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Post by rockshine on Mar 13, 2012 17:47:13 GMT -5
Looked in my mailbox a few days ago, and found a whole box of snails. Sprinkled a little silicon carbide dust and water on them and they look delicious. Much better than a plateful I once encountered. JoAnne sent me these turritella from Colorado. Attachments:
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Post by rockshine on Mar 13, 2012 17:51:40 GMT -5
Nice round cabochon. The material cuts easily and polishes quickly. You must take care when shaping the cabachon, as a coarse wheel will jerk fossils out of the edge unless you exercise care. Also, the elongated shells sometimes are fragile and will pop free if in the edge. Attachments:
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Post by rockshine on Mar 13, 2012 17:57:33 GMT -5
Folks around here are convinced these are petrified rattlesnake rattles. Attachments:
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Post by coloradojeff on Mar 13, 2012 20:05:49 GMT -5
Very nice. Thanks for sharing the pics.
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joanne
Senior Member
Posts: 48
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Post by joanne on Mar 15, 2012 15:59:25 GMT -5
You did a great job polishing them, I have cut alot but havent finished them, Im just realy slow, Thanks for the pics. Joanne
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Post by eechler on Mar 15, 2012 18:19:07 GMT -5
Love the turatella agate. Cut and polish a cab for a bola tie back in the early 90's. I think this was
the last cab I cut.
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Post by arappaho on Mar 15, 2012 20:45:33 GMT -5
Yep, I really love the stuff too and got a box of it from Joanne as well. Great packing job! I would love to get more sometime but I haven't "processed" enough of the first one yet.  Everywhere I show it people just love the stuff. Just the nature of the beast, (not you Dave), but you're right, the stuff does have a sometime exasperating tendency to separate or "pull apart" right at the shell, most times necessitating a drastic change of plan.  |
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Post by rockshine on Mar 15, 2012 21:32:28 GMT -5
I think on the next set, I will make them a mm or so thicker. Also, after the slab is cut and the template marked, one can use tile nippers to nibble away a lot of the excess outside the oval. Saves a lot of grinding. Also saving the whole bugs that pop out. I think they will make beautiful teardrop earrings with the agate in the cavities. Of course, with what is left of the original piece, which has a heavy layer of critters exposed on the top, and nice smooth sides showing the patters as above, it will make a beautiful shelf specimen.
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Post by rockshine on May 2, 2012 7:51:07 GMT -5
Finally got around to introducing the above stones to the UV lights. They fluoresce quite well, in pastel shades of blue, green, white and yellow, with a hint of orange undertone. Not shown are the rich walnut brown stromatolite which fluoresce a beautiful orange-y.
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Post by eechler on May 2, 2012 16:17:43 GMT -5
Learned something new. Going to have to look at my turratella under UV.
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Post by eechler on May 2, 2012 17:05:40 GMT -5
Rockshine - are you using a super bright, sortwave, or longwave.
as you see I accidentally demoted myself.
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joanne
Senior Member
Posts: 48
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Post by joanne on May 4, 2012 15:17:45 GMT -5
I have a 8 watt 3 way light and the stromatolite shows the bright orange under all three, the turritella is brightest under the short wave, long only the shells seem to glow white. atleast thats what mine does
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