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Post by HankRocks on Sept 6, 2020 15:40:25 GMT -5
This was in my last load of Ark Quartz. It was the largest glass clear piece. Have a good bit of even larger ones, some up to 1.5 to 2 pound range, that will be clear. If I could just figure out how to tumble more than one at a time. Bruising on the clear Quartz stands out. IMG_2009 by Findrocks, on Flickr
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Sept 6, 2020 16:26:29 GMT -5
That's amazing how it magnifies the rug/towel (?) underneath it. Beautiful job on it, Hank!
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Post by jasoninsd on Sept 7, 2020 14:08:03 GMT -5
Hank, that's stunning!
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Post by Mel on Sept 11, 2020 16:20:32 GMT -5
Gorgeous piece!
I just use a lot of pellets for cushioning with my quartz (I'm only tumbling 1-2" pieces though); otherwise it bruises like mad. So frustrating. Definitely share the bigger pieces, a 2 pound chunk of clear quartz would be amazing.
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Post by HankRocks on Sept 11, 2020 17:19:45 GMT -5
Gorgeous piece! I just use a lot of pellets for cushioning with my quartz (I'm only tumbling 1-2" pieces though); otherwise it bruises like mad. So frustrating. Definitely share the bigger pieces, a 2 pound chunk of clear quartz would be amazing. I had posted this a few months back, it's just under 4 pounds. Has some clear areas. It was run in Polish with Pea Gravel. It took over two months in rough grind to get it smooth. I will be trying one of the 2 pound clear pieces I have in the future. The queue is long and everyone in it is pushing and shoving!!! IMG_1805 by Findrocks, on Flickr This was one batch along with the smalls that polished real well together. IMG_1811 by Findrocks, on Flickr Some selected mostly clear from the above batch with the Apache Tears and the Tigers Eye. IMG_1813 by Findrocks, on Flickr
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Post by Mel on Sept 11, 2020 18:28:45 GMT -5
Tigers eye is just plain stunning; such a gorgeous stone. I've got some red ready to go, looking forward to that with great anticipation. I've found with quartz that it's really hard to find truly clear pieces. Maybe it's just the source mine's from. Have you ever tried hand polishing or lapping the clear stuff? Very curious but not curious enough to invest the time
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Post by HankRocks on Sept 11, 2020 19:12:56 GMT -5
Tigers eye is just plain stunning; such a gorgeous stone. I've got some red ready to go, looking forward to that with great anticipation. I've found with quartz that it's really hard to find truly clear pieces. Maybe it's just the source mine's from. Have you ever tried hand polishing or lapping the clear stuff? Very curious but not curious enough to invest the time Been digging Arkansas Quartz for about 20 years. Used to only take the nice points. For the last 10 years or so every time I saw a broken clear piece it went in the bucket so I have a good supply to play with. I have some large points that have been "dinged" and one or two of the faces damaged. Was tempted to try and repair by grinding a new flat face(s) and polish it. There is one problem to that the new flat finish would not match the existing natural surfaces. Take a good look at the surface of a quartz crystal, there are all sorts of growth patterns and striations on the surface. These striations add a lot of character to natural crystals. A hand polish side is smooth as glass. Got into a bit of an argument with someone selling those "polished" points. I made some comment about the nice polish job someone did. He tried to assure me that they came out of the ground just as they appear. I had to differ and gave up trying to convince him. He just didn't know so I finally let him be with mis-conception. One thing for sure, quartz crystals cut and grind fast, they act much softer than their actual hardness due to the molecular structure. That's another reason they frost so easy.
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Post by HankRocks on Sept 11, 2020 19:19:48 GMT -5
Mel Here's a bigger picture of my profile image, Last Oct at Ron Coleman's. There was light rain all day and the pile was a mucker's delight. My shoes and socks must have doubled in weight from the water and mud. The buckets ended up having several larger clear pieces. Only about 2 or 3 of the big points were un-damaged. digger_1 by Findrocks, on Flickr
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Post by Mel on Sept 11, 2020 19:54:17 GMT -5
Wow!
I always assumed all polished faces are exactly that -- polished. I just love the ability to look straight through a rock. Feels like some kind of magic. Unfortunately down my way there's not much for stones; lots of quartz, some jasper and tons of slate & granite (though rarely in any appreciable size, though today I did get a contact for a local pit....). No clear quartz I've ever seen though. Maybe I just don't know the right spots to look.
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Post by TheRock on Sept 30, 2020 8:56:10 GMT -5
Crystal Quarts are one of my favorites. I like Em when they turn out clear. Great job on them.
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Post by HankRocks on Sept 30, 2020 10:18:59 GMT -5
Crystal Quarts are one of my favorites. I like Em when they turn out clear. Great job on them. Do like them myself. They sure are fickle and need pampering in the last 2 or 3 stages.
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