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Author Topic: Tips on Displaying Rocks  (Read 5481 times)

Wwoofa

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Tips on Displaying Rocks
« on: April 02, 2013, 11:16:14 AM »
Hi,
I finally got around to getting a display cabinet (see pic).  It's quite good ... came assembled, fairly easy to mount to the wall and has it's own internal lighting which works very well.
When I started putting some of my better specimens in the cabinet, some sit quite nicely but others need to be held in place because they either don't have a flat surface to sit on or they are too small.
I've seen a few ways of doing it but what do people recommend for large, medium & small rocks?
Also, any suggestion for making up nice labels?
Thanks, Paul

Jimnyjerry

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Re: Tips on Displaying Rocks
« Reply #1 on: April 02, 2013, 02:07:11 PM »
Wwoofa try a bit of blue tack on the bottom of the wobbly stones.  :)
I try to take one day at a time, but sometimes several days attack me at once.

mehoose

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Re: Tips on Displaying Rocks
« Reply #2 on: April 02, 2013, 02:42:32 PM »
noooooo, yuk, vewy unatwactif.
Isn't there a clearish substance you can get from jewellery supply stores, holds things in place? not sure if it's a wax or something but if you rang HOJ or AJS they should know it and say whether it would be detrimental to a specimen. Clear has gotta be better on those glass shelves than dirty blue.
Keep em comin!!!

Jimnyjerry

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Re: Tips on Displaying Rocks
« Reply #3 on: April 02, 2013, 03:02:42 PM »
noooooo, yuk, vewy unatwactif.
Isn't there a clearish substance you can get from jewellery supply stores, holds things in place? not sure if it's a wax or something but if you rang HOJ or AJS they should know it and say whether it would be detrimental to a specimen. Clear has gotta be better on those glass shelves than dirty blue.
Depends where your eye level is  ;)
I try to take one day at a time, but sometimes several days attack me at once.

chookie2

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Re: Tips on Displaying Rocks
« Reply #4 on: April 02, 2013, 03:35:35 PM »
On the button Mehoose. It is called Gallery Wax and is used by Art Galleries to set things in place without marking them.
Happy Fossicking from Chookie

Geology Rocks, I really dig it.
My rocks are gneiss, don’t take them for granite.

darttrev68

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Re: Tips on Displaying Rocks
« Reply #5 on: April 02, 2013, 06:52:48 PM »
With the minerals in my display room I use hoop-iron to make small stands that lift the specimen to face at the right angle and display the best side.

I had all sorts of issues with lighting but now I have shelving that is lit up by vertical fluoros and reflectors in front. I have posted pictures of my rock room on this site.http://aussielapidaryforum.com/forum/index.php?action=media;sa=album;in=241

For making labels, I found that a strip label maker can do a good job, otherwise if you make up a table or grid in a word document or MS.Publisher document, then print the sheet of individual labels on photographic paper and cut it up to get a very nice finished product.

Regards, Trev.
« Last Edit: April 02, 2013, 07:02:46 PM by darttrev68 »
Cheers, from my little piece of the Australian Outback...
For mineral samples from the Broken Hill, Olary and Mount Painter districts checkout my facebook page https://www.facebook.com/curnamonaminerals

darttrev68

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Re: Tips on Displaying Rocks
« Reply #6 on: April 02, 2013, 07:00:15 PM »
Wwoofa, how wide are the shelves in your cabinet? I had a maximum of 800mm wide shelves in my display room and I had to put a lug in the middle of the shelf to help support the weight. I noticed that the glass across the largest shelves was starting to flex from the weight of the rocks - I have up to around 3-4 kg on some shelves. The glass I used is 6mm thickness.

Trev
Cheers, from my little piece of the Australian Outback...
For mineral samples from the Broken Hill, Olary and Mount Painter districts checkout my facebook page https://www.facebook.com/curnamonaminerals

Wwoofa

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Re: Tips on Displaying Rocks
« Reply #7 on: April 03, 2013, 09:35:40 AM »
Hi Trev,
The glass is 1200mm wide & 7mm thick but my rocks aren't that heavy so I'm not having any problems at the moment.  Printing labels on photo paper sounds good ... I'll give that a go.  Can you post a pic of a hoop iron stand so that I can get a better idea?
Thanks for your help,
Paul

Wwoofa

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Re: Tips on Displaying Rocks
« Reply #8 on: April 03, 2013, 09:36:26 AM »
Hi Mehoose/Chookie,
The Gallery Wax sounds good ... I'll give it a go.
Thanks, Paul

Aussie Sapphire

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Re: Tips on Displaying Rocks
« Reply #9 on: April 03, 2013, 10:01:30 AM »
Would this type of thing be any good for your job:

http://www.openallday.au.com/PlasticMineralBases.html#anchor4987827

cheers
Leah
Aussie Sapphire - The Lapidary Warehouse

Wwoofa

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Re: Tips on Displaying Rocks
« Reply #10 on: April 03, 2013, 11:42:44 AM »
Yep there are some good ideas there ... thanks Leah.

Jamo

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Re: Tips on Displaying Rocks
« Reply #11 on: April 03, 2013, 10:42:19 PM »
Paul, you could also try wooden rings that go on a curtain rod. Simply use these as a base to sir the stone on. These are especially good on round stones like agates & thunder eggs and they don't look tacky. Cheers
Baaa humbug, not enough fossicking time!

llarson

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Re: Tips on Displaying Rocks
« Reply #12 on: April 04, 2013, 12:34:51 AM »
    I used to have the availability of scrap mtls. from my sawmill maint. job. This is a lantern ring [spacer] from a hydraulic/ pneumatic valve, nice for things w/a "rounder" shape. Mine vary from ~25-50 mm in dia. Each valve has several in it.

Anthony j

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Re: Tips on Displaying Rocks
« Reply #13 on: April 04, 2013, 03:24:02 AM »
They look great

Wwoofa

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Re: Tips on Displaying Rocks
« Reply #14 on: April 04, 2013, 11:04:55 AM »
For the labels I ended up using clear plastic "slanted sign holders" that I got from OfficeWorks.  They hold a piece of paper 90x60mm and look pretty good.

 

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