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Post by rockpickerforever on Aug 9, 2013 9:38:51 GMT -5
Sorry I was AWOL for a couple days. Thank you all for your comments! It was a fun project, but it did take close to 24 hours (spread out over a week) of work to complete, and I'm not quite satisifed with it yet.
Thanks, Tela. If it was anything other that clear quartz, I'd stop now and be happy with it.
Thanks jawboney and Jim. Jim, you can drop my name all you want, but I seriously doubt it's going to improve your status any, LOL!
Vegasjames, it really would have been nice for the crystal ball to have picked at least ONE winner at the horse races yesterday. But I'm a cheap date, I only place two dollar bets, so no big loss.
Grizman - I know, huh? It sucks when life gets in the way of playing with rocks. Hope to get some more cabs made over the weekend, and get some more wrapped. I sold 4 wire-wrapped pendants last weekend, so stock has really dwindled.
Also thanks to beef, Tommy, roy, quartz, rattlehead and Panamark for your comments, I sincerely appreciate them. It was a fun job, but not sure if I'd take it on again. I have a pretty good eye for spatial dimensions, and a good judge of lengths. "Say, who do you think you're kidding? That's not ten inches!!"
Panamark, I've hustled some things before, but never pool...
Chuck, I'm still up in the air about that - keeping it as is, as a personal creation. Certainly, Ill keep it, but I think it could be better if totally spherical. It needs to have the polish improved, so I need to attempt that at the least. Second option, round it up more and repolish. Third option, ship it to @shotgunner and not spend any more time on it myself. PMing you, Scott.
Again, thanks all! I felt like I needed to post something rock related. Have been having too much fun on other posts! Jean
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textiger
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since May 2005
Posts: 946
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Post by textiger on Aug 9, 2013 12:49:36 GMT -5
That's amazing work. Nice job.
matt
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Aug 10, 2013 9:08:14 GMT -5
WOW!!!! I am going to send my spheres your way to get polished. Nice job.
I tried this once before I got a sphere machine, I had a nice rounded onyx sphere, put it in a rotary tumbler to polish and it came out an egg. :-)
Tim
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Post by Pat on Aug 10, 2013 11:23:04 GMT -5
Looks round to me. Great that you did it by hand. Quite an accomplishment.  |
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jamesp
Cave Dweller 
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,597
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Post by jamesp on Aug 10, 2013 14:28:24 GMT -5
Jean has been in Costa Rica. We could do genetic testing to see if you have the 'round stone ball sphere Jean(gene)' "Mystery Jean Strikes Again" !! Jean's cousin  Jean's brother  |
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Post by rockpickerforever on Aug 10, 2013 20:36:19 GMT -5
You are, without a doubt, crazy! LOL! Remind me why my family makes those??
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,597
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Post by jamesp on Aug 10, 2013 21:12:13 GMT -5
I am thinking the art of making round stones is genetic, it is in your blood. And your family's blood.
I travelled to the South west corner of Costa Rica and stayed with Indians native to the area(15 years ago). They
were related to a friend who said I could go to Costa and stay w/them. Wow, that was a wild place. Like the wild
west, and my friends half brother was a cowboy and parted the sidewalk wherever he went. That place was too
tough for this boy. Plus I was 2 feet taller than everyone ha! The disco was in an old church and the sound levels
like damaged my ears. All I could hear was 'gringo grande' being whispered. Well, those stone balls were from that area
and are for real. I saw a smaller one in a shcool playground and kids were rolling it around.
Can't wait for you to start on a 48 inch stone ball!
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Post by rockpickerforever on Aug 11, 2013 8:37:39 GMT -5
James, you have lived a charmed and well traveled life. Funny, I don't believe I've ever been to Costa Rica... I hear it's very nice. Belize, too.
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adrian65
Cave Dweller
Arch to golden memories and to great friends.
Member since February 2007
Posts: 10,790
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Post by adrian65 on Aug 11, 2013 14:24:00 GMT -5
Superb result! To shape a perfect sphere using a flat lap,that's impressive.
Adrian
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Post by rockpickerforever on Aug 11, 2013 14:28:04 GMT -5
Thanks, Adrian! But it's not a prefect sphere - yet. At this point in time, I think it's going to go visit Scott for finishing. It was fun, but very time consuming. Scott doesn't have to worry about any competition...
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Aug 15, 2013 22:31:10 GMT -5
I have Jean's crystal ball. I really like it. A lot!
I am pondering her future while gazing into it's nearly perfect center. The spirits are giving me insight.
I see my task is well within the realm of my abilities and equipment. But (there's always a but), I need to make a challenge out of it. I could just bang it out, but what's the fun in that?? I don't have calipers (batteries dead) but my guess is Jean has it perfect within 0.020". Before I start, I will check to be sure. Then my goal will be simple.
How little material can I remove, while still yielding a perfect sphere for her? Yes, that is it. My goal is to maximize the size of her sphere.
Must...........
Make...........
Plans...........
and............
document progress and techniques.
So, Jean et al, here is the timeline. Shoulda done it tonight, 'cept I was planning and thinkin'. Tomorrow housewarming party for a friend, saturday Galaxy soccer match (they're playing Real Salt Lake). Sunday night's usually suck. Looks like one night next week while wifey and kidlet are watching the boob tube.
There, done. Plan in place. Techniques decided upon - more on that with pics later...............
Goodnight friends!
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Post by rockpickerforever on Aug 16, 2013 8:55:28 GMT -5
Good morning, Scott. I know you will do a GREAT job with it! (I think it is more than .020" out of round, but whatever you say!) It is going to look fabulous with those those two parallel planes in the center of it. I can't wait. Oh, didn't mean it that way. Don't hurry, take your time.
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carloscinco
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2008
Posts: 1,639
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Post by carloscinco on Aug 16, 2013 22:06:01 GMT -5
That is really fantastic. Hand made makes it even more special. I've been a drunken sailor and I kind of enjoyed it.
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Post by Pat on Aug 16, 2013 22:13:16 GMT -5
Wow!  Any sphere is amazing, but by hand, even more so. |
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Post by rockpickerforever on Aug 17, 2013 7:49:53 GMT -5
Thanks Carlos and Pat. Being as it was not quite round, I think @shotgunner will be able to vastly improve it, and give it a mirror shine. I think these things are a necessity for a clear sphere. If it was a solid rock of any other type, I would have called it done.
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ltpaulbtv
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since October 2010
Posts: 198
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Post by ltpaulbtv on Aug 17, 2013 21:04:58 GMT -5
It's amazing what you can do with a little grinding shaping and polishing. You probably will be reading fortunes soon! Nice work!
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Post by petrifiedwoodfarm on Aug 17, 2013 23:06:18 GMT -5
Yes, well accomplished for working it by hand. Was very impressed when I saw the size of it in your hand!
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Post by rockpickerforever on Aug 17, 2013 23:40:42 GMT -5
Thank you! It was just over 2" in diameter. Let's see how much is left when @shotgunner gets finished with it.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Aug 18, 2013 16:32:18 GMT -5
Jean, I think I'll be able to get to it tomorrow night. Still can't find calipers.
Little bit worried about heat on polish and those feathers inside.
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Tommy
Administrator 
Member since January 2013
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Post by Tommy on Aug 18, 2013 23:32:38 GMT -5
Thank you! It was just over 2" in diameter. Let's see how much is left when @shotgunner gets finished with it.  |
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Any sphere is amazing, but by hand, even more so.
