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Author Topic: A Beachy discovery  (Read 2728 times)

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Cabbin Fever

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A Beachy discovery
« on: May 14, 2017, 08:11:42 PM »

I am blessed to live 15 minutes from the sugary sands of the Gulf of Mexico near St Petersburg and I have discovered beauty in a beachy "beast" - agatized shell conglomerates (near as I can tell, that is what they are called), and fossilized clam and oyster shells. I drive my husband nuts picking up these ugly rocks and shells, but he too is surprised by the "reveal" when these are polished. I like to leave a few raw spots on them for texture.
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My first cab is from a piece of jasper I found on the beach in Newport, OR my first Mother's Day, 1983. I made it into a bracelet for my daughter Christmas 2017.

lithicbeads

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Re: A Beachy discovery
« Reply #1 on: May 14, 2017, 08:46:08 PM »

Wonderful ! Good hunting.
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hummingbirdstones

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Re: A Beachy discovery
« Reply #2 on: May 14, 2017, 09:25:34 PM »

Very nice!  Thanks for sharing.
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Robin

irockhound

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Re: A Beachy discovery
« Reply #3 on: May 14, 2017, 10:19:17 PM »

They call the material "Coquina", the common name for the shell conglomerate, often a type of limestone sedimentary formation with the shells.  Very pretty work there I love the large one, it has some great patterns going on.
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Barclay

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Re: A Beachy discovery
« Reply #4 on: December 14, 2017, 10:52:28 AM »

Nice work!  I have found similar material by Pt Mugo, CA
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peruano

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Re: A Beachy discovery
« Reply #5 on: December 14, 2017, 03:51:39 PM »

And in San Carlos area of Sonora (near Guaymas) where pink and maroon rhyolites get incorporated as well.  Neat. 
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Combining a love of bikes (pedal and otherwise) with hiking, hounding, lapidary, and the great outdoors

edgarscale

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Re: A Beachy discovery
« Reply #6 on: December 14, 2017, 11:13:22 PM »

very nice
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50% rockhound and 50% wire wrap
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liveoak

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Re: A Beachy discovery
« Reply #7 on: September 10, 2018, 05:00:54 AM »

I am blessed to live 15 minutes from the sugary sands of the Gulf of Mexico near St Petersburg and I have discovered beauty in a beachy "beast" - agatized shell conglomerates (near as I can tell, that is what they are called), and fossilized clam and oyster shells. I drive my husband nuts picking up these ugly rocks and shells, but he too is surprised by the "reveal" when these are polished. I like to leave a few raw spots on them for texture.
This is an old post - but then I'm new here .
I wondered what you use to polish the limestone/shell conglomerates ?
Thanks,
Patty
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peruano

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Re: A Beachy discovery
« Reply #8 on: September 10, 2018, 01:30:16 PM »

They can be polished in vibratory tumblers, or worked on a standard array of lapidary wheels.  They may be somewhat softer than material you are used to so they go fast.  They can be lovely. 
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Combining a love of bikes (pedal and otherwise) with hiking, hounding, lapidary, and the great outdoors

liveoak

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Re: A Beachy discovery
« Reply #9 on: September 11, 2018, 04:29:42 AM »

Thank you - I will carefully give it a try .

I would have thought that the limestone was too soft to polish.
We find many such things here, on the rivers, with fossil shell inclusions.

Patty
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