How do you cut a thunderegg?

While most of the work can be done with things found at the hardware store, slicing the egg open will require some sort of saw. Thundereggs 1” or under can be cut with diamond cut-off wheels in a Dremel or flex-shaft but the cut will be rough.

Where do you cut thundereggs?

The goal of cutting a thunderegg is to reveal and highlight the inner geometry by cutting through any air pockets that exist and perpendicularly through the mineral layers. To accurately do this, one must estimate the inside layout based on how the egg formed.

What kind of saw do you use to cut geodes?

Use a rock or tile saw – something with a diamond blade – to create a clean cut down the center of the geode.

Are thundereggs the same as geodes?

A thunderegg may be referred to as a geode if it has a hollow in it, but not all geodes are thundereggs because there are many different ways for a hollow to form. Similarly, a thunderegg is just one of the forms that agate can assume.

Are thundereggs worth anything?

How Much Are Thundereggs Worth? A value of a cut in half and polished thunderegg depends on the size and its fillings and range from a few to a hundred dollars. Specimens with scenic moss or plumes looking like plants or flowers are among the most valuable eggs and can cost up to $200.

Cutting Thundereggs • What’s inside is anyone’s guess

How can you identify a thunderegg?

Difference Between A Geode And A Thunder Egg

Geodes will often contain a crystalline matrix of crystals. However, Thundereggs generally contain a more solid center structure consisting of various mineral deposits. The beauty of thundereggs is often enhanced by cutting and polishing cross-cut disks from the thunderegg.

What is the best way to break open a geode?

What is this? A very simple way to crack a geode is simply to place the geode inside of a sock or fabric bag to contain the soon to be broken pieces. With the geode in a bag, gently striking the geode with a rock-hammer, sledgehammer, or even a harder rock should facture the geode just enough to crack it open.

How do you polish geodes?

EASY METHOD: Simply wash the geodes in plain water with a bit of laundry detergent (or dish soap), then let them soak in a tub of water with 1/4 cup of ordinary household bleach for two days. This cleans most of the heavy grit off the geodes.

How do you cut open agate?

Agates can be cut using a slab saw, band saw, table saw, or Dremel tool. Use a vice grip to hold the rock in place and push it towards the blade as it is being cut. After cutting, agate can be polished using a rock tumbler and polishing powder, sandpaper, or a sanding wheel.

How do you break open a geode without a chisel?

How much is a geode rock worth?

A geode can be worth anywhere from $5 to more than $1000, depending on its type and location. The price will vary widely based on whether the rock has been cut open because geodes often contain crystals inside of them which make them more valuable when exposed correctly (e.g., cutting along an axis).

What is the rarest geode color?

The rarest and most valuable geodes contain amethyst crystals and black calcite.

How old are Oregon thundereggs?

Thundereggs are found in the rhyolite lava flows which spread over Oregon an estimated 60 million years ago during the Eocene Age. Geologists believe the round-shaped thundereggs were formed in gas pockets (bubbles) within the lava, which served as molds.

How can you tell if a rock is a geode?

What is the difference between a geode and an agate?

In a lot of ways, agates have inclusions, while geodes are inclusions in the host rock. It's an important distinction to make. But the biggest difference is the fact that geodes are a specific form of mineral, while agates are a specific type of mineral. Any comparison between them should take that into account.

How do you cut agate with a Dremel?

Move the Dremel blade slowly through the agate until you finish cutting. Keep pushing the blade straight into the agate until you cut all the way through. Go slowly to avoid chipping the stone or heating up the blade too fast.

Are agates worth anything?

Most agates are cheap ($1 – $10), but some can be very expensive ($100 – $3000) depending on their type, colors, and the location where they were found. Tumbled agate is automatically more expensive than raw agate and those with very vibrant colors, fine bands or are found in one place only also cost more.

Can agate be sanded?

Agates differ in color and appearance depending on where they were formed. A raw agate must be cut into slices and sanded on various grits of sandpaper before it is ready for polishing, a final step that will transform it into a beautiful piece of natural art.