falcondriver Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 Anybody in the DFW area know of a company or individual who can cut a small Nodule in half? Thanks FD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaleoRon Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 I have lapidary equipment including a rock saw, but I'm in Virginia. You should be able to find a local gem and mineral society in your area and they can probably help you out. If you get desperate you can send it to me with return postage, or high grade echinoids and shark teeth , and I'll cut it in half at no charge. My saw can easily handle something up to 6 inches in diameter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
falcondriver Posted July 8, 2008 Author Share Posted July 8, 2008 I have lapidary equipment including a rock saw, but I'm in Virginia. You should be able to find a local gem and mineral society in your area and they can probably help you out. If you get desperate you can send it to me with return postage, or high grade echinoids and shark teeth , and I'll cut it in half at no charge. My saw can easily handle something up to 6 inches in diameter. Thanks I will keep that in mind. FD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jax Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 Thanks I will keep that in mind.FD Man I have been trying to figure this out myself. I have a grinder that I shape them with. But I need a wet grinder, and a wet saw to cut them. I have to invest in more tools You can make your own wet saw. I have seen it before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaleoRon Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 You can probably use a concrete chop saw for septarians but the faces would be really rough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jax Posted July 9, 2008 Share Posted July 9, 2008 That would work, then you would have to polish them. Speaking of that, there was a guy from the Dallas paleo club that was cutting ammonites in half, and he had a way of polishing them. I cant remember to save my life what it was. I believe he was using some chemicals and something else. I'll have to think back. What area are you getting your nodules from? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
falcondriver Posted July 9, 2008 Author Share Posted July 9, 2008 That would work, then you would have to polish them. Speaking of that, there was a guy from the Dallas paleo club that was cutting ammonites in half, and he had a way of polishing them. I cant remember to save my life what it was. I believe he was using some chemicals and something else. I'll have to think back. What area are you getting your nodules from? Take 360 south past I-20, not sure of the street name "due to the fact they have been changing the names" but it is just north of Timberview High School. There is a ditch and I found it there, by accident. I can show you some time if you happen to be in the area. FD 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jax Posted July 9, 2008 Share Posted July 9, 2008 Cool, still close to home. I use to hunt that creek before they moved New York ave. theres a place in that creek, more behind that huge church that has huge slabes of oysters. I found my first ammonite over there too. Its hard to find a spot to park there now, but its still a cool place to visit. If you know where Debbie lane runs into 360, take that toward joe pool, and follow around. You will pass the church then over a bridge, look down to the right and left and you will see a ton of rock. Beware of snakes i forgot to say, theres a spot over toward dallas way that has a hill side thats loaded with nodules. PM me and I can point you in that direction Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LanceH Posted July 9, 2008 Share Posted July 9, 2008 You might want to crack one in half with a hammer instead of cutting. Then you'll have multiple pieces with the crystals intact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
falcondriver Posted July 9, 2008 Author Share Posted July 9, 2008 I'm not sure what to do with this one, but I do want to see the inside. FD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted July 9, 2008 Share Posted July 9, 2008 If you decide to crack it with a hammer, do so carefully. Septarian nodules are easier to break than solid nodules. They do not require a lot of force to break open. Here are some from the London Clay of Sheppey, England. If one is lucky with the L/Clay ones, they contain Baryte xtls on Calcite. KOF, Bill. Welcome to the forum, all new members www.ukfossils check it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
falcondriver Posted July 9, 2008 Author Share Posted July 9, 2008 Very cool, my nodule is very small compared to those but I still think cutting this one might be a better option. FD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jax Posted July 9, 2008 Share Posted July 9, 2008 Very cool, my nodule is very small compared to those but I still think cutting this one might be a better option.FD I have found 2 that have ammonites inside. The only way I knew one had it in was to crack with a hammer. I have tons of cool ones in the garage with cyrstals and such. i'll have to snap some pics. The one Lance has there is like most of mine. And as Bill said, be careful, because some take alot of beating to break, others just explode when you touch them. the saw idea, you can rent a nice sized tile saw from Lowes and cut that sucker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bmorefossil Posted July 9, 2008 Share Posted July 9, 2008 nice man, cant wait to see the pictures Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
falcondriver Posted July 10, 2008 Author Share Posted July 10, 2008 If you break a small one, you get a broke rock. Oh well, I just need to find a big one I guess. FD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LanceH Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 I think the best way to crack one is to lightly tap around the edge rather than wacking the flat side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
falcondriver Posted July 10, 2008 Author Share Posted July 10, 2008 I tried tapping it on the side but it broke up anyway. Live and learn FD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LanceH Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 You can get an endless supply of these nodules in the creek (and the big mound) in the northern part of the undeveloped area southeast of the intersection of I30 and Loop 12. You can park at the library (north end N. Morocco ave.) and hike into the southern end through some woods. Or if you don't fear theft park in the middle of the I30 and Loop 12 cloverleaf and cross the lanes directly into the area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jax Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 You can get an endless supply of these nodules in the creek (and the big mound) in the northern part of the undeveloped area southeast of the intersection of I30 and Loop 12. You can park at the library (north end N. Morocco ave.) and hike into the southern end through some woods. Or if you don't fear theft park in the middle of the I30 and Loop 12 cloverleaf and cross the lanes directly into the area. Careful with this area, I have never been in there, but theres a bunch of No trespassing signs on the I-30 side. I have always wanted to get in there and look around but couldnt find a good spot to get in. Theres several business that border that place but all have gated parking lots. Its like they know I will have to check out the south end and see if they have any signs up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CreekCrawler Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 Well I was reading this thread and decided to crack one of my eggs! I hit it with a 2lb sledge and a 1 inch cold chisel. Before cracking the septarian I doubted that there was anything worth while inside. Reason being that there were a few dings in this particular one and there was just grayish chalky material exposed.Well I am pleased with the results as this septarian was ugly before.Now I think I can dissolve the rest of the chalky matrix away and expose the gems a little more. This sep comes from Grayson County Tx. I also have a large sep from extreme west Tx that should have better crystals inside......who knows. The second pic is with water on it. Would vinegar dissolve some of the material for me without harming the crystals? thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 If you can scratch a xtl with a steel point/tip of knife, they are probably Calcite, vinegar would damage them. If not they may be Quartz and would be safe in vinegar. Another test for calcite is to put a piece in vinegar and see if it fizzes, if so, Calcite. KOF, Bill. Welcome to the forum, all new members www.ukfossils check it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest solius symbiosus Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 ^Also, calcite breaks with a rhombohedral cleavage, while quartz has a conchoidal fracture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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