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Topics - mirkaba

Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 14
1
Rough on the bench and slabs off the saw (general minerals board) / Montana Agate
« on: July 18, 2015, 11:44:03 AM »
Finally got a Flickr account. Lets see if it works.
https://flic.kr/p/wb9J8g
Okay....Is there a way to post the photo instead of the link?

2
Shop and Swap / For Trade: Medicine Bow dendritic Slabs
« on: June 12, 2015, 12:40:32 PM »
I have a few nice slabs for trade. If there is any interest I will post some pics. Looking for dendritic, plume or Good Montana material. Thanks.......Bob

3
Share Our Finished Cabochons and General Cabbing Questions / Tutorials / Sanding the Backs
« on: May 20, 2015, 10:07:33 AM »
I just finished up batch of 9 cabs and got fired up to finish the backs.........Noticed the batch before of 13 needed the backs polished and while I am at it the box with all of the redos, touchups and unfinished cabs needs to be caught up on.  Ended up with 64 cabs that need the backs finished. I just got through half of them. Only 32 to go...............I set up the Ringmaster with 4 flex-discs  to do the backs but the fingers aren't cooperating. I need to find some good tape to fold over the front of the cabs for handles. Tried duck tape but the water makes it loose its sticky. So I am doing this batch on the 8 inch expando going through the grits. I keep procrastinating and looking for an easier way to finish the cab backs. But don't seem to be finding anything. Has anyone here found a better way to finish cab backs. I have asked this question more than a couple times..........Bob  dunno28

4
Our Place / NICE Display
« on: October 08, 2014, 05:45:53 AM »
A photo of Bobby1's CFMS Display is featured on page 20 of the Oct.  Rock and Gem. I am especially drawn to what appears to be a Montana Agate on the right side of the picture. Great work and a very nice display.

5
Cabbing And Grooving Machines.. Projects / New and Used Reviews / Crystalite Ringleader
« on: September 11, 2014, 06:14:00 AM »
Howdy,,,,,,,I have been looking for a smaller cab machine for the last year or so and stumbled upon an almost new Ringleader the other day. The pump does not work and seems to be vapor locking or something. Has anyone had any experience with this particular bugger? Is there an easy fix? I tried it out and it has an aggressive 100 grit hard wheel, a 180 ripple disk, a 600 grit hard wheel, 3 diamond pads on flex disks and a polish pad on a flex disk. The ripple disk is pretty agressive but I really don't like it. and all of the diamond and polishing pads could be a potential PITA. So I ordered a 6x2.5 expando and set of Diamond belts for it. I will install the expando where the 600 hard wheel now resides. If needs be I can use the 220 hard wheel on my 8" machine. Thats the plan anyway.Has anyone worked with a Crystalite cab machine before? Any hints, tips or practical advice would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks............ Bob

6
Silversmithing / Metalsmithing for Jewelry Design / Tutorials / Melting/Smelting New Gold
« on: March 16, 2014, 08:50:00 AM »
This last winter I ground up and recovered the Gold from a little bit of high grade Quartz ore. I borrowed a little bench top furnace.When I went to fire it up I found that the girlfriend had high-graded my Borax for use in the laundry room....again! My Boric acid is safe though. Probably because it has POISON written in large red letters all over the bottle. I would ha ve used the Boric acid as a flux to just melt the gold except the crucible is new and I wanted to coat the darn thing with Borax before I put any Gold in itDoes anyone know if a Boric Acid/Soda mixture will work to prepare the crucible? It is 140 mile round trip to the nearest store that sells Borax. Also does anyone have experience working with Gold Ore or New Gold? From concentration to making Karat Gold.... Thanks   Bob

7
Rough on the bench and slabs off the saw (general minerals board) / Blue Agate Nodules from Nye Montana
« on: February 03, 2014, 06:59:03 AM »
A few years ago there was a discussion about Blue Agate from the Nye/New World Mine area of Montana. I cannot remember who was looking for this rock but it was decidedly rare and scarce. I have only found 2 people that have ever seen it. Out of the blue yesterday a fellow called from Nye and told me he had acquired some nodules that were mined back in the 50's. I am hoping that whoever was looking for this rock is still on the forum and will contact me before I negotiate a deal on some of of these nodules. Thanks........Bob

8
Discs, Wheels, Belts, Pads, and Polishing / Final Polish Belts
« on: October 28, 2013, 07:31:24 AM »
Finally got snowed out of the mine, finished a big painting job and am getting back to my cabbing. I was looking for a leather polishing belt this morning and found one at Johns JS Gems. I am going to order it to use with Tin Oxide. I also ran across this Cerium polishing belt at Kingsley North and was wondering if anyone has used one? What do you think of it?

http://www.kingsleynorth.com/skshop/product.php?id=99673&catID=108

I am happy with Tin Oxide and do have an old self made belt that has served me well. A friend 'borrowed' all of my Cerium Oxide and am looking to replace it.

9
Shows and Events / Northwest Federation Show in Butte, Mt.
« on: May 31, 2013, 07:51:06 AM »
Howdy.............I am wondering if anyone is planning on attending the NWF show in Butte this year? Would be nice to meet some of the forum members there.

Butte, Montana: Butte Gem and Mineral Club and Northwest Federation of Mineralogical Sciences Show August 8,9, and 10th 2013, at Butte Civic Center

10
Mineral Specimens / Agate Specimen Wreck
« on: April 17, 2013, 11:45:00 AM »
I was preparing this chunk of Rhyolite/Agate/Opal for display and a chunk popped out of the Mammilary part! Now what the heck!?!?


11
Rock Hounding Trips, Tips, and Pics / MOUNTAIN BIKES and COLLECTING
« on: April 08, 2013, 09:52:44 AM »
A couple of months back I casually mentioned that I think I might get a mountain bike to make access to one of my favorite collecting spots a little easier. As a joke (I think) DeeAnn presented me with a used bike for my 60th birthday...... After airing up the tires (to the max) and adjusting everything to fit I tried it out and I really think this is doable!!! I am wondering if anyone else on the forum uses a bike to get around in the "No Motorized Vehicles Allowed" areas. I have a daypack I usually take on my hikes but I am wondering about saddlebags or maybe even a small trailer to haul my booty out. Advice is welcome :)

12
Our Place / TORTURE!!!
« on: March 29, 2013, 08:10:07 AM »
Yesterday DeeAnn told me I am going to North Dakota for Easter! A flying trip , 3 days of visiting and almost 20 hours on the road. We are passing through Glendive, Mt. going and coming back with little to no time to hunt Montana Agate. Maybe a couple hours of hunting in the Glendive area. Lets see if we leave about 4 am on the return I might be able to squeak in several hours of looking for a place to hunt and maybe get a token rock or 2..................Sigh........ Well at least there is some pretty cool wood in the area we are staying. Just south of Dickenson.

13
Rough on the bench and slabs off the saw (general minerals board) / More Purple
« on: March 27, 2013, 01:35:50 PM »
There always seems to be Amethyst Lace around but I just can't seem to find any fracture free material. Its too bad because I really like it..... hairy11


14
Share Our Finished Cabochons and General Cabbing Questions / Tutorials / A couple Nodules for the Collection
« on: February 27, 2013, 01:27:30 PM »
Here is a Dryhead Agate nodule half and a broken Amethyst Geode I polished up for DeeAnn. DeeAnn won the Dryhead in a club raffle. It weighs in at 1.7 lbs..........




15
Silversmithing / Metalsmithing for Jewelry Design / Tutorials / Soldering Silver with Pallions or Wire
« on: December 24, 2012, 03:36:05 PM »
This morning I was busy hauling wood, getting dinner ready and blowing snow. In between times I was finishing a Sterling Silver and Opal pendant for DeeAnn. I like to use wire solder and hold it with the tweezers. Sort of like stick welding. For lack of concentration I ended up with an excess of solder which needed more than a little cleanup. NOW... I know why I should have cut some pallions and used them to solder it all together. Learning as I go.  Merry Christmas!   Bob

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