kbobam

Black aventurine, I hope, for Felicia! Hope this topic doesn't grind to a halt yet! The marbles have been spectacular!

Boy! Lots of talent around here! And if you missed it, be sure to check out Gary's "One of my recent projects" thread.

I think the 'efficiency' of his signature is brilliant! How could it possibly be done better?

Traditional spectacular Alan photos! I don't even have to be a fan of the particular marble 'type' to go "OOF!" Nice as always.

Hey, Gary! Probably a little more weight than recommended for the time period, but if you want to be a lean-mean marble-making machine, then why not?! Good luck tomorrow. Know you don't need it since you seem to have something better, but best wishes anyway. Bob

Right in front of my face. My somewhat grungy shot of Scotch. Please don't ask what the 'aventurine' is. Neither of us want to know. Cheers, Bob

Holy cow! I could sure use something like that right now. Have fun!

I've just started looking at these a little more closely. Does the white swirling on the slightly darker base make this a "silver"? Wild pattern on this one, too!

Hiya, Fel! The 'color of the month' completely slipped my mind! I think black is a great idea. Although I'll wait for a consensus before posting officially, here's a large solid black George Williams marble which I think everyone should own. There's something about it which puts a perspective on any other marble. It's magnificent in itself, so if a marble with colors isn't as impressive I say to heck with it! Bob

I can picture a marble called "Amber Waves" already! Looking forward to hearing what everyone thinks of your idea, Bob

Sorry for the on/off topic, but I, for one, am greatly relieved to find out that Cracker Jack gives the teeth and gums their needed exercise!

That's funny that The Pony looks anything like what some consider 'practice-frame' marbles, Edna! I was just thinking that it might be my favorite! Although to be honest, the Last Dancers are having a funny effect on me, and it seems like every other day I go "Wait a minute! I didn't really look at those before! I think THAT one's my favorite!" This has happened several times so far, and Newtonian law tells me that it will probably continue to happen until I've gone through them all. At that point I guess I'll just have to conclude that they're ALL my favorites! Why not? Bob

Have to give this one to Steph, and was hoping that the Tri-lite id was correct. Took this shot just after getting out of the flu-bed for the first time in several days, and was so hung-up on doing the 'lights' that I don't think I did justice to the marble. It's really pretty breath-taking (insert legally-binding IMHO clause here) and I hope to get a more accurate shot or shots in the near future. Thanks for responses!

I think you once mentioned that you thought all the special runs had something 'special' to them, and I'm only slowly coming to see that you were right! ( :

Obviously you did give good solid advice that was needed here, and hopefully everyone does 'get it' now. Thanks again! I only asked the respirator question because so many people who aren't familiar with them often misinterpret the word. Here is a photo for the unacquainted. Please note that the two round things are replaceable cartridges. They screw on. They are replaceable not only because they don't last forever, but because there are many types of them and it's very important that you get the appropriate ones for the materials you're dealing with! Also very important that you get the appropriate size for your face, and if you're an ape-man like me that you shave before using it. Most people's best bet is going to be to physically go to an experienced seller of safety equipment, where they can make sure that you have an appropriate fit, and also advise on exactly what you need for the work you're planning. Also please note how serious these guys are! They really mean it, because they're concerned. When Griff says he's not joking, he isn't. And when Oldmarblenut, as a professional, stays away from any 'dry' grinding, sanding, or polishing even though he has access to good safety equipment, that's something to remember, along with his advice that you're probably best-off going for the safest approach of all and sending your marble to a professional. Sorry to ramble on, but this really is important information. Bob ( :

Not wrong morally! Just as far as the marble id. The picture's kind of suggesting the type of marble, if I'm right about it. Hopefully will get confirmation later.

Nicer than I expected. Even like the orange! Bob

If this is wrong wrong wrong, please don't hesitate to say so. I can take it! Cheers, Bob ( :

That's interesting. Because of 'buying what I like' I've wound up with what I'll call a 'collection' of Aces, although I'm sure it's extremely modest by most people here's standards. But this brings up the idea of getting a marble you don't particularly like (and I'm thinking about it now!), because you think it would be a worthwhile part of the 'collection'. Not unreasonable in itself, but for some reason I just remembered the first Shakespeare I've thought of in several decades, "O, that way madness lies!"

Thanks. I thought there was something unusual here. At this point I'm liking your 'beginning of the run' idea, because the seller seems very knowledgeable with all Jabo.

Hey, Gary! Hadn't thought to use the Dremel buffing pad. That'll be fun to try. Have you ever seen the cylindrical but with a point at one end buffing attachment offered for sale by itself? I see them in the '300 piece assortment' packs, but never as a stand-alone item. Thanks, Bob

Thanks for the reminder! I've dealt with safety issues at work for many years, and am convinced that you really can't overdo it as far as keeping it foremost in people's minds. Would you clarify your use of 'respirator' when working with glass? Is there a paper mask adequate for this, or is a genuine respirator, what those unfamiliar would think of as a 'gas-mask sort of thing', necessary? Thanks, Bob

If anyone has one of these, does it look better in hand? My gut guess is that they were trying for something like The Last Dance Tribute run's "The Whip" but it just didn't work out. Cheers, Bob

What a group! Thanks for the outstanding presentation Edna!

Meant to say "Last Dancers" earlier; I'm a little 'out of it'!