Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on Jan 8, 2008 18:51:41 GMT -5
Howdy folks, Just kind of more of the same I've been doing. Bubblegum Agate, Prairies, Turritella , Hector Hills , Ohio Flint and misc odds and ends. Thanks for looking....Mel
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Post by texaswoodie on Jan 8, 2008 18:58:10 GMT -5
Great batch as usual Mel!
I'm working with Turritella for the first time. The matrix is very soft and crumbly. Chunks of it fall out while I'm trying to cab it. And the fossils fall out and set on the floor and laugh at me.
Did I get a bad batch or is it just the devil to work with?
Curt
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on Jan 8, 2008 19:56:51 GMT -5
Curt, It does sound like you got a bad batch. Usually the turritella slabs are crumbly toward the exterior but the material varies a lot in how agatized it is too. I usually turn the big blocks of agate so that I'm cutting parallel to the flat surface . That way I cut the shells lengthwise for the best pattern and usually get the best, most agatized slabs from the center of the piece while the first outside cut is usually kinda porous and junky....mel
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Post by krazydiamond on Jan 8, 2008 20:31:57 GMT -5
great batch, Mel, i know how gnarly those bubblegums can be.
Curt, i think there is a huge difference in turritela, PM me your addy and i'll send you a few better slabs to work with.
KD
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MidNight~Rocksi3
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2008
Posts: 1,716
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Post by MidNight~Rocksi3 on Jan 8, 2008 20:43:37 GMT -5
Hmmm Never seen that stuff before.. .. love those colors!.. now I gotta find some of that too.. LOL..
*smiles*
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MidNight~Rocksi3
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2008
Posts: 1,716
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Post by MidNight~Rocksi3 on Jan 8, 2008 20:46:27 GMT -5
Oh while I'm here.. kinda off the subject.. but forgot to ask you .. about those Dried Prunes.. ever try and cut those ? or cab any of those? I got em and still trying to get myself to cut one.. LOL. almost scared of it.. not sure why .. but thought I'd ask you first.. .. lol I know I'm a big chicken ... but I'll do it knowing someone has done it before.. and didn't shatter or get splinters in their eyes or something weird.. lol
*smiles*
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Post by Bikerrandy on Jan 8, 2008 21:00:02 GMT -5
Beautiful batch Mel!! Curt- Turritella agates do come in different hardnesses. In my experience, the softer ones will be more brownish in color while the harder ones will be much darker.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on Jan 8, 2008 21:21:59 GMT -5
Yep, with turritella the blacker the agate the better the material.
Roxy: Yep the prunes cut easy, as obsidian is softer than agate. I've sawed a lot of them. When trimming anything I always wear eye protection. ( face shield!) I've never had one shatter but who knows, if you don't apply even pressure to the blade while using a workforce or trim saw, funny things can happen. Cut some of those though. Inside they are very nice obsidian! You should like it a lot. I've even used a glass cutting set on obsidian slabs when I didn't feel like fooling with the saw. It has a hard steel scriber and a special pair of pliers and breaks straight as can be, real easy....Mel
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luv2hound
freely admits to licking rocks
I try & I try, but dang it! Those rocks just keep ending up in my pockets
Member since June 2007
Posts: 890
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Post by luv2hound on Jan 8, 2008 21:50:36 GMT -5
Great batch. Lots of nice stuff with wonderful shine.
~~Mitzi~~
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Post by Cher on Jan 8, 2008 22:47:42 GMT -5
Wow, now that is one pretty batch of tumbled rocks. What beautiful colors Mel and an awesome shine!! Thanks for posting them.
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rollingstone
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since July 2009
Posts: 236
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Post by rollingstone on Jan 9, 2008 3:25:07 GMT -5
Great tumble, Mel. I have a complaint though... doesn't your camera have a macro setting?... seeing some close-ups would be fantastic!!
And for people asking about turritella, yes it varies hugely. Avoid the stuff with the light brown or chalky inclusions, those areas are very soft and make for disappointing results. The darker stuff (solid black, with white shells), is much harder material. -Don
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jan 9, 2008 5:12:14 GMT -5
Such a nice colour, great batch!
Thanman
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adrian65
Cave Dweller
Arch to golden memories and to great friends.
Member since February 2007
Posts: 10,787
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Post by adrian65 on Jan 9, 2008 7:36:25 GMT -5
Great batch! That triangle right above the bubble gums seems fantastic. You also have a buble gum face there (near the turitella) Adrian
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Post by Titania on Jan 9, 2008 8:21:34 GMT -5
Nice batch! Great shine and colour! I've got to get my hands on some bubble gum sometime...it looks so good when it's all tumbled.
I've had good luck so far with turritella, but I guess I've just gotten lucky.
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Post by beefjello on Jan 9, 2008 8:50:31 GMT -5
Nice buncha tumbles there Mel, very colorful mix!
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Post by texaswoodie on Jan 9, 2008 10:15:26 GMT -5
Thanks for all the cool advice everyone!
Mel, sorry if I hijacked your thread.
Curt
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Post by Tonyterner on Jan 9, 2008 10:44:30 GMT -5
Fine looking tumbles. What are the three heavily banded agates just in the center right? Very pretty.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on Jan 9, 2008 13:20:43 GMT -5
Tony, the only banded ones in that batch are a Bot, a Dryhead, and a hunk of Nevada Wonderstone...Mel
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karenfh
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2006
Posts: 1,495
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Post by karenfh on Jan 9, 2008 21:35:14 GMT -5
Nice tumble, as always! Yum!
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SteveHolmes
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2009
Posts: 1,900
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Post by SteveHolmes on Jan 9, 2008 21:36:20 GMT -5
Really nice and shiney batch Mel. The two in the dead center really stick out. I'm thinking these are your Dryheads...but could be wrong. They look really gnarly! Steve
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