emere
off to a rocking start
Member since April 2011
Posts: 18
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Post by emere on Apr 25, 2011 23:35:04 GMT -5
I live in Meekatharra, Western Australia. I am the only person here who hunts rocks. I have a vibratory tumbler. I bought it over the internet. The instructions are rather vague. Many of the tips about using it I have got from this site. There are lots of rocks here but there are only 600 people in this town, no one to ask and no library. In saying such I am asking forgiveness in advance of asking questions that may seem basic or stupid. I also have a disability that makes it very hard to understand what people are actually saying, which really complicates things. Thank you to all those posts that have thrown some light on this subject. The photo is just outside town. I got a lot of rocks from here. John Emere Attachments:
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Post by ColtChainmailJewelryDesigns on Apr 25, 2011 23:51:00 GMT -5
Welcome friend! Hope to see some of your work!
~Colt Chainmail~
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Post by gr on Apr 25, 2011 23:57:45 GMT -5
It's not a dumb question if you don't know. Ask away and someone wiil have an answer or point you in a direction. Welcome to the RTH What kind of rocks are you getting out of that picture you posted?
gr
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,095
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Post by stefan on Apr 26, 2011 12:56:51 GMT -5
Welcome! We love questions- heck we love anything to do with rocks! Ask away!
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Mudshark
fully equipped rock polisher
Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock. Will Rogers
Member since December 2008
Posts: 1,083
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Post by Mudshark on Apr 26, 2011 15:54:29 GMT -5
Welcome!Ask all the questions you want.Hope you have a great time here.
Mike
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Post by Toad on Apr 26, 2011 17:11:59 GMT -5
Welcome
Todd
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Post by stonesthatrock on Apr 26, 2011 17:25:18 GMT -5
welcome and post away......... we love questions. mary ann
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Post by Donnie's Rocky Treasures on Apr 26, 2011 20:30:51 GMT -5
We love questions & pictures. So bring it on!!!!!
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Post by Roller on Apr 26, 2011 22:50:00 GMT -5
Welcome ! beautiful pic!
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rockwizz
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since May 2007
Posts: 971
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Post by rockwizz on Apr 27, 2011 1:03:49 GMT -5
John, welcome. I know there are tons of rocks in Australia..It will be fun to see some pictures from you. Welcome to the board
Ozzy
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emere
off to a rocking start
Member since April 2011
Posts: 18
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Post by emere on Apr 27, 2011 5:48:18 GMT -5
Thank you all for your warm welcome. Photo's = I photograph each rock before it goes into the tumbler along with the Location. All marked on a Googlearth capture. An attempt to give each one provenance. As well as a before and after shot of those that turn out well. What sort of rocks are in the picture? Quartz, Agate...? Most of them are covered in dirt so being able to see visualize underneath take practice. I do a lot of traveling for my job. My boss lets me stop on the way and collect so long as I do not abuse it. The fields of rock like in the photo go for 200 km sometimes thick and sometimes thin, sometimes thy change types from a few metres away. I will post some more photo's in another section. Do you want to see rock places or rocks or both? Attachments:
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Post by gr on Apr 27, 2011 11:20:46 GMT -5
places and rocks both yes, for me. unfortunately, the chances of me getting to go to austrailia are two - nil and none! So getting to see what's down under is of interest to me. Thanks
gr
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Post by catmandewe on Apr 27, 2011 14:35:47 GMT -5
Oh I so wanna go rock hunting there!
Welcome John!
Tony
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,685
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Post by Fossilman on Apr 27, 2011 16:18:43 GMT -5
Welcome aboard.................
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Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Apr 27, 2011 17:02:05 GMT -5
Welcome John!
Some of those rocks in your second pic look like they will take a nice polish. As you learn about tumbling, you'll want to learn about hardness. Use the Mohs scale and perform scratch tests on your rocks. Rocks of similar hardness will tumble well together. The harder they are, the better they will polish.
You don't need to buy a Mohs kit. There are several sites on the web that will tell you how to assemble one from things you probably already have.
That's a lifetime supply of rock in your first photo!
Yes, ask away!
Chuck
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unclestu
Cave Dweller
WINNER OF THE FIRST RTH KILLER CAB CONTEST UNCLESTU'S AGUA NUEVA AGATE
Member since April 2011
Posts: 2,298
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Post by unclestu on Apr 27, 2011 17:21:40 GMT -5
Welcome John and good day mate I will crack open a Fosters when I read your posts. I am a newbie so questions are my life blood. Without which I can't learn and thus will remain an ignorant rock head instead of becoming a knowledgeable rock hound. So PLEASE keep the questions coming . You mentioned that your boss allows you to collect while on the job. What line of work are you in? STu
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pporky
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2007
Posts: 1,932
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Post by pporky on Apr 28, 2011 4:52:31 GMT -5
G'day John and welcome, I suppose there may even be some nice yellow rocks over there , I was there once in the 80's, and am now working in PORT augusta. Ask plenty of questions lots of people here love to help. I like your pics and you will be suprised how many W.A rocks turn up on this board. Bill
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emere
off to a rocking start
Member since April 2011
Posts: 18
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Post by emere on Apr 28, 2011 4:53:25 GMT -5
Thanks Chuck, I have a MOHS however I have not used that approach yet. Why use it was one of the questions. To eager to see what each new find reveals. There is a lifetime of rocks here. I just can't polish them all. I travel 200 km (400 km there and back each week the scene repeats itself all along the way. All different.
Tony, if you ever do come here to hunt rocks do it in winter the summers are very hot and dry in these parts. I have been making Panoramas but some of them are 50 MB in size. A bit big for most people. I can scale them down but they are still big. They say it is expensive here but there are cheap ways of doing it especially if you like roughing it. I cannot imagine rock hunters wanting it any other way.
GR Some of the things I have seen on this forum have me stunned. Being a born here takes some of the novelty away. I will try and give you some mixtures of scenes and rocks related to those sites.
Again thank you for the welcome.
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emere
off to a rocking start
Member since April 2011
Posts: 18
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Post by emere on Apr 29, 2011 4:06:38 GMT -5
Welcome John and good day mate I will crack open a Fosters when I read your posts. I am a newbie so questions are my life blood. Without which I can't learn and thus will remain an ignorant rock head instead of becoming a knowledgeable rock hound. So PLEASE keep the questions coming . You mentioned that your boss allows you to collect while on the job. What line of work are you in? STu I work for the Government. My job is to try and keep people well and happy and in the community. My employer like to keep me well and happy working in that community. I am a very cheap alternative.
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emere
off to a rocking start
Member since April 2011
Posts: 18
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Post by emere on Apr 29, 2011 4:11:39 GMT -5
G'day John and welcome, I suppose there may even be some nice yellow rocks over there , I was there once in the 80's, and am now working in PORT augusta. Ask plenty of questions lots of people here love to help. I like your pics and you will be suprised how many W.A rocks turn up on this board. Bill I liked Port Augusta, Iron Knob looks amazing. Did not see any good rocks until Norseman. I have a few yellow/mustardy ones. I will watch out for some more. Do the rocks get sent or are the bought?
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