chinook203
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since February 2006
Posts: 849
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Post by chinook203 on Jun 17, 2010 22:51:30 GMT -5
We had some look at our druse at this past rock show and said......you don't have to work hard for this stuff I guess. We had some pieces priced low so we didn't have to load as much as one of our loading boxes didn't survive the trip. Here's what a piece of our druse looks like when we find it. Then they are pressure washed or light washed and hand scrubbed depending on the piece itself and then the afterwards.......... This one actually has tons of sparkle, it just wasn't quite dry yet.......
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Post by Donnie's Rocky Treasures on Jun 18, 2010 7:56:32 GMT -5
That's some nice drusy!
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Post by rockrookie on Jun 18, 2010 8:21:31 GMT -5
nice !! great cleaning job . --paul
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Post by frane on Jun 18, 2010 9:02:29 GMT -5
I guess some folks think you just walk right out and pick it up like that....Lots of work involved and that one looks great! Fran
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Post by snowdog on Jun 18, 2010 21:29:07 GMT -5
have you tried using " ironout" to soak them in -- same stuff that you put in the water softner -- that's what I usually use to get all the iron oxide off cyrstals that I have -- just let them soak for a couple days then hose them off ( no scrubbing ) ;D
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chromenut
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since December 2009
Posts: 1,971
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Post by chromenut on Jun 18, 2010 22:47:36 GMT -5
Nice advice snowdog, I have to try that. Have a few large crystal clusters with iron stains on them. I also heard something about white vinegar??
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Post by jakesrocks on Jun 18, 2010 23:17:40 GMT -5
White vinegar will work, if you don't mind waiting a looooooong time. Like several weeks. Don
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Post by Roller on Jun 19, 2010 1:17:04 GMT -5
if you use iron out on quartz its okay but i hear its a big no no on certain others like calcite ..will dissolve some crystals... i use them on my quartz xls with great results ...24 hrs in water solution then remove and 24 hrs in plain water to dilute ..repeat if necessary but usually don"t have to ...also i wear a respirator while mixing and removing the lid OUTSIDE ...the fumes can be very harmful and even knock u out ...especially when the powder hits the water or you remove the lid 24 hours later ...I have personally seen fumes rise after pouring the powder in and gotten dizzy slightly after ...Greg
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chinook203
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since February 2006
Posts: 849
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Post by chinook203 on Jun 20, 2010 20:59:10 GMT -5
Yes, we used to use iron out all the time and even muriatic acid. The stuff we are finding has no staining at all, so not needed at all. Just take the pressure washer to them. We normally have several hundred pieces at a time to clean. We only use the iron out or oxycilic when it's stained or muriatic for the really bad stuff. Some of them will have some ugly calcite growing over the druse, we just toss some acid on it and it removes the calcite completely. It eats barite as well.
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Post by sitnwrap on Jun 21, 2010 8:00:12 GMT -5
I used super iron out for the first time a while back. It's fun seeing the before and after pics and the transformation. Your drusy specimen is beautiful.
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