gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 3,799
|
Post by gemfeller on Apr 6, 2020 20:46:26 GMT -5
I think your old guy and my old guy should get together -- despite coming from continents apart they might have a lot in common. I'm going to face polish this "face" sometime. Can't cab him because the slab of African Royal Sahara Jasper is sloped on the backside right under critical parts of the pattern.
Great cab -- if I was a Tahoma guy I'd be a little worried about possible future Lahars -- or worse! -- too.
|
|
gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 3,799
|
Post by gemfeller on Apr 6, 2020 17:37:47 GMT -5
I've used Windows Live Photo Gallery for years and I love it. It came bundled with Win 7 and when I upgraded to 10 I asked my computer guru if it was compatible. He said Yes and set it up for me. It doesn't work quite as well with 10 as it did with 7 but no big deal. It's simple, effective and easy. I also use PhotoShop now and then for special features but 99% of the time WLPG is my "go-to." That interesting Rick I'm not sure this MS Photo software, that came installed with Window 10, is the same program as Windows Live ? Your guru may have done ya big favor by copying over from 7 to Win 10 I'll look into it but Its no big deal I like MS Paint I use that a lot The crop function is really good ... thanks! I can put you in email touch with my guru if you have tech questions. He's a bloody genius!
|
|
gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 3,799
|
Post by gemfeller on Apr 6, 2020 17:16:41 GMT -5
I've used Windows Live Photo Gallery for years and I love it. It came bundled with Win 7 and when I upgraded to 10 I asked my computer guru if it was compatible. He said Yes and set it up for me. It doesn't work quite as well with 10 as it did with 7 but no big deal. It's simple, effective and easy. I also use PhotoShop now and then for special features but 99% of the time WLPG is my "go-to."
|
|
gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 3,799
|
Post by gemfeller on Apr 6, 2020 12:33:40 GMT -5
Lunch? I just finished breakfast not long ago here in CA. Due to limited grocery shopping thanks to the CV my lunch pantry is pretty bare. I'll probably chop up some celery to mix with tuna and mayo for sandwiches for wife and me. Also half an avocado each seasoned with a bit of juice from my home-grown lemons. Sparkling water will help wash it all down.
|
|
gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 3,799
|
Post by gemfeller on Apr 1, 2020 17:17:31 GMT -5
As a native Idahoan, I remember when Mt. Borah shifted a few feet upward a long time ago. That rattled things up a bunch. The state's tallest mountain, it gained a few feet in elevation rather quickly. On a trip to Idaho a couple of years ago we visited the fault scarp -- a huge displacement line that runs across the landscape all the way into Nevada, though it's not visible in all places. Idaho's a tectonically restless place and big earthquakes can be expected every few decades.
|
|
gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 3,799
|
Post by gemfeller on Apr 1, 2020 0:11:14 GMT -5
There are all sorts of different bidet options. The ones I have are equipped with warm air blowers that -- theoretically -- solve the problem you mention. My daughter has one and loves it. I'll know more when mine are installed, hopefully next week. Well... if I had one with a warm air blower, I may never leave the bathroom. LOL! You'd probably LOVE the model with a massage function
|
|
gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 3,799
|
Post by gemfeller on Mar 31, 2020 20:28:33 GMT -5
I have never used a bidet. The thing I always think is- you still need to use TP to dry your butt, right? I mean who wants wet underwear. I seem to be missing what's so great about them. There are all sorts of different bidet options. The ones I have are equipped with warm air blowers that -- theoretically -- solve the problem you mention. My daughter has one and loves it. I'll know more when mine are installed, hopefully next week.
|
|
gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 3,799
|
Post by gemfeller on Mar 31, 2020 18:37:17 GMT -5
Makes me glad that I opted to install bidets when I built the house. None in the guest powder room, and with no guests the TP will last quite a while for that. If the shortage around here had lasted, there was the temptation to sell off that stockpile - though our governor wants a crackdown on that type of profiteering. I'd been meaning to upgrade to bidets and ordered a couple when I saw the TP hoarding panic begin. They've arrived but I need to have electrical outlets installed before I can put them into use. Worst case, I have some suitable extension cords As a side note, the model I bought has gone up $200 in price since I ordered mine. We've been able to get most grocery items here in SoCal but there have been shortages of some items: bread, TP, paper towel, all disinfectants, eggs, etc. Supply seems to be catching up in the past week. I (used to) do nearly all the shopping and tend to stock up with 2 freezers and a pantry. Sometimes it pays to hate shopping. My wife severely fractured an ankle 3 weeks ago so I've had the experience of dealing with the medical establishment during the CV panic. The fracture required surgery so I've been driving back and forth to orthopedic offices and a hospital, both of which are an hour away one way. I wasn't allowed to see my wife after her surgery -- in fact I wasn't even allowed to sit inside the hospital. Weird experience. All is well on that front though she has a month or two recuperation ahead. Human nature is strange. Freeway travel here, though far less impacted than usual, is insane. Average freeway speed going to and from the hospital was nearly 90 mph. Even at that speed cars were whizzing past me on both sides. I've been told the police are ticketing only cars traveling over 100 mph. I'm sure they have easy pickings.
|
|
gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 3,799
|
Post by gemfeller on Mar 27, 2020 18:39:29 GMT -5
Starguy , when you look at the plate tectonics history of Madagascar you'll discover something very interesting. Despite its current location it was once part of Sri Lanka. Both are gemstone powerhouses. It drifted clear across the Indian Ocean and is not geolgically related to Africa. Mada is a gemstone "factory" that keeps on producing. It's been under constant modern gem mining exploitation since the 1980s or so, with amazing deposits of gem corundum, green grossular garnet (Tsavorite), alexandrite, abundant quartzes and just about every other fine gem imaginable. You're lucky to have a good supplier connection there.
|
|
gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 3,799
|
Post by gemfeller on Mar 26, 2020 22:55:21 GMT -5
That’s good to know I was thinking of getting one but will hold off. Do you have any experience with using the spectroscope for checking gem rough that’s another toy I want to invest in. If so are they worth the investment I have read the hardest part is getting use to reading the scale but very useful in identifying some type of gem rough look a likes Polariscopes are simple, cheap and easy to make yourself. You can use the lenses from an old pair of Polaroid sunglasses. Do a search on it. They can be very instructive if you're interested in learning gemology basics: distinguishing between single and double refractive stones (very important!), determining optic axes and optic character -- and much more. I can refer you to an excellent tutorial for using one. Re: spectroscopes. Yes, I've used one for about 20 years. Learning to read the scale is simply a matter of pattern recognition and there are some very helpful charts. The cheapest and best scope IMO (and in those of some important gemologists) is the OPL Teaching spectroscope or the smaller pocket-size model. Both are diffraction grating types and are much cheaper than the bench prism models. They're made in England by Orwin Products Ltd. It took me a while to "see" the lines but after a few practice sessions -- and the help of a couple of great books -- it all started making sense. They're enormously helpful in distinguishing between look-alike stones and open a vast new and exciting world of gem learning. Colin H. Winter, FGA, DGA invented and sells them and he's written an essential book with great illustrations: "OPL - A Student's Guide to Spectroscopy." It contains numerous charts that illustrate the typical absorption spectra of a wide range of gems. I can provide more info if you decide to go that route.
|
|
gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 3,799
|
Post by gemfeller on Mar 26, 2020 22:30:14 GMT -5
Starguy some are like that. We used to crack them open along existing fracture lines in the crystals and cut from the inside-out. Others have 4 and 6-ray stars in an orderly arrangement that can be cut from the outside. They vary depending on where they were deposited near Emerald Creek. Sadly I think my chart of star locations is kaput. I found the document but the illustrations are missing. Probably the result of several Windows upgrades since I archived the document. At times, when I'm in the right mood, I write doggerel "poetry." It would make Keats, Yeats and other sensitive souls scream and run in circles. But I leave you (temporarily) with this: Twinkle, twinkle little star, How I wonder what you are. Corundum’s likeliest by far, Mogok ruby? Wunderbar! But you ain’t red, you little devil! Perhaps you’re just an old “spin-evel.” Maybe you could be rose quartz, Or even a Linde with “the Schwartz” (May the Schwartz be with you!) Or maybe not. Garnet, beryl, orthoclase – Man, I’m really on your case! Peridot? Not too likely, yet – I’ve seen some starry olivine! Hmmm…that last line doesn’t rhyme So this is just a waste of time. Sit down at your Beacon star And find those twinklers – wherever they are!
|
|
gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 3,799
|
Post by gemfeller on Mar 26, 2020 20:36:10 GMT -5
dreamrocks , I've owned a GIA Gem Instruments polariscope since the 1980s but haven't had consistent luck finding the C-axis in rough rose quartz. It's massive, not crystalline, so there's no obvious place to look though I've been able to do it occasionally. There's lots of turning, twisting and neck-craning involved in locating and marking the right spot. Most of my rough is too large to easily manipulate between the polars of my instrument. I'd try again tonight to see if I can come up with a better technique but my wife fell about 10 days ago and seriously fractured her ankle. So for the next 4 to 6 weeks I'll be doing all the "house duties" as well as taking care of her. And speaking of that, it's time to rattle some pots to make dinner.
|
|
gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 3,799
|
Post by gemfeller on Mar 26, 2020 19:21:33 GMT -5
dreamrocks, I tried using Star Refractol on several pieces of rough quartz I know will star, but no luck -- so far. It was a quick-and-dirty test and I'll try again. I may try a tiny drop of honey next. Lack of results may be due to the fact that star rose quartz usually displays epiasterism: stars show only via transmitted light, not reflected light as with star sapphire etc.(diasterism). That's probably why they're so hard to photograph. Another problem is not every piece will have a star or eye. Its like comparing rocks that fluoresce from the same location some do and some don’t True, but I was testing a piece of rough I KNOW will star. I even tested a tumble-polished piece with a visible ray but no luck -- so far.
|
|
gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 3,799
|
Post by gemfeller on Mar 26, 2020 19:16:31 GMT -5
gemfeller Thanks for the links. Both articles are very interesting. Did you see the picture of the garnet crystal I cut in half? Garnets are pretty crazy the way their asterism presents. Glad you liked the links. I contributed some unusual 4-ray smoky/citrine star quartzes that are illustrated in the Nordskip link. There was an interesting discussion about them on Gemologyonline that I'll try to link if you're interested. Don't recall seeing the image you reference. I have a copy of the Lithographie LLC book "Garnet - Great Balls of Fire." It has a great section on how asterism in Idaho star garnets is arranged. And somewhere in my cluttered files I have a rare paper written by Dudley Stewart who founded Stewart's Gem Shop in Boise ID, showing how stars relate to crystal symmetry. Dudley was basically responsible for popularizing Idaho star garnets as you know. I'll post it when/if I can find it. Since you're a star garnet aficionado you might want to pick up a copy of the Lithographie book. I think it's still in print.
|
|
gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 3,799
|
Post by gemfeller on Mar 26, 2020 18:59:54 GMT -5
dreamrocks, I tried using Star Refractol on several pieces of rough quartz I know will star, but no luck -- so far. It was a quick-and-dirty test and I'll try again. I may try a tiny drop of honey next. Lack of results may be due to the fact that star rose quartz usually displays epiasterism: stars show only via transmitted light, not reflected light as with star sapphire etc.(diasterism). That's probably why they're so hard to photograph.
|
|
gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 3,799
|
Post by gemfeller on Mar 26, 2020 16:24:56 GMT -5
The old method of orienting asterism in rose quartz was to cut a cube, then to carefully grind it into a sphere. The star would become visible under a flashlight beam with application of a light oil or something similar. Then the apex of the star was marked on both sides and the sphere cut in half to create two matched star stones after final sanding and polishing. Here are a couple of links that might be of interest: www.nordskip.com/rose.htmlquartzpage.de/rose.html
|
|
gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 3,799
|
Post by gemfeller on Mar 26, 2020 1:00:28 GMT -5
The Hogg Mine at LaGrange, GA is a well-known source for asteriated rose quartz. I have some lovely rough pieces from there.
I've also found a fair number of tumbled rose quartzes that display asterism, some very nice ones. But I'm getting old and lazy and keep putting off locating the optic axes to orient them. Easy job but other projects seem to take priority. One of these days...if the Kung Flu doesn't get me.
|
|
gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 3,799
|
Post by gemfeller on Mar 25, 2020 18:50:34 GMT -5
opalpyrexia, tried Zam, no cigar. The material's too soft to take a real polish. But I like it a lot and agree that the patterns are so striking it has an appeal of its own without a high shine.
|
|
gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 3,799
|
Post by gemfeller on Mar 25, 2020 16:08:42 GMT -5
It's the original source and the basis of the Fox News article. Anyone who's studied a little about plate tectonics knows what cratons are and how important such newly discovered fragments are in unraveling the geologic history of the continents. The article's anything but clickbait.
|
|
gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 3,799
|
Post by gemfeller on Mar 24, 2020 13:29:42 GMT -5
Hang 4 Bill. Get well soon!
|
|