rock estate sale near Dayton, OR 9-3&4

[quartz]

My wife and I were asked by family members to help set up a sale of the rock and machinery collection of a friend who passed away this spring. Only one of the 4 "kids" has any real knowledge of rocks or lapidary art, and we were allowed only 8 days to set up a big sale. With the help of the youngest son and his son we pulled it off, not as well organized as hoped for, but comments were positive. We started with a pretty typical collection of this size, a mess. It went well, all machinery except the 24" HP saw sold, and lots of rough and slabs. The gentleman who passed away and a friend dabbled at a lot of buying and selling of rock shops and collections for several years, in addition to doing their own hunting; made the collection big. Lots of work, lots of fun.

www.flickr.com/photos/100577034@N04/albums/72157657195417354

If anyone knows anything about the Nelson combo machine in the last 3 pics, I'd appreciate learning about it, we bought it. Sort of a novelty nowdays, got it cheap and it's never been used.

[captbob]

Wow... nice collection. That Biggs table alone would have been worth the trip.
Where was this? Kinda surprised the HP 24 didn't sell if priced well.

Awfully nice of you to help out folks that weren't up on what they had there.

[captbob]

If ya'll haven't followed the link AND enlarged the pictures, you are missing a show!
Gotta be $5,000 worth on that Biggs table.

[droseraguy]

Well that is just irritating as all get out. Looks like the family must have done well. That guy must have had a heck of a time

[catmandewe]

The Nelson is a 12" saw with gravity feed.
Should work fine.
Looks like it was a nice sale.

Tony

[Rockoonz]

I was there with the first wave on Saturday.
Were you manning the scale?
I got a nice chunk of BC or WA jade from the $3.00 rocks and a few treasures from the dollar a lb stuff too.
Also a trim saw, a couple spray shields for arbors, and a stepped bracelet mandrel and a T-egg grabber.
www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=ms.c.eJxVzLERACAIA8CNPAISwv6LSYntFw9zu~%3BJsAU3lPViSI7HFYyS3sChyS2GkPpmHepIgFcM~-.bps.a.10204825980996849.1073741834.1458439300&type=3
The Nelson looks to be just like one I picked up a few years ago in a truckload I bought. It was a 14 but it didn't have a vice and it ended up with another local who's on the board.
It is a gravity feed saw intended to have a single grinder wheel on the other side, maybe a nub remover? When new they had a canvas like shield to keep most of the spray inside.
Maybe the grinder wheel was for something to do while waiting for the next cut to finish?

[Rockoonz]

quartz I think you did a great job, the prices were just right to move the stuff out not too low or too high.

[quartz]

Thanks for the replies. I know the Nelson is a 12, the s/n is 595, maybe #5 in 1959? I'd like to know more about the company. Don't have any plan to run it, unusual enough to clean up and just enjoy. Decadence to some is chocolate or ice cream, to me, an old unusual machine looking good. My wife actually puts up with this, to a degree.
captbob, the sale was 35 miles S.W. of Portland, Oregon, a little far for you. The high end stuff was set out, and a couple pieces did sell. Is now about a thousand miles south, to be marketed in a way that's more suitable, considering what it is, than a sale in rural Oregon. The family wanted to hold the price of the HP 24" high, a little too high, we think.
True story about the Biggs: There used to be a rock shop in the area and the owner acquired a dumptruck load of Biggs. People kept snitching pieces, so he made a pit and buried the stuff. When someone wanted some they would go out behind the shop and dig it up. This, before I-84 was built over the site. When the owner got old and wanted out, Vic bought him out lock, stock, and barrel.
Even while the highway was being built, people were out there digging, so the entire area was closed. Two people at the sale told me there is a camera on the site, I wouldn't go near there with a teaspoon.
Rockoonz, likely not me at scale, only ran it late in P.M. I spent most of the day running tail off packing stuff and answering questions. I appreciate the +, we tried very hard to set things up well, and price fairly. Especially difficult within the amount of time we had. Heard of one person who came from Vancouver for opening, saw how many cars were there, turned around an went back home. That has to be a hundred mile round trip. The Nelson has a flat plate with it to use sticky-back discs on, or, I suppose a grinding wheel could be mounted if desired, flanges are there. That end of the shaft has an aluminum enclosure to house whatever is on the shaft, same as what is on bench grinders now. 6" x 3" bump wheel too.

[jamesp]

Wanting all the rocks on the west field in containers. Looks like a seasoned collection. Bet you guys are having fun.

[Rockoonz]

Nelson Equipment was made in the Portland area, Craig the saw guy by the Lloyd center has a 24 inch that's amazing.
I had this one...




The Nelson company made a few combo units too, and nice wet belt sanders.

[quartz]

Thanks for the pic. Lee, I've seen a couple Nelson saws. Looks like all their machines were well planned robustness w/o getting too bulky.

[orygone]

Hi quartz, I am the "local" that got the 12 inch from Lee. Its been refurbished and is still in need of the vise, but otherwise quite nice now with new paint and bright, shiney stainless steel hardware. In an effort to get a vise for it, I have actually ended up with 2 more of the same models. One of them actually came with all of the attachments, including what appears to be a cup for making spheres off the left end of the shaft. I now have a 16B0 saw (info in other posts here) and 3 of the 12D saws. If I can help with anything, let me know.

John

[quartz]

orygone, I'd like to see all the attachments, either pics. or in person. One thing I think I'm missing is a shroud for the bump wheel, and obviously the sphere cup. Thanks for coming back with that info. I live in McMinnville.
Larry

[khara]

Oct 7, 2015 1:02:17 GMT -5 quartz said:

Thanks for the replies. I know the Nelson is a 12, the s/n is 595, maybe #5 in 1959? I'd like to know more about the company. Don't have any plan to run it, unusual enough to clean up and just enjoy. Decadence to some is chocolate or ice cream, to me, an old unusual machine looking good. My wife actually puts up with this, to a degree.
captbob, the sale was 35 miles S.W. of Portland, Oregon, a little far for you. The high end stuff was set out, and a couple pieces did sell. Is now about a thousand miles south, to be marketed in a way that's more suitable, considering what it is, than a sale in rural Oregon. The family wanted to hold the price of the HP 24" high, a little too high, we think.
True story about the Biggs: There used to be a rock shop in the area and the owner acquired a dumptruck load of Biggs. People kept snitching pieces, so he made a pit and buried the stuff. When someone wanted some they would go out behind the shop and dig it up. This, before I-84 was built over the site. When the owner got old and wanted out, Vic bought him out lock, stock, and barrel.
Even while the highway was being built, people were out there digging, so the entire area was closed. Two people at the sale told me there is a camera on the site, I wouldn't go near there with a teaspoon.
Rockoonz, likely not me at scale, only ran it late in P.M. I spent most of the day running tail off packing stuff and answering questions. I appreciate the +, we tried very hard to set things up well, and price fairly. Especially difficult within the amount of time we had. Heard of one person who came from Vancouver for opening, saw how many cars were there, turned around an went back home. That has to be a hundred mile round trip. The Nelson has a flat plate with it to use sticky-back discs on, or, I suppose a grinding wheel could be mounted if desired, flanges are there. That end of the shaft has an aluminum enclosure to house whatever is on the shaft, same as what is on bench grinders now. 6" x 3" bump wheel too.

Larry, so is there still a bunch of Biggs under I-84? And do you know if there is any good rockhounding around Mac?

[quartz]

Yes there is lots of Biggs under 84, and some near-Biggs material on the hill above Rufus.
There is some fair rockhounding in the area, one a logged off place west of Yamhill, and a quarry west of here off Peavine road that has a lot of not-real-nice grayish material that makes good yard debri. A friend said he has found some red in it, plan to go there again in early spring. Willamette river is loaded with agate and wood but hard to get at because of private property.
You must be fairly local, few call Mac, Mac.

[khara]

quartz Such a shame the story about the Biggs. I guess some treasures aren’t meant for us to have, not for a while anyway. Like the underground crystal caves. Such a tiny portion of them is actually accessible for people to climb into and explore and photograph. Imagine what else is down there that we can’t get to.
Yes, quite a bit of time in Mac. I stumbled onto this old post of yours and was pretty surprised to see your mention of it. Not many know of it although that might be changing as it has grown quite a bit since I left. I’m a little ways a way now. Just wondering if I missed out on some great rockhounding or need to come back for some! Bummed I missed that estate sale you helped host. And yes it seems private property is often an obstacle out west here, I envy the people around the Great Lakes!

[quartz]

Realistically both the places described are good for a nice spring day out, gather some tumbling fodder and maybe a cutter or two, and have an enjoyable picnic lunch. Great rockhounding isn't in the chips around here. When I get to the quarry, likely March, and I find it to have changed for the better I'll let you know. Google Earth shows activity since we have been there.

[vance71975]

Oct 6, 2015 0:13:25 GMT -5 quartz said:

My wife and I were asked by family members to help set up a sale of the rock and machinery collection of a friend who passed away this spring. Only one of the 4 "kids" has any real knowledge of rocks or lapidary art, and we were allowed only 8 days to set up a big sale. With the help of the youngest son and his son we pulled it off, not as well organized as hoped for, but comments were positive. We started with a pretty typical collection of this size, a mess. It went well, all machinery except the 24" HP saw sold, and lots of rough and slabs. The gentleman who passed away and a friend dabbled at a lot of buying and selling of rock shops and collections for several years, in addition to doing their own hunting; made the collection big. Lots of work, lots of fun.

www.flickr.com/photos/100577034@N04/albums/72157657195417354

If anyone knows anything about the Nelson combo machine in the last 3 pics, I'd appreciate learning about it, we bought it. Sort of a novelty nowdays, got it cheap and it's never been used.

I gotta ask, Am I missing something? I was looking at the photos and 175 to 600 bucks for the big slabs? Are they Diamond slabs? Am I missing something? I honestly am condfused by the prices cause I see slabs in videos and stuff at rock shows going for like 1 to 15 bucks, and Admittedly I am new so I cant really tell if they are some rare hard to find stone or not, but some of them looked like picture jasper to me, so I guess im wondering why so high on the prices?

[khara]

vance71975 It’s Deschutes, Biggs, and Bruneau Jasper. Can’t dig it anymore, I believe. Not this quality anyway. So can only get what is currently circulating on the market or if any new estate sales like this pop up. But the old timers who had collections of this caliber are almost gone so their estates have likely mostly been parsed through and dismantled and sold off by now.

[vance71975]

Nov 15, 2022 16:47:10 GMT -5 khara said:

vance71975 It’s Deschutes, Biggs, and Bruneau Jasper. Can’t dig it anymore, I believe. Not this quality anyway. So can only get what is currently circulating on the market or if any new estate sales like this pop up. But the old timers who had collections of this caliber are almost gone so their estates have likely mostly been parsed through and dismantled and sold off by now.

Ahhh So It is pretty Rare stuff gotcha.