Nicholas Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 Well I really haven't been doing much hunting during the touring of my island and province with Sacredsin. We've been more focused on the landscapes, historical sites, and other pass times... although today I found an expected piece of petrified wood at the wild life park. I believe the red section is probably Jasper and to date this is my fist specimen with a "gem stone" type of preservation.. The back is unimpressive and very worn so I'm going to get it cut with the hope it will reveal some nice surprises. Other recent finds are not fossil related but I've been finding lots of quartz, well its white... and crystal like in nature I'm not sure of the specific type. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommabetts Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 Glad you are having a good time. Be sure and post the wood after it is cut, I bet it is pretty on the inside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeepinthemud Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 oh wow. that is pretty! and quartz comes in quartz-shaped crystals....so no need to know a name. hehe. "To do is to be." -Socrates "People are Stupid." -Wizard's First Rule "Happiness is a warm Jeep." -Auspex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicholas Posted July 16, 2009 Author Share Posted July 16, 2009 Before I forget I've been wondering if anyone has any experience with polishing large pieces of petrified wood. Any tips at all would be helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 Before I forget I've been wondering if anyone has any experience with polishing large pieces of petrified wood. Any tips at all would be helpful. What do you consider to be a large piece? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CreekCrawler Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 What do you consider to be a large piece? Ones like you have ....LOL Nice find Nick I bet it polishes up real nice. Then you can give it to Sacredsin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicholas Posted July 16, 2009 Author Share Posted July 16, 2009 What do you consider to be a large piece? I probably worded that incorrectly, people usually polish smaller pieces via way of a tumbler of some sort... this piece is to be cut and have both the inside and the outer sides polished. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Menser Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 Why cut it? The stone(s) you will get will be inferior to the specimen you have. Be true to the reality you create. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 I probably worded that incorrectly, people usually polish smaller pieces via way of a tumbler of some sort... this piece is to be cut and have both the inside and the outer sides polished. A lot of guys at my club cut slabs or cut an end off a big piece and polish it. There is a big lap grinder in the shop. I have never used it, but it is basically a big flat metal wheel which you dumps various grits on and add some water. I am going to have to try it sometime. We also have some polishing wheels, which look like wheels on a bench grinder. There are about 6 or so different sizes of grit wheels with water running over them. You just hold the piece up to the roughest and work your way up to the fine grit. It only takes a few minutes to polish up a well silicified piece. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicholas Posted July 17, 2009 Author Share Posted July 17, 2009 A lot of guys at my club cut slabs or cut an end off a big piece and polish it. There is a big lap grinder in the shop. I have never used it, but it is basically a big flat metal wheel which you dumps various grits on and add some water. I am going to have to try it sometime. We also have some polishing wheels, which look like wheels on a bench grinder. There are about 6 or so different sizes of grit wheels with water running over them. You just hold the piece up to the roughest and work your way up to the fine grit. It only takes a few minutes to polish up a well silicified piece. Hrm, I wonder if there is such a tool at the local (or semi-local) granite dealership that my fathers company works with frequently? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Menser Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 Why cut it?The stone(s) you will get will be inferior to the specimen you have. Allow me to clarify. There is no dramatic pattern on that piece that cutting and polishing will bring out. It is just a blob of red color. So when you cut this you will create a polished stone no different from the bucketloads you can get at practically any gift shop. On the other hand it makes a nice example (untouched) of a locality wood. I'm beginning to wonder if this is the Lapidary forum, rather than the fossil forum.... Be true to the reality you create. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 If they cut and polish their own slabs, then you may be able to get them to help you. Frank, even us fossil guys like a pretty "rock" every once in a while Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicholas Posted July 18, 2009 Author Share Posted July 18, 2009 If they cut and polish their own slabs, then you may be able to get them to help you.Frank, even us fossil guys like a pretty "rock" every once in a while Especially when I have hundreds of pounds of generic fossil wood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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