*~ FINISHED ~* Cab Contest Feb 2024, Theme: Metamorphosis

[khara]

opalpyrexia Hi Gary. Yes, the green is a lot of fun. I wasn't sure if it'd hold up or if it would be crumbly. It almost looked like a matrix area at the edge. I took a risk and included it in my template shape and did have to avoid some obvious fractures. Unfortunately a fracture ended up appearing in the pink area of the trapezoid cab. :-( There is a tiny area of green left on my slab so I'll definitely try to capture it. I'm also going to try and get a better front picture of this cab as the shot in my hand actually shows it off a bit better. Thanks for confirming this one is from Washington. We may have to get out and do some hunting. :-)

[Tommy]

Feb 27, 2024 18:50:49 GMT -5 khara said:

Edited: Played around with new photos for this cab and I've replaced my front and side pics. Oddly enough, when I just hold it in my hand I get the most accurate colors. Background color definitely messes with cab color. Tommy , sorry if you already started your collage! 4 hours left people! :-)

No you're good. The soonest I'll be able to put the voting together is either tomorrow night or Friday morning.

Get 'em in people!

[parfive]

Feb 27, 2024 18:50:49 GMT -5 khara said:

4 hours left people! :-)

Make that 28, ya forgot the 29th.     : )

[parfive]

victor1941

That fourth pic, the freeform, is confusing me, Victor.
How does it relate to the ovals on the light table?

[khara]

Feb 28, 2024 23:20:52 GMT -5 parfive said:

Feb 27, 2024 18:50:49 GMT -5 khara said:

4 hours left people! :-)

Make that 28, ya forgot the 29th.     : )

What?! Oh my gosh! Ha, I totally thought it was Thursday! :-) Kinda weird, my brain was just ready for February to be over, like it's been trained.

[Tommy]

Feb 28, 2024 23:36:19 GMT -5 khara said:

What?! Oh my gosh! Ha, I totally thought it was Thursday! :-) Kinda weird, my brain was just ready for February to be over, like it's been trained.

Dang... I was right there with you

[realrockhound]

Dirty bugger, ya got me worried there for a second that I mixed my days up 😂. I’ll go get my pics after work. Should have them posted by tonight

[realrockhound]

My entry

Willow Creek "SKIDMARK" Jasper. 

[rockbrain]

This is my entry. Indian green Moss agate. I forgot the slab picture until right after I cut the preform out.

[Rockoonz]

WOW some super nice ones there.
I won't get one in again, I have excuses but they're lame.

[khara]

Couple really nice cabs there guys. 👍👍 This is going to be a hard vote. realrockhound and rockbrain

[RockingRuralMo]

An extra day in February and I STILL didn't make it!  But I'd dropped a progress pic so wanted to post the final result anyway.  This is a piece of self-collected Mozarkite from central Missouri.  I'm still working on my glamour shots, but never think pics do a stone justice. (let alone my ratty gym shorts.)

  

[rockbrain]

RockingRuralMo, I thought you were the first entry with your post on the 19th. agatewhisperer that's a beautiful heart, never would have thought it was your first. victor1941 another nice entry. I think I like your second one for fitting the contest theme better but I think I've picked the wrong cab to enter more than once! Smart idea going with your wife's choice. I've gone against my wife's recommendation and have not faired well! khara love your cab. I think it looks like a double metamorphose! realrockhound, beautiful cab. Really nice grind on that one. Impeccable girdle. Wow! beautiful entries, just way to few of them. Good luck to all!

[realrockhound]

I mulled over 4 cabs. Still came back to the skidmark. Transitions, streamers, orbs, etc… really curious to see how this fairs against the rest.

[rockbrain]

I'm always curious to see how everything fairs against everything else. I put a lot of weight on how well the cab is cut and of course how it fits the theme. A lot of votes seem to put the most weight on the beauty of the material.

[realrockhound]

Mar 1, 2024 14:41:55 GMT -5 rockbrain said:

I'm always curious to see how everything fairs against everything else. I put a lot of weight on how well the cab is cut and of course how it fits the theme. A lot of votes seem to put the most weight on the beauty of the material.

Generally I vote based on 3 types of criteria. How well it’s cut, how well it fits the theme, and largely on type/quality of material. I really like to see materials cut that you normally wouldn’t see or if said material is of a higher grade if that makes sense. I don’t always get that because sometimes theme doesn’t allow myself to do so. But that’s a general goal of mine, cut the rarest or nicest material I can that fits the theme.

[Tommy]

Thanks everyone for participating! I'll get this buttoned up and voting tonight after work

[khara]

victor1941 Hi Victor. Would you do just a quick share here on how you have your UV-18 set up for polishing cabs? Like, what kind of filler media and grit(s) do you use? Is it basically mostly media and then you throw in just a small number of cabs? Do you have it the standard 3/4 or so full as far as capacity?

[victor1941]

Khara, all abrasives, polish, and media are from The Rock Shed. The fill is always even to the center bolt down island and is maintained by adding small media or pretumbled scraps when necessary. All steps have 2 tablespoons of borax added and moisture is added as needed so the surface is occluded and wet/slick. All steps are usually 2 days and sometimes maybe three days if I can't do the wash because of poor weather. I can tumble a hundred or more cabs but recently have tumbled less than 10 but added egg size quartz cobbles as fill and added flat material for doublets-I posted a sample last week or so. I use the following steps with success.
1. 2 days 120/220 SiC check for scratches and repeat as necessary
2. 2 days 500 SiC
3. 2 days 1000 AlO
4. 2/3 days Rock Shed polish, wash well

[Tommy]

Contest closed! Voting poll is coming.