When making cabochons I love to do freeform shapes.  The classic round and oval cabochons are ok but not exciting to me.  Cutting freeform shapes (pre-forms) can be a challenge.  Using a trim saw you can make multiple cuts then clean up the curves with a grinding wheel.  This wastes a lot of the material.   After trying many different trim saws I knew that I needed to find a better way to cut freeform curves.  I found two possible options, a ring saw and a diamond band saw.  Due to price of the ring saw I decide to try the diamond band saw.

The next step was to decide what band saw to buy.  I always try to do thing cheap as possible (not really a good thing when buying lapidary equipment) so I looked at the Inland lapidary band saw and the Diamond Tech Speedster-XL band saw.  Since I am not a fan of Inland products I was already leaning towards the Speedster-XL.  After reading about the metal inner frame, the extra blade and the three year warranty I chose the Speeder-XL.

Diamond Laser Speedster XL

The best price ($219.00 shipping included) I found for this saw was from the company Timeless Tiffany,  a stain glass shop in Elkton, Maryland.  I placed my order that was shipped the next day and a week later UPS delivered it.  I was so excited to have my new band saw.  I spread all the parts out on the table and started reading the manual and assemble instructions.  That is when I noticed a piece still in the packaging that didn’t look right.  After a brief examination I discovered that it was one of the legs from the saw base that had broken off.  There was no way to fix it and the saw was useless.

I immediately called Timeless Tiffany and left a message about the damage since they had already closed.  The next morning they called and told me they were shipping out a replacement and would have UPS pick up the damaged saw.  A couple days later they called again to let me know there was a delay with shipping and that the saw was being shipped that day.  A week later the replacement arrived.

The first night I assembled the saw which took about 10 minutes then did a test cut on a jasper slab.  It was awesome.  I didn’t have time to cut more that night so the next day I went work on a couple more slabs.  Everything was going well at first then it became very slow at cutting.  The problem was most likely caused by cutting a slab of Snake River Agate, a very hard material, and I being a bit heavy handed when pushing the material trough the saw.  I tried dressing the blade by cutting some obsidian which helped a little but not much.  I next tried dressing the blade with a silicon carbide grinding wheel, 220 grit.  This did a better job than the obsidian but the blade still wasn’t that great.  I switched to the second blade and so far have not had any problems with it.  I am being very careful not to push material to fast, almost letting the blade pull the material instead.

For the most part this saw is ok.  It works but not as well as I was hoping.  With some improvements it could be better.  A metal plate on the bottom to reinforce the legs would have prevented the damage on the first saw.  Second the motor need to be more robust.  It seems to have slowed down a bit but that could just be my perception because of the blade getting dull.  And last is the blade.  I believe that the problem with the first blade was my fault.  I am very glad that a second blade was included with the saw.  When it is time to switch the blade again the replacement is going to cost $83.29.  “OUCH!”  I sure hope the second blade lasts a lot longer than the first one.  A that price this saw will be put aside quickly if the blade does not last longer and I will go back using grinding wheels to cut curves.

The blade that comes with the Speedster-XL is 36”.  Before setting this saw aside I might try using Gryphon blades which are 37”.  This will depend on there being enough tension to use the slightly larger blade.  The cost of these blades form Timeless Tiffany is $97.99 for a twin pack of the regular black diamond blades and $57.39 for one fuser blade which is a heavier duty blade.

SPEEDSTER-XL BAND SAW by DIAMOND TECH FEATURES:

Quiet, dual speed 1/8HP motor – could be stronger

Improved water nozzle and guide mounting block – good

Lower wheel drain – good

Sturdy metal inner frame – good

Large capacity cooling system – still gets used up quickly

Long lasting seamless stainless steel blades – 50/50 still deciding not optimistic

Angle cutting guide – cheap but I will never use it anyway

Easy preset blade tracking and tension – good

3 Year warranty and FREE tech support – haven’t needed yet -  I wonder if they will replace the first blade; I doubt it.

Includes FREE extra diamond blade – great, it saved me right away

Includes FREE extra blade guides – good, haven’t needed these yet

This spring a new rockhound book for Idaho, “Rockhounding Idaho”, written by Garret Romaine was published by Falcon Guides.  I have been anticipating this book for quite some time since my fried Jason Estes, who told me about the book, had been in contact with the writer.  Jason actually took the photo that is on the cover of the book and included with the Dismal Swap write up in the book.  After about a year of waiting I finally have the book in hand.

Rockhounding Idaho

The biggest issue I have with many rockhound location guides is how current the information in the book is.  It can be a real bummer if the information provided was originally provided by somebody who visited the site in his model-t.  Each site listed in this book was visited by Garret in person so the information is up to date as possible.  Garret has also weeded out many sites that are well know but no longer accessible.  He does mention sites like Beacon Hill and Hog Creek (original claim) but clearly states that they are not always accessible due to locked gates and posted access roads.

In each of the locations in this book the following information and more is provided:

GPS Coordinates – WGS84 standard in decimal format to five places.

Best Season – When it is best to visit the location.

Materials – What is collected at the site?

Tools – What you will need to collect the materials.

Vehicle – Do you need and 4X4 or can you access the site in your sedan?

Accommodations – What kind of camping is available, are there nearby accommodations?

Special Attractions – Other points of interest in the area.  Not necessarily rockhound collection points.

Finding the Site – Detailed directions to the site.

Rockhounding – A report on finding the material and pointers to help you find material.

There are many sites in this book that I have not visit yet.  I look forward to checking some of them out.  One thing I noticed about some of the sites I know like Graveyard Point and McBride creek is that Garret’s information is good a start.  In both of these locations his information will defiantly guide you to collectible material but there is much more to be found in these areas.  I would suggest starting with the information in the book and if you have time hike the next ridge or gulch.

Over time as I explore the sites listed my opinion of this book my change but for the time being I am very excited about it.  It holds promise of being a must have for rockhounds who will be visiting Idaho and live in Idaho.  The book’s cover price is $16.95.

Friday was a long day at work.  The plans were to head to Twin Falls, Idaho after work and spend the evening with my folks before heading to Pocatello, Idaho the next morning for a gem show.  Everything went as planned and by 8:00 Saturday morning I was on the road.  I arrived at the show just after 10:00.

Upon entering the building I was greeted by some friendly folks from the local gem club.  When they realized I was from Nampa, Idaho they asked if I was there for the horse show that was happening at the same location.  They seemed surprised when I told them I was there for the rock and gem show.  There must have been many visitors that came by just because they were there for the other event.

After talking rocks for a little bit and promoting this site I started to check out the vendors and displays.  There were many dealers that had a good assortment of finished items.  What I was hoping for was some good rough or slab materials.  About half way through the show I found a few slab bins but felt the prices were a bit high.  It is hard to buy slabs at prices I would not be comfortable charging if I were to sell them.  The second to the last dealer I visited had great slabs at a great price.  I ended up buying many slabs of cobra stone and rain forest jasper plus two slabs of chip board rhyolite.  I was not familiar with the chip board rhyolite but it looked nice and the price was even better.  This purchase made the trip worthwhile.

After checking out the dealers it was time to take a closer look at the displays.  There were many good displays and many of them with Blue Forest petrified wood from Wyoming.  Pocatello is not far from the Wyoming border so the Blue Forest is almost a local trip.  There were many rounds of this petrified wood on display and they were my favorite item.

Blue Forest Petrified Wood

My favorite display was presented by Chuck and Sharon Strom.  It was a mixture of Blue Forest petrified wood, Grassy Mountain petrified wood and Texas Springs pink limb cast.  I had a nice chat with Chuck about all these materials.  The mail discussion was on the Grassy Mountain wood.  This material comes from Eastern Oregon not far from the Idaho border (my neighborhood).  We talked about how this material was previously known by an offensive name (n*@#% wood) and what lead to its current politically correct name (renamed decades ago).  Chuck then explained that the material is no longer available which I found amusing.  A few weeks ago I went exploring with a couple of friends and we stumbled upon the old digs for this material while looking for something else.  The reason we knew what we found is one friend found a piece on the surface.  I explained that there was still material to be found but it would require a lot of digging.  Only one piece was found the day we found the location.

The total time spent at the gem show was less than an hour.  I left the show and immediately headed towards Twin Falls.  On the way back I did decide to hunt down an address I had for a rock shop in Paul, Idaho.  I found the address but didn’t find a rock shop.  What I had was old information.  As I headed back to the freeway I got pulled over for doing sixty-five in a fifty-five mile zone.  I couldn’t believe it; this trip was about to get expensive.  To make things worse my insurance card was not up to date.  The officer let me off with a warning on the speeding but gave me a ticket for the expired card.  Luckily that ticket will be dismissed when I send in a copy of an up to date insurance card.  The funny part is when I got home I found the updated card was delivered in Saturday’s mail.

Once I returned to my folk’s house in Twin Falls the family decided to go to Balance Rock which is located near Castleford, Idaho.  I was hoping to find some collectible rock there but found nothing.  It was a nice trip however and it was nice to spend some quality time with my folks at a beautiful location.

Balanced Rock

The next morning I left Twin Falls and headed to Gooding, Idaho to meet up with Tony Funk (idahorockshop.com).  The rest of the morning was spent digging through his rocks piles.  I ended up purchasing about seventy pounds of awesome material.  At about 2:00 we then headed to Tony’s house where we ate lunch.

After lunch it was time to head home to Nampa, Idaho.  The freeway entrance was about ten miles away.  About five miles down the freeway I blew a tire.  I felt the tire problem coming a few miles before and had already slowed down and had the hazard lights on.  I was pushing hoping to get in the nearby rest stop.  The tire blew about 100 feet before the exit to the rest area.  I tried to get my spare tire put on but had a problem getting one of the lug nuts off to remove the wheel.  Tony had to come recue me.  He thought it was going to be a simple project but I had custom wheels that required an insert to get the lug nuts off. This insert piece and the lug nut were both stripped.  He ended up having to pound a steel rod into the lug while I twisted the rod with a wrench to get the lug nut off.  (Thank you, Tony)  After the spare tire was on I then had to drive the rest of the way home at fifty miles an hour.  I pulled into the drive at 7:30 that evening.  The next morning I purchased new tires and wheels.  Yep, this trip got expensive.

Blown Tire

Even with the unplanned adventure and expenses this was a great trip.  It was nice seeing some different places and spending time with family and friends.  I am already thinking of the next trip.

Tumble Rocks in Heart Shaped Dish from Dollar Store

Download the printable publication from the BLM here.
Rockhounding in Idaho BLM Publication

Many of the comments, emails and searches this site receives asks the question “where can I find a used…”  Almost every day somebody does a Google search for “used lapidary saw” and ends up here.  This post will address that question.

As I have participated in the rock hound / lapidary hobby I have purchased two pieces of new equipment, an Inland trim saw and a Chicago Electric tumbler.  These two pieces were the least satisfying pieces I have purchased.  Since then I have purchased many pieces including three saws, a half dozen tumblers, a flat lap, a cabbing machine and a grinding wheel setup.

The first place I found used equipment was Craigslist.com.  People often upgrade equipment, lose interest in the hobby or inherit equipment they don’t want.  Where do they go to unload the equipment?  Classified ads are where they go.  Whether it is Craigslist or you local newspaper classified ads are a great place to watch for used equipment.

The second place I purchased equipment was local gem shops and dealers.  Three dealers in the southern Idaho region that I have purchased used equipment from are Idaho Rock Shop, Stringers Gem Shop and Stewarts Gem Shop.  The contact information for all these dealers and many more can be found in the new “Gem Shops” section of this site.  (This is also a good reference for finding gem shops if you are traveling in the Western United States.)

The third place I found used equipment is from other members of the Owyhee Gem and Mineral Society.  Often active members of a gem club will offer the equipment to club members before trying to sell it by other means.  They also will be more inclined to teach you how to use, take care of and repair the equipment they sell to you.

Other places I have seen used equipment for sale is gem shows, yard sales, auction and online forums.

All sources for used equipment are hit and miss.  However, with little patients you will eventually find what you are looking for.  Once you do find that piece you are looking for it may require a little repair work.  If you are willing to do the repair work you will often end up with a better built piece of equipment than what is available new.  You may also save a lot of money since used equipment is often a fraction of the cost of new equipment.

At the college of Idaho there is an incredible gem and mineral collection.  I first saw the collection on a field trip with a geology class I was taking at Boise State University.  At the time I was not a rock hound yet so the thought of photographing it never occurred to me.  Since becoming a rock hound I have had the opportunity to view this collection two more times.  Both times I didn’t have a camera.

Last night the Owyhee Gem and Mineral Society arranged to view the collection before their monthly meeting which meets down the hall from the collection.  I was excited about this and made sure that I had a camera this time.  Upon arriving at the Boone Science Building where the collection is housed I was informed that the key to open the room where the collection was housed could not be found.  Instead of viewing the gem and mineral collection we would be viewing the natural history museum which is in the basement of the same building.

I was disappointed that I would not be viewing the gem and mineral collection but the opportunity to view the natural history museum was not a bad second option.  About a year ago at a Owyhee Gem and Mineral Society meeting there was a presentation of some of leaf fossils that museum had that were collected in the area.  The little bit that was shown then was fascinating so the complete displays had to be worth viewing.

The first display that can be seen as you enter the museum is of African antelope and mammals of North America.  Following that there is an insect collection.  Then came the parts I was more interested in, Indian artifacts and fossils.  The piece that I liked the most was a very large chunk of petrified dino bone.  This piece was behind a main display in a work area.  I kept thinking it would be nice to cut it up into slabs.  Anyway, the museum had many interesting items on display.  Even the non rock related displays were interesting.

I am not sure what hours the museums are opened.  Every time I have been able to view the Gem and mineral collection it was by special appointment.  It was the same for the natural history museum.  I asked for a flyer about museums but was not given one.  If you do get the chance to view either of these collections it will be well worth your time if you like gems, minerals or fossils.

The photos below and their linked albums show part of the gem and mineral collection that can be seen from outside the collection room and the photos from the natural history museum.

Click the photo below to see a full album of photos from the gem museum.

Brazilian Agate

Click the photo below to see a full album of photos from the natural history museum.

Dino Bone

When I purchased my used 16” slab saw the blade that came with it was not in the best of shape. I knew that I was going to have to replace it in the near future. Back in November I was cutting some Cripple Creek Jasper when a piece broke off and became lodged between the blade and slab catch tray. This damaged the blade beyond repair; I could not put off ordering a blade any longer.

After doing some research I found two blades on eBay that were reasonably priced at around $100. It took me a week to decide which blade to purchase. One was a tradition lapidary blade but I knew it was a Chinese blade (the same brand of blade that was in the saw to start with) that needs frequent conditioning using obsidian, fire bricks or silicon carbide grinding wheels to keep it sharp. The other was a heavy duty blade that had a 1/8” kurf to it. I decide that since I don’t cut a lot of expensive materials that the heavy duty blade was the way to go.

I ordered the new blade a week before Thanksgiving hoping to have it by the holiday. The vendor shipped it and sent me tracking numbers right away. Thanksgiving came and went and no blade came. It was over a week later that the postal service finally made the delivery. I don’t know what the delay was since I sent out packages that arrived to my customers within a couple of days during the same time period. Anyway, I was excited to finally have the new blade.

Within an hour of receiving the blade it was installed and cutting a piece of obsidian (this material is good for dressing a new or dull blade). The first cut was horrible. After another cut nothing changed. That’s when I realized the new blade wobbled just as bad as the old blade. “Oh no!” Did I buy a bad blade or worse yet did I already damage the new Blade? Next time I buy a blade I will be sure to check that it is flat before installing it. After the blade was removed I checked it and found that it was just fine.

New Saw Blade

Once I knew the blade was ok I took apart the bearing and shaft part of the saw. That’s where the real problem was. One of the bearings was so loose you could stick your finger in it and wiggle it. The other issue was on the shaft where it connected with the bearing. There was a grove in it that was almost a 1/16 on an inch deep. Replacing the bearings was easy but they did cost $40.00. The flanges were also replaced at this time. The shaft was a bigger problem. A new one was needed. Once again I turned to my friend Bill Solt who is a machinist. He was able to make a new shaft within a week. Thanks again Bill.

Old Parts

Once all the new parts were assembled and the blade was installed the saw was running very smooth and the blade did not wobble at all. I was very excited until I checked the first cut and found that it was very rough. Once again I felt a sinking feeling. Did I but a crappy blade? I then cut a few slices off an old silicon carbide grinding wheel before attempting another rock cut. The second cut was much better but still not where I wanted it. After a few more cuts things were looking very good. What a relief it was to know I didn’t waste $100 on a bad blade.

A couple of days later I set the saw to do a cut and went inside. All of a sudden a horrible screeching sound was coming from the garage. I ran quickly to the saw and turned it off. What happened was the rock broke and part of it jammed between the blade and the vice. Luckily when the rock was pulled out the blade popped right back in place; there still was no wobble. If the regular lapidary blade had been there I would have been buying another blade already. Buying the heavy duty blade was the right choice.

Feed Pulleys

A little wile after buying this saw I had changed the pulley on the feed motor from a 2” pulley to a 1” inch pulley. This slowed down the feed rate which was too fast for the old blade that was in it. This kept the saw from locking up while cutting large or very hard materials like agate. With the new heavy duty blade this was not an issue. I have been able to cut even larger stones than before without slowing down the saw at all even with the 2” pulley on the feed motor.

The following gallery shows some of the material I cut since replacing the blade.

Tumbled Cabochons December 2009

After tumbling rocks for a while most people will find that they have a lot of tumbled rocks.  There will be shelves, bags, boxes and other containers all over the place.   Sooner or later the tumbled rocks get out of control if one continues the hobby.

After each batch is complete I separate the rocks into two categories; rocks that are good for giving to kids and rocks that I want to keep.  Often as time passes many of the keeper rocks turn out to be give away rocks.  Even after the keepers turn to give-aways I find that I have more to display then I have room for.

Last summer I went to my friend Ron’s house to look at some stamps he wanted to sell.  Besides being a stamp collector Ron also is an avid rock hound.  Around Ron’s house there were dishes full of tumbled rocks.  As we looked at many of the dishes I found that each dish contained a certain type of rock or rocks from a specific location.  I found this method of displaying rocks to visually appealing.

Since my visit to Ron’s house I have been using his display technique with each batch of rocks I have done.  Since I haven’t shared many of these tumble batches I thought I would share them now along with the dishes they are displayed in.

Until recently I have had the capacity to tumble 24 pounds of rocks at a time.  This past weekend I purchased a monster tumbler from my friend Jason.  This tumbler holds 48 pounds at a time.  Now that I can tumble up to 72 pounds at various stages at any given time I wonder if I will have enough room to show all the dishes of rock.  I doubt it but it is going to be fun finding out.

Nelson 48 Pound Tumbler