NevadaBill
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2019
Posts: 1,332
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Post by NevadaBill on Jan 16, 2021 14:08:10 GMT -5
That is a beautiful batch of rocks! I love the variety in the colors and patterns. If I could find rocks like that nearby, I don’t think I would ever have a reason to buy any! Really?! That is pretty cool of you to say so, Brian! I always see the amazing rocks that the experts here at RTH seem to turn in to treasures and I wish I could get some of those too.
I kind of posted these just so someone might see what the average guy might have for rocks. It is a good measure of contrast between these and the nicer material.
So it is really nice to hear that.
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NevadaBill
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2019
Posts: 1,332
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Post by NevadaBill on Jan 16, 2021 14:11:20 GMT -5
Good stuff! I have a few CO River rocks in third stage right now. One is a real doozy. I can't wait to see how they turn out. I can't imagine where the rocks might have originated. But it could be hundreds of miles away.
Some times I see some of the same exact rock. LIke they all broke away from the same outcropping someplace. And they are pretty special looking too (to me). It would be nice to know where the source is. But it might even be underwater someplace only. Who knows.
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NevadaBill
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2019
Posts: 1,332
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Post by NevadaBill on Jan 16, 2021 14:12:31 GMT -5
You have my PM. I hope you can post your results too after you find and polish some for yourself too. Thank you for saying.
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NevadaBill
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2019
Posts: 1,332
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Post by NevadaBill on Jan 16, 2021 14:15:40 GMT -5
I LOVE these! So rarely do I see "ordinary" rocks with pits, fractures etc, polished to completion. I also am learning and polishing only self-collected rocks so far and happen to like a lot of the natural blemishes. Imperfections never looked so good. Thank you much! It is probably a lot of fun for you too when you go collecting. I hope your rocks come out nicely!
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NevadaBill
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2019
Posts: 1,332
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Post by NevadaBill on Jan 16, 2021 14:18:32 GMT -5
I went to Yuma Arizona over Christmas and picked up a hand-full of rocks along the Colorado river while I was there. They are rolling and should be out of polish in a month. I'll be looking for them. I can't wait to see what variety you might have come up with. Perhaps you could separate the handful for a photo shot of their own so I can distinguish them from the rest of the batch.
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NevadaBill
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2019
Posts: 1,332
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Post by NevadaBill on Jan 16, 2021 14:31:36 GMT -5
Thanks man! You know that one thing I like about these river rocks is that nature has shaped a good many of them some times. Like for a few it is almost like Stage 1 is done for me by the river. Plus some of my best smalls come from the river. Lots of little Agates some times.
I really don't know what I would do with the Fairburns if I did have some. But I might probably throw some int he tumbler just to see what comes out.
That has kind of been my attitude the whole time up until now, really. I just keep throwing rocks of different types and stuff in to the tumbler to see what comes out! It is VERY interesting to see when I pull something cool out of the barrel. I just love checking the progress of the polish stage. I am always out there stopping the tumbler and spot checking a few by hand to see how good they are or how much longer they need to go.
Tumbling is a lot of fun for me, and I don't see myself stopping any time soon. Some of my good tumbles have even turned in to pendants. Its always exciting doing clean ups each week. To see what can move on and such!
I think in the next batch I tumble, I'm going to pick through the 21 tons of landscaping river rock we have, just to see what comes out of some of it. There's a ton (pun intended) of rocks out there that I think would look "divine with a shine". For me, the Fairburns are too few and far in-between, with regards to finding them, to cut or tumble any of them...it's another case (for me at least) that some rocks should just be left in their "natural state". Although I love seeing the tumbled, face polished, and cabs other people make out of their Fairburns! LOL You have an interesting perspective on rocks found, Jason. I share a lot of the viewpoints which you have expressed in the past for your finds.
I've got piles of rocks around trees or bushes all about in the yard. And a lot of them I like them just as they are. Natural. A bunch of large pure white chunks of Quartz for example, laying in a pile next to some dark green Juniper bushes. They just stand out! I mean they are cool to leave just the way they are.
Once about 20 years ago, at a former home, I drug a 100 lb rock that I found from within a Gold mine that I happened upon (when searching for Gold mines that is), deep within the Plumas National Forest of Northern California. I rolled it outside the mine, and it was a massive piece of old delapitated decomposed Quartz which was riddled with colors, veins and imperfections. I don't know why it was left there but I always thought it might have a speck of Gold or two inside of it. So I brought the Jeep down closer to the mine entrance, and winched the rock up the hill to the Jeep. Then I barely managed to get it inside the tailgate of the Jeep. Eventually I drove it 350 miles back South to where I lived (in San Francisco Bay area), and put it in the middle of the back yard in front of a large tree. Every time I looked at it for some reason I was happy about it. And always told people that there was Gold in it and stuff. Kind of crazy, but there could have been.
Some rocks are just cool the way they are naturally.
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kyoti
has rocks in the head
Member since June 2020
Posts: 542
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Post by kyoti on Jan 16, 2021 14:41:29 GMT -5
That's a fabulous selection of material with a great shine. I love the yellow and maroon patterned jasper and the very cool purple tan and maroon agate. I think that one is my favorite. I wish we had colorful material like that here. Your sugar agates came out great too. Mine usually crack or chip.
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NevadaBill
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2019
Posts: 1,332
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Post by NevadaBill on Jan 16, 2021 22:34:21 GMT -5
That's a fabulous selection of material with a great shine. I love the yellow and maroon patterned jasper and the very cool purple tan and maroon agate. I think that one is my favorite. I wish we had colorful material like that here. Your sugar agates came out great too. Mine usually crack or chip. Thanks for the kind words! I guess I try to pick up a lot of Colo River rock even if it is Chert, mostly to contrast the mostly red colored Jaspers which are super common out here. I've heard some interesting reasons as to why there are so many iron oxide stained rocks which range from the number of active volcanos in my neighborhood to the number of massive Copper mines in the vacinity. I think that I should be happy to find them, as perhaps other parts of this country (or certainly the world) may not have as much reddish material in it at all. And we have a huge variety (especially in Jasper, Chert, Pet Wood, and sometimes Agate) which I am able to pick up.
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Wooferhound
Cave Dweller
Lortone QT66 and 3A
Member since December 2016
Posts: 1,423
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Post by Wooferhound on Feb 3, 2021 15:38:18 GMT -5
I went to Yuma Arizona over Christmas and picked up a hand-full of rocks along the Colorado river while I was there. They are rolling and should be out of polish in a month. I'll be looking for them. I can't wait to see what variety you might have come up with. Perhaps you could separate the handful for a photo shot of their own so I can distinguish them from the rest of the batch.
Hey I did a cleanout today and pulled those Colorodo River rocks out of the pan and took a picture of them. We were in a Park on a public path along the river in Yuma Arizona. Only saw a a few rocks worth the pickin. They have been a rolling week in Stage 1 for a cleanup and are waiting for the next batch that I push through to polish.
Here they are pictured soaking wet . . .
In a coupla months I'll have a buncha Yuma rocks to show off polished . . .
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stewdogg
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2020
Posts: 388
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Post by stewdogg on Feb 4, 2021 0:20:46 GMT -5
I think in the next batch I tumble, I'm going to pick through the 21 tons of landscaping river rock we have, just to see what comes out of some of it. There's a ton (pun intended) of rocks out there that I think would look "divine with a shine". For me, the Fairburns are too few and far in-between, with regards to finding them, to cut or tumble any of them...it's another case (for me at least) that some rocks should just be left in their "natural state". Although I love seeing the tumbled, face polished, and cabs other people make out of their Fairburns! LOL You have an interesting perspective on rocks found, Jason. I share a lot of the viewpoints which you have expressed in the past for your finds.
I've got piles of rocks around trees or bushes all about in the yard. And a lot of them I like them just as they are. Natural. A bunch of large pure white chunks of Quartz for example, laying in a pile next to some dark green Juniper bushes. They just stand out! I mean they are cool to leave just the way they are.
Once about 20 years ago, at a former home, I drug a 100 lb rock that I found from within a Gold mine that I happened upon (when searching for Gold mines that is), deep within the Plumas National Forest of Northern California. I rolled it outside the mine, and it was a massive piece of old delapitated decomposed Quartz which was riddled with colors, veins and imperfections. I don't know why it was left there but I always thought it might have a speck of Gold or two inside of it. So I brought the Jeep down closer to the mine entrance, and winched the rock up the hill to the Jeep. Then I barely managed to get it inside the tailgate of the Jeep. Eventually I drove it 350 miles back South to where I lived (in San Francisco Bay area), and put it in the middle of the back yard in front of a large tree. Every time I looked at it for some reason I was happy about it. And always told people that there was Gold in it and stuff. Kind of crazy, but there could have been.
Some rocks are just cool the way they are naturally.
All those fancy words only add up to a tall fishing tale without a picture...
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NevadaBill
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2019
Posts: 1,332
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Post by NevadaBill on Feb 9, 2021 13:37:04 GMT -5
I'll be looking for them. I can't wait to see what variety you might have come up with. Perhaps you could separate the handful for a photo shot of their own so I can distinguish them from the rest of the batch.
Hey I did a cleanout today and pulled those Colorodo River rocks out of the pan and took a picture of them. We were in a Park on a public path along the river in Yuma Arizona. Only saw a a few rocks worth the pickin. They have been a rolling week in Stage 1 for a cleanup and are waiting for the next batch that I push through to polish.
Here they are pictured soaking wet . . .
In a coupla months I'll have a buncha Yuma rocks to show off polished . . .
Hey, those are pretty cool! Thanks for posting. Actually some of these have a very striking similarity to the ones I get too. Some times I wish I knew the source or how far these little chunks of rock have traveled.
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NevadaBill
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2019
Posts: 1,332
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Post by NevadaBill on Feb 9, 2021 13:41:25 GMT -5
You have an interesting perspective on rocks found, Jason. I share a lot of the viewpoints which you have expressed in the past for your finds.
I've got piles of rocks around trees or bushes all about in the yard. And a lot of them I like them just as they are. Natural. A bunch of large pure white chunks of Quartz for example, laying in a pile next to some dark green Juniper bushes. They just stand out! I mean they are cool to leave just the way they are.
Once about 20 years ago, at a former home, I drug a 100 lb rock that I found from within a Gold mine that I happened upon (when searching for Gold mines that is), deep within the Plumas National Forest of Northern California. I rolled it outside the mine, and it was a massive piece of old delapitated decomposed Quartz which was riddled with colors, veins and imperfections. I don't know why it was left there but I always thought it might have a speck of Gold or two inside of it. So I brought the Jeep down closer to the mine entrance, and winched the rock up the hill to the Jeep. Then I barely managed to get it inside the tailgate of the Jeep. Eventually I drove it 350 miles back South to where I lived (in San Francisco Bay area), and put it in the middle of the back yard in front of a large tree. Every time I looked at it for some reason I was happy about it. And always told people that there was Gold in it and stuff. Kind of crazy, but there could have been.
Some rocks are just cool the way they are naturally.
All those fancy words only add up to a tall fishing tale without a picture... Sorry I'll have to disappoint you, Stew. It was actually 30 years ago, and about the only thing that I thought of taking pictures of back then were X's. I'd post one of them, but I am afraid that I might be violating the RTH's guidelines on decency.
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stewdogg
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2020
Posts: 388
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Post by stewdogg on Feb 9, 2021 23:04:43 GMT -5
All those fancy words only add up to a tall fishing tale without a picture... Sorry I'll have to disappoint you, Stew. It was actually 30 years ago, and about the only thing that I thought of taking pictures of back then were X's. I'd post one of them, but I am afraid that I might be violating the RTH's guidelines on decency. Haha, I was hoping you didn't take my words as rude, but now you have me forgetting what I wanted a picture of before anyway... Seems like you were making the correct memories at the appropriate time, but now you have me thinking of where I went wrong with my picture taking time of my youth... How are the Colorado river rocks doing?
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NevadaBill
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2019
Posts: 1,332
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Post by NevadaBill on Feb 15, 2021 13:24:21 GMT -5
Sorry I'll have to disappoint you, Stew. It was actually 30 years ago, and about the only thing that I thought of taking pictures of back then were X's. I'd post one of them, but I am afraid that I might be violating the RTH's guidelines on decency. Haha, I was hoping you didn't take my words as rude, but now you have me forgetting what I wanted a picture of before anyway... Seems like you were making the correct memories at the appropriate time, but now you have me thinking of where I went wrong with my picture taking time of my youth... How are the Colorado river rocks doing? Thanks for saying, Stew.
The Colorado ones are my current favorites due to the variety and them mostly being finished Stage1 by the river and time alone. My Jasper and Agates take much longer on a whole.
I have finished another batch, and currently am in Stage 5 with the following. So I will be posting more of my plain, crumby, and mundane (but polished!) rocks soon enough! Thank you for asking.
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,681
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Post by Fossilman on Feb 17, 2021 16:56:10 GMT -5
Hey those are awesome.... Look at the colors, holy moly!!
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Post by miket on Feb 17, 2021 17:42:22 GMT -5
Just saw this post and I think these look great! Most of what I tumble is self-collected as well, and I really like that aspect of tumbling. Sometimes I get duds and sometimes I get some great surprises. Anyway, nice job, sir!
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