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,634
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Post by QuailRiver on Sept 19, 2014 19:09:13 GMT -5
Very cool! The colors in the clam chowder stone has a 1970s retro feel to me.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,634
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Post by QuailRiver on Sept 19, 2014 19:05:30 GMT -5
Very Cool Cabs! I like the Youngite and the OJ w/druzy pockets the best! Larry C.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,634
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Post by QuailRiver on Sept 18, 2014 20:11:01 GMT -5
Very sad news and sending prayers to his family and friends. I never met him, but read about him. Didn't Terry own Jackson Crossroads mine? Yes, I believe he did. Seems I had heard he sold the Jackson Crossroads mine recently or that he had put it up for sale. Larry C.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,634
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Post by QuailRiver on Sept 18, 2014 11:39:12 GMT -5
When I first read your link I thought of Hiddenite. There have been a lot of Rockhounds die at Hiddenite from the walls of holes collapsing. But when I clicked on the link I was stunned to read that Terry Ledford was the man killed. Very sad! Terry's dad used to have a rock shop up at Spruce Pines, NC (Ledford's Rocks) and was one of the nicest men you'd ever meet! His dad also used to own the Crabtree Emerald mine in Little Switzerland, NC. If I remember correctly after their dad passed away Terry and his brother Daryl continued to operate the Crabtree Emerald mine for several years and had a Rock Shop of their own at Spruce Pines. I didn't know Terry as well as I had known his dad but Terry always seemed like a good guy to me. Prayers for his family and friends! Larry C.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,634
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Post by QuailRiver on Sept 18, 2014 0:14:31 GMT -5
Hey Larry. Was just reading my Zenz Agates III book and he has a pic of your jasper identified as Arizona Artillery Mountains Jasper....Mel Hello Mel, After reading and replying to Rick's response I just now saw this post of yours from 9/11. Not sure how I had missed it before. So I just now did a Google search for Artillery Mountains Jasper too and got a hit with a photo of the same material. So this material may have been traded under both names. Thank you very much for the info too! I'm one of those people who can't let go of an unsolved mystery so both of you guys have helped me by solving this one for me. Thank you very much! Larry C.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,634
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Post by QuailRiver on Sept 18, 2014 0:06:21 GMT -5
Thank you very much Rick, I think you nailed it! I just did a Google search for Gunnery Point Jasper and got a couple of hits with images. One link (without image) was to an old ad from 2010 of a guy that had some for sell and he wrote of it: "This Gunnery Point jasper is a material I cannot find any history on other than what the original collector from the 1960s told us (MCAS Yuma Bombing Range)." So if it's from one of the U.S. military's bombing ranges that would explain why we don't see any new material of it any more. Thanks again! Larry C.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,634
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Post by QuailRiver on Sept 17, 2014 21:02:47 GMT -5
It's my understanding that the tan backgound clam chowder stone can be heat treated to turn it red. Has anyone here ever had any success heat treating any? Larry C.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,634
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Post by QuailRiver on Sept 17, 2014 20:56:31 GMT -5
Resin and diamond Nova Wheels, and Nubond laps, can get glazed over just like plated diamond wheels and diamond blades can. Especially if they have ever been ran a little too dry or with too much pressure being applied. You can dress them again using a piece of 220 grit wet/dry silicon carbide sanding cloth, with LOTS of water running on the wheels, use light pressure with the 220 SC cloth when dressing the wheels. Don't want to use enough pressure to embed any SC grit particles into the wheels. Then flush the wheels with lots of water to remove any loose particles before resuming cabbing. Larry C.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,634
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Post by QuailRiver on Sept 17, 2014 9:23:08 GMT -5
Kathy, I don't know if you saw this listing on Craigslist in Middletown, OH or not but someone has a Star Diamond Cabbing Unit, a Vintage Faceting Machine, a Rock Rascal Trim Saw, and a homemade Buffing Arbor listed for $500. If the owner hasn't sold it yet then the listing is 3 days old today so you may be able to talk them down a little on price. The Faceting machine would likely bring $300-$350 on eBay which after eBay fees would help you recoup about half the cost of all four pieces. Having $250 into a Star Diamond Cabbing Machine and Rock Rascal model "J" Trim Saw would be a pretty sweet deal! dayton.craigslist.org/tls/4668179937.htmlLarry C.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,634
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Post by QuailRiver on Sept 17, 2014 3:51:53 GMT -5
Hello Kathy, Welcome to the board! I noticed in another thread that you stated that you are from near Columbus, OH. Due to the great deposits of colorful Ohio Flint you guys have up there, lapidary has been a popular hobby in Ohio for several decades now. As a result used lapidary equipment frequently shows up on Craigslist throughout the state. So if you do a daily search on CL for lapidary you may be able to find a good deal without having to wait too long. Larry C.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,634
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Post by QuailRiver on Sept 16, 2014 0:41:29 GMT -5
The high costs of gas and motel rooms is keeping a lot of dealers from traveling very far for smaller shows. To drive 500 miles round trip to do a 3 day show can easily cost $600 for gas, food, and three nights in a decent motel. And that doesn't even include booth fees which vary depending on the venue. It's tough to make a profit with those kinds of expenses in this terribly weak economy unless you are doing a large show with lots of foot traffic. Being able to remember what our local Gem shows were like 30-40 years ago makes me sad to think about it. We used to have a very good show in Greensboro, NC at the Colosseum the week before Christmas that would fill up the exhibition center with dealers and the foot traffic was elbow to elbow. But the economy got so bad in the Piedmont area of NC that the last year they had the show I was told that sales and attendance were so low that only two dealers applied to renew their booth spaces for the next year. Larry C.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,634
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Post by QuailRiver on Sept 16, 2014 0:08:18 GMT -5
Just found this awesome deal on a project Slab Saw on the Denver Craigslist. Looks like it's probably an 18", maybe bigger. The seller states that it is homemade but that looks like an old Highland Park base with a home made lid. He only wants $30 for it. I am in no way connected to the seller. Just thought if we have any members in the Denver area looking for a project saw you could hardly go wrong on this one even if just for parts. denver.craigslist.org/tls/4669715987.htmlLarry C.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,634
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Post by QuailRiver on Sept 13, 2014 12:00:50 GMT -5
I think Barranca Diamond bought out Start Diamond so if you can not fix this part you may want to check with Barranca and see if they still have any old-stock parts for your saw. Larry C.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,634
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Post by QuailRiver on Sept 8, 2014 21:10:37 GMT -5
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,634
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Post by QuailRiver on Sept 8, 2014 0:13:48 GMT -5
Was there any discussion about blade speed as it relates to feed speed? Larry C.
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