Pretoria Gem and Mineral Club Affiliated to the Federation of Southern African Gem and Mineralogical Societies July 2010 Pretoria Rockhound Digest Pretoria Gem and Mineral Club Clubhouse: P.O. Box 36 888 No. 29, 26th Street, Menlo Park, Pretoria Menlo Park 0102 Tel. 012 – 460 1494 (only Sat. 11:00 – 15:00) South Africa website: www.pgmc.co.za Chairman: Lex Krabbendam, 083 449 6812 Treasurer: Dave de Villiers [email protected] Secretary: Di de Villiers 082 562 8983 Vice-Chairman: Dieter Heinichen 012-991 5839 Editor : Heidi Naudé, 072 923 2180 [email protected] Editor: [email protected] Programme Highlights for July 2010 *** Silversmithing Course: Ring with dark groove around stone 1 July *** Mineral Meeting: Quartz Specimens 3 July *** Swop & Sell and Social 3 July *** Silversmithing Course: Plain Ring Chain 17 July *** Silversmithing Course: Wire Spiral Pendant 22 July A very warm welcome to all the new members who joined recently: Marie Schoeman, André & Mathew Rossouw and Johann Deetlefs. May your association with the Club be enjoyable, long and productive. Page 2 PGMC Programme for July 2010: (as 24.06.2010) Date Event Time Contact Details 1 July Silversmithing Course: 18:30 – 21:00 Bernard Strydom, 078 187 3267 Ring with dark groove around stone 3 July Mineral Meeting: Quartz Specimens 12:00 – 13:00 Piet Reitz, 012 – 998 5452 Swop & Sell and Social at the Clubhouse 13:00 – 15:00 Lex Krabbendam, 083 449 6812 Lapidary and Silversmithing Workshops open 8 July Silversmithing Workshop open 18:30 – 21:00 Bernard Strydom, 078 187 3267 10 July Lapidary and Silversmithing Workshops open 11:00 – 15:00 15 July Silversmithing Workshop open 18:30 – 21:00 Bernard Strydom, 078 187 3267 17 July Silversmithing Course: 10:00 – 15:00 Bernard Strydom, 078 187 3267 Plain Ring Chain – soldered links Lapidary Workshop open 11:00 – 15:00 22 July Silversmithing Course: 18:30 – 21:00 Bernard Strydom, 078 187 3267 Wire Spiral Pendant 24 July Lapidary and Silversmithing Workshops open 11:00 – 15:00 29 July Silversmithing Workshop open 18:30 – 21:00 Bernard Strydom, 078 187 3267 31 July Lapidary and Silversmithing Workshops open 11:00 – 15:00 Cabochon classes on Saturdays – by appointment only Linda Stone, 082 598 9117 (after 14:00) What are you doing with all those beautiful rocks collected at the outings? Why not slab some and make a cabochon or two? Don’t know how? Phone our specialist Linda and you will soon grind and polish like a “pro”. Faceting classes on Saturdays – by appointment only Philip Alp, 014-574 3488 / 014-571 2159 Interested to learn more about this fascina- ting aspect of our hobby? Don’t hesitate any longer - phone our highly experienced master faceter Philip now to arrange your faceting class with him. Silversmithing classes on Saturdays Bernard Strydom, 078 187 3267 Besides the “official” silversmithing classes advertised in the NL, members are very welcome to arrange with Bernard some special assistance with their individual projects on Saturdays at the clubhouse. Page 3 1. Duty Roster – July & August 2010 July 3 10 17 24 31 Open – 11:00 am Karin Dieter Nick Bernard Piet Duty Team Wolf / Karin Dieter / Linda Nick / Tish S.Marie / Jean Piet / Elize Close – 15:00 pm Karin Dieter Nick Bernard Piet August 7 14 21 28 Open – 11:00 am Heidi Helmut Fay ……. Duty Team Felix / Heidi Helmut /…… Nico / Fay S.Marie / Jean Close – 15:00 pm Heidi Committee Fay ……. Tea/Coffee will be served once; this is also applicable on course days. Fridge sales and workshop material sales will stop at 14:30 pm to allow for sufficient time to reconcile/close the cash box. 2. Club Maintenance Crystal’s Rock GPS: 26° 9'40.38"S / 28°10'11.01"E The special maintenance/cleaning day on Wednesday 16.06.2010 was a big success. The We are happy to announce our flat lap station is working, the wiring for all three faceting machines is done, the faceters opening at Meadowdale Mall – trimming saw has been installed, the warm Edenvale. water unit in the kitchen has been replaced, the silversmithing section has received additional Cabinet Specimens, Thumbnails and work tables and extra lightening, the storeroom affordable Collector’s Pieces. has been sorted out and cleaned, all the chairs have been scrubbed, toilets, windows, reception – absolutely nothing escaped the cleaning team. Crystal Jewelry available and also Even the trees and shrubs in the garden have made to order. been cut back into shape. Please visit us or call Roarke Lessing Lex, Will, Anny, Heidi, Neels, Bernard, John, at 083 324 1143 for further Schalk, David and William literally worked their butts off to get all the work done. Thanks to all information. of you for your valued contribution. CRYSTAL’S ROCK’S ROCKS ROCK! A special Thank You to John and Schalk who (Look again - grammatically correct … really!) kindly provided the “lekker” boerwors rolls. 3. Correction – Newsletter May 2010 The name of Nico Bleeker – Manager of the Witkop Fluorspar Mine was unfortunately misspelled in the Groot Marico outing report published in the May newsletter. The editor regrets this error. Page 4 4. Personals A big Thank You goes to Jean Snyman who donated new towels for the kitchen and toilets. Congratulations go to Karien Grobler who recently received a first price award for one of her beaded necklaces. She received recognition for the outstanding design and the high level of workmanship on this attractive piece of jewelery. The necklace is featured in the SA Beading Magazine, Issue May 2010. Get Well Wishes go again to Horst Windisch who is slowly but surely recovering at home after his nasty fall whilst on a mineral outing. He will still be “home-bound” for a couple of weeks. Get Well Wishes go also to Di de Villiers who still struggles to shake-off the terrible flu and bronchitis which grabbed hold of her. 5. Gem & Mineral Show – Cresta Shopping Centre The annual Cresta Gem and Mineral Show will be held again from 30 June to 11 July 2010. Rob Smith from African Gems and Minerals, together with a number of other dealers, will offer their Gemstones, Mineral Specimens, Jewellery, Spheres, Eggs and other Objects de Art for sale at this sought after event. Don’t miss out on this very special event! The Cresta Shopping Centre is situated the corner of Beyers Naudé Dr./Judges Ave., Cresta, Randburg. Page 5 1. New PGMC Website The new and independent PGMC Website is up and running! Neels van den Berg, our dedicated website designer and administrator, worked very hard to get this project off the ground and the result speaks for itself. The website may be accessed directly at www.pgmc.co.za , it is very informative and most of all user friendly, but don’t take my word for it – check it out yourself! 2. Monthly Mineral Meeting, 03.07.2010 Piet Reitz will chair the monthly mineral meeting scheduled for Saturday, 03.07.2010 at 12:00 at the clubhouse. The subject for this month is: “Quartz Specimens”; please bring your quartz specimens for discussion – all shapes and sizes welcome! This will be followed by the Swop & Sell. 3. Silversmithing Courses Date/Time: Saturday 26.06.2010 (10:00 – 15:00) and Thursday, 01.07.2010 (18:30 – 21:00) Project: Ring with dark groove around stone (Bernard Strydom & Tobias Beyers) Comments: Around the setting, a second “ring” which follows the shape of the stone is soldered onto the same base plate. The result is a groove around the stone which will be oxidized dark. The effect is absolutely stunning. Materials: Standard ring set (big base) and extra bar, stone (prepared material will be on sale). Date/Time: Saturday, 17.07.2010 (10:00 – 15:00) Project: Plain ring chain, with soldered links (Bernard Strydom) Comments: A handmade chain with soldered links is much more beautiful than a machine made one. The trick is to setup the soldering efficiently. You can also make a bracelet instead of a chain. If the chain is long enough no clasps will be needed. Materials: 30–40 g of 1,3 mm wire (if thinner you need less), clasp optional (prepared material will be on sale). Date/Time: Thursday, 22.07.2010 (18:30 – 21:00) Project: Wire Spiral Pendant (Tobias Beyers) Comments: This project demonstrates how far you can get with very little material. If the soldering tricks are mastered this simple technique can be expanded and used effectively in various bigger projects. Materials: Stone, bezel, base, 1.4 mm wire (15-20 cm long), bail and ring (prepared material will be on sale) Cost per course: R 60 / person / course, excl. material/stones but incl. tea/coffee and workshop fees. Registration: Please book in advance by signing-up and paying your non-refundable deposit of R 30 to Bernard Strydom (078 187 3267) or Tobias Beyers (012) 803 5145. Page 6 1. Swop & Sell, 05.06.2010 Jorge, a soccer enthusiast and self-declared nomad originating from Chile visited our club on Saturday for the Swop and Sell. He told me that he is travelling the world for the last ten years, supporting himself by doing casual jobs wherever possible and selling cabochon material from his native country. He is a true free spirit, not worried where his next meal is coming from or where he will be sleeping at night. He had lovely lapis lazuli and andalusit cabochons for sale but was also fascinated by the polished tiger’s eye material offered by Tobias and Lex.