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Post by jasoninsd on May 18, 2021 19:31:58 GMT -5
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Post by rockjunquie on May 18, 2021 19:40:54 GMT -5
NICE!
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Post by hummingbirdstones on May 18, 2021 19:42:30 GMT -5
By Jove, I think you found it!  |
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Post by jasoninsd on May 18, 2021 20:04:19 GMT -5
Thanks Tela!  By Jove, I think you found it!  Right! LOL - When my wife and I went up and we were leaving, I saw the piles of rocks along the ridgeline, so I knew we had been close! LOL That’s exciting, we’re you digging or surface collecting? Thank you so much! If you look in that fourth picture, it shows where the "digging" is going on. There was some serious overhang. If it were to let loose while digging there, it will either seriously injure or kill you with the weight of the collapse. I was by myself, so I only dug out one nodule and was nervous the whole time. I knew it was REALLY stupid to take any more chances than that. So, all but one piece was surface collected this time. What I found interesting, was the amount of nodules that weren't collected. Granted, some of those nodules would only produce one cab - maybe two. So, it was evident whoever was busting the nodules was only looking for massive fortification patterns. I spent a lot of the day busting rock (I got a blister from swinging the hand-sledge all day! LOL) because there's nodules hiding in a TON of that rock strewn about. Sometimes you can see the nodule (barely), but other times it's completely hidden and it's a luck of the draw thing... |
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Post by amygdule on May 18, 2021 20:06:12 GMT -5
Nice pictures
What kind of trees ?
Pine
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Post by jasoninsd on May 18, 2021 20:14:14 GMT -5
Nice pictures What kind of trees ? Pine Thanks 'dule! Ponderosa Pine. Most of the trees in the Black Hills are Ponderosa Pine...with a few Birch trees thrown in for good measure. LOL - There's more than that really, but it's the conifer trees that give the hills their name. The hills really do look "black" from a distance. |
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Post by Pat on May 18, 2021 20:42:50 GMT -5
Very nice! I wonder how they are made.
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Post by jasoninsd on May 18, 2021 20:48:11 GMT -5
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Post by jasoninsd on May 18, 2021 22:28:19 GMT -5
Thanks Tela! Right! LOL - When my wife and I went up and we were leaving, I saw the piles of rocks along the ridgeline, so I knew we had been close! LOL Thank you so much! If you look in that fourth picture, it shows where the "digging" is going on. There was some serious overhang. If it were to let loose while digging there, it will either seriously injure or kill you with the weight of the collapse. I was by myself, so I only dug out one nodule and was nervous the whole time. I knew it was REALLY stupid to take any more chances than that. So, all but one piece was surface collected this time. What I found interesting, was the amount of nodules that weren't collected. Granted, some of those nodules would only produce one cab - maybe two. So, it was evident whoever was busting the nodules was only looking for massive fortification patterns. I spent a lot of the day busting rock (I got a blister from swinging the hand-sledge all day! LOL) because there's nodules hiding in a TON of that rock strewn about. Sometimes you can see the nodule (barely), but other times it's completely hidden and it's a luck of the draw thing... Looks like rockhound paradise! I’d be thinking about bringing a generator and a small saw, or a weigh scale and bucket of water to specific gravity test each nodule. Hammer breaking a real prize would be a heart breaker. You can't unfortunately. It's designated "hand tools" only. The only real way to ensure no broken "prize" would be to load up the entire piece of rough and take it home. Then your yard would look like the first couple pics... |
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Post by jasoninsd on May 18, 2021 22:45:52 GMT -5
jasoninsd that looks like a really tough matrix, I bet it’s hard to get a whole nodule from the host rock unscathed. I’m not a big agate specimen collector, so hammer broken stuff would suit me just fine. I think if the nodule was "big" compared to the others, I'd be inclined to try and take the specimen whole. It's interesting. Sometimes the nodules aren't held steadfast to the host rock, and other times there's no separating the two. I haven't figured yet why the difference... |
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Post by stephan on May 18, 2021 23:00:19 GMT -5
Nice finds, my friend. I bet you’ll get some good cabs.
and it looks like you had gorgeous weather too.
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Post by jasoninsd on May 18, 2021 23:13:01 GMT -5
Nice finds, my friend. I bet you’ll get some good cabs. and it looks like you had gorgeous weather too. Thank you so very much! I don't think I had my sweatshirt on for more than 30 minutes this morning. A breeze picked up, but it was warm enough so the air movement was welcomed!  |
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Post by stephan on May 18, 2021 23:27:45 GMT -5
Nice finds, my friend. I bet you’ll get some good cabs. and it looks like you had gorgeous weather too. Thank you so very much! I don't think I had my sweatshirt on for more than 30 minutes this morning. A breeze picked up, but it was warm enough so the air movement was welcomed! Winter is finally over? |
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Post by jasoninsd on May 18, 2021 23:38:03 GMT -5
Thank you so very much! I don't think I had my sweatshirt on for more than 30 minutes this morning. A breeze picked up, but it was warm enough so the air movement was welcomed! Winter is finally over?  |
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Brian
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2020
Posts: 1,512
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Post by Brian on May 19, 2021 7:03:27 GMT -5
Wow! Those first few pictures sent me into sensory overload. I can’t even begin to imagine how long it would take my eyes and brain to figure out how to find anything decent with so many rocks around.
Looks like you found some nice little Teepees!
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Post by miket on May 19, 2021 7:07:09 GMT -5
Fantastic!
I love going up there- plus they're a little easier to fund than Fairburns!
Now you're hooked...I'll probably see you up there this summer...
😁
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Post by jasoninsd on May 19, 2021 7:22:36 GMT -5
Wow! Those first few pictures sent me into sensory overload. I can’t even begin to imagine how long it would take my eyes and brain to figure out how to find anything decent with so many rocks around. Looks like you found some nice little Teepees! Thanks Brian! You and me both on the sensory overload! I had spoken to a few people (including Mike) and asked them WHERE to go...but hadn't really talked to anyone about WHAT to do once I got there! LOL - I was wandering around for a couple hours, until I figured out (I think) how to really look for the nodules. Fantastic! I love going up there- plus they're a little easier to fund than Fairburns! Now you're hooked...I'll probably see you up there this summer... 😁 Thanks Mike! Yes...yes I am hooked! LOL - I definitely want to get back up there soon...and I will definitely be up there quite a few times this summer! I am very grateful for the "haul" yesterday...but now I just need to figure out how to find the "big ones"! LOL |
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Post by hummingbirdstones2 on May 19, 2021 9:54:55 GMT -5
Finding the big ones? From what I've read "Get a bigger hammer...!"
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Post by orrum on May 19, 2021 10:41:36 GMT -5
I thought it was illegal now??? Also I thought the original was on a cliff or something dangerous.
Just sayin.
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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 May 19, 2021 10:45:54 GMT -5
If you can find the right spots to dig you can get some nice ones. But it can be a whole lot of work! That is a four letter word.
Probably heading your way in a couple of months.
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