rockhoundoz
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2017
Posts: 131 
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Post by rockhoundoz on Oct 24, 2020 14:01:07 GMT -5
Howdy all, decided to post a little trip report from last winter, a mission to extract this 93 lb brute of an agate nodule!!  I discovered it in early December 2019, just a golf ball sized lump sticking out of the ground. After digging, prying, digging some more etc, finally unearthed the beast after probably 30 minutes of work. By that time, it was dark, & I had to stash the thing up on the cliff/ hillside, as I already had a full pack of stone & really there was no way I could carry it for 4 miles back up the creek & "mountain"side wirhout a larger & sturdier pack (which I don't own anyhow 🙃) So a week later, I enlisted some trusty friends to go and help me carry the thing back out. We built a stretcher to distribute the weight, and set to carrying across the steep & rocky terrain. No go, after a bit of strenuous effort, it became clear we weren't gonna carry the thing out. We made plans to return in January after holiday travels & float it out on kayak 😎. Without further ado, a pictorial of the 5 mile float expedition back out:     Here's me after recovering the nodule & dragging it back down to the water:  The float begins:   After putting the rock in my kayak & floating a bit, my kayak became extremely unstable & wanted to roll on me through every rapid. So I dragged the boat ashore & discovered the the hull was taking on water. Later (back at home) discovered a large hole on the bottom,  but was unsure as to how the water was getting in during the float. I stopped every 20 minutes or so to drain the water at first, but then gave up on that & just did best not to dunk myself in the icy water, lol. With that said, carrying myself (bout 200lbs, 6'3"), 93lbs of agate, my gear, plus at least 20 gallons of water inside the hull- this $200 kayak rated to carry 300lbs or so performed like a champ/doesn't owe me a thing 😂💪.  Warming up on the bank with hot tea:  We made it out/back to the road just about dark:30 👍👍. Some details of the nodule:     As any experienced KY agate cutter knows, red exterior does not usually correlate to red interior. I see clear indications that this one will be yellow & pink/purple on the interior, but ya never know til ya cut it! As usual, I can't get the color to photograph well. I'm dying to cut the thing, but have yet to locate a large enough saw since the 36"er at Berea College went away 😑... This one is about 15"x12"x12". I also have a growing collection of other nice, large agates to cut in general. Anyone out there wanting to help cut or sell me a large saw please feel free to chime in 🤞😁. Fun trip, thanks for checking it out : ) |
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Tommy
Administrator 
Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,651
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Post by Tommy on Oct 24, 2020 14:38:50 GMT -5
Wow! What an awesome experience and I'm glad you persevered and got that sucker out and it's in safe hands now haha. Wish I knew someone within driving distance who could whack that thing for you.
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Post by rockpickerforever on Oct 24, 2020 15:55:36 GMT -5
Howdy all, decided to post a little trip report from last winter, a mission to extract this 93 lb brute of an agate nodule!! Great rock, and loved your write up. I admire your perseverance and never give up attitude. Thank you for posting. Personally, if I come across a large boulder, unless I can get my truck in to haul it off, it's just gonna have to stay right there until someone much younger and adventurous than I comes prepared to take it home, lol. We picked up a used gas powered Husquevarna concrete cutting saw, for not too much money. Or you can rent one at HD or the like. You can cut larger rocks down to size to get them into the biggest saw you have available to you. Good Luck! |
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Post by jasoninsd on Oct 24, 2020 15:55:41 GMT -5
OMG! This is one of the best stories of dedication I've read/heard in a long time! Thanks for the allowing us the vicarious journey with the pics!
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Post by rockjunquie on Oct 24, 2020 17:48:53 GMT -5
Holy Moley! Great report and stupendous effort. Glad it paid off for you. (Sorry abt the kayak.) PLEASE post whenever you get to cutting.  |
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rockhoundoz
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2017
Posts: 131
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Post by rockhoundoz on Oct 24, 2020 18:07:04 GMT -5
Wow! What an awesome experience and I'm glad you persevered and got that sucker out and it's in safe hands now haha. Wish I knew someone within driving distance who could whack that thing for you. Yessir, dontcha know it . I appreciate the wish & wish the same- the biggest saw in my 'circle' is a 24"er & it didn't fit 😅. My biggest fear was getting back out to where I hid it & finding that someone had recklessly smashed it apart. Too common a sad story in KY of beautiful large agates shattered to smithereens! Rockpickerforever: That is a great idea about the concrete cutoff saw rental! Hadn't considered that, bet I could get a reasonably flush cut even just to satisfy the curiosity & that could prevent a possibly expensive run on a big saw if it did turn out to be a 'dud'. I always wonder about the concrete saws that look like a chainsaw both for cutting in situ rock as well as whether one could fashion an 'alaskan (rock) sawmill' type creation. JasoninSD: Thank you! Glad to hear you enjoyed E-floating along down the creek 😋. That sounds so 2020 🤣. Rockjunquie: Much appreciated, thank you, I certainly will post it when I finally manage to slice it, here's to hoping it's not just a giant quartz plug in the middle, lol 🤞 |
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inbtb
Cave Dweller 
Member since May 2016
Posts: 351
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Post by inbtb on Oct 24, 2020 21:23:58 GMT -5
Are you really, really sure you want to cut it?
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Oct 25, 2020 9:09:59 GMT -5
Excellent trip report. Thanks for sharing your adventure! Looks like a great rock and I'm looking forward to seeing what the inside looks like.
Have you ever considered feathers and wedges to split it?
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fishnpinball
Cave Dweller
So much to learn, so little time
Member since March 2017
Posts: 1,491
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Post by fishnpinball on Oct 25, 2020 9:26:43 GMT -5
A lot of effort, but a really nice find.
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rockhoundoz
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2017
Posts: 131
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Post by rockhoundoz on Oct 25, 2020 10:28:28 GMT -5
Are you really, really sure you want to cut it? Indeed, I am positive that I want to cut it - if I can find a properly sized saw. Otherwise, I'm still reflecting on whether I'd risk hacking it apart through other methods, heh. Do you ask because you think it's a cool display piece as is? Or do you know of somewhere to have it cut? |
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rockstock
spending too much on rocks
Member since April 2019
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Post by rockstock on Oct 25, 2020 10:38:46 GMT -5
Awesome haul. Love to see it cut. Concrete saw to make manageable for 24" sounds like a good idea
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rockhoundoz
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2017
Posts: 131
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Post by rockhoundoz on Oct 25, 2020 10:46:04 GMT -5
Excellent trip report. Thanks for sharing your adventure! Looks like a great rock and I'm looking forward to seeing what the inside looks like.
Have you ever considered feathers and wedges to split it?
Thank you, thank you, it's definitely 'the one' rock in my collection most beckoning to be put to the saw : ). & yes, I have inspected it & considered splitting it with wedges, chisels etc at great length. There are basically 3 common 'textures' of KY nodules, 1st, the type full of fractures in every direction, brittle, that smash into a hundred pieces with any force at all. 2nd, the type with a few fractures- usually running all the way through lengthwise or 'equatorial' so to speak, those ones often split perfectly down the middle with little effort. 3rd are the really solid/dense ones with very fibrous & tough nature and little to no fractures. I think this nodule fits the 3rd category. I can't see any fractures at all of note on the surface & based on where & how it has chipped- I imagine one could bang on it for days and only get sprayed with high-velocity shrapnel for the effort 😋. I have successfully split a few dozen large nodules & geodes that way, but only succeeded with the ones thay have clear fracture lines. With breaking in that way one also risks destroying the best part of the pattern in the middle. Many KY nodules have only like a 1/2" thickness of the prime pattern floating in the middle. Here's pics of an example of this. I posted this agate in the saws & slabs forum, but here's a few more images showing how my breaking it in the field (with great force I might add- even w/ this small one) destroyed any chance of getting a slab or flat face cut on the agate. It broke unevenly along the best part - & the cuts I was able to make afterwards, just to either side of the 'sweet spot' had lesser pattern/more calcite plug etc...     That slab was the only decent cut I walked away with due to the break. Now I realize one would think that with the 93lb-er, it would have a much thicker pattern band- well- not necessarily, KY's are odd like that. |
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rockhoundoz
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2017
Posts: 131
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Post by rockhoundoz on Oct 25, 2020 10:50:01 GMT -5
Awesome haul. Love to see it cut. Concrete saw to make manageable for 24" sounds like a good idea I think so too, at least should be able to cut a smaller half off the thing & get that faced in the 24"er. Then, if it had a worthy pattern, I could wait for a 36" one to get a couple slabs & face on the bigger half 👍. Plus, it sounds like fun with the concrete saw 😎. & Fishnpinball: thanks! It was mostly a lot of fun on the adventure, well worth the effort : ). |
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inbtb
Cave Dweller
Member since May 2016
Posts: 351
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Post by inbtb on Oct 25, 2020 12:08:07 GMT -5
Display. How many 93 lb. KY agates are in captivity, and whole.
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rockhoundoz
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2017
Posts: 131
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Post by rockhoundoz on Oct 27, 2020 15:48:24 GMT -5
Display. How many 93 lb. KY agates are in captivity, and whole. Yah, true enough. It is one cool dragon's egg as is. Whether cut or not, I thought would look great set into an upside-down display stump where the roots would hold the agate. I also considered grinding/carving it into a huge classic chicken-egg shape but that would take forever. |
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Post by miket on Oct 27, 2020 16:04:27 GMT -5
Very sweet! I'm very practiced at smashing the "good parts" of Teepees... Whatever you decide to do I'm watching this one with interest.
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Post by stephan on Oct 27, 2020 17:07:50 GMT -5
Looks promising....
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Post by jasoninsd on Oct 27, 2020 20:07:06 GMT -5
Display. How many 93 lb. KY agates are in captivity, and whole. Yah, true enough. It is one cool dragon's egg as is. Whether cut or not, I thought would look great set into an upside-down display stump where the roots would hold the agate. I also considered grinding/carving it into a huge classic chicken-egg shape but that would take forever. This right here! I can picture that stump! I really really like this idea!  |
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Post by fernwood on Oct 29, 2020 6:47:14 GMT -5
Great story. Love that you went back and was able to retrieve it.
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rockhoundoz
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2017
Posts: 131
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Post by rockhoundoz on Oct 29, 2020 18:13:20 GMT -5
Very sweet! I'm very practiced at smashing the "good parts" of Teepees... Whatever you decide to do I'm watching this one with interest.
Hehe, ahh, those teepees very fine indeed, those distal cousins of KY agates from ancient sea. & I completely understand the passions & trials which lead to smashing results 😅. Jasoninsd: glad you can see it too - the throne of the dragon egg 👑. Fernwood: thanks, & I did dream about the thing nightly during "the separation" 😂 |
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