It’s 2:33 am and I am half asleep when I roll over and I glance out the window and a street light is shinning in my face. I think, “I don’t remember a street light outside the camper.” Then I’m thinking, “Wait a minute, that street light is over the river, oop’s, full moon”. The full moon is so bright it hurts my eyes to look at it. I would have gone outside and looked around except that it was 40 degrees. As beautiful as it was I closed the blinds and went back to sleep.
Later that day, when the sun had come up and the temperature had risen about 30 degrees, I drug out my lapidary tools (stone cutting and polishing equipment). This is the first time I have used this type of equipment and some of the classes that I am taking at William Holland School will use this kind if machinery.
Pixie Lapidary machine
10 inch Diamond saw
So I sorted through some of the stones that I brought with me and decided to practice, so that I would have some experience on it before I walk into the classroom. I cut these stones and have worked them up to the pre-polished stage.
The five across the bottom are opals. In the photo it's hard to see the fire in the stones, especially the dark ones.
I haven’t read the instructions so I am not sure about the polishing procedures, plus I have to put the cut stones on dopp sticks it make them more manageable for polishing. A dopp stick is a round wooden dowel that holds the stone on by the use of a hard wax that is melted and adheres the stone to the end. This is another procedure that I have never done, plus I don’t have the right type of alcohol to melt the wax with. I think I will wait to get to the school to do the dopp sticks and the polishing.
I am afraid that these stones show just how much of a novice I am at this endeavor. But a guy has to start somewhere. Besides I’m having fun. I have chosen fairly small inexpensive stones to start with. Pictures don’t show the true beauty of the stones but until they come up with a better process this is the best I can do. When you cut stone you have to run water over the wheels to keep the stone from building up too much heat and breaking. So when my fingers thaw out I will get on the computer and post this on my blog.
Monday, April 21, 2008
It is still too cold to lay on the ground and adjust Cazee’s brakes so I plan to take Sic Fiddy into town and pick up a few items then perhaps cut a couple of more stones later in the day.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Wow what a beautiful day, I mentioned earlier in my blog that the Dogwood trees are in bloom. Now the wild flowers are popping up all over and make wonderful splashes of color on the otherwise drab landscape.
Most of the trees are showing tiny bits of green but it will be several more weeks before they have enough foliage to affect the overall look of the stark landscape.
The weather has cooperated and it is sufficiently warm to allow me to comfortably crawl around on the ground and adjust Cazee’s brakes, which I completed around three this afternoon. Now I think Cazee will be able to help Lyca navigate down these treacherous slopes. I will test the brakes before deciding which rout to take back to Young Harris, GA. There is a longer route that does not have the steep climb and decent but it will add to the time and fuel expended. We will see how the trailer brakes perform then I will decide.
The afternoon was young so I cut a few more stones. These came out somewhat better than my earlier attempts.
I especially like the long angular one. The person who sold it to me said it was Hickoryite. I had never heard of this stone before so I looked it up on line. It goes by several other names, Wonderstone, Elixiriye and Rhyolite. I think it has some nice colors. It will be interesting to wire wrap this piece. I think it could make a really nice pendant.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Another great day, the temperature is supposed to get into the 80’s, but it still gets pretty cold at night, however all I have to do is close up and we are cozy.
Cutter and I went Gem Mining today. Cutter was the only one to find anything. He found a bunch of dog adoring gem mining families. I found zip. I’m not to impressed with the “MINING” operations here. They are not very productive and most of the mines salt there dirt. (Salting means; adding attractive, non local and virtually worthless stones to the piles of dirt, so that you actually get something when you sift through your bucket. They call it enriching.) I call it lame. However it was an enjoyable time at the mine, but I didn’t strike it rich. I guess I will have to rely on the Lottery. Now there is a real opportunity to strike it rich.
Right behind our camp site is a wooden deck that stands about 20 feet above the river and that is where cutter and I usually have our meals unless it is too cold.
We get great seats and we don’t even have to tip the may-tra-de (French, for head waiter guy).
AV
No comments:
Post a Comment