The Ventura Gem & Mineral Society, Inc. (VGMS)

Shop Tips 1998 Archive.

Table of Contents.

1. JANUARY - THE SHOP PAGE-Cleaning Your Specimens;
2. FEBRUARY - "THE SHOP PAGE"-Marking Pens;
3. MARCH - "THE SHOP PAGE"-Polishing Jade;
4. APRIL - "THE SHOP PAGE"-Various;
5. MAY - "THE SHOP PAGE"-Various;
6. JUNE - THE SHOP PAGE-"Tips & Hints" on creating an effective exhibit case!;
7. JULY - THE SHOP PAGE-Various.

January.

THE SHOP PAGE, Cleaning Your Specimens.
     Wash carefully to remove dirt. If soaking in acids or other solutions, try an inferior specimen first. When working with adds, remember the three A's - Always Add the Acid to the water. Keep your solution fairly clean for best results. Oxalic acid is useful for rust stains; muriatic acid, for removing hematite stains; and hydrochloric acid is the best for removing black manganese stains. When using any of these solutions, wear protective clothing, goggles and rubber gloves. Household bleach works well for removing many stains but never mix bleach and acid. The results could be tragic.

          from Pick & Pack,
          via Quarry Quips,
          via Chips & Facets, 3rd Qtr. 1997.

The above helpful ideas were via The Coral Geode, December 1997.

Table of Contents.

February.

"THE SHOP PAGE", Marking Pens.
     A fine felt tip permanent marker pen is great for marking non-porous polished or rough stones. This can be for tracing cabs, marking defects, etc. It can even be used in faceting. These marker pens should not be used on opal, turquoise, or other porous or fragile materials.
          The above helpful ideas were via Wayne Ehlers from The Lapidary Journal.

Table of Contents.

March.

"THE SHOP PAGE", Polishing Jade.
     Jade is one material that many of us have difficulty in polishing. It will take a polish but it does take longer than Agate or Jasper. Just don't give up. After finishing with 600-grit it can be polished on leather with water and a little tin oxide on the stone. If there is "orange peel" (undercutting) it may be necessary to hand-finish with wet or dry 1200-grit sandpaper. Just keep rubbing and be patient.
      The above helpful ideas were via Wayne Ehlers from The Lapidary Journal.

(Anyone else with good tips to share? Please send them to me - Ed.)

     To cut jade, first grind and polish your jade chunk on six sides as if it were a cube. One of these faces will polish better than the others. Then cut your cab parallel to this best face. - via Breccia (date unknown), via Santa Clara Gem & Mineral Society 6/97, via Coral Geode 3/98.
     Mineral oil is an excellent cleaner for selenite crystals. It seems to loosen the little tiny particles left after washing in water and it brightens them too. It has several other uses: It makes variscite a deeper green, and improves the appearance of florites and calcites. - from Ghost Sheet, 3/97 via Nodule Nocker News, 1/98 via Rocky Review, 3/98.

Table of Contents.

April.

"THE SHOP PAGE", Lapidary Hint.
     To keep the crystal centers of geodes free from grit when flat lapping, place paper towels in the deep bottom of the cavity. Then use a bar of soap and rub the soap bar onto the crystals; smooth them down with a damp finger. Small holes and cracks can also be filled with the soap. They brush out when finished.
          Original source unknown,
          via Breccia, 2/98,
          via Drywasher's Gazette, 3/98.

Polish Problems?
     Many people think of polishing as comparable to shining a shoe. Actually, each grit used on a stone leaves scratches in the surface of the stone. So, when you go to a finer grit, it's purpose is to remove all the scratches from the last grit. An estimate of the depth of scratches left on the stone by each grit is:
80 grit - 2.6 mm,
180 grit - 0.86 mm,
220 grit - 0.6 mm,
325 grit - 0.3 mm,
600 grit - 0.16 mm,
1200 grit - 0.07 mm,
3000 grit - 0.03 mm.

     With reflected light, the unaided eye can see imperfections far smaller than 0.03 mm. On a cabachon, small grit scratches are hidden by surface imperfections and the stone looks shiny.
          Via AFMS Newsletter - April 1998.

Save That Water From Boiled Potatoes!
     Drop your tarnished jewelry and table silver in it. Leave it for an hour or two and it will shine!
          Via Breccia (date unknown),
          via Santa Clara Gem & Mineral Society, 6/97,
          via The Coral Geode, 3/98.

Troy Weight.
     1 Pennyweight (dwt) - 1/20 of an ounce - 24 grains - 1.55 grams;
     1 Troy Ounce - 20 dwt - 480 grains - 31.1 grams;
     1 Troy Pound - 12 troy ounces - 5,760 grains - .823 pounds (US).
          by Chad Gurney,
          Via Drywasher's Gazette, March 1998.

Table of Contents.

May.

"THE SHOP PAGE".
     When you use fine steel wool on a (silver) piece, be sure to rinse the silver thoroughly in water before continuing the next step of soldering. Even the heat of the torch will not eliminate the steel wool dust that accumulates on the piece, and if you drop it uncleaned into the pickle, you will get a fine cast of copper plating, covering the silver entirely.
     Via Lapidarian 9/89,
     via Breccia 9/97,
     via The Coral Geode 3/98.

     Polish metal and stones with an electric shoe polisher! Remove the existing shoe polisher brushes, attache a spindle on each shaft end and then install polishing buffs. Don't forget to obtain right and left hand thread spindles so that the buffs won't spin off. Most shoe polishers spin slowly, just right for polishing.
     From Dusty Rocks 4/92,
     via Gems of the Rogue 3/96,
     via Breccia 8/97,
     via The Coral Geode 3/98.

     Why place knots between beads? The obvious answers - to prevent beads rubbing against each other and to prevent loss in case the string breaks. Be sure to knot if the beads are valuable. Knotting is also a way to extend the length somewhat. Most knots will take up about 1/8 inch of string. When calculating the amount of thread needed, figure the length of beads, add about 1/8 inch per knot (count the beads to find out how many are needed), and add about 18 inches. Now double the amount because you should use a double thread. Besides, it's easier to knot the double thread. Also the double thread lends extra security.
     Take your beads along when buying thread to be sure to get the right thickness. Work as tightly as possible and in the same direction. Of course you let the strand hang overnight before knotting so all the stretch is completed.
          From Petrograph 2/97,
          via East Bay Nodule 5/97,
          via The Coral Geode 3/98.

Table of Contents.

June.

THE SHOP PAGE.
     This shop page is going to be "Tips & Hints" on creating an effective exhibit case! With the fair at hand and "everyone" getting their cases and material ready, these could be of help! These were taken from "THE NUGGET - June, 1998" bulletin. They and Rockhound Rambling do not vouch for any of these hints and advise caution when trying new procedures or materials. Original credit and date is given when possible.

     The foremost display rule is: Your display should enhance your specimens, not the opposite. Use plain, light-colored lining material for finished stones and jewelry. Ironed white cotton sheeting gives a good background. For large or dark-colored minerals, fossils, artifacts, etc., rough, textured, darker material may be suitable. Cloth, paper or wood liners may enhance the large colorful specimens. If the lining becomes the most conspicuous, eye-catching part of your display, it's time to change it.
     The case should never be crowded and there should always be a point of interest. An odd total number of specimens is good. When you first look at your case, your eye should focus on the point of interest, e.g., the largest specimen or the most beautiful or brightest specimen; then your eye should follow to the other material in the case. The most common mistake of beginners is to crowd their show cases, trying to display all their best work. Leave some for the next show.
     Lighting is important so place your finest specimens where the illumination is best. Opal, fire agate, faceted stones, etc., especially need good lighting. Long pins and T-pins used to hold specimens in place should be colored like the lining (dipped in paint) so they are inconspicuous. Labels should be clear and sharp and readable without pressing your nose to the glass. - By Margery W. Horsfall circa 1981 from The Rockhounder 2/98. (Margery, who passed away in January '98, was a member of the Whittier Gem & Mineral Society for nearly 35 years!)

     Great looking display labels can be made by typing the descriptions (with a computer so the font size can be made large enough to read easily) on ordinary paper and then having a print shop duplicate them on clear acetate film. You then cut them to size and place them directly on your case liner so the liner fabric shows through. - Contributed by Beth Rosengard, CCR&MC.

     To display large rocks on pedestal, remove the top and bottom of a tuna can and spray the can black. - Rock Chip Reporter 8/92 via Breccia 1/98.

     Don't discard the inner plastic rings from scotch tape. They make handy stands for spheres. - Source unknown via Breccia 2/98.

Table of Contents.

July.

THE SHOP PAGE.
     DID YOU DROP A SMALL STONE (OR BEAD) on the carpet? Can't find it? Place a nylon stocking over the vacuum hose. The stone will adhere to the nylon without going up the hose. Bare feet work well, too. If the rug is a shag, get out the comb or forget it!
     If you drop a stone in the workshop, get down on your knees with a flashlight and shine the light across the floor, rather than down. It should pick up a sparkle or shine.
          from Chats And Chips May 96,
          via The Coral Geode Apr 98.

     THE IDEAL TUMBLING LOAD is slightly less than 3/4 full. Use only enough water to fill the voids between the stones with no more than 1/8 of an inch over the top of the stones.
     Use only enough abrasive to cover the surface areas of the stones. This usually takes about one pound of #100 grit for each 8 pounds of rock. This may even be further reduced as the #400 and #600 grit is used, as the finer particles possess more surface area and 3/4 pound of grit with 8 pounds of rock is usually sufficient.
          from the Rockpile,
          Via The Coral Geode Apr 98.

     IF YOU PUT VASELINE around the rim of your tumbler before bolting on the lid, you will get a tighter seal and an easily removable lid. You can do the same on a tube of epoxy; the cap will not stick or cause trouble when you want to use the epoxy again.
          from Tumbler,
          Via The Coral Geode Apr 98.

     TIP FOR TUMBLERS: If you are lacking tumbler pellets for your final polish, try using a package or two of rubber bands available at most stores. They work well and can be reused.
          from Rear Trunk,
          Via The Coral Geode Apr 98.

Table of Contents.

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