carleton
spending too much on rocks
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Member since April 2012
Posts: 277
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Post by carleton on Jan 5, 2014 15:40:35 GMT -5
KCC for the month January 2014! Rules: Nothing has changed, Entries are not required to be started in the time frame of the contest, only finished by the deadline. All entries however will still require a photo of the slab, preform and finished cab. So no cabs pulled from the drawer. Things like intarsias, carvings, jewelry, and composite type cabs can not be entered in an effort to keep the contest somewhat fair by just entering free form style cabs. Again, please remember to include a pic or two of the original slab, then a pic of the preform, and finally, the finished cab. We ask that all entries submitted to this contest be unique to the RTH version of the Killer Cab Contest. I will do my best to monitor the other forums for duplicate entries, and any duplicates will be disqualified. You can enter any shape cab and your choice of mineral. Feel free to share with us what ever you like about the material, the process or what ever else you would like to share. Cabs posted here are only for the contest. We have another sponsor for this months contest and I just need to sort out one detail and I will post the prize lot here. If anyone would like to sponsor any months contest, please feel free, we are not trying monopolize that, lol, its just fun to get a prize, so when there is no sponsor we will keep doing our best to get the winner some material I have a small request, because I am not always 100% confident in identifying all materials, if everyone could do their best to remember to ID the material (even if it may seem obvious) it would help me at times, I get concerned I will make a mistake if I guess when I am creating the poll. If you have no idea on the material, that's perfectly OK too ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png) I have entered my fair share of mystery materials, there is no shame in saying "not sure what this is", usually we get some ID help through out the contest too which is a bonus. Good Luck everyone! Carleton
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Roger
fully equipped rock polisher
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Member since January 2013
Posts: 1,487
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Post by Roger on Jan 12, 2014 14:57:44 GMT -5
I thought I would try entering a Koroit Boulder Opal cab this month. This piece is from one of the larger slabs I have. Slab (rear) - the front side photo came out a solid blur.. ![](http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u657/vibratumble/1_zps21bc784c.jpg) Preform (rear) - there was a tiny spot of opal showing that I had hoped would develop into something more intersting, sadly it didn't. ![](http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u657/vibratumble/2_zpsfe18ccd3.jpg) Finished Cab (rear) - the sun hid from me and the photo ended up a reflection lol. ![](http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u657/vibratumble/6_zpsc9ddb4d4.jpg) Preform - (edge view) ![](http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u657/vibratumble/4_zpsb1b5f2c2.jpg) Finished Cab (edge view) ![](http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u657/vibratumble/5_zpsbd149f6d.jpg) Preform (front) - the top of this was like the surface of the moon lol. Deep valleys and deep large craters all across it. I was afraid by the time I got it smoothed out, there wouldn't be much opal left. ![](http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u657/vibratumble/3_zps87aeef14.jpg) Finished Cab (front) - I was able to smooth out all the big pits except one right in the middle. It is still pretty deep and I didn't want to loose anymore opal. I decided it would be a "beauty mark" ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png) ![](http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u657/vibratumble/7_zps6f06a14c.jpg) Roger
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Tommy
Administrator
Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,765
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Post by Tommy on Jan 12, 2014 22:08:00 GMT -5
Alright... Roger brought his 'A' game this month and is gonna be hard to top but I've been planning this one for a while so here goes. Finally got a chance this weekend to work on the unusual piece of Lavic jasper that I wrote about it in this thread here. We collected it in November on the way to meet up with Scott and the gang on the N.Cadys trip. The slab ![](http://www.aquariagraphics.net/rocks2/IMAG1149.jpg) Planning ![](http://www.aquariagraphics.net/rocks2/IMAG1241.jpg) Preform ![](http://www.aquariagraphics.net/rocks2/IMAG1244.jpg) The rough grind ![](http://www.aquariagraphics.net/rocks2/IMAG1318.jpg) The finished product ![](http://www.aquariagraphics.net/rocks2/IMAG1345.jpg) ![](http://www.aquariagraphics.net/rocks2/IMAG1351.jpg) ![](http://www.aquariagraphics.net/rocks2/IMAG1347.jpg) ![](http://www.aquariagraphics.net/rocks2/IMAG1339.jpg)
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Roger
fully equipped rock polisher
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Member since January 2013
Posts: 1,487
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Post by Roger on Jan 12, 2014 22:28:45 GMT -5
Nice cab Tommy and you caught a great scene! It's going to be another good contest ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png) I am not familiar with Lavic but I am going to need to look for some now ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png) I read the post you linked. The variety is amazing.
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Thunder69
Cave Dweller
Thunder 2000-2015
Member since January 2009
Posts: 3,102
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Post by Thunder69 on Jan 13, 2014 20:40:02 GMT -5
It's the A++++ comp this month.....Super cabs from both of you ...WOOO HOOO Game On !!!...JOhn
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Post by roy on Jan 14, 2014 10:33:10 GMT -5
nice cabs you two
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kaldorlon
spending too much on rocks
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Member since October 2013
Posts: 413
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Post by kaldorlon on Jan 18, 2014 19:37:39 GMT -5
Going up to my buddies rock shed tomorrow for a few hours..maybe if I remember to take some photos will enter one this month!
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jan 20, 2014 18:49:25 GMT -5
everybody is bringing their A-game Tommy nice selfie! lol
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junglejim
spending too much on rocks
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Member since January 2014
Posts: 344
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Post by junglejim on Jan 31, 2014 23:57:13 GMT -5
Wow, these are some really nice pieces. Is there a secret to going from the rough grind to the finished product with the fantastic shine? I do some work with resin and my finished pieces that I polish by hand aren't close to the shine here. Secret ingredient???
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Tommy
Administrator
Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,765
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Post by Tommy on Feb 1, 2014 11:54:46 GMT -5
Wow, these are some really nice pieces. Is there a secret to going from the rough grind to the finished product with the fantastic shine? I do some work with resin and my finished pieces that I polish by hand aren't close to the shine here. Secret ingredient??? Elbow grease and time haha. Speaking only for myself I don't use any kind of polishing agent or buffing wheel etc. After I'm done shaping and smoothing on the diamond wheels I use 8 soft nova wheels stepped from 140 to 50K grit. I spend a lot of time on the lower wheels and don't move past 600 until every visible scratch is gone. For each wheel from 1200 thru 50k I do a counting pattern - 10 rotations around the side-girdle, 40 circular rotations to get the edges of the domed face, and 100 swipes across the face to finish the wheel. I'm pretty slow doing it this way but I like the results and I'm not under any kind of production demands having never sold a cab yet.
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junglejim
spending too much on rocks
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Member since January 2014
Posts: 344
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Post by junglejim on Feb 1, 2014 13:05:25 GMT -5
Wow, 50k grit !!! I didn't know it got that fine. Smallest I use is 3k. Judging from the results you certainly enjoy what you are doing.
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,694
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Post by Fossilman on Feb 5, 2014 13:17:56 GMT -5
Going to fun!
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The Dad_Ohs
fully equipped rock polisher
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Take me to your Labradorite!!
Member since September 2012
Posts: 1,860
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Post by The Dad_Ohs on Feb 7, 2014 14:29:42 GMT -5
Wow, 50k grit !!! I didn't know it got that fine. Smallest I use is 3k. Judging from the results you certainly enjoy what you are doing. I've seen wheels that go up to 100k grit for extreme finishes, but have yet to use one myself, and I believe you can buy dust for the buffing wheels up to 150k for gemstones.
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The Dad_Ohs
fully equipped rock polisher
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Take me to your Labradorite!!
Member since September 2012
Posts: 1,860
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Post by The Dad_Ohs on Feb 7, 2014 14:40:26 GMT -5
This is the prize pack for the Jan KCC contest, sorry to be so late posting them. The 2 on the left side of photo were sent to e by a friend in OK which I slabbed and sent some back to him, I haven't worked either yet due to medical issues, but plan to do so asap.. they are both supposed to take really nice shines. also a close up of the 2 pieces, 1 slab 1 end cut both should yield a couple cabs each!! ![](http://i1310.photobucket.com/albums/s658/Dad-Ohs/2013/KCC%20Prizes/P2070004_zps6bea7008.jpg) ![](http://i1310.photobucket.com/albums/s658/Dad-Ohs/2013/KCC%20Prizes/P2070005_zps420f6b2e.jpg) will post this in the KCC voting thread too!! Mario
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