Tommy
Administrator 
Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,978
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Post by Tommy on Sept 13, 2016 23:23:36 GMT -5
one enormous photo ... lol. If anyone wants to see a large closeup of any of the stones let me know.  Row 1: Mojave purple turquoise, Magnesite marble, dino bone, Graveyard point plume Row 2: Mary Ellen jasper, dino bone, Tidgilite, chrysocolla Row 3: Cady's rainbow jasper, Texas bouquet plume (doublet), Ellipso jasper, septarian nodule Row 4: Graveyard Point plume, chrysocolla/malachite, Apache sage, Strawberry onyx Row 5: McDermitt t-egg, dino bone, Tidgilite, Richardson's Ranch t-egg Row 6: dino bone, biggs, dino bone, Feather Ridge plume Row 7: Carey plume (doublet), Tidgilite, variscite, Hampton green wood Row 8: shells in mud, Lucky Strike plume, brecciated tiffany, dino bone Row 9: Bull Canyon moss, tiffany, chryso/malachite, marfa plume Row 10: Utah septarian, variscite, Tidgilite, Morgan Hill Row 11: Mexican purple, Mont Lyall t-egg, Lucky Strike plume, Woodward Ranch plume Row 12: Ocean picture rock, sagenite, ruby in fuschite, Brenda agate Row 13: Plume agate Tiffany, brecciated Tiffany, dino bone, Lucky Strike plume Thanks for looking. |
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dottyt
spending too much on rocks
Member since July 2016
Posts: 305 
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Post by dottyt on Sept 13, 2016 23:58:38 GMT -5
Wow, quite a show! They are fantastic!
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Post by tims on Sept 14, 2016 3:15:00 GMT -5
Beautiful, and wonderful variety. If i could produce one of those in a month i'd be pleased.
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Post by Garage Rocker on Sept 14, 2016 8:02:08 GMT -5
I don't even know where to start, but I'd be interested in how much time you invest in sourcing material. Incredible display, man. BRAVO!!!
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Post by rockjunquie on Sept 14, 2016 9:26:38 GMT -5
OMG! It just gets betterer and betterer!!! You have some really special ones there, Tommy. The tiffany is to die for.
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Tommy
Administrator
Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,978
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Post by Tommy on Sept 14, 2016 10:31:29 GMT -5
I don't even know where to start, but I'd be interested in how much time you invest in sourcing material. Well in addition to our collecting trips we hit a lot of gem shows - and the west is blessed with a LOT of gem shows lol. We've already hit 12 shows this year (PowWow, Desert Gardens, Antioch, Vallejo, Newark, Turloch, Roseville, Chico, Mariposa, Madras, San Francisco, Hanford) - the first seven on the list were in Q1 and at that point I could have stopped and not run out of rocks to cut for several years haha. We missed one of our favorite shows San Jose - home club of Pat and stoner - due to annoying family stuff. No doubt those two got all the nice rocks in my absence  This weekend we are heading up to Placerville for the big Federation show - after that there's Lodi followed the next weekend by four semi-local shows, Chico, Santa Rosa, Monterey, and Redwood City none of which we've ever been to. We'll round the year out with the choices of attending Grass Valley which we've never been to, Anderson (my bro's club), Los Altos, Contra Costa, and Sacramento. We're are eyeballing Barstow in December for the promise of good weather for local collecting. I think you get the picture ... can you tell I've had too much coffee??? On the shows outside our area we try to combine it with other fun activities for family and dog - like nearby lake etc. Once inside a show of decent size like the PowWow or Roseville, it's not unusual for me to spend 3-4 hours slowly and methodically sniffing out the good stuff and I do a lot of calculating in my head - purchase prices vs. how many cabochons at what value. One thing I've learned is you can't be afraid to pull the trigger on a big-ticket item - and you can't be afraid to walk away from it if the math is not right. And yes my wife is a saint with patience of biblical proportions LOL. |
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Post by Garage Rocker on Sept 14, 2016 10:48:50 GMT -5
So, I'm hearing there's a little bit of time (and miles) put in on it. Well, once you're at these shows, one still needs to know what to grab. And you have a wicked eye for the good stuff and an ability to show it at it's best. You guys out there on the left coast sure have a luxury we don't have back here. Hard to find good rock and the shows are few and far between. Thanks for showing off the beauty in these materials Tommy, I'm sure I'm not the only one inspired by your work. |
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Post by rockjunquie on Sept 14, 2016 10:55:16 GMT -5
it's not unusual for me to spend 3-4 hours slowly and methodically sniffing out the good stuff and I do a lot of calculating in my head - purchase prices vs. how many cabochons at what value. One thing I've learned is you can't be afraid to pull the trigger on a big-ticket item - and you can't be afraid to walk away from it if the math is not right. And yes my wife is a saint with patience of biblical proportions LOL. It is so true about not being afraid. What is the old saying? You gotta spend money to make money? ... I wish my husband was as patient. We only have one show that I know of and there aren't many slabs there. I still have to drag him, though. |
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geezer
spending too much on rocks
Member since April 2016
Posts: 338 
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Post by geezer on Sept 14, 2016 11:14:30 GMT -5
When good rough shows it's head, BUY IT FAST! what's on the market today may not be there tomorrow (Idaho lemon opal comes to mind.......).
When we go on buying trips, my wonderful Wife carries the cash! She never bats an eye when it's time to settle up!
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dottyt
spending too much on rocks
Member since July 2016
Posts: 305
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Post by dottyt on Sept 14, 2016 12:54:18 GMT -5
Tommy, do you sell your finished items somewhere? Online or at a show?
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gemfeller
Cave Dweller 
Member since June 2011
Posts: 4,051
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Post by gemfeller on Sept 14, 2016 13:06:47 GMT -5
Great display of unique materials Tommy. There's so much nice stuff I won't even try to pick a favorite.
You're lucky your wife is so copacetic with your interests. My spouse is enthusiastic about my work -- she grabs finished pieces as fast as I can make them. But when it comes to shows it's another story. She is NOT patient and really has no interest in the nuts-and-bolts part of what I do. But she doesn't complain about my spending time on my interests, so that's a big plus.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,494
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Post by Sabre52 on Sept 14, 2016 13:57:04 GMT -5
Wow, love the tidgilite ( where is that from?) and the brecciated tiffanyy stone. Beautiful display!....mel
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Tommy
Administrator
Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,978
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Post by Tommy on Sept 14, 2016 15:24:27 GMT -5
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Post by orrum on Sept 14, 2016 15:31:42 GMT -5
The Eagles....Oh lord stuck in Lodi again!!!
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Tommy
Administrator
Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,978
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Post by Tommy on Sept 14, 2016 15:56:57 GMT -5
The Eagles....Oh lord stuck in Lodi again!!! I think that was CCR wasn't it? |
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Post by orrum on Sept 14, 2016 16:02:37 GMT -5
I am gonna Google that!!!
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Post by orrum on Sept 14, 2016 16:06:56 GMT -5
Ok I refuse on the grounds that this is a free nation to admit I was wrong.... Therefore in a alternate universe that I once apparently visited the Eagles recorded that song.... Sigh so hard to be right on this subject....beam me up Mothership!!!
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Post by braders on Sept 14, 2016 16:31:05 GMT -5
That right there is the centerfold of rock porn magazine if I have ever seen it !!! Lovely collection Mr.  |
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Tommy
Administrator
Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,978
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Post by Tommy on Sept 14, 2016 16:40:31 GMT -5
That right there is the centerfold of rock porn magazine if I have ever seen it !!! Lovely collection Mr. Thank you sir! Long time no-see |
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Tommy
Administrator
Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,978
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Post by Tommy on Sept 14, 2016 16:41:55 GMT -5
Ok I refuse on the grounds that this is a free nation to admit I was wrong.... Therefore in a alternate universe that I once apparently visited the Eagles recorded that song.... Sigh so hard to be right on this subject....beam me up Mothership!!! The proof is indoobidibly irrefutable |
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