Vulcan state forest/black springs. First finds

[curiouslittlerat]

Hi all,

A few weeks ago I said fuck it and headed out to black springs on a lovely sunny day, too lovely to spend arranging blinking lights in the right patterns on the infernal devices. Found myself a quiet spot where someone else had done the hard work of getting through to the wash and extended their spot. It was just north of the bend.

Ran into someone, who's name I forgot :|, who had a few tips to pass on. Nothing cuttable I think, but a lovely way to relax and get some exercise anyway.

I've been wanting to check out further to the south east where some finds are recorded, but I couldn't find any established holes and didn't feel like creating a new one myself. The ground is like concrete!

Any good rivers/creeks around there accessible with just a state forest permit to have a crack at after this week of rain?

P.S. any tips on taking better photos of finds?

[RoughCreations]

Hi, can't add much local knowledge - I'm down Tasmania way. Good post though. Taking photos of gems is best done outside in natural light if you have no specialist studio-like setup indoors: overcast day, best early or late on overcast day when light levels are less, and the angle is lower. Use a tripod for your camera if you have one, or just wing it with your phone camera if you don't. Always take a short ~ 20 second video as well as photos, can even try to slightly change the angle in the 20 second video.

RC

[Bucket]

Placing clearish stones on a mirror to photograph them helps show their transparency and colour.

[MrSydney]

I agree with the above, but just to note - add a coin so we all have perspective eg 5c or 10c piece.

Some of them look like you'd get a  nice little stone out of them, though may need to send overseas to make it worth getting them cut.

[curiouslittlerat]

I agree with the above, but just to note - add a coin so we all have perspective eg 5c or 10c piece.

Some of them look like you'd get a  nice little stone out of them, though may need to send overseas to make it worth getting them cut.

Good call!

There's a local lapidary club I've been thinking of joining. Assuming you're just in it for fun and personal use, how much effort does it take to achieve basic competency for diy cutting?

I figure you can buy raw lab gems to practice a bit.

I've watched videos and stuff, it doesn't look too complicated (although I imagine working on expensive rough is extremely stressful) but looks are often deceiving when it comes to crafts.

[Jimnyjerry]

If you mean with faceting you can practice on cutting quartz or pieces of thick glass (bottoms of old bush bottles) or pieces old fashion TV screen.
Time for basic competency would depend on the time and effort you put in.  Presume you mean to start with round brilliants.
Did a few quartz and smoky round brilliants and a zircon years ago then lost interest time wise doing a rose quartz.  More into cabbing and flat lapping and agates and thunder eggs these days.
  Jimnyjerry