July 2016 Vol 55.07 Austin Gem & Mineral Society The ...Stone Chipper 3 July 2016 General Meeting...

July 2016 Vol 55.07 Aust in Gem & Mineral Society

Each one teach one

THE AUSTIN GEM AND MINERAL SOCIETY, INC. (AGMS) is a member in good standing of the South Central Federation of Mineral Societies and the American Federation of Mineral Societies. Its editors are also members of SCRIBE. The club address is 6719 Burnet Lane, Austin, Texas 78757, and phone (512) 458-9546. The AGMS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Visit our website at www.austingemandmineral.org Contact our webmaster for website updates at [email protected].

PURPOSEThe purpose of the AGMS is to promote interest and education in the various Earth Sciences and other related subjects.

MEETINGSThe society meets at 7:00 p.m. the fourth Thursday of every month except October, which is show set up day. The November meeting will be held on the THIRD Thursday. December is the Officers’ Induction Banquet held on a date to be determined. Board meetings are held the first Tuesday of every month. Show Committee meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month. All meetings are open to anyone. Society officers are listed on the second page of this publication. Please feel free to contact any of them for information

Dues for 2016Annual membership dues are:

Adult-$30.00 Couple-$40.00 Junior--$4.00

Table of ContentsAGMS Meetings Schedule.................................Page 2General Meeting Minutes...................................Page 3Board Meeting Minutes......................................Page 3 Show Committee Minutes..................................Page 4 General Club Information...................................Page 5Hunts & Events..................................................Page 6AFMS Annual Show...........................................Page 6Jewelry Soldering Class.....................................Page 6Air Conditioned Treasure Hunt...........................Page 7

The Stone Chipper

President’s Notes:The heat has set upon us. It is very important that we all stay away from the heat. Some of us are traveling, some staying indoors and others working around the peak heat hours to pursue our hobby. Yet some of the hottest items are coming your way. That’s right, the 2016 AGMS Auction is scheduled for AUGUST 13th. We will be sending tidbits and photos of items of interest thru emails over the next few weeks. May even have a few on display at our July meeting. Here are a few items of interest: > A pigeon egg-sized matrix with a window of three-four color opal. Window is about fingernail size. > A couple of ‘coffee-table’ sized books full of exquisite photos. > Several rock hunting tools including a large sieve. > A hydraulic lift driven rock crusher/splitter. > Minerals from Strieber & Waugespack collections. > Mineralogical Record magazine which include complete first and second year issues. Other items will be listed as we receive them. This year promises to be a rather higher end auction. So do your part by being a bidder or at least provide the club with some auction-able items. See you at the next meeting, at a workshop or a SIG meeting.

Laird

2Stone Chipper July 2016

OfficersPresident—Laird [email protected]

1st VP—James [email protected]

2nd VP—Paul [email protected]

Treasurer—Craig [email protected]

Board MembersCindy Murphy–[email protected]

John Curttright –[email protected]

Richard Dorsey –[email protected]

Deborah Johnson –[email protected]

Jan Ozias –[email protected]

Gary [email protected]

Committee ChairsAnnual Show - Chip Burnette [email protected]

Education/Classes - Joyce Hrapsky [email protected]

Field Trips - Sue Postlethwait and John Curttright [email protected]

Junior Advisor - Jackie Fisher [email protected]

Co-Librarians -Cathy Brandt and Cynthia Murphy

Webmaster – Diann [email protected]

Building Chair - John Curttright

Curator - Betsy Gager

Federation/Conservation - Josie Middleton

Historian - Cathy Brandt

Hospitality - Sunny Sturgeon

Membership -Susan Postlethwait

Scholarship - Stretch Young

School Programs - Wing Evans

Sunshine - Fran Ellis

Newsletter Editor - Carolyn [email protected]

[email protected]

AGMS Meetings ScheduleBoard Meeting--1st Tuesday--7:00 p.m.

Minerals SIG Meeting--2nd Tuesday--7:00 p.m.

Capers Show Planning Meeting--3rd Thurs.--7:00 p.m.

General Meeting--4th Thursday--7:00 p.m.

Secretary—Pauline [email protected]

Little Known Fact:Pencil points are made from plumbagofrom the Principle World mine at Barrowdale, Cumberland, England. Plumbago is a form of graphite called “black lead”. Instead of being worked constantly, the mine is opened once a year and one year’s supply is mined. Then the mine is closed with strong doors, bars, andlocks until the next year. All the fine pencilsin the world have been made from the black lead from this mine since Elizabethan times.

from Radcliffe-on-internet via the Rockpile 1998

3 Stone Chipper July 2016

General Meeting MinutesJune 23, 2016

The speaker for the meeting was Joe Budd, photographer, who discussed the technical aspects of photographing minerals and gems, and showed slides of some of his amazing photos.

The minutes of the May meeting were approved as printed.

Laird introduced the visitors and new members who joined that night.

Craig Brandt reported balances of $35,681 at Fidelity, $13,229 in checking, and $10,608 in savings, for a total of $59,519.

Laird Fowler announced that there will be a work day on July 16 to work on things for Gem Capers, break some rocks for tumbling, and to have a pot luck picnic. This will start at 8:00 a.m., and there will be jobs both inside and outside. Watch the AGMList for more information and reminders.

Laird announced that there are boxes of books outside of the library that are for sale. Payment should be put in the library slot in the money box in the foyer.

Cindy Murphy said that she has found suitable fabric for vests. It is 97% cotton and 3% spandex. Let her know if you want some. She will make patterns for vests for members who would like to make, or have made, club vests.

Photo by Joe Perkins

Diann Hill said that the club web site had been attacked, and still has a virus, so anyone who has accessed it recently should run a scan on their computer. There are 1,053 files that were corrupted. The cost to restore it is $249, and she is not sure of the cost to get Site Lock protection. She is asking the Board to approve getting this done. Laird verified that a majority of the Board members were present and could hold a vote on this matter. Paul Bordovsky moved to approve the expenditure to restore the site, and to get site protection if the cost quoted is a yearly cost. Richard Dorsey seconded the motion, and the Board members present voted unanimously to approve.

Laird said that we need someone to take Diann’s place as webmaster, as she will be retiring soon.

Diego Guzman, a guest, announced that he had around 5,000 pounds of rocks that he needs to sell. He has had a commercial offer of $2,000, which he considers low. He would prefer to sell to AGMS at the same price. Ron Guzman, Richard Dorsey, and Geof Fisher volunteered to inspect the rocks and report back to the club.

The raffle was held, followed by Show and Tell.

The meeting was adjourned.

Minutes by Pauline Denson

Board Meeting MinutesJuly 05, 2016

Present: President, Laird Fowler, James Mercier, 1st V/P, Paul Bordovsky, 2nd V/P, Pauline Denson, Secretary, Craig Brandt, Treasurer, and Board Members John Curttright, Deborah Johnson, Cindy Murphy, and Jan Ozias. Other members present: Cathy Brandt, and Josie Middleton.

Jan Ozias moved to approve the minutes of the May meeting, Deborah Johnson seconded the motion and it passed. The Board did not meet in June.

Craig Brandt reported the...(financial) balances....

Joe Budd

Stone Chipper July 2016 4

issues to all club members and they will be offered at the auction. We also received two high-end coffee-table books, and they will be handled the same way.Laird also said that the club had received a donation of an opal, which he believed is an Australian opal. After discussion about what to do with it, it was agreed that Charles Kirkpatric will be asked to appraise it.

Cindy Murphy said that she had ordered fifteen yards of green fabric.

Paul Bordovsky asked if we have filtration in the workshop, as no one using the shop wears masks. The blower in the upper wall will pull smoke and fumes from the room. John will research the capabilities of the blower, and Laird will look at Federation guidelines on filtration in workshops.

James moved and Jan seconded the motion to adjourn.

Minutes by Pauline Denson

Laird passed out copies of the Report of the Audit Committee. The club financial records for 2015 are ready to go to the accountant for tax return preparation. Craig will get the show committee records ready.

Deborah reported that the web page is back up. Host Monster will protect it for thirty days to give us time to find a permanent fix. She said that Host Monster may not be our best option, as their software is not supported any more. Deborah got several quotes, including one for pro bono work. They had different foci, and one was very expensive. Michael Reese, who would do it pro bono for tax purposes, is very experienced. It was decided that we need to meet with him to discuss type of service, cost, etc. Deborah will contact him to see how quickly he can meet with the Board.

The rock collection offered to the club by Diego Guzman was found to not be useful material, and the Board decided not to purchase it.

Laird announced a club-wide workday on Saturday, July 16, to work on show-related tasks.

Laird suggested that the club appoint Donna Pope to the position of Social Media Chair. James Mercier moved, and Jan Ozias seconded the motion that she be appointed to that position, and the motion passed.

James Mercier reported on plans for the annual auction on August 13. It will be open at 8:30 a.m. for members and the public for inspection. Auctioning will start at 10:00 a.m., with a break for lunch from 11:30 to 12:00, and then continue until finished. Laird and James will work on labeling and bundling on Friday.

Laird said that Roger Waguespack had donated two shaker sieves, one with ¼ inch mesh and one with screen-size mesh. Laird recommended keeping the ¼ inch for club outings and selling the other at the auction. Roger also donated two rock crushers, and we will keep one and sell the other.

Laird said that we had received a donation of many issues of the Mineralogical Record, including complete first two volumes. The library has copies of these issues, so Laird will send information on all

Show Commitee MeetingJune 16, 2016

Minutes were approved with three corrections.

Treasurer: Brian provided the treasurer’s report.

Dealers: We did not have the information to select a new dealer, so it was tabled till next meeting.

Floor Plans: Size of floor plan is 22,000 sq. ft. with 34 to 35 dealers.

Other: Suggested we have Rocky blown up to have as a cutout for kids to have their picture taken with him.

Postcards: Dee will contact Charlie at Modern Postcard about sending out the postcards. This should be done by August 1st.

(continued on page 6)

July 2016Stone Chipper 5

The Stone Chipper can now accept non-political AGMS Board-approved paid advertising. If you are interested in placing an ad or have questions about the process, please contact Stone Chipper editor Carolyn Perkins at [email protected].

You can choose from a variety of sizes for your print-ready ad:

Full Page (7” x 8”) ($100 per issue)

Half Page (7” x 4”) ($50 per issue)

Steps to take to enroll in AGMS classes Classes are open to AGMS members whose memberships are current. The fees are minimal.

1. The first step is to sign up on a waiting list. The notebook is at the front desk during general meetings.

2. If unable to attend a general meeting, you can be added to a waiting list via email to [email protected].

3. Write your name and email address in the book CLEARLY. Include your phone number, but more class information and notices are sent to your email address. Phone calls are only in emergencies, i.e., last minute changes, etc.

4. There iscuctor is available and there are several people on the waiting list.

5. If an instructor is available on certain dates but there are not enough people for a particular class, a notice is posted on the Yahoo List and added to the calendar on the club’s website. The club depends on its members to teach classes, so we’re always looking for volunteers. If you or someone you know has a special talent

and would be willing to teach a class, please email [email protected] for more information.

Joyce Hrapsky

Stone Chipper Advertising

Sign up for the AGMS List

If you are currently not a member of the AGMS List and would like to be, please email Diann at [email protected]. It’s the best way to keep up with the latest AGMS happenings.

THANKS!The Austin Gem and Mineral Society would like to thank Jim and JoAnn Wiersema and Marla Hayes of Horizon Environmental Services, for their continuing support of the club by printing The Stone Chipper each month. We very much appreciate each of you.

Quarter Page (3 1/2” x 4”) ($25 p.i.)

Business Card (3 1/4 x 2) ($12.50 p.i.)

There is no extra charge for full color, but mail out copies will be black and white only.

Here’s your chance to be heard. And you can even submit your suggestions anonymously. The format and even content of the StoneChipper are getting a little stale. If you have any thoughts for making it better, I would appreciate hearing from you.

Do you have an article you have written or would like to write about rocks or minerals? Better yet, would you like to have the chance to be heard on a monthly basis, via a regular column? Or maybe you have a poem or a photo or drawing, or a funny story you’d like to share. I’m even thinking it doesn’t have to be about mineral matters or rock hunting specifically. It can be about creating or adventuring or a special club member or other person you admire and we should all know about--we’d love to hear from you!

You can put your ideas/articles in the StoneChipper mail bin or email me atstonechipper@austingemand mineral.org

Your Very Own Soapbox


(Show Committee Minutes continued from page 4)

Raffle Items: Need to find some in the auction items.Show Pin: Both Alan and Stretch provided sample for the show pin. We selected one of Stretch’s designs.Surveillance signs: Magnetic sheets, so we can add items. Size – 14” x 10”Website: The website needs to be corrected about the show. Susan will send information to Chip and Laird.

Minutes by Dee Fly

July 30-31, 2016 - Cowtown Gem, Mineral, & Glass Show. 3939 Bryant Irvin Rd., Fort Worth, Tx.

August 13-14, 2016 - Baton Rouge G&MS, Baton Rouge, La. Lamar Dixon Expo Ctr., Gonzales, La.

August 20-21, 2016 - Tahlequah Rock & Mineral Society. 300 W. First St., Tahlequah, Ok. <tramsok.webs.com>

August 20-21, 2016 - Ark-La-Tex G&MS, Bossier City Civic Center, Bossier City, La.

August 27-28, 2016 - Pine County G&MS annual show, The Event Center, 6258 Hwy.190 West, Jasper, Tx.

Sept. 17-18, 2016 - Dallas Gem & Mineral Society annual show, Restiol Expo Cen., Mesquite, Tx

Hunts & Events

Jewelry Soldering Class

AFMS Annual ShowJuly 29-31The 2016 AFMS show will be held in conjunc-tion with the Northwest Federation of Mineralogi-cal Societies’ and the Willamette Agate & Mineral Society’s “Treasures of the Northwest” show at the Linn County Fair & Expo Bldg. in Albany Oregon. More detailed information is available on the AFMS website.

Breanna Batson’s metal smithing class, held this May and early June; was well organized and very effective. It did a lot to end my soldering phobia.

I’m not com-pletely over fear of the torch, but can use one now! Thank you, Breanna. Debra Rasmussen, John Curtright and Eugene Siste also par-ticipated and you can see the re-sults of their work

below. I had to leave the class before finishing my project but am making progress on it. We had fun and learned a lot. Thank you, Beanna!

John solders while the class watches.

Class projects, from right to left, were completed by Debra, Gene, and John. They are more complex than they appear here, consisting of a top and bottom which are connected around the inside of the hole and around the outside of the entire piece by two soldered strips. The soldering had to be done in three separate sessions and involved hard to soft solder.

Project photos by Breanna Batson

Article by Editor


AIR-CONDITIONED TREASURE HUNT

by Marilyn Gilbreath

As I write this, the outside temperature in Austin is 99 degrees with a heat Index of 105. Can I interest you in an indoor treasure hunt?

Many of us have searched the lists of Texas Unclaimed Property that are published periodically in the newspaper, hoping to find something like a long-forgotten bank account with our name on it. Apparently, I never forgot a bank account.

This week, I found the National Association of Unclaimed Property at https://www.unclaimed.org/ that has a map of the U.S. with links to each of the state’s unclaimed property sites. I clicked on Texas and searched for my name but, again, no luck. I then looked for close relatives and was surprised to find my niece listed twice (an actual forgotten bank account and an insurance check). The hunt was on and, so far, I have found 7 living and 5 long-deceased relatives or friends listed, and contacted the person or heir for their follow up.

Only three were aware of being on the list.

I learned that if the Texas property is money, the amount will be listed. If the amount shown

is zero, as on one of my findings, it indicates something like a safety deposit box or stocks. If you click on a different state on the site map, you will find that some states, like Arizona where I found an in-law, do not list property descriptions or amounts. Some states, like Alabama, where I found two deceased relatives, update their lists daily.

My advice if you get the unclaimed property fever:

1. Search by last name only. You will be able to scan the page(s) for your target person, and possibly recognize “bonus” relatives in the process.

2. If the last name results are too numerous, you must supply additional information to get a list. Try one initial at a time so as not to restrict the results by supplying too much information.

3. Consider searching by maiden name, nickname(s), common misspellings of the last name or a business name.

In only three days of casual, air-conditioned computer research (without sun block, snake boots, burro or emergency canteens), I had the thrill of finding $2,500-$3,000 worth of “treasure” claims for people I care about. Try it!

The StoneChipper is the official publication of the Austin Gem and Mineral Society. It is published monthly in Austin, Texas. Expanded minutes of Board Meetings are available upon request. Note: Clip art images are under Copyright 2016 by the AGMS and its licensors. All rights reserved. Unless otherwise noted, text items in The StoneChipper may be reproduced in other nonprofit publications as long as proper credit is given to the author and The StoneChipper. All authors who make submissions to this newsletter are presumed to agree with this policy.

The Stone ChipperCarolyn Perkins, Editor6719 Burnet LaneAustin, Texas [email protected]

Address Correction RequestedAustin Gem and Mineral Society

Please visit us at www.Austingemandmineral.org

July 2016

July 2016 Vol 55.07 Austin Gem & Mineral Society The ...Stone Chipper 3 July 2016 General Meeting...

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