Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
)
March 1997
Monthly Bulletin of the Mineral & Gem Society
of Castro Valley, CA
Dates to Remember
OUR CLUB SHOW Centennial Hall, 22292 Foothill Blvd. Hayward,
Friday, February 28, 10-6 Saturday, March 1, 10-6 Sunday, March 2, 10-5
General Meetings 7:30p.m. - Centennial Hall, 22292 Foothill Blvd., Hayward
Board Meeting 7:30 p.m. - Shop
Coming Program
March 12, 1997 April 9, 1997
March 10, 1997 April 7, 1997
/YIarch 12, 'Verlloll Korstad will give a talk 011 "Desert 'J/eld t'Crlps".
Attn: Members Show 'time ;s here, Cets show the (Jay fllreer what a great hobby rockhoulldlllg 151111
50S SOS SOS SOS SOS Set-up is a very big job, so if you can help out, it would be really great. 'talk to Ijill Collins about the best time to help and
whether you would be needed at shop or Centennial Hall.
__ . _O:O-' .... _ .. O-. .. ... ... _.~~ .. . _._ .. _ '._ •• ~ .... __ .... . _ . . ... . .. . , .... " • •• •• - •• - .. . ..... . ~-.... . -.~ ...... ... - • • • • --~ •• - .... . -.--.• - --.-;- ._ ....... _ .. .. .. _ • • ..-. • • • •
~ ~
MINERAL AND GEM SOCIETY OF CASTRO VALLEY, INC. PETROGRAPH, 1997
. This is the monthly bulletin of the MINERAL AND GEM SOCIETY OF CASTRO V ALLEY, INC., a member of the California Federation of Mineralogical Societies, Inc., and the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies.
BULLETIN POLICY
Anonymous contributions cannot be considered for publication in the Petrograph. However, if requested, the contributor's name will be withheld from the original material. The sources of other material will be indicated for proper credit. Permission is granted to reprint Petrograph articles when credit is given.
1997 OFFICERS
Elected President ................................................................................................................................ Ron Hasemeyer (886-1747) Vice President ......................................................................................................................... Naomi Morgan (672-~458) Secretary .......................................... ....................................................................................... Pauline Shirley (481-2500) Treasurer ....................................................................................................................................... Mike Alves (657-7438) 3rd Year Director '95, '96, '97 .................................................................................................. H. E. Neilson (784-1262) 2nd Year Director '96, '97, '98 ................................................................................................ Carlos Castillo (365-4069) 1st Year Director '97, '98, '99 .................................................................................. ...................... Tom Ford (792-2223) Federation Director '96, '97, '98 ........................................................................................... Vernon Korstad (537-9485) Shop Foreman ............................................................................................................................. .. Tom Miller (793-3950) 1997 Show Chairman .. ....................... .. ...................................................................................... Doc Buschke (797-0744) 1998 Show Chairman .................................................................................................. ................. Bill Collins (276-3057) Membership Chair .................................................................................................................... ... Candy Jones (671 -7844) Editors '97, '98, '99 ......................................................................................... Laurie Denton and Sue Bolton (233-882 1) Past President ............... .............. ........ .................. ............... ..................................................... . Arland Stokes (581-8706)
Appointed Shop Steering Committee Chair ............................... ~ ...................................... ............................. Tom Miller (793-3950) Scholarship Chair ................................................................................................ ... .. ...... ........ .. Joe Hamn10nd (886-5095) Special Shop Fund Administrator .. .......... .. .............................................................................. Joe Hammond (886-5095) Librarian ..................................................... .... .... ............................................................ ...... .... .... Fern Brown (357-1326) Historian. .................... ..... ........... ............ ......... ............................ ...................................... Jamie McDonald (889-7808) Junior Mentor ....................................... , ............................................................................ Ednah Antunovich (522-4214) Purchasing Agent .............................. .... ............... ........ ..... ............... ...... ... .......................... Horace Robertson (278-1085) Education Coordinator ........................................................................................................... Shirley Buschke (797-0744) Field Trip Coordinator ..................................................... .... .................................................. Ron Hasemeyer (886-1747) Parliamentarian ................................................................................................. ........... ........... ... Doc Buschke (797-0744) Club Publicity ................................................................................................. Laurie Denton and Sue Bolton (233-8821 ) Receptionist .......................................................................................................................... Charlette Snyder (276-8524) HostlHostess ...... .. .................. .... ............................ ............ ...................... Charlette Snyder and Dick Duncan (276-8524) Sunshine Reporter ...................................................................................................................... Gene Hanzel (895-2322) Door Prize Chair ....................................................... .. .............................................................. Bob Raymond (278-2520)
STAFF Editors .. ... .............................................................. ....... ....................................... .. ............. Laurie Denton and Sue Bolton Typists ...................................................................................................................................... ... .... ... ... ...... ... Candy Jones Printer .................................................................................................................................................. . Ednah Antunovich Advisor .......... ..... .................................................................................... ...... ............. .... ... ........................ ..... ... . AI Richter Assembly Crew ................................................ Roman GroveslViola Groves/Dick Minor/Clara Minor/Bob Raymond/ ........................ .. ............ .. ......................................................................... Billie Ashley/ Horace Robertson/Janice Garcia
CALENDARIE'VENT§
\ Monday )BEGINNER'S _ HAVE PRIORITY IN LAPIDARY SECTION - other members need permission of shop supervisor. Flat lapping by permission of shop supervisor only. Bead Stringing,· Faceting.
Tuesday -Square Wire Wrapping,' Wax Casting Preparation,' Jewelry Designing; Bead Stringing; Library open
Wednesday (12 - 3 p.m.)
Thursday
- Faceting (9 a.m. - 12 p.m. only); Intarsia -Library - Open from lO - 1 p.m.
- Faceting; Wax Casting Preparation
§HOP HOUR§
Monday ............... 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m.l7-9:30 p.m. Tuesday ........................... 9 a.m.-l p.m.l7-9 p.m. Wednesday ................ 9 a.m.-3 p.m.l7-9:30 p.m. Thursday .......................... 12-3 p.m.l7-9:30 p.m. Friday .............. lO:30a.m.-2:00 p.m.l7-9:30 p.m.
Not open on the first friday night of the month. Saturday ........... ; ............................. 9 a.m.-2 p.m. ) (Juniors - Adults are also invited) Sunday ....................................... 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
General Meetings 7:30 p.m. - Centennial Hall 22292 Foothill Blvd., Hayward, CA
March 12, 1997 April 9, 1997
Orieottltton mJ.. Mot!drlY _ Mdr(,h 1Jl s1:.. .ZlIlIl ~9JJ!p
Board Meetings 7:30 p.m. - Shop
March 10, 1997 April 7,1997
For next general meeting. Those members from T thru F please bring small sandwiches and desserts.
Charlette Synder and Dick Duncan, Hospitality
§how~ and Event~ 1 997
.=. eb 28· Mar 9 Imperial, CA I mperial Valley Gem & Mineral Soc
Calif Mid-Winter Soc Calif Mid-Winter Fairgrounds Gem & Mineral Bldg
Feb 28· Mar 1-2 Hayward, CA Min & Gem Soc of Castro Valley Centennial Hall 22292 Foothill Blvd Hours: Fri & Sat 9-6 Sun lO-5 Sue Bolton (510) 233-8821
March 8·9 Turlock, CA Mother Lode Mineral Society Stanislaus Co. Fairgrounds Hours: Sat 10-6 Sun 10-5 Marion Sampson (209)848-2709
March 8·9 San Marino, CA Pasadena Lapidary Society Masonic Temple, 3130 Huntington Dr. Hours: Sat 10-6 Sun 10-5 Bill Hawkins (909) 598-6809
March 15-16 Hawthorne, CA Northrop Grumman Gem & Mineral Club NGRC Clubhouse 12329 Crenshaw Blvd, Gatc 16 Hours: 10-6 Sat 10-5 Sun Jimmy Lapham (310) 331-1406
April 5·6 Torrance, CA South Bay Lapidary & Mineral Soc Ken Miller Recreation Center 3341 Torrance Blvd Hours: Sat 10-6 Sun 10-5 Roger Mills (310) 377-6226
April 12·13 Vallejo, CA. Vallejo Gem & Mineral Society Solano County Fairgounds Hwy 37 & 1-80 Hours: lO-5 both days Phyllis Malicki (707) 745-3255
OTHER ROCKY EVENTS
The CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES has a new exhibit of interest to rockhounds, " AMBER: WINDOW TO THE PAST". There will be 145 exquisitely preserved fossil specimens and 80 decorative objects. Dates are now thru April 15, Academy of Sciences, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, Hours are
10 A.M. - 5 P.M. Daily, Admission Free on first Wednesday of the month •
FIELD TRIPS - CHECK SHOP FOR MORE INFO AS NEW FIELD TRIPS ARRIVE DURING THE YEAR THEY WILL BE POSTED AT THE SHOP
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE aJT 7M'1F Ft.1 ITIS SHOW TIME!
Depending on when you get your Petrograph, I am hopefully either about to see you , am seeing you, or just saw you at our show. THANKS FOR ALL THE HARD WORK ! Ron Hasemeyer, President
FROM YOUR SHOW LEADER All the work has paid off. Thanks to each and every one of you for all your help. Can you imagine the cost of putting on our show if you had to pay the help, even at minimum wage? Lots of sore muscles, tired eyes, sleepy people, but worth it. So thanks again to all of you. Just check the club roster to see the helpers. To Ron, Joan, Bill , Horace, Carlos, Monte, I better stop for fear I will forget someone.
Doc Buschke, Show Chairman
THE1 997 CFMS SUPPLEMENTARY RULES for the California Federation of Minerological Societies are now in the Library for the persons interested in Exhibits at the Show -" Gold Coast Treasure Trove".
Also the Special Sea Star Competiton sponsored by the Ventura Gem and Mineral Society which is for carvings, jewelry, intarsia, scrimshaw, etc.
If you happen to have a Star Fish in Natural Stone 01'
Mineral, there is a category for it. see the Rules. See page 10 for more information Vern Korstad, Federation Director
2
MEMBERSHIP CHAIR
Hi, this is Candy Jones. One of the nicest parts of being Membership Chair is that I get a chance to have personal contact with almost all of our members. Below is an excerpt from a letter I received from Sheldon LaFollette from Copperopolis, CA, a member since 1961: Many things have happened to me since Friday, March 1, 1996, the first day of last year's gem show. I met Stella Rose, a widow for eight years. Our firs t date was attending the Castro Valley Gem Show. I mentioned that I had some peculiar pains in my right arm and shoulder. She insisted that I see my doctor, and she drove me to Kaiser in Stockton where I flunked the stress treadmill. The next thing I knew, they had me in an ambulance on the way to Dameron Hospital for two days. An angiogram showed 95% blockage in the right chamber of my heart, and 65% blockage in my left chamber. Stella stayed at my bedside for that 48 hours. I was then headed to Mercy Hospital in Sacramento by ambulance, and I then had 5 by··pass heart surgery on March 7th. They promised I'd be going home in a week, but unfortunately, a couple of major complications resulted in a three-week stay. Stella has a sister who works for Mercy Hospital and lives nearby in Elk Grove, so Stella cam to visit me every day. I figured that anybody that would put up with me through all that mllst really love me. To make a long story a little shorter, we decided to go to Lake Tahoe to get married -- and May 7th was the big day! Naturally we had car trouble on the way to Tahoe! We are looking forward to this year's gem show which we plan to attend. It is always a pleasu re to be at the show and see our many friends . 1'm gradually getting our hobby room organized so we can resume cutting and polishing a few stones, etc. .=:..
Candy also reports that she had a note from Ethel Andersen who was sorry to report that she would not be able to attend our show thi s year. We are sllre that her presence will be fe lt however. The Club would also like to
thank Ethel for her generous donation to the Shop Fund. Thank you, Ethel.
) The Club would like to welcome the following NEW MEMBERS. They are listed in the new roster:
C. J. Spradlin Peggy Lee junko House Lester Wollman
Kathleen Cummins Ava Fung
George and Doris Perry
MINUTES OF BOARD ME.ETING, February 10, 1997 The meeting was called to order at 7:30pm by
President Ron Hasemeyer. Voting members present: Naomi Morgan, Mike Alves, Tom Ford, Doc Buschke, Tom Miller, Arland Stokes, laurie Denton, Candy Jones. Non-voting members present. Fern Brown, Jamie McDonald, Joe Hammond, Sue Bolton.
-The minutes of the January meeting were approved as published in the Petrograph. Arland Stokes moved, Doc Buschke 2nd. motion carried.
- The proposed budget was approved, Arland Stokes moved, Candy Jones 2nd. motion carried.
Committee Reports. -Naomi Morgan reported that she has all the speak
ers lined up for the coming year. -Shop Steering, Tom Ford. Is in the process of set
)ting up his committee. -Arland Stokes said he had a phone call from Roman
Groves and he will be back on the 18th of this month. A work crew will then get together to fill the bottles of stones for the show.
-Jamie McDonald, Nothing to report. -Shop Forman, Tom Miller asked that people let him
know when something needs to be fixed. -Show Chairman, Doc Buschke, all going well. Pub
licity, laurie Denton has covered all bases. -Library, Fern Brown. Everything fine. John Gordon
donated the BlM book, Wilderness Areas in California. - Membership, Candy Jones reported a new roster
will be printed in the Petrograph. There will be a membership table at the show. -Editor, Laurie Denton. If anyone has articles to sub
mit or suggestions of what they would like to see in the Petrograph, please let laurie know.
-Joe Hammond, suggested that letters from the children who we have visited their classrooms, be iincluded in the Petrograph. Meeting adjourned at 8: 1 Opm
Respectfully submitted Pauline Shirley, Secretary.
MINUTES OF GENERAL MEETING, FEBRUARY ~
12,1997 7:30pm.
The meeting was called to order by President Ron Hasemeyer.
--Guests present: Dr. Walter Carr, Colleen
3
McGann, and Suzanne Christensen. --Noami Morgan introduced Dr. Walter Carr who
presented this evenings program "Terrestrial Impact Structures"
--Total Members present: 72 --The minutes of January meeting were approved
as published in the Petrograph. Jamie McDonald moved, Jim Barron 2nd. motion carried.
--Doc Buschke presented Arland Stokes with his two year plaque and a clock, as Arland was absent during last months presentations.
Committee Reports. --Show Chairman, Doc Buschke introduced Bill
Collins who asked for help with loading and unloading at the Show. Lots of help will be needed.
--Show Publicity, Laurie Denton, asked that we still keep handing out fliers. also she would like to see copies of ads placed in local papers, since she does not live in area to see them.
--Food Committee, coming along well, Ron Hasemeyer was presented with a large wooden spoon.
--Joe Hammond reminded everyone to turn in raffle tickets before opening of the show.
--Shop. Steering, Tom Ford. Will be having a committee meeting the evening of March 3rd.
--Shop Foreman, Tom Miller. Reminded all to turn off equipment when you are through using it, acetylene torches have been left on with the gas escaping. Also things have been missing from the shop, so Tom reminds us "IF IT'S ISN'T YOURS LEAVE IT ALONE" The person who had a Tiger Eye slab taken would appreciated it being returned.
--Elmer Snyder reported that at this time about 20 classrooms of children are expected to attend the show on the Friday.
--Bill Walsh is still looking for two glass tubes of opals, if he sold them to anyone please let him know.
--Ron Hasemeyer asked that the former Directors please turn in their operation manuals, any new Directors that do not have one let Ron know.
--Jim Barron reported that before Christmas he was missing five 8mm stones set in silver that he was going to make into a bracelet for his wife.
--Door Prize winners - Guests - Colleen McGann, and Suzette Christensen.
--Door Prize winners - Members- Shirley Buschke, Ann Marie Kochendorfer, Gene Hearn, Jeanette Korstad, Judy Karls, Lilly Johnson, Tom Ford, Jamie McDonald.
--Winners of stones donated by John Gullak -Charlette Snyder & Chad.
--Membership Attendance prize of $100 was drawn for Jim Huckestein who was not present. Meeting adjourned at 8.SSpm.
Respectfully submitted, Pauline Shirley, secretary
COME LOO~ AT THIS ...
ROCK CAKES Thanks to everyone who brought snacks to the February General Meeting. We had such a good response we thought it would be nice to give the excess to our Gem Show. Extra cookies are always needed at the Show. The members who donated this month were: Joan & Dino Saiz, Doc and Shirley Buschke, Leo & Aliette Gauthier, Janice Garcia, Elmer Snyder, Ellen Placas, A. Kochendorfer, Dolores Barnes,Vern McCullough, Tom Miller, Arland Stokes, Dick & Clara Minor, Pauline Shirley, Mardell McDowell, Joyce Buhnerkempe, Art Howell, Elaine Glahn, Charlette Snyder P. S. Let us know how you feel about serving a sugar free punch Charlette Snyder and Dick Duncan, Hosts
gem OJ trHE }VlO}1trH A local girl this time, born in Oakland,
California. She comes from pioneer stock having relatives from the John Sutter days in Sacramento, great grandparent, I think. She was raised in Sutter Creek and went to grammar school there and after high school headed for V.C. Berkeley. She was valedictorian of her high school class. And thteefourths of the graduates from this school went off to college. Her mother was a teacher. Shortly before college graduation she left school and joined the Army Air Force. She was assigned to a very secret unit and sent to Hawaii. Her group was known as the Women's Air Raid Defence or Wards and they were involved with radar, a new weapon in 1943. About two hundred women made up this unit and they worked round the clock.
After leaving the service she went to secretarial school and became executive secretary
4
to many company leaders. One of her jobs was secretary to the Association of General contractors during the building trades strike. Her boss was involved in labor n gotiations and she was brought to work under an armed guard. She also worked for the general manager of jenkel Davidson and then for the Home Builders Association.
She said she never had any trouble finding work and liked the challenge of new adventures. At one time she worked for the vice president of Ampex. She has always lived in Oakland, Berkeley and San Mateo.
One day she got married and she and her husband owned a probate investi ation offic . After her divorce she took ov r tl e busin ss. She said her job was to find missing heirs allover the world. So she has lots of interesting tales to tell.
When asked if sh had any secret ambitions she immediately said sh w uld lik to be a chef. Her dream kitchen and job would be at San Simeon, managing things, of cours . And cooking.
When asked how she got started at our club, she said she felt she needed a hobby. She had her own potters wheel and was quite the amateur and decided maybe she 'ould learn something from someone else. She found a class in Hayward and met Lenore Brest. Lenore suggested she try working with rocks and in 1988 she joined Castro Valley club. Her favorites are cabochons and spheres of which she has lots and lots. Now she wants to start making jewelry. Her favorite stones are jade, lapis and _ .. emeralds. Ch ck out h r fingers sometime when she is wearing tllat jade. She has traveled all over-The east coas t" , most of the midwest, New England,
Canada, along the St. Lawrence, Russia, Scotland, )Finland, Ireland (she's Irish) Holland, Germany, France, Egypt, Mid East, Turkey, Greece, Italy, the Orient, Bali, Java. Finally when asked where haven't you been she answered Australia, South America and much of Africa. She'd really like to see the Taj Majal. But she loves to come home to her cats and home in Newark.
As a young girl she was extremely athletic. She is an avid bowler and golfer and has won many tennis tournaments. No wonder this bundle of energy took on the job of calling helpers for our show.
OK. Who is it? Joan Warren.
I read an interesting gem quiz in the "American Gemcutter" and I thought I would try a couple of them on you readers. A Montana ruby is: a. Kashan ruby; b. Rubillite; c. )Red garnet. Smoky topaz is really: a. Brown quartz; b. Mexican topaz; c. Dyed citrine. Herkimer diamond is: a. Quartz; b. White garnet; c. Glass. Red sea pearls are: a. Agate; b.Jasper; c. Coral. How did you do? Answers are red garnet, brown quartz, quartz, quartz, coral.
Do you know what a GONIOMETER is? Neither did I. It is a protractor 'instrument that will allow you to validate the angles on various facets.
Arland Stokes and Margery have been helping her parents dig out from the recent floods. In the last flood in the 1950s they had about six inches of water in their house; this time it was about 27 inches. Arland said the'Salvation Army and Red Cross were wonderful. One of the greatest things was a lunch they delivered
..==.. 0 those cleaning up their houses. Maybe it wasn't gourmet, but it sure beat trying to clean up, go into town and then return to their mess. Ten minutes to gulp down the lunch and then back to work. Tammy Ford flew to Yerington,
5
Nevada to help out flooded relatives there. The smell was unbelievable, she said. Mud everywhere.
Jim Barron just about has his rec vehicle up and running. His plans to visit his son last summer were interrupted by engine troubles so maybe this summer he can make it. Jim is our chief caster.
Ron Hasemeyer's plans were upset recently. Ah, the joys of home ownership. His water heater gave out so spending plans had to change.
All that concern by our new Petrograph editors was not necessary. Lenore coached them well and they are off to a flying start. We sure owe Lenore a vote of thanks for the 8 years she put out that publication.
We know how kids hate it but Uly Johnson was in the shop the other day with her son. I swear he has grown 6 inches since last year.
We had a great time in Tucson. Doc found his turquoise and the price had not gone up much. Now if you were looking for amethyst crystals or quartz crystals, be prepared to PAY. We couldn't believe the rise in price. The crowd was down considerably which was nice because it was a lot easier to get around. We had dinner with Bob Drummond and his Mom. They were looking for faceting rough and not having much luck. We saw lots offlourites. Many of the usual dealers were missing. We wonder if there are just too many shows for the number of buyers. And of course, Tucson hotels really jack up their prices during this show and any other special event. They, too, are having squabbles about building a new athletic stadium. Maybe they could put in for the Raiders.
One of the dealers reminded us he would see us at our show. Wish I could remember his name. He's one of our favorites .
Some people really plan ahead. Bill Collins, next year's show chairman, has already begun to cast his case mementos. George Colville donated Merlins gold so they really look classy.
john Gullak designed the gold panners Bill is using.
Laurie Denton is off to Canada to see her mom. But she took care of all her Petro graph chores and publicity before she left. She also left Sue Bolton to pick up the pieces in case she goofed.
Kevin, Margo and baby Oldenburg were also in Tucson but we missed them. Margo's grandmother said the baby is adorable. Kevin had a meeting in L. A. And swung by Tucson on the way. Couldn't find Tony Prochoroff and George Mondragon. But I know they will be at
our show. Also, Tony is putting on a workshop at joan Miller's Bead emporium in Newark. There is a charge for the workshop but you can always come in the shop for free. The bead show in Tucson wanted a $5.00 registration fee so being a cheap skate, I got back in the car and drove away. There were beads allover Tucson at the many shows. Probably they had some prize winners, but I put a limit on my spending. (Have to keep money for turquoise).
Met Kathy Skinner and son jason at the Rio Grand show. This is a terrific show where all the tools Rio Grand sells are demonstrated and you can even try some of them yourself. Bought a sample of the new powder silver that is enmeshed in clay. It shrinks about fifty per cent upon baking. You are supposed to make very delicate pieces with it. The sample was reasonable 'cause it was a small amount.
6
MUSINGS
I'm writing this on our way to Tucson and thinking about our March show. Joan ) Warren has probably started h r telephone calls for helper sign ups and I would love to compare notes with her. Several years ago when our kids wer in scouts and we are active in PTA, we often had to make phone calls for help. One of our fund raisers was a weekly cup cake sale. (We were trying to buy band uniforms and we finally succeeded in meeting our goal). The most heard excuse for not contributing cup cakes for the sales was "But I work." Our answer was, "O .K. Send two packages of cake mix to school with your child and we will try to find someone to bake them for us." In fact, our school principal was so eager for those uniforms, she stayed and helped us bake them!
Another excuse was II My mom (aunt, grandma) died and I won't be around." One person's grandma from Texas died at least once a year for four years. I guess she figured someone else who didn't know her was on the telephone committee. Still another explained how they were moving . Their kids all graduated from local schools and they never moved. Or they ouldn't pi k up the troop at the skating rink because their car wasn't safe. Good excuse but their second car was a big new Buick. I wonder if they took their own kids out in the Buick. So, did anyone of them pay for gas? Heck, no.
Some refusals to help began with a tirade about the present condition of the world, school, government, the price of groceries or anything else they could complain about. But then again we met some wonderful people who were always willing to do their part and then some. Many didn't volunteer but always ~ helped when asked. I hope Joan has found a I
good group, too, because we do love what we have at the shop and meetings- fun, camaraderi e, knowledge, friendship,
education. And some great rock products. What more could we ask for?
) We stopped off in Blythe on the way down. Wind was horrendous. John Gordon spotted us. He said he did terrific the first day and from then on, not so good. The Rigors were also there but had left for Tucson. We met a nice couple from Bakersfield who invited us to their show in May. They feature petrified wood. And speaking of petrified wood. If you have some spare change you might consider the piece that was about 6 feet by 15 feet and about 6 inches thick. It was only $25,000.00!
The Blythe show seems very much like Snyder's Ranch. They have a section for rocks, lots of rough, and a section for arts and crafts. Price was right and free parking. Food was adequate but nothing to rave about.
WHAT TO DO WITH A-PROBLEM- STONE
Stone enhancement is a term heard many times. Heat treating, radiation treating, dying are all methods of beautifying stones. If you have a transparent stone or a very thin slice, perhaps you would like to impart better color by placing colored foil behind the stone. This will necessitate using a closed mounting on the
j stone. You can attach the foil to the back of the setting with super glue or epoxy.
Another material that can be used is copper. This metal is pliable and can be cut with a scissors and placed behind the stone. It
will import a glow to a colorless stone. Try these techniques with thin opal or thin agate. Quartz can be made darker or lighter depending on the color of foil used.
SOME CASTING TIPS (Based on information in ABI Precious Metals Newsletter)
If you have ever wondered why a cast piece developed a crack, it could be that the caster did not wait long enough before quenching. The suggestion is to wait about 15 minutes. Of course this means the job of cleaning off the investment will be more difficult.
Some jobs simply cannot be rushed. Waiting a few minutes beats having to redo the wax, reinvest, burn out and cast a second time. Maybe some of those old time proverbs make sense. Haste makes waste.
There is a new casting silver on the market that resists tarnishing. It is called sterilite and is supposed to eliminate fire scale, reduce porosity and can be recast. Another product is a copper sheet clad with gold to take the place of gold sheet at a much reduced price.
SOME OPAL HINTS Is there a fool proof way to cut and
polish opal? Not exactly. But maybe some of these hints will help. Opal value comes from its color. So how do you know what to look for in rough? You might like to purchase some low grade opal to get the feel of the hardness. Then proceed to something more valuable. Look for color throughout the stone. For this you will pay dearly. Move the opal from side to side and see the colors dance. Opal consists of many spherical balls through which the light is dispersed. The more orderly the bubbles the greater the play of color.
7
Orient color before you cut. Study the stone. Look for the area with the most intense color. Remove excess material by grinding or
sawing. Try to get parallel to the color band. The size and shape should depend on the color. Free form the stone. This means you will have to develop you own finding.
Don't high dome opal. You spoil the effect and lose color. If you are working on rough and need to slab, use the thinnest blade possible. Opal is too costly to lose much. Opal is heat sensitive and does not like sudden temperature changes. Wax can be used for dopping but remember the heat factor. Or you may choose toe use epoxy. Grinding with diamond is suggested and then move up gradually to 600. Because today's machines work fast, you may discover bumpy areas on your stone. You may want to hand sand to prevent bumps. Use cerium oxide on wet felt to polish. If you use leather, work almost dry remembering always the temperature problem
CLASSES
Please check the bulletin board for classes. Remember all our instructors are volunteers and work schedules change so it's not always possible to print class times in the Petrograph. John Gordon has offered to demonstrate carving; Tuesday night usually has wax experts present; a 'wax demo for beginners will be offered after our show; we're still working on a soldering class; Cheryl Archer will help beaders on Tuesday nights along with her mom's wire wrap; and Jamie McDonald also teaches wire wrap Friday AM.
On Wednesday AM, Doc should be back; he and Emma are waxers. Vern McCullough offers intarsia Wed. afternoon. Need help with cabs? Ask for Dan Richter, Bill Walsh. Joe Hammond. And Bill Collins is an expert at most things. Catch Buzz for help, too. Shirley Buschke, Education Ch.
8
Have you all noticed how quiet Joe Hammond has been lately. I know that he got a bad case of the flu over the winter that he could not shake; but the truth is , that in the short time I've been a member 1 kind of got to appreciate his hounding us about the million things that need doing. I miss it now. He says that he's just tired of hounding us and that its now up to us GULP. I say, get well soon Joe. The Club really does appreciate all the work Joe puts into making the Club what it is. Especially we love his silent auction that makes the General Meeting something to look foreward to. Laurie Denton
~ S & H ~NTS : provided by Candy Jones, feedback is wei 'Ol11e, II' YO ll ha\' a better tip or think there is another way to do SOl elhing, lel LIS know !
Tips on Shaping and Polishing (The Benitoite) When shaping and polishing YOll r stones, do not
press hard. Let the machine do the work. By pressing hard all YOll do is wear out the wheels, yours If, and cut deep scratch s in the ston e, You have better control over your stone with a li ght tOllch. Grind your stone on high speed, sand 011 medium speed, poli sh on low speed, all with a light tOllch, -
Never turn on the waler before starting the silicone carbide grinding process, and always run the wheel fo r at least a minute whi le standing to one side. Then turn on the waler. When grindin g is t:o mplcted, always
tum off water and let the wheel run for at least a minute before shutting down.
When polishing, mix a tablespoon of Crisco with he same amount of Linde A or other polishing com
pounds and apply to a felt polishing wheel or lap. Its viscosity prevents the powder from flying off or traveling to the edge of the lap.
These Hint is For You (Conglomerate) Crepe rubber is excellent as a cleaner for lapi
dary sanding cloth. It is the same material used for some show soles. A small thick piece of crepe rubber held against the sanding cloth, while in motion, is an eraser to remove the accumulation of debris and expose the abrasive cloth for better work.
Take five or six plastic garbage bags, nest one inside the other, lining up all handles. Gather the handles on on each side and wrap them with tape or string. The resulting multi-layer bags are strong, light, take up little room to pack, and make excellent rock bags.
Working With Malachite, Another Beautiful Gem (Ghost Sheet) y Saw about ten degrees away from directly parallel to the grain. This way, when you dome the stone, you will get a bullseye effect. Malachite is a fairly soft stone, so try to carve the slabs a little thicker than other materials
When grinding malachite, always wear a breathing mask. This is a toxic material and can make you very ill.
After grinding, sand first on a new 600 sanding belt. For polishing,'ZAM on hard felt is recommended. Give the stone a little extra time and the polish will come up better.
Releasing Epoxy (Rock Chip Reporter) If you want to remove a stone that has been
secured with epoxy cement, touch the tip of a hot soldering iron to the finding for just a second or two. After removal, dissolve epoxy resin from the stone by
, dipping it in vinegar. .~
olishing Tigereye (Rock Chip Reporter) , .. For that gloss finish, polish once, 'dry the stone,
then put a drop of vinegar on it. Leave a couple of minutes and then give it another 'polish.
9
Bill Walsh - became a rockhound when he started collecting Quartz crystals.
NEXT BIG CLUB EVENT -SHOP CLEAN UP AND
OPEN HOUSE -APRIL 12. e 13-
It is that time of year again to get out the ,. mop. brush and elbow grease. After worldng so hard at the Show I guess we get to really treat ourselves and work hard again a few weeks later at the SHOP CLEANUP. Those Cleanup days really do help keep our shop looking good plus those are the days when we improve and fix things that need attention. The day after the cleanup we have an OPEN HOUSE where we open the shop to the public. We can bring our friends over and let them get a closer look at the Shop and excited about jOining the Club. Also we will have lots of the new members who joined at the Show come over.
and we want Shop to look as good as possible . We work hard putting on a the Show so that we have the wherewtthall (otherwise known as money) to run our wonderful shop. so lets show it off. After all. our shop is what makes our club really special.
From April 1985 Petrograph WORDS OF WISDOM: A foot is a device for finding furniture in the dark. Laurie Denton
"GOLD COAST TREASURE TROVE" Seaside Park, Ventura County Fairgrounds
June 20-21 -22, 1997
Special "Sea Star" Competition.
The Ventura Gem & Mineral Society will be sponsoring a Sea Star (Star Fish) contest at the 1997 CFMS Show in Ventura, June 20, 21 , & 22, and the Show Committee would like to invite everyone to enter. There will be six categories and a trophy will be offered in each one. These trophies will be awarded only once at the GOLD COAST TREASURE TROVE SHOW.
The six categories are Carving,Jewelry, Intarsia or Mosaic, Lapidary Art, Scrimshaw, and Natural Form. Only one entry per person in each category is allowed but a person may enter more than one category. The entry must be a single piece but may contain other figures that would contri bute atmosphere or add to the overall design of the entry. However, the Sea Star must be used as the central figure.
The rules and an entry form are published in this issue of the CFMS Newsletter and extra copies may be reproduced or requested from Jeane Stultz. A separate application must be filled out for every category entered and all entries must be received by June 1, 1997. A single show entry badge will be issued to each contestant, regardless of how many entries a person submits.
We ' ll be looking for you in Ventura. Entries should be sent to:
1997 5th ANNUAL WOOD SEMINA
Jeane Stult 624 Randy Drive Newbury CA 91320-3036
WHAT: Wood Identification Seminar RV PARKING (Dry Camp) Across the Street
WHEN: ApJrDi 18·19·20, 1997 COST: $35.00 Per Person WHERE: 20TH & M Street, BUENA VISTA MUSEUM Please mai{e checlt payable to KERN
PALEO CONFERENCE ROOM, COUNTYMHNERAL SOC ETY BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA
MAP OF LOCATION IN CFMS NEWSLETTER IN CLUB LIBRARY
REGISTRATION FORM FOR WOOD IDENTIFICATION SEMINAR
)
Name: ___________________ Phone: ( ) .~
Address: ______________________________ _ City: ______________ State: Zip: _____ _
RV Camping: YES NO Please Enclose Check, $35.00 Per Person MAIL TO: MARTIE ISCH, 11800 Bl'ockridge Ct., Ban{ersfieRd, CA 93312
10
CLUB SHOW CASE
' I
+-223/44 +- 22 3/4"---. ...
\
2117/8" SIDE BACK
T 21 7/8" SIDE
-L ~
~20 7/81~ ... 463/4" • t
~I:-------i ~20 7/8"
207/8" FLOOR
~ 463/4"--...
INSIDE DIMENSIONS
12
I
YEARLY DUES
oCouple ($30, Jan. 1 to Dec. 31); ($ 15 July 1 to Dec 31), plus $1 for each active Junior (ages 11 - 17).
oSingle adult ($20, Jan. 1 - Dec. 31 ); ($10 July 1 - Dec. 31).
-$5 per single Junior without parents in the club.
Associate Membership (former members living more than 100 miles from Castro Valley) is one-half regular dues.
GENERAL MEETINGS
o General meetings are held the second Wednesday of each month (except July and August) at 7:30 p.m. at Centennial Hall, Foothill Blvd., Hayward, CA
PETROGRAPH MINERAL AND GEM SOCIETY , OF CASTRO VALLEY CO-EDITORS: Laurie Denton and Sue Bolton P,O. Box 2145 Castro Valley, CA 94546
Dated MateriaVl'ime Value
/
Shop Location "-
NOiOll
OUR SHOP 951 Palisade St, Hayward, CA
(510) 881 -9430
Faceting Jewelry Fabrication
Stone Cutting
" I
./
t Palisade St. ~ ~ Eden Arca '- '~ASiTn -
I I
____ ..I
f. ... Q
= = - " < " P-" " 'I
" " r- - --~
I" , II
Ol'cllnl'd .. Ave,
--lS()UU;
1- _ _ _ _ , 'ii ' ,I Pm'king I
" L _ _ _ __ I l "Y" Parkin~ " " " " " " " I,
"
YMCA I \ L
rM9~¢Y ~~p~l I ~ r-- - --- ------- I
~ I I I I I
PloYSI'ounc! I
Parking I I I I
-J I I - - - - --I I
: : Exit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - only
Carlos Bee Blvd. V
BULK RATE U.S . POSTAGE
SAN LORENZO, CA PERM T#42
