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Techniques for Collectorsorganized cleaning/preparation set up

15th Apr 2014 16:30 UTCCarrie Siems

New to this hobby, this past year has accumulated a lot of rocks - which are now taking over our garage. {And yes, I am currently getting rid of our "less desirable" specimens at this point.}

I'm looking for any suggestions to minimize chaos! Specifically regarding:

1. An organized way to unload from a field trip. {Currently I'm trying to clean things immediately after returning home - a rather cumbersome task sometimes}

2. An organized/systematic set up for cleaning and prepping specimens.

Any ideas, suggestions, or input highly appreciated!

15th Apr 2014 17:48 UTCBob Harman

There can be a never ending supply of collected rocks so for me, as a field collector in Indiana, the most important point I had to come to grips with was: After field collecting KEEP ONLY THE BEST AND GET RID OF ALL THE REST. Or, in other words, come to grips with: DO I WANT A REALLY FIRST RATE COLLECTION? AM I A COLLECTOR OR A HOARDER?

So, when you return from a field trip with a lot of rocks, first clean them up in soapy water and rinse. Then, in your garage, look at each collected example and separate them into 3 areas: keepers, giveaways and those requiring a bit more thought. BE BRUTAL AND CRITICAL, keeping only the best if you have limited space and really want a collection that you want to show off and/or display. If you have the ability further trim and clean those you wish to keep and then reevaluate. Next separate and give away to schools or kids all those examples that are just not so great. Finally, the examples needing further thought look at critically again after a few days or a week; can they be trimmed or further cleaned and kept or are they also give aways.

As to cleaning, first use just soapy water with a bit of bleach. Rinse well and then see which keeper examples need further treatments with super iron out or vinegar or acid or power cleaning. Don't waste time with those you plan to give away. Concentrate only on the best quality collected examples that will really benefit from more time and energy spent on bringing out the best in the specimen. After all the cleaning you give, do the examples really look better…..if not put them into the give away pile with the others.

With self collected specimens, your bottom line should be coming to grips with your limited space and wanting only to keep the best. Then separating the cleaned examples and quickly giving away those lower end examples. Sticking rigorously with this philosophy has really helped me toward a defined hi quality self collected collection. CHEERS…..BOB

17th Apr 2014 19:39 UTCRock Currier Expert

Carrie,

What sort of things are you collecting on your field trips?

20th Apr 2014 03:01 UTCCarrie Siems

Bob: thank you for the informative and detailed answer! Great advice!

Rock Currier: EVERYTHING, lol! No- seriously. I entered this hobby due to my 8 year old sons interest. Admittedly, I've learned a ton (pun intended) and do enjoy it. But my goal right now for field collecting is as often as possible to maintain my sons interest. I think it's a fantastic interest to have, and its not plugged it, and its outside doing physical activity.

Living in the suburbs of Kansas City, much of our collecting is dictated by "reasonable driving distances". So about an 8 hour radius.

Things we've collected: wavellite, quartz (points and drusy), cinnabar, jasper, planerite, pyrite, rutile, calcite, agate, selenite, and lots of fossils. If it was up to me, I would focus on the things that sparkle. But, like I said- we literally will collect anything within reasonable driving/financial investment.

I am wanting to set our garage to maximize efficiency. How do other, more experienced rockhounds have their rock workspace set up? What have people found for methods/setup arrangements that have worked for them? What about methods/set up arrangements that didn't? I have googled a variety of terms in attempt to find rock workspaces, with minimal success. Artists space, crafting space, automotive space, woodworking space, gardening space- not much on space set up for rockhounds. Images or articles...

That was a rather lengthy answer to a very simple question- sorry about that! Again, any ideas or pictures of how others have created their space to work on rocks is highly appreciated!

20th Apr 2014 17:31 UTCJohn M Stolz Expert

Sorry I don't have any suggestions, but for what it's worth, you're a pretty awesome parent engaging your kids like that. I mean many parents take that kind of time for their kids, but you're engaging much more.

21st Apr 2014 00:33 UTCRock Currier Expert

Your answer was just the kind of thing I need to know in order to advise you. I would assume that thus far all you collecting has been on dumps or surface digs. After a short while you will become more discriminating about what you bring home, because you won't have space to store it all. Your first job will be to clean your specimens. If you wife, has not already banned you from cleaning your specimens in the kitchen or bath room, I'm sure she soon will. So the first order of business will be to set up a cleaning station in your garage or near it. This means a sink and a counter top where you can place specimens while washing them. Plumb in hot water if you can because it will get cold and nasty if you do any cleaning in the winter. The first cleaning tool other than detergent and some scrub brushes and a hose with a high pressure nozzle should be one of the little fabric guns that you can buy for about $50 on line. This will be your main cleaning tool. If you have not already, read this article about cleaning quartz.

Next you will need to learn how to trim your specimens. You will find that you can do a lot with a hammer and chisel(s) of various sizes if you have patience. Big hammers and chisels for big specimens and small hammers and tiny chisels for delicate specimens. You will need lots of trial and error to learn how to do this well, so don't start with your best specimens. Some types of rocks and specimens will break differently than others. If you have a lot of this kind of work to do you may want to make or buy a mechanical trimmer. You should at the very least buy a 10X magnifying glass and learn how to use it effectively so you can see close up what it is you are trying to clean and trim. A good binocular reflected light microscope would be better, but those can be quite expensive and to get started you really don't need one.

Those are the basics. There are many other kinds of equipment that you can buy or make depending on the job you are trying to do and how much of it you want to clean and process. Some can cost several thousand dollars.

If you are collecting fossils, you will find that in many cases you will want to prepare them. This involves removing excess matrix and rock so that the fossil is better exposed and can be displayed better. Here you will especially need small hammers and chisels. In morocco they use small hammers made from the pistons of motor cycles with long handles and nails. If you have a lot of this kind of work to do, there are various kinds of saws, pneumatic hammers and microabrasive tools upon which you can spend hundreds or thousands of dollars. It all depends on how serious you get.

When you run into problems with what it is with cleaning, take a picture of it and post it here and I am sure people here, perhaps myself, who will be glad to help you.

Oh, and don't forget to set apart an area in your back yard where you can pile up unwanted specimens and rocks. If you are active you will find that it will grow quite quickly. If you have a gravel driveway and landscaping in the front of your house you can dispose of much excess rock there and at the make your "garden" more attractive. These we call garden rocks. It has the further advantage that on occasion, children in the neighborhood will start to forage them from your "garden" to start their own mineral collections. I would encourage you to help them when you can.

21st Apr 2014 00:40 UTCGary Moldovany

Here are a few suggestions for you.

1. a deep sink with running water, if that's not possible, a washtub and you will have to bring in water with a hose or buckets.

2. Some sort of shelving setup where you can store minerals in either cardboard flats, milk crates, boxes, etc. Try Home Depot or Lowes.

3. A high-pressure cleaning gun (spot cleaning gun) can be found on Ebay for $40-65. Great for all-around cleaning, gets in the small crevices, but not good for fragile minerals/fossils. I also have an electric tire-cleaning brush that is battery powered (Walmart)

4. Any old table that you can put wet mineral specimens on while they dry. A workbench or an old door on sawhorses can also be used.

5. You may also find that a desk/workbench can be useful for examining mineral specimens, if you have a microscope it's good for that too.

6. I have various buckets, toolbags, etc. that I use to store my collecting tools in, a wall rack might be better for this.

7. I also have a fluorescent mineral viewing booth that we built to examine minerals under UV light.

21st Apr 2014 06:15 UTCCarrie Siems

@ John: Thanks for the kind words!

@ Rock Currier: I am the wife. ;) admittedly, I do make more of a mess than my husband- but in my defense, I'm the one that cleans {most} of them up. When its nice, pressure wash on the driveway. When its cold- sink in the laundry room. A valuable lesson was learned from the 'most expensive' appetizer I ever made: stuffed artichoke hearts. Apparently my garbage disposal didnt care for artichokes- advice received from the plumber: nobody runs enough water to flush things through the pipes. So I run the water the entire time I'm prepping. My experience with paint has taught me to use pantyhose to filter debris out. Same holds true in sinks. Place the drain stop inside pantyhose, knot and cut the top and the majority of the debris will remain in the sink to be removed by hand or shop vac.

But, you did confirm my contemplation over a utility sink in the garage. I believe that installation just made its way to the top of my priority list. Fabric gun: check. It should be en route, thanks to the recommendation of a wise friend {John Oostenryk}. Hammers and chisels: check {ish}. I now have two 'official' chisels. I still prefer screwdrivers most of the time- to a degree that I have completely depleted my husbands screwdriver inventory. I know that they absorb much of the impact, and this a less efficient use of energy. I also know they aren't built to withstand this abuse. But, with small to medium specimen I feel they offer greater control over both angle and degree of impact. What chisels do you utilize most? I have one super biggie, and one bity one.

Regarding the mechanical trimmer- I have a rock saw, 10" blade. I bought it from a friend {I haven't actually used it yet}. You mentioned making your own- is there a source you reccomend? Or a hand held tool that you like? I have been as to use a scroll saw on some carbon fossils in a super soft shale matrix- it's really similar to dried mud. Occasionally a dremel with a diamond edge blade can prove useful. And a hand held saw with diamond blade to open geodes... None of these options ideal, as I'm sure there must be something designed to accomplish these tasks.

Magnifying lens, and utilizing it effectively... Can you elaborate? This is not something I have observed yet. Binocular reflected light microscope- how is this a superior tool in comparison?

As far as pneumatic tools used in fossil prep- are there any that can be utilized for both fossil and mineral prep?

Chemical prep- yep. You can count on me posting here when in doubt! This site is a resource upon which I rely heavily.

Rock garden- that's gonna be on my parents farm. Husband has no issues with the sink. He does like to have an immaculate yard. :)

Fear not for the children, for I have several pieces set aside for them. I have my grandmother place the specimens in small plastic bags, and my neighbor adhere specimen label stickers to. They both need 'something to do,' and I'll gladly take their help!

@ Gary: great checklist! Deep sink- is there a specific brand of utility sink that you prefer? And counter work space- is there size of area you have found to be a 'sweet spot'?

Enough room to work, small enough it doesn't take over the garage? Black light viewing booth- clever idea! Even more interesting would seem to be what you tend to collect!

Thanks for all the fantastic advice! Although I'm not sure why the more information I receive, the more questions I have! I do sincerely appreciate the time, energy, and mental effort required to provide advice. :)

-Carrie

21st Apr 2014 08:40 UTCRock Currier Expert

There are all kinds of pneumatic hammers and chisels big ones that you can use to quickly shape large rocks and small one for small rocks and smaller ones, we bought ours from Chicago Pneumatic and some are perhaps better called air scribes. There are a number of small rock trimmers out there on the net. We got ours from Goldblatt Tools, a company that makes cement and masonry tools although I don't know if they still make them any more. A lot depends on what kind of volume you need to process and your budget.

A lot of cleaning specimens it to understand exactly what it is you want to clean off of your specimens and this is where a magnifying glass or a reflected light binocular microscope comes in handy, although I do carry around with me a 10x lens. Some of that is explained in the article on cleaning quartz which you really need to read.as parts of it can apply to cleaning many other kinds of specimens.

21st Apr 2014 14:34 UTCRobert Rothenberg

Hi Carrie,

Check out your local clubs. There may be people there who haste set-ups that will help you figure out what works for you. ALso the advantage of seeing things used, rather than just reading about them. Finally, they may be an outlet for some of your better unwanted material.

Bob

21st Apr 2014 14:42 UTCScott Sadlocha

Carrie,

After reading your last post, there is one thing I felt should be added. You mentioned that you like to use screwdrivers for chiseling. This is a bad idea! Screwdrivers are not intended to be used this way, and as such, pose a safety hazard if they are. They can splinter very easily, resulting in small metal projectiles of a needle type that can be dangerous.

You should only use chisels designed for the type of work you are doing, and even those should not be used if/when then splinter. The chisels come in many sizes, so you should be able to find what you need. As for hand tools, I use Estwing hammers and chisels for the most part, but I have found a few smaller chisels at my local Home Depot for the more intricate work.

I have accumulated quite a bit of hand tools through the years, and I take a full complement of them with me on field trips, along with a litany of supplies (boxes, flats, buckets, packing material, etc). I have learned to be far more selective in what I bring home, and I find this to be the best advice. I still have too much boxed up in my garage, a lot of it needing cleaning, and trimming. Many times, when I return from a field trip, I am too tired to clean right away, and that is still a problem for me.

My last trip was in October to Michigan's Upper Peninsula. By the time I got home after the 9.5 hour drive, I was not in any shape to clean and trim. I put it off, and then the weather got cold, prohibiting water clean up in the yard. I did some cleaning over the winter in my basement, but I now have quite a few boxes that I need to work through now that it is warm again. I am trying to set up a system, but I still have some work to do. For trimming, I set up a old log I have that works to hold the specimens, and a stool in front of it. I then have a junk bucket nearby, and I get to work. It can be tedious, and by the end of a longer session, my hands are hurting, but it usually works out well. Clean up is a chore, but I have a shop vac handy for all the little shards. I still have a dream of setting up a better system, but until I can, this will have to work.

21st Apr 2014 14:54 UTCEd Clopton 🌟 Expert

One more thing that I don't think anyone has mentioned--my apologies if I missed it--is to label everything as to where it was collected and when. At least a good-sized paper or cardstock label in each flat or container, if everything there came from the same place, or wrapped with each specimen if not. Don't worry about identifications if you don't know, as that can always be worked out later, but once the locality information is forgotten, it usually is gone for good--and much of the material's collector value with it. It is intensely frustrating to look through an old rockhound hoarde of potentially interesting material that would make worthwhile specimens if only the locality info had been preserved!

Label, Label, Label!

21st Apr 2014 15:11 UTCAlfred L. Ostrander

Hello Carrie,

Gary mentioned shelving and boxes for storage. To carry that a bit further, I have shelves for incoming specimens. Good storage is important until you can clean and sort new specimens. For work in progress and finished work I have separate shelf sections.

Plastic dishpans make good starters as you can spread out some specimens in them and they are ready to go in the sink to start the cleaning process. If all I am cleaning is mud, I rinse (no soap or chemicals) and put the specimens in a clean pan. The muddy water gets dumped on my compost pile. No sense pouring it down the drain. Initial rinse water that has potential for unwanted pollutants are disposed of by other means. Pans can sit on a work table or shelves until I have more time to do finer work.

After the wet work and some preliminary cleaning work is done, most specimens are placed in cardboard flats. I make my own flats from old appliance boxes. A local furniture/appliance store usually has plenty. I used an old soda flat as an initial pattern. Now I make flats to any depth I want. Half size flats can be made for smaller amounts. I use a good sharp utility knife to cut the cardboard and glue or staple the end flaps. By making a flat about 1/8" larger, a top can be made that slides onto the bottom. The cardboard from appliance boxes is muck heavier than standard flats and makes stronger boxes for storage. Uniform size flats are easier to stack than a lot of odd sizes.

For small and delicate specimens I use egg cartons. They can be placed in the larger flats and stored easily. Just make sure specimens and trays/boxes are labeled. So many old collections have lost labels and locality information because boxes with extra specimens aren't labeled well.

Once I start detailed prepping, I work under several flexible arm lights. You have to see what you are doing! For trimming I have several small chisels and hammers. Old dental tools are useful. For soft rock matrix I use a heavy duty exacto knife with different blades. They are useful to gently scrape away little bits of this and that you want to remove. CAUTION! These blades are a bit brittle and can break. Use them as gently as possible and wear safety glasses! Dull blades can be sharpened with a whetstone. I might very well get some sharp criticism about these brittle steel blades but with careful use, they are very useful. Know your tools, protect your eyes and you will be fine. And never forget your safety glasses! I'll say that again, never ever forget your safety glasses!!!

As for lighting, I also have a flexible arm fluorescent light that is a big magnifying glass. They should be available at craft/hobby stores. You do get some distortion around the edges of the magnifying glass but it is very helpful and quickly swings in and out of place.

And while you are collecting, bring home a few low grade specimens. Use these first to make mistakes with trying different cleaning techniques.

Just some additional thoughts as previous posts contain a lot of very good information. I always read these posts as you never know what great suggestions will come up. Good luck and happy collecting!

Best Regards,

Al O

22nd Apr 2014 16:32 UTCCarrie Siems

@ Rock Currier: Thanks for elaborating!

@ Bob: Great tip! I am actually involved in 4 area clubs, 1 of which I have become very active and involved in.

@ Scott: I know, I know about the chisels!!! And yes, I've been advised several times about this. After reading your comment, I tried to think about why I gravitate to screw drivers when there are chisels specifically designed for this. Based on the chisels I have, what I came up with are two things - 1. I like the contour of a screw driver - narrow middle, wider point. 2. I like that the middle of a screw driver is round, not angular {hexagonal/octagonal}. I find the angles pose a challenge when setting the chisel into place to use. Depending on where the placement is, it tends to want to settle itself into a position that is perhaps a few degrees off where I want it to be. Plus, the thicker middle seems 'bulky.' When I first started, I actually used an old farm chisel that was my grandfathers. I received several metal shards in my hand. Obviously it was past it's expiration date. ;) So, I do understand your point(s). And, I agree with them. Do you know of any chisels that are shaped differently that would address the reasons I gravitate towards screw drivers?

And, you also mentioned you have a dream of setting up a better system in your shop. If you were able to do this, how would you have it set up? Do you have pictures drawn of ideas you've mulled around?

@ E.L.: Yes! Label, label, label! On it! You are right - that should be #1 above all else. :)

@ A.L.: Designated shelves - good idea - I'll get on that. That should help a lot. Plastic dishpans - genius! Placing on list of items I need. Appliance boxes to DIY flats - brilliant! This is what I am talking about! This is information worth its weight in gold!

Regarding the exacto knife - I too use that frequently on soft matrix fossil prep. I think it works tremendously well. I have also found that a scroll saw does well to trim off extra if you proceed very slowly.

Random thing I like when using a screwdriver/chisel on specimens when placement is next to crystals is one of my kids pencil grips. Then I don't worry about the shaft scratching any crystals.

Many people have repeated the same {very good} advice of being selective when collecting. As a newbie - I agree, and want to do this. Without experience or knowledge that is a very vague statement. Recently someone I met helped clarify that for me. My point is - yes I do want to collect better specimens, but what makes some better than others? What are things you have learned from collecting? If it is dull at the site, are the odds that it will likely remain dull after prep?

Thanks again to all who have taken time to answer my endless questions! Your advice is priceless!!!

23rd Apr 2014 11:37 UTCRock Currier Expert

Carry,

For really fine work you can't beat dental tools. Once when I went into have my teeth cleaned I told the dentist what I did and showed him some pictures and asked if he had any old dental picks and probes and he said sure and came back with a big handful of them and gave them to me, A few years later I asked him again and he said he had been saving them for me and gave me even more. Some were a bit broken and bent, but all with a little trouble could be sharpened and were made from very good steel. I use them all the time for small jobs and even keep some in my desk drawer.

23rd Apr 2014 13:29 UTCGary Moldovany

Wow! Looks like you have received a ton of advice! In response to your questions, I live in NJ and collect the fluorescent minerals of the Franklin/Sterling Hill mining district as well as the zeolites and associated minerals from the NJ traprock quarries. Estwing makes a long, slim chisel which you may like, about as close to a screwdriver as you can get. Choosing what specimens to take home from a dig is a big gray area, but I normally look for specimens with visible, intact crystals. Pieces with broken or partial crystals are less desirable, unless it is a rare species. I also pick up material which I believe will clean up well, that is another area that you will have to experiment in. It depends on what material is coating the specimen. Iron stains can usually be removed with Super Iron Out, available at Walmart and Home Depot. Check out Rock Currier's article on cleaning quartz. If the specimen has a coating of some other mineral on it, you may be able to scrub it off or not, depending on how soft it is. I also use muriatic acid on some of my mineral specimens, but it is somewhat dangerous and the fumes are harmful, read the directions on the bottle. It's not for the inexperienced. Your mineral prep/drying table should be at least 4' x 2', bigger is better if you have the space.

7th May 2014 20:01 UTCRohde Rubble

Thank you for the advise, it answered some questions I had as well

8th Feb 2015 16:29 UTCTim Jokela Jr

Start by lining your garage walls with good shelving, and then hit the beer store regularly to collect beer flats, the shallow cardboard trays that make perfect boxes for minerals, one bottom, another the lid, can be stacked ten or more high.

Making your own shelves is best. Plywood and 2x4's beat anything that can be bought, and will be a fraction of the price.

Then good lighting, a good chair, folding tables, a scope, the world is your oyster.

8th Feb 2015 18:48 UTCRobert Rothenberg

Hi Carrie,

Another thought on boxes if you haven't time or inclination to make your own. We have a BJ's nearby, and I have found (through trial and error) that some of the boxes they discard fit comfortably together (e.g. Countrytime Lemonade and Prego Tomato Sauce). They make nice storage containers about 3 inches high. I usually manage to get a couple pieces every time I shop there.

Bob

21st Feb 2015 23:18 UTCRock Currier Expert

I have long been a fan of steel shelving, particularly the kind with 18x36 inch shelves. That lets you put three standard flats on them side by side. Five or six shelves per shelving unit seem to work out best. I have bought hundreds of them. The clip together kind are the fastest to set up and move. I used to use the bolt together kind, but I don't think they make them any more and with a little luck you might be able to get some of these for free or scrap prices if you agree to take them apart and move them. If you live in earth quake territory you might consider anchoring them to the wall. When you move, they are a lot easier to take with you than home made wooden ones.

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