Lab

[indyme2]

Still setting it up. Have a nice power vented laminar flow hood, high temp muffle furnaces, anayltical balances, commercial roller mill, "v" blender, microscopes, metallagraph, flame AA, autoclave, incubator, oven and other things to still move in and set up. No, I don't make drugs. Lol.







This is a section of my man cave. Don't have to get cold this winter to play. Lol.

[Gold Seeker]

So Indy, what are you going to be making or doing in your Lab??

[indyme2]

Sept 29, 2014 16:13:30 GMT -5 Gold Seeker said:

So Indy, what are you going to be making or doing in your Lab??

Mostly just playing around. I used to diagnose fish diseases, recommend treatments and do water quality analysis for my hatchery and for others raising fish. Clemson put me out of business by taking my tax money and doing it for my customers for free. Same for my fingerling business but that is water under the bridge. I did metallurgy and technical ceramics R&D for many years. I developed an injection molding process for two manufacturing plants. May still play with that some. Probably do some gold type of experiments and video them. For example: What is in your cons? What can you reclaim? Is it worth the effort and expense? Lots of ideas buzzing around in that nearly empty space up there. Any ideas you would like to explore? Will work on some gemstone experiments too. Just playing and trying to stay out of trouble...unlike Mark and Shadow.

[Gold Seeker]

Sept 29, 2014 17:02:00 GMT -5 indyme2 said:

Sept 29, 2014 16:13:30 GMT -5 Gold Seeker said:

So Indy, what are you going to be making or doing in your Lab??

Mostly just playing around. I used to diagnose fish diseases, recommend treatments and do water quality analysis for my hatchery and for others raising fish. Clemson put me out of business by taking my tax money and doing it for my customers for free. Same for my fingerling business but that is water under the bridge. I did metallurgy and technical ceramics R&D for many years. I developed an injection molding process for two manufacturing plants. May still play with that some. Probably do some gold type of experiments and video them. For example: What is in your cons? What can you reclaim? Is it worth the effort and expense? Lots of ideas buzzing around in that nearly empty space up there. Any ideas you would like to explore? Will work on some gemstone experiments too. Just playing and trying to stay out of trouble...unlike Mark and Shadow.

 I can't say I have any ideas to explore, it would most likely be over my head, but I do sometime come up with some ideas, and if I come up with any that would pertain to your Lab, I'll give you a shout!

[jpgold]

Indyme do you know how to heat treat topaz.

[indyme2]

Sept 29, 2014 19:20:05 GMT -5 jpgold said:

Indyme do you know how to heat treat topaz.

I don't. I have experimented with heat treating stones with some success but have no procedures. Some stones change color and others blow up, probably due to water inclusions or stress. I have tried different temperatures, atmospheres, soak times and packing the stones with different combinations of elements like copper, cobalt, iron, chromium, etc. No handle on it yet. There is not much literature out there available to the public. Most stone heat treaters have secret methods they have developed over a long time. Obviously they are not willing to share secrets. Nat Geo magazine did an in depth article on heat treating many years ago but again, it was vague but interesting. They also did an article on growing rubies. Both great reading. If I get it worked out, I'll let you know. I am going to work with sapphires first as I have a large quantity to play with.

[jpgold]

Definitely keep us post. I have always wanted to learn these types of skills.

[RWH]

I saw last year on one of those gem hunter shows where they went through the gem heating process. It's the show where they go out to the mines and buy from the local miners.

[indyme2]

Oct 15, 2014 11:08:20 GMT -5 RWH said:

I saw last year on one of those gem hunter shows where they went through the gem heating process. It's the show where they go out to the mines and buy from the local miners.

Yep. Heat treating is mostly kept secret. They do it at Gem Mountain in Phillipsburg, Montana, I think. Thought about sending a few of mine to them to treat just to see what they can do with them. May be able to work out a trade of some kind as Montana sapphires are really small and mine are much larger.

[Gold Seeker]

Post some photos of some of yours Indy, I would like to see how they look before you send them off to be treated, and then of course how the look afterwards!

[indyme2]

Will do, Gold Seeker.

[wtigersc7]

HOLY CRAP!!! That puts my lab to shame.Im working out of my shed/workshop/gold lab. walks away,tail dragging on floor, and head down

[wtigersc7]

I dont see a highbanker set up so at least I have that. But its 1 out your 1000 fun things. I do have heat,its how i kept going all last winter.

[goldrunner]

Pretty cool stuff. Definitely interested in seeing some results

[indyme2]

Thanks guys. Still moving in and getting things set up. I am working on the plumbing this weekend. Too much yet to do.