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Location: Washington
Discussion: Wet in Washington
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 oldnavy72 |
Wet in Washington
Jan 5 2008, 2:15 PM EST OK, we're hooked! But we want to approach this slowly and logically. First going out on weekends then on a week or two vacation, and then to be a rockhound into retirement. We're in Seattle and if anyone knows of anything in this state or more importantly, where to start, we would be most appreciative. Doug. 8 out of 8 found this valuable. Do you? |
 pvjjh |
RE: Wet in Washington
Jan 5 2008, 3:39 PM EST Hey fellow Washingtonians. I am just over the mountains from you. As for places to search around the state there are some, but I don't know where they are. I can't get around much anymore so most of my exploring is done by pruchasing material online. However there is at least one guide service that I know of that covers WA state, BC and I think some in OR and ID. Several tours are on the westside. It might be a good way to learn about what is out there and find some good material. I am sure there are rock, mineral and gem clubs around Seattle or the surrounding area that should be able to help you get info or associated with and go on field trips as a group. These maybe be some helpful links: http://www.mineralcouncil.org/index.htm http://www.washingtonminerals.com/ http://home.comcast.net/~wams1939/links.htm http://www.dnr.wa.gov/geology/clubs.htm http://www.mineralcouncil.org/club.htm http://www.geologyadventures.com/index.shtml (This is the guide I was talking about. My son is real interested in going on a trip or 2 with these folks. lol) Hope this helps and we can only hope C & T will do a segment in WA somewhere sometime. lol. 9 out of 9 found this valuable. Do you? |
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oldnavy72 |
RE: Wet in Washington
Jan 7 2008, 4:02 PM EST Thank you for the info pvjjh. I think our plan is going to go in phases. Right now I am in a data gathering and feasibility study phase. Along with that goes the money saving phase too. The action phase will begin with short trips on weekends to pay-to-sift/dig locations to get our hands dirty and pick up more info. Then eventually we will sell the house, buy us a medium sized motor home (we'll expand as we can afford it) and have our son-in-law build us a hook up there in north Georgia. Our first grandchild is there and we just came from that area, so it is a good place for a base camp. Beside that it is only about an hour to Franklin, NC and the Sheffield mine and about 5 hours to Hiddenite, NC and an hour down to Dahlonega, GA for some gold!. I guess if we are going to make a retirement/living out of this we can go to the four corners of the US and in between to accommodate the changing seasons of weather and the open/close seasons of the digs. Have to learn all the nuances to form an LLC or something for a tax shelter. I am pretty sure that we want to mine the raw and then have it cleaned and ready to sell to a retailer. It seems as though a little investment there gives you at least a double value on your find. "Johnny 5 needs more input." Keep those cards and letter coming folks. 2 out of 2 found this valuable. Do you? |
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pvjjh |
RE: Wet in Washington
Jan 8 2008, 12:39 AM EST Sounds like you have a great plan! It would be a kick and oh man am I jealous. lol The GA and NC area is full of great treasures. Not only gems but good gold as well. It would be a kick for sure. Do you find this valuable? |
 washingtoncougar |
RE: Wet in Washington
Jan 16 2008, 8:30 PM EST Hello Wet in Washington, pvjjh gave you alot of good areas to start looking. I will add that you need to pick up Gold and Gem Maps of every state you intend to rockhound in. Recerational map books are worth their weight in gold to. I'm in the SE corner of the state and have been unable to get to that corner of the state but if you do an inernet search for rockhounding in Washington state there are a couple good areas that come up. One of which is guided. The other is actually a gentelman out of Oregon that has a tech. DVD and CD out that you can purchase with hunders of areas w/maps that he has mined, the web address is www.OreRockOn.com. My wife just showed this to me and I ordered the DVD, and am waiting on pins and needles to get it and get out to the field. If you don't mind a road trip The Richardson Rock Ranch outside of Madras, OR. (web address www.richardsonrockranch.com) is an exellent place to dig for Thunder eggs, we have been there three times in the past year and have dug up over two hundered pounds of Thunder Eggs, and if you have the time a trip over to Montana to Gem Mountain outside of Phillipsburg, MT. (web address www.gemmtn.com) is worth the trip. Took the boys there during the summer and my wife's youngest found a 3 crt., total we walked away with right around 30 crt. cuttable gems. Both areas are summer time trips. Good luck and be save. Dave 4 out of 4 found this valuable. Do you? |
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pvjjh |
RE: Wet in Washington
Jan 16 2008, 9:44 PM EST Hi Dave, thanks for the info. interestingly enough We are planning a trip to MT this summer with some friends to go sapphire mining. Probably go to Spokane bar by Helena to actually work the gravel/mine if you will for a couple of days and then P-burg for a day. Gem Mtn buckets only? Where you purchase buckets then sort them out? And we are also looking at a trip to SE OR to look for some opals and sunstones. The thunder eggs sounds like a good thing to do on the way back home. SOUnds like a real kick. Since you have been there at the Richardson Ranch. How tough is the digging for the eggs? I am limited as to what I can do and my son may be just too tired after all the other diggin he has to do prior to hunting the eggs. lol Great info. Thanks Do you find this valuable? |
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washingtoncougar |
RE: Wet in Washington
Jan 16 2008, 10:05 PM EST The digging for eggs depends on which bed you go to. The Opal and Green Beds are hard rock and is on the difficult scale. The Pony Butte Bed is where they will direct you saying that is the easest and best possibility for getting good eggs, But I like the Red bed. My wife is very delicate at digging so in the time it took her to remove 1 egg I had removed around 18. I find it very easy digging but the eggs are very soft, so be careful if you dig there the caps tend to come off if just try to ripp the eggs out of the ground. From what I under stand is that they uncovered or reopened a new bed for digging. Good luck with the sunstones, are you going to one of the fee sites or the public area? Went down to Plush Last Feb. to the public area and got awhole lot of stones just nothing worth anything, but I still have a couple of 5 gal. buckets to go through. The wife and I are hoping to get out and about the local area over the next few months and see what we can find as far as petrified wood, and to get the lapidary shop back up and running with a few new items. the summer is still up in the air at the moment. Have fun, Dave 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
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pvjjh |
RE: Wet in Washington
Jan 17 2008, 12:50 PM EST I was looking at the website and they had quite a few different sites to dig. It is amazing they have so many different types of eggs in such a (relatively) small area. My wife would probably do the same until we gave her so much guff and she got mad at us. Then she would get a lot of eggs, but they probably wouldn't be in 1 piece. Probably more like my face on the egg and wham the pick lands right on it and shatters it. lol This isn't her real forte, but she is a great sport and she does enjoy it for a while, then she go nap and relax. Like have a vacation. :-) The sunstones, we may do both fee and public digs. I do some faceting and I would like to get some good facet grade stones if I can. I have lots of clear stones but not much with any color. However, the clear doesn't make a nice faceted stone. Plush is the spot we will be heading to for the sunstones. You mentioned you still had some buckets to go through. Are we talking like mine run dirt or some sort of concentrates of sorts? What kind of equipment do you have in your shop? I just have a small 6" trim saw and a 10" saw/grinder/polisher plus my faceting machine. A bigger saw would be nice at times. I have a few geodes now I wish I had a larger saw for. Maybe someday. Thanks again for the info and I hope won't mind, I may contact you later this year prior to our trip to OR and pick your brain a bit. Man I am pumped for the end of winter - we can skip spring and then get to summer! lol 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
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washingtoncougar |
RE: Wet in Washington
Jan 17 2008, 7:37 PM EST The two remaining buckets that we have is just dirt and gravel that we dug and shifted when we where looking for sun stone on the BLM land. None of the fee dig sites are open in Feb. which may be your best bet for finding a cuttable stone, the public areas have been picked over really good. We have a 24" slab saw ( which is down at the moment awaiting a new blade and oil), a 6" trim saw, the 7" tile saw that we started with and a 6" flat lap that we are still buying laps for. We have a 78" band saw that we are in the process of converting over to use on rocks, and we are going to take one of the old 24" blades and build a large flat lap like the one seen on the petrified wood Cash and Treasure last week, (wifes idea). No problem with contacting me later I will help in any way I can and with what info I have. Dave 2 out of 2 found this valuable. Do you? |
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pvjjh |
RE: Wet in Washington
Jan 17 2008, 8:46 PM EST Going through the buckets will be a kick away. One never knows! Looks like you had/are/getting your shop back together. Sounds like it is a very nice shop, with just about everything us rockers need. I can understand purchasing of stuff for the shop. It seems to be always something else. Right now my grinder/polisher has stone wheels on it. I want to purchase diamond wheels, but argh they are pricy. There is only 2 stones right now, but there is plenty of room for a 3rd one. 3 8" diamond wheels - yikes!! Though a new 24" blade isn't cheap by any means. It was interesting that you brought up making a flat lap as we were watching the show, my wife and I discussed the same thing. As a matter of fact she is the one that thought that be a great thing to have. I am thinking about building one myself. That 24" blade would work perfectly. How are you going to drive it and at what speed. I was thinking about a gear drive motor with a slower rpm and building it 2 foot or a little bigger. I think the one on the show was 36". But he had a pretty big shop and lots of slabs to polish. Need to figure out how to be able to change laps if you will and use it for grinding as well. I have an idea but don't know if it would work. I will be contacting you if and when we get this trip all put together for more input about the sunstones and the area. Thank you so much! It is to dang cold right now - where is summer??? Do you find this valuable? |
 ModerndayEdison |
RE: Wet in Washington
Jan 20 2008, 7:56 AM EST Hey Doug, While conducting your feasibility study you should consider this one thing as a major reason for getting into it as a way to suppliment your retirement incomes. When Mt. St. Hellens errupted, she blew her top. Half that mountain was dislodged and blown over a 40 mile area. That erruption did nore work in one day than a mining company could have done in 30 years of blasting with dinomite. Now that allot of the ash has been erroded away, it's the perfect time to visit the area as a Treasure Hunter or Prospector. Just something to keep in mind. 4 out of 4 found this valuable. Do you? |
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ModerndayEdison |
RE: Wet in Washington
Jan 20 2008, 8:12 AM EST Nuances? LLC? Tax Shelter? You are a newbie aren't you. I can help. First off, Gold, Gems, and other "Treasures" are not money. They are worth money, but they are not money in themselves. Meaning that they are a Tax Shelter in themselves, until sold for a profit. Are you hearing me? You could store millions worth of meteors, Uncut Gems, Gold Nuggets, Jade, and other such things in a steel shipping container one one of your kid's property with a heavy lock on it. And only sell off what you need to live comfortably on. And to pay for your travels. Your tax return only shows what you want it to show, because the majority of your wealth is sitting in raw form and there is no way for anyone to know exactly how much you have or what your actual net worth is. I found that this is precisely the technique Andrew Carnegie used when he needed to side step the financial industry to expand his steel business to support the Westward Expansion of the Northern Pacific Railroad out to Califoria. Happy hunting. 3 out of 4 found this valuable. Do you? |
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ModerndayEdison |
RE: Wet in Washington
Jan 20 2008, 8:28 AM EST Futhermore, if you want your tax return to only show your retirement income there is a way you can avoid a 1099 and keep your extra curricular funds off the books. Simply by limiting the amount of "product" sold a any one time or place. Flea markets are a good source of income as well when you have raw rock finds that you would like to liqidate to help support your true passion. You can also sell raw copper and Quarts in this manner as well. I have done much of the research on the subject and I am thinking of doing the same thing you are. There is no better fortune than that which is pulled from the earth with one's own two hands. And it makes for the perfect family road trip or vacation that could very well pay for itself if mixed with a bit of work. 2 out of 2 found this valuable. Do you? |
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oldnavy72 |
RE: Wet in Washington
Jan 20 2008, 7:32 PM EST Thanks for that information. I kind of figured out that raw treasure had no value except to the treasure hunter. I was just thinking that there may be tricks tot he trade, unique things that could be done. But you have provided the most prefect and simplistic approach. Don't cash it in until you need it. So, here's the next question - raw materials or take them to the next step and have them cleaned and polished? Does having them cleaned and polished increases their value to sell to the wholesaler, does it affect the tax status? My guess is it does nothing until you sell it. Now, is it worth doing the second step? Can you sell and realize the profits at a flea market or local tradeshow by taking the raw and cleaning them up? Or is it too time intensive? 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
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ModerndayEdison |
RE: Wet in Washington
Jan 21 2008, 11:00 AM EST The best thing to do is to pull a small enclosed utility trailer behind your motorhome, like the ones often used by model plane builders. When you have a collection of "material", you obviously have some finds that are more impressive than others, right? Well.....I separate them into two diferent categories. Raw Junk and Keepers Raw Junk..... is not Junk at all, but it consists of material that is best left in the raw for Displays, being used in water fountains and that sort of stuff, like rock lamps for decorating gardens and so forth.....this is the stuff that is good to sell at Flea Markets. It will give you extra operating cash while lightening up your load. Keepers.....on the other hand, are the stones, raw copper finds, Gold Nuggets, Silver, Turquois, Gem Material, and other finds that are worth the extra expense to have them cleaned pollished, made into Jewelry, or melted down into gold wafers or bars and appraised with certified appraisals.... same goes for any diamonds Rubies or other Gems that you have Facetted or "Cut". This is the suff that is "worth" a considerable amount of money. Sell the Raw Junk to cover your expenses. Keep the Keepers to pay for a better motorhome, better prospecting gear and clothing that is best suited for the task at hand. I have found that one of those fishing vests with all the pockets on them work great for rock hounding, nugget hunting, they allow you to carry more than a fannypack without lugging a backpack. That right there is a valuable tip to remember. 4 out of 4 found this valuable. Do you? |
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ModerndayEdison |
RE: Wet in Washington
Jan 21 2008, 11:30 AM EST As for the "Raw Junk" in particular? Raw Junk.....isn't necessarily junk if it makes it's way into your collection of finds on your trailer. It is best to clean these items off with a water hose and maybie use some Windex on them to make them sparkle while their sitting out waiting to be bought at a trade show or Flea Market. You want the sun light to hit them when possible, People tend to buy Bling Bling. Beyond that, I wouldn't take them all the way to "The next step" as you put it. Save that extra expense and effort for your keepers. If the people that buy the raw at the flea markets want to have that stuff done, let them go through the trouble. It really isn't worth the time, effort, or expense to try outfitting a mobile work shop for transforming your finds....it tends to take away from the treasure hunt. Once you have a considerable amount of keepers and you want to set-up your own Gem Facetting Operation or shop.... it is best to practice on some of your smaller pieces of your own Raw Junk finds. At least until you get good enough at it to say that you know what you are actually doing when facetting Gem Material. It takes Patience, Time, and Skill. Facetting a Diamond, Ruby, or Gem can be compared to the craft that a Japanese Sword Maker puts into a REAL Samari Sword of legend. If that gives you any indication. 2 out of 2 found this valuable. Do you? |
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washingtoncougar |
RE: Wet in Washington
Jan 22 2008, 6:02 PM EST The Mt. St. Helen's area is a very tricky area to deal with, the park its self is off limits to collecting, PERIOD, it is posted every where. The only people I know of that are allowed to remove material from the park are sciencetist that have been granted a stay to study the area. As far as the surrounding areas that border the park check the Washington state gold mining pamplet, a must have to do any type of gold mining in WA. state, any other type of rock hounding check with local groups or gem and mineral maps just like any other area. Dave 4 out of 4 found this valuable. Do you? |
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ModerndayEdison |
RE: Wet in Washington
Jan 23 2008, 3:19 AM EST America.....the land of the brave, and the free. And the Buzz Killers that try to keep the poor.....poor. You have got to fight for your right to party, even as a Treasure Hunter or Prospector. Besides Dave..... what you just said above is a perfect indication that there is some truth to what I said in my earlier post. It's just sitting out there, and they know it. That is why it is supposedly off limits. But I bet the state has the place listed somewhere on their books as a reserve which is somehow connected with their State Treasury. It's worth checking out before stepping on some toes. But then again, there is always Black Hills Valley in New Mexico........that place rocks, literally. I hear the valley is split almost half way down the middle, half on an indian reservation and half on public land. It has bee estimated that the indians have collected more Gold out of that place than Silver or Turqois but for years they have only been selling the Silver as Jewelry. About 10 years ago they sold off a good chunk of Gold to Jewelry manufacturers to finance the construction of their casinoes, hospitals, and schools, which also included a Native American University and a Monument to commemorate the Trail of Tears. It's been estimated that the Gold they sold off was only approcimately 1/10th of their actual stock pile. And their still collecting the stuff. I have already been there once, and I plan to return when I am able. I am working on building a custom motorcycle for the trip.....that is just one place on my list of places to revisit though. 2 out of 4 found this valuable. Do you? |
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washingtoncougar |
RE: Wet in Washington
Jan 23 2008, 2:55 PM EST Most of us that rockhound do it for the fun and adventure, and we follow a rockhounders code of ethics if its privite property we ask permission first and try to leave as little mark as possible on the land the same goes for public lands we follow all laws and rules to keep our group (community) to be able continue doing what we love. Trust me, I hope I am around when they open Mt. St. Helen's park to rockhounding it would be an opportunity of a life time to see what is there. But until then I will do as the scientist are doing and watch to see what changes have and will accure there. I am not in this hobby to get rich, if I was I would purchase a large chunck of relitives property in Montana in a known sapphire area with a total of three producing mines and a few creeks known to give some color, and that is my choice. Enjoy building your bike and good luck on your adventures. Dave 3 out of 3 found this valuable. Do you? |
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luvmyrocks luvmyrocks |
RE: Wet in Washington
Jan 23 2008, 6:03 PM EST I am with you Dave. Rockhounding for fun and collecting your own specimens. I have found the magazine;" Rock and Gem" of great help in finding good collection sites. 3 out of 3 found this valuable. Do you? |
