58vette
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since January 2004
Posts: 125
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Post by 58vette on Jan 10, 2004 17:27:16 GMT -5
I have been in the tumbling game for a total of two weeks. I love it so far. My wife was not to sure of me spending the money for stones, tumbler, grit, etc. But after two weeks she is starting to get into it. My question is I bought some rough stones on line and when received some showed signs of being cut...saw marks. Most of them had cracks, voids and etc in them. I started going thru the 5 lbs. of stones and found one large one that had never been cut. I took a dremel with a diamond cutoff blade on it. I cut a sliver off of one end and found the most beautiful purple color. I then went to the other end and repeated the process...more purple. I did this on four sides and still purple. From holding it up to the light I cannot see any voids, fractures. black veins or anything. I was just wondering if anyone would like to venture a guess what it could be. It measures 1"X1"X1" square and seems like a large stone, compared to what I alread have. Please help me to find out what it could be and if it would be worth anything. Thanks, Gary
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Post by docone31 on Jan 10, 2004 20:28:31 GMT -5
Well. In the first place, is it light transfering, or opaque? Second, What colour are the chips the dremel cut off? There are two that come to mind, bearing in mind the newness you have and the stones you would purchase for first tumble, First would be amythyst, second would be low rate sugilite. Amythyst is fairly clear, and sugilite is fairly opaque. Both purples are similiar. Keep tumbling and let us know the progress. Good luck and be prepared to develop stoner habits.
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58vette
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since January 2004
Posts: 125
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Post by 58vette on Jan 10, 2004 20:47:43 GMT -5
Thanks for getting back to me. Since I am really a newbee I am not sure what opaque is. When I hold it up to a light all I can see is a rich dark purple color with no flaws that I can see with the eye. Hope you can help. Thanks, Gary
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Post by docone31 on Jan 10, 2004 21:02:15 GMT -5
Opaque is where you cannot see through the stone, like granite. I meant to spell sugulite, sugulite, not sugilite. The spelling would be like looking for dumorite, rather than dumiorite. Close but no cigar. It is is amythyst, or other purple chrystalline, as you polish and view wet, before final polish, you can see mostly through it. Opaque you can see into it, or so it seems, never through. A diamond is transparent, a jasper is usually opaque. Crypto-chrystalline, or feldspar variant, is made up of cells of transparent chrystalline, making it opaque. Moonstone and labrodorite are chrypto-chrystalline, so is aventurine. You have just begun the journey of wonder and many moments of just plain hmmmmmm.
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58vette
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since January 2004
Posts: 125
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Post by 58vette on Jan 10, 2004 21:53:16 GMT -5
Thanks for the information. Is a stone 1X1X1" considered large? I have not tumbled it as of yet, are they hard to to get a nice polished finish? Would a stone of this size be worth having it faceted. I probably am asking a lot of questions, however, I have to learn somewhere. I came to this site and read everything about tumbling. This is where I found out what type of tumbler most recommend plus a lot of other valuable information. I will continue to absorb all that is posted in my learning process Thank, Gary
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Post by docone31 on Jan 10, 2004 22:16:22 GMT -5
Ok, here we go. First, I would tumble it. The worst that can happen is the corners will round. Even if it is faceting stock I doubt you will really hurt it. Chances are good it is not an unknown worth millions. Next point, if it is square, where did it come from? Usually stones are either found as-is, or broken to be tumbled. If it is square, and cut that way, it might be a stone to be cut other than tumbled. Not seeing it, I cannot give a reliable answer. Only guess work. I facet, and I cut cabachons. In each case, I cut to preform. Rarely, and more so these days, I cut from existing shapes I get out of the tumbler. However I do not like waste. I use pieces of larger stones, and cut with a diamond saw to rough preform shape. After dopping, I preform on a coarse diamond lap. Preforming cuts down on the cutting time of the finished piece. If it is amythyst, it will be far more cost effective to just buy a stone cut to desired shape. Cutting an one of a kind faceted stone, or unusual extension of an existing pattern makes faceting worthwhile. The same with cutting cabachons. The market is flooded with pre cut stones. It might also, be light shiftine Alexandrite, either synthetic or natural. Natural is very unlikely as it is almost 6000$ a carat. A 1/2 boule of synthetic Alexandrite is about 150$. That shape would be oval with a flat side. If it has been cut, 1X1X1 and not naturally approximately the same size, chances it is either a synthetic stone or someone wanted to do something with it. If I had it in my hand, I would make a descision to either tumble or not. I also routinely tumble emeralds. Not the pristine crystal but the mine run. Without more information, I cannot help further. There are aspects of the stones, and tumbling only experience will help in the description. Perhaps it should be put aside untill you have researched it more. You can always tumble it later. The internet is chock full of vendors that provide unintentional research material, photos, and ideas. Look under cabbing rough. Look under faceting rough. Take wild guesses and look under various sites that feature stones. Look for features, fissures, cracks, different layers of colour. A lot of stones are dyed, either with heat or acid. It looks like you have a quest in the making.
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58vette
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since January 2004
Posts: 125
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Post by 58vette on Jan 11, 2004 6:09:27 GMT -5
I want to thank you for the wealth of information. The reason it is almost square is that is how I cut it when I took off the slivers when examining it. The stone was quite large when I started. I cut away the bad/rough part and it ended up that way. After reading your opinion, I am going to put it into the tumbler today with others of the same stone. Again I really appreciate you taking the time to help me. I just knew this was the best site to get information on this great hobby. As a matter of fact, since I am retired, this summer we are going to different mining business that you can buy buckets of rough and look thru it. Again thanks for your help
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