Autumn
starting to shine!
Member since July 2014
Posts: 47
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Post by Autumn on Jul 7, 2014 21:38:03 GMT -5
My name is Autumn and I will be your host for this evening. Welcome to my first post on RTH. I've been browsing the board on and off for a couple years, and was inspired to make my first wrap by upsided0wnducks' creation here. I've come a long way with wire wrapping over the last two years, and since I've recently moved to a part of NC with a lot of mineral deposits (isn't that the entire state? ^.^), I figured it was time to join the group. I haven't started tumbling yet, but between working with all the wire (copper, brass and stainless), and finding stones in the yard...I'm going to have to cave and start. It only took two years....
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Post by manofglass on Jul 7, 2014 21:47:04 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum
Walt
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jul 7, 2014 21:59:54 GMT -5
Welcome from austin tx Dave
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Post by roy on Jul 7, 2014 22:26:54 GMT -5
welcome ! let see what you make!
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lagniappe
off to a rocking start
Member since June 2014
Posts: 18
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Post by lagniappe on Jul 8, 2014 11:42:56 GMT -5
Welcome from Central VA! What kind of minerals are around your yard? I really need to find some time to get back to NC. I went out to a place last weekend that has and exposed quartz vein, but the crystals were all fairly small.
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Autumn
starting to shine!
Member since July 2014
Posts: 47
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Post by Autumn on Jul 8, 2014 18:24:42 GMT -5
Thanks for the "welcome" everyone! Lagniappe, I'm not sure exactly what I have--that's what made me join! But a document I found several months back (a survey of gem-quality minerals in the state) says there's a lot of chalcedony-based minerals around here. I've found a few pieces of quartz, and one I assume is flint. I'm having trouble getting the red clay out of those nooks and crannies though! I don't have a tumbler, and brushing either either a toothbrush or brass-brush wheel thing for the knock-off Dremel doesn't get anything beyond the surface.
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Post by rockjunquie on Jul 8, 2014 22:53:41 GMT -5
Howdy from Virginia Beach, the land of no rocks. I have to get my rock fix here.
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Post by snowmom on Jul 9, 2014 5:57:10 GMT -5
welcome from Michigan on Lake Huron
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transcendental
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2014
Posts: 459
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Post by transcendental on Jul 9, 2014 6:20:33 GMT -5
Welcome autumn I found a bunch of quartz that was stained red in my yard also, try soaking for a week in a mix of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. If that doesn't work (it didn't take all the rust off mine) rinse them really well and soak them again in a product called rust out. I use it as a last resort the peroxide mix works pretty good. However if the iron was present when the quartz formed chances are those rust stains are permanent and just add character to your quartz
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stephent
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2014
Posts: 213
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Post by stephent on Jul 9, 2014 8:32:32 GMT -5
Howdy and welcome from Arkansas. No tumbler to clean/derust quartz-ish stones or points with yet?..no problem. Use a *plastic* Coffee can and lid.. rocks in water to barely cover..add 3 tbsp borax (helps remove dirt only)...or even better.. use "Zud" (if ya can find it in cleaning section of home center/walmart.etc)...it has Oxalic acid in it. Tape lid on well and block it firmly in trunk of car or bed of pick-up..drive around on your normal trips for a few days to a week...remove stones and rinse well. Stones will be cleaner (borax)..de-rusted (Zud cleans too), but might take a few days more with another dose of Zud to get more rust out/off. Zud makes a weak, but safe solution of Oxalic acid when mixed with water. Oxalic Acid loves to eat rust, and iron too! Not so sure about using Zud and Borax together...might not be advisable? A simple "shaken...not stirred" (like a 007 Martini) cleaning approach. Warning! iron bearing rocks WILL dissolve and pit badly in Zud!
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Post by drocknut on Jul 9, 2014 10:59:04 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum. Two years isn't so bad, better late than never...lol.
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