The Big Dig

[Chuck]

LOL a thunder egg is a geode - they look brown and ordinary on the outside and have beautiful crystals on the inside. No thunder eggs found locally in this area, unfortunately.

Next time were up that way Kate... & as Dot alluded to... we could possibly come to some arrangement in that regard - providing the appropriate diet has been followed for the preceding day or 2.

[ozfueler]

Lorraine was given an uncut one Dot, we'll bring it over when we visit later this month, might see if G would like to cut it and we can all share the surprise of what's inside. Could be a real tooth opener for Fang.

Definitely going to visit Gemtree in our travels, sounds like a real treasure.

[Dot]

How would you cut those things??

[T1 Terry]

How would you cut those things??

With a very sharp knife? If you just tap it on the side of the pan it cracks, but very loud, it is a thunder egg after all
I'm guessing a ceramic cut off wheel but an enquiry to a lapidary supplier would be a better bet.

[ozfueler]

Thanks Terry, I had no idea so that's why it is still uncut, thought if anyone would be up to the job it would be G, with a little support/prompting from madam!

[Dot]

I wouldn't being a madam for a few days

[ozfueler]

What, only a few days?

[weezanickinoff]

Hi Ya Dotty,

Have just read this thread and thought I could help a tad, my Mum & Dad took us kids all over Oz fossicking and digging for gemstones and the like and one place we all used to love to go to was Tamberine Mountain in Qld,Thunderbird Cpark in the 60's (oh God!!) Dad would cart out great sacks of freshly dug Thundereggs, big ones too then take them back to the Park where Bert the owner cut the big ones with his diamond saw, we took the smaller ones home and cut them as Dad had a small diamond saw.
Here's a few pics of 2 that I kept after Dad passed away, they have agate nd crystal inside the good ones not all had this so it was pot luck but we found the heavier they were the better they were. Bert had some sensational ones on display, I dont know if they were bought with the Park when he sold it, but they were a sight to behold.
As it would happen I picked up the tiny ones around Balladonia just the other day!

thunderegg (7) - Copy (640x480).jpg

wfdoll 011 (640x480).jpg

thunderegg (8) - Copy (640x480).jpg

[Ros20549]

Sorry Dot I did promise I would send of photo of one but can't seem to find them in the BOSS'S garage must be buried under all the rubbish (soory Boss good stuff)..

Cheers Ros.

[Dot]

Thanks Wendy, never seen anything like those things. Interesting indeed.. Hope that guy Steve remembers to bring his egg over easy