Shain Mayer

A rainstorm had pushed through and left some nice color and clouds.

Shain

OUt of focus roughs

From Freeformcabs by Shain Mayer

Then we got two Quantom Chrysocolla from Peru

From Freeformcabs by Shain Mayer

From Freeformcabs by Shain Mayer

A Morenci Azurite Flower

From Freeformcabs by Shain Mayer

A nodule agate, maybe a beacon

From Freeformcabs by Shain Mayer

And lastly, a nice gel Holley Purple

From Freeformcabs by Shain Mayer

Labels: Azurite, Beacon hill, Chrysocolla, Holley Blue Agate

This is  just one cooling rack. And in this bakery, we tend to have to bake allot of bread light or par baked. Enjoy

Shain

I found a small, under 1 pound size piece of rough Orbicular Rhyolite the last time i was out in the Willowsprings area here in the Goldfields. These are the only two slabs i really got from the piece.

From Cabochon contest

It undercuts badly, but there is potential in design and use of the harder agate zones. It has nice contrast and stands out well in patterns.

From Cabochon contest

There is a darker Rhyolite area with hues of red and purple almost. This is the hardest areas of the cabochon. This second cabochon has less hard areas, which are the large open eye white/gray orbs. I am sure there is more to be found out there.

From Cabochon contest

http://shainmayer.blogspot.com/2010/08/rockhounding-hiking-willow-creek-area.html

Labels: Goldfield Mountains, Rhyolite, Rockhounding, Superstition Mountains, Willow Springs

This piece came to me as in, in my overstock piles. literally was washed up from a dirt pile recently. These piles have been turned at least 5 times since i have owned them. Who would a thought, almost a prefect really nice gem agate cab. The only problem, i dont think it is Montana Agate, maybe Brazil or South American? I just dont know, but it is so nice it really doesnt matter. What do you think?

Labels: Agate, Brazil, Cabochon, Montana

With just a few new ones i know are not in my inventory of cabs. Remember if you see something you like here, there is a chance i have a very similar piece in inventory, or can cut it from rough stock.

Labels: Holley Blue Agate, Piaute dendritic agate, Priday Plume agate

Shain

Car in motion and still a good shot.

These pieces both came from rough i got for grading and help sorting Stonethatrock.com, first acquired collection. They had allot of Jade, Holley, Spencer Opal, and Chrysocollas. I spent a few weekends over helping them figure out what they had and were the values were.

The Varascite was in two slabs and was the best looking gel grade material i had ever seen or got to work in person. Its highly transparent like Chrysoprase. The Pink/Blue moss is from a piece that was highly agatized and i would classify as a moss agate. It had allot of fractures, but it was still all agate. Highly transparent as well, this piece shows a nice small druzy vug on center and has real nice balance and contrast. I but these this morning at my folks house.

Located roughly off of the Apache Trail 88, 12 miles north of Apache Jct. Willow Creek is a popular hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, and general recreational area that can be a qiuk stop, or a full day or more of adventure. The area is generally located by what is known as "Lookout Point", were there are paved parking access, sidewalks, and a couple patios with seating. The area these photos come from is north of lookout point, following Willow Creek towards the Salt River. These photos only show about 5 miles in the general area. There are lots of rock-hounding in this area. Obsidian and Rhyolite mixtures, Druzy agate, Lace agate, Thundereggs, and gold. Some of the close up photos show a deep red jasper that looks to be orbicular in the Rhyolite walls. Hope you enjoy the pics, let me know if you have questions about the area.




view all photos here......

Read more..... Chunk of Original Earth Found : Discovery News

Im glad to see Azcentral reporting this. It should always be a front running concern here in the SW. Water is and will always be our number one resource in the southwest. The damning of the Colorado has allowed manifest density to truly be taken to its fullest in the America. Yet problems of water conservation are not as important as other problems in the SW. Though we have yet to be out of the drought that started in the early 90's. We fool ourselves into thinking the water is being refilled each year. But that is obviously not the truth, are we are becoming even more self righteous and not caring about our neighbors and human families of are races.

 Are we over consuming that much if they say each winter we refill the lakes around the state? I bet if you look it up, Mormon Lake is dead dry, and that was a good size lake, nothing like size Mead of Powell, buts it not there anymore. My concern comes from the fact that i will be one of the first cut off when rationing becomes important to the masses. Even though i ration everyday and understand my water spending based on the fact that i have no well, nor direct city water access. I must haul it or have it delivered every week or less. When rationing really takes hold, drop stations like the one i am able to access to buy/fill/load the water will become either shut down, or overly crowded which will lead to more water pollution at the station i feel.   These are just my thoughts and something very personal to how i act in the world.  We need water rights!

Read more....Lake Mead at 54-year low, stirring rationing fear:

"The current museum, dating to 1917, houses a collection of more than 3,000 gemstones, other rocks and minerals, and numerous exhibits about mining in state history.

It sees about 56,000 visitors a year, about half of whom are schoolchildren on field trips."

So long as they dedicate a part of the newly renovated building they plan to take the current Museum's place, to minerals and gems from this state. I would be fine with the tax payer cost to renovate and change the whole place over. But i have a feeling it wont be that way? Will go and visit before they close it down, hope you all can too.

Read more: Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum to undergo renovation

This is a really interesting article, check it out.

No info, but odd none the less, and lots of neat pictures of stones that move by themselves. Or by the wind? Phenomenal Sailing Stones in Death Valley

I came across a KAY Tenor banjo on CL yesterday for trade. It needs a new bridge and tail but i have yet to see it in person and really know. I have communicated with the owner and offered my Dreadnought Ibenze and they are interested. MY Dreadnought needs at least one new tuning key(The G), if not a whole set. Easy fix, $20-100 cost depending on if you do it yourself and what type of key, or whole set of keys you buy. The bridge for the banjo and tail piece wont cost much either, but may Requiem a luither to set up properly because of bridge to neck ratios and condition of the head. I recently met a Banjo Luither and showed my Gretsch tenor. He gave me some real good pointers on what to look for and what can be done with tenor banjos. So what do you think? Here my dreadnought;

I put three songs up on youtueb which i managed to record through my phones camera. Came out plenty fine.

Labels: Music, Tenor Banjo

A new cab of true red druzy carnelian I cut this morning at my folks. I found this piece of rough and a piece of fire agate that just out to be a nice sard onyx.
Shain

The cabochon store is up and filled with some first runners. Checkout is working, just remember you need to have a google account to use it. If you see a cab you like and would like to proceed with a different order route. Simply contact me with the title of the cab including the general number that starts the title and we can go through other payment options like Paypal or money order. Thanks.

The last couple days have been really nice outdoor temps so i found myself out digging in my overstocks. Looking mainly for pieces for my dad, he wants to slab something and i found a nice piece of Horse canyon Moss and Rivera Plume for him today.

But two days ago, i found this piece pictured of what Im pretty sure is Haystack/Jelly Bean jasper.  But if its not, thats ok, it gonna cut a few top notch cabs no dout. What you think?

It has that opalized look to allot of the stone. With the white areas showing more hard agate. It sure is an odd one if i do say so myself. But i have been picking these out of my overstocks for sometime. They are hard to come by and are always small.

These next couple pieces are good ones too, A bright Black on White Paiute agate. The only problem which is typical with allot of paiute is the pitting in the black can get heavy. But what a nice classic contrast.