If you missed the video where we found these, it's here: th-cam.com/video/7xzNiQmKpEw/w-d-xo.html Here is the video where I tumbled Yooperlites: th-cam.com/video/5wiAY3vVFws/w-d-xo.html
kitchen backsplash or countertop , bathroom tile, tabletop , any type of stonework, outdoor ornaments , come on man , do it all, think outside the box here ..LOL
I did not know what a yooperlite was, until now. Thanks for your amazing channel. Watching you take numerous rocks from the rough state to a beautiful completed state leads me to believe you will make the most out of these rocks.
Man I love these!! Love the comment about your wives shoes, 🤣 Carly will ask me and then goes to our daughter Scarlett and asks her, andddd it’s mostly the opposite of what I said... it’s cause we’re enamoured by their beauty and therefore biased. Haha! I finished opening the package! And I stood there with Benny just amazed at your craftsmanship and your generosity! I’m going to share the stones between the four of us, Benny, Pauly and Rhondda, but I’m definitely going to hide the crazy lace and guitar picks when I show them. Well, the guitar picks I will 😉 Thank you from the bottom of my heart mate. Your package was beyond what I expected and your polish is to die for! You are a master polisher Rob. You really are.
I'm glad you had fun with the box. Do you play guitar? I don't, but it's fun to make the picks. Those aren't rocks from Michigan, by the way. I can't remember what I sent, but I don't think I have made any guitar picks from Michigan rocks. How is Will doing?
Hey Rob, yeah I play guitar, before I took up Rockhounding I used to be in a punk/metal band but nowadays I prefer playing the more refined acoustic style music 😉 As for Will, he’s doing well, but it’s a bit of a journey. I’ve wanted to make a post to update everyone; and to be honest I really think I should have by now. I need to sit down with Rhondda and see where they are up to with his treatment. Unfortunately I’m finding myself a bit busy with the jobs i have and haven’t been able to do very much but to maintain the rock videos. So fortunately for rhondda and Dave they were able to get a proper diagnosis of pans/pandas for Will which we always thought would be the biggest accomplishment in finding help for him but unfortunately it seems it’s more than just a diagnosis. So now there is treatment that they are doing but it’s kind of like the end game of helping Will be completely healed is a bit of a longer timeline with numerous approaches, and a lot of watching and waiting to see how he reacts to each one. I think I really need to make a video explaining this but it’s so hard and with the response to the first video and also the support given I feel like I may have bitten off more than I can chew. So far he’s doing well, but not fully at where he was before he fell ill. I don’t know what to say if we were to make a video explaining where we’re (Will is), at but i think it must be time. Too many people have invested their thoughts prayers and support both spiritually and financially. I just wish I had definitive news to share. And so does Rhondda and Dave. It must be so exhausting for them. Honestly man, they are seriously the most genuine, big hearted, people I have ever met. I think prayers really help, far far greater than money. I just hope people know that’s where I am coming from, from the beginning. Just support for the family. And help for Will. Sorry Rob, super long message. Any words of wisdom would be super appreciated. Much love mate.
@@Rookie_Rockounding I don't think you necessarily have to do a whole video, you could just do a community post to update everyone. You also don't have to give specifics, just let people know that he's improving, but it's not an overnight cure sort of thing. I know I'm happy that he's improving. Even if the doctors need to try numerous approaches, it still gives Will and his family so much more hope than just wondering what's wrong with him. Thanks for the update. I feel better. I'm still praying for the little guy daily.
Yooperlites have got to be my favorite. A friend and I are considering a trip up north to Michigan. Soley to rock hound yooperlites. And, of the State rock, petoskey. Planning a bit of fishing as well. Awesome slabs! I liked them ALL. Even the one with the blemish. It reminds us that we're ALL beautiful, yet NOT perfect. Have a great week and be safe out there.
Looking for Yooperlites was a lot of fun, more fun than I expected. Just plan to walk a long way from the campground before dark and then walk back after dark.
I’m thinking of using some of mine to supplement a shower floor that has exposed aggregate currently. Thanks for sharing this video. I have been wanting to see some slabbed and they are beautiful rocks when illuminated.
The Coldwell Complex (where this particular sodalite included syenite comes from) does contain small amounts of magnetite and nickeline, so it's possible your specimen has a grain or two of these minerals in it which a magnet would stick to. In addition, the Coldwell also contains some rare earth elements as well. I have no idea what you could make out of them, but I know where you could send a few slabs..... ;-)
I really like these, they are besutiful. Maybe christmas ornaments? Or mounted for a lighted base? Thanks for sharing, these sre so much fun to look at.🙃
Christmas ornaments could be cook, I guess. Then I need to find UV Christmas lights to go with them. I'm pretty sure that doesn't exist, and wouldn't be allowed on our tree if they did.
That is very cool ,I have never seen anything like this and I am originally from Michigan and spent my summers as a young man working on Mackinaw island walking the stone beaches. Wow that is just cool as heck. Thanks for sharing.
These have become really popular to hunt for on Lake Superior beaches in the past few years. Here's the video where we found them: th-cam.com/video/7xzNiQmKpEw/w-d-xo.html
Cool! Now you’ve got even more that glows❣️I thought about drilling them and making wind chimes. If you had them out on a patio and could shine a light on them...🤷🏻♀️
@@MichiganRocks yeah, they’re a pretty boring rock in the daylight! I’ve seen a variation of them they find at Lake Erie. Their sodalite pattern is different- like smaller molecules of it that look a little more diffuse.🙂
That sounds good, but they're not translucent, they don't glow after you turn the light off, and the light is not good for your eyes or skin. That's why I'm having a hard time finding something half way practical to do with these.
I would make letters, for a Michigan Rocks sign. For $25 you get a 365nm bulb, that you can put in a standard sconce, to illuminate the sign. Does the magnet stick to all slabs of the one rock?
I just went to check the magnet on all the slabs. It does stick to all of them, so the magnetite, or whatever mineral seems to be distributed pretty evenly through that one rock.
Old disabled house bound dusty rusty rockhound here: This is another rock I have not worked with. Beautiful like a night sky or looking into molten lava as it flows. I would love a Yooperlite turtle. Or maybe a large cab pedant mounted on a yellow gold colored Victorian style finding with a lovely thick chain. It would be beautiful like black onyx... a real statement piece.
The problem is, they look pretty boring under regular light. It would be inconvenient to only wear it in dark conditions and also carry a UV light with you.
I just took a quick look at this episode. Forwarded it to three friends. Your awesome I love your content! I will I always do I’ll have to look back and see if you’ve ever done a video on your tumbling cabinet I would like to copy it to some extent someday. I have a friend whose father had a gift shop in Copper Harbor and St. Agnes and he made a rock Tumbler using .2 large tractor tires that he put large stones in using different sands that he could find. I thought about using a cement mixer with the windmill.
The problem with cement mixers and tires is that you'd have to keep watering them so they didn't dry out. Not a big problem, but one that you don't have to deal with in a sealed barrel. Here are a couple videos showing the tumbler: Homemade Tumbler: th-cam.com/video/6qIcK2ZohGM/w-d-xo.html Tumbler Update: th-cam.com/video/PAMOCc2BNJM/w-d-xo.html Did you see the video where we found the Yooperlites? th-cam.com/video/7xzNiQmKpEw/w-d-xo.html
that was beautiful!! i was thinking thinner slabs to make a keep sake box, and here you slabed some of these rocks up already,, as for what i would like to see you make? ..... a video of what you/your MRS. decided you should make,,,,, yup a video will do
Wow , those are so cool. They look like stars and galaxies. Maybe you could make a mosaic piece . You could cut up the slabs and make it like a puzzle. 😍🥰😇❤👍🏻
I've thought about make a mosaic sort of picture, but if I was going to do all that work, I'd do it with rocks that would look good all the time, not just under U.V. light. I've never been able to find a picture that liked that also had colors of rocks that I could find.
Wow! SUPER cool!!! Need a trip to the UP! What about a bracelet mixed with other colored stones. Then those stones would be a fun surprise under a black light!
Are you suggesting that I make a night light out of one? They're not translucent, and the glow goes away when the U.V. light goes off. So I don't think that would work.
True about the flashlight. I wonder if they’d be useful & fun when camping. What do people use UV flashlights for anyway? Other glow-in-the-dark shapes could be mushrooms or jellyfish - or even a lightbulb or lantern or flashlight. They’re just so wicked cool when they’re all glowing but kind of plain when not. Maybe a Jack o’ Lantern or pumpkin or a bat for Halloween. Apparently there are tiny UV LEDs. Cool DIY video showing how to make rims for your bike that glow at night using phosphorous spray paint and little UV LEDs. Anyway, I’m sure you’ll figure out something! Thanks for another interesting video. So cool to see inside these rocks!
I just purchased a house in the UP it's a 20 minute drive to the shore of lake Superior on the WI border. I went to explore a few weeks ago and met a local that told me about the Yooperites I didn't know about them I can't wait to search for some when the snow melts and it is a little warmer out 😊 I have a few UV Flashlights I used in Arizona looking for scorpions while camping. They Glow nicely also but you don't want to pick them up 😮 or take them home with you 😂
You might need to invest in a better light for Yooperlites. They'll light up with cheaper lights, but not nearly as brightly. I have a Convoy S2 that works well for me. kingsleynorth.com/convoy-s2-uv-led-flashlight.html?ref=robertabram1& (affiliate link)
@@MichiganRocks I was looking at that one also this one Convoy C8 365nm UV LED Flashlight with Patented Glass Filter but the second one won't ship from Amazon till the middle of April? The best UV I have is a Dual UV from NEBO I found at a local Ace hardware.
@@MichiganRocks I found the Conway at Kingsley North not far from me 👍 it will be here tomorrow. I can't wait for the snow to melt so I can go to Little Girls Point Park with it 😄
The 'non-glowing' areas sure do glow; a purplish color where there are no orange dots, or even a sort of metallic-looking light blue in one place. If you cut just right, you can make sets of jewelry. Under black light, the parts that don't look good to some look great to others... If you cut as jewelry, advertise them as "party jewelry", as many "parties" (ahem!) use black light as illumination ... If you make pieces into nightlights, there are very definitely black (and other types of) lights that are small enough... Kitchen countertops, furniture...
That purple part isn't actually glowing, but it's just the black light itself on the rock. The problem with lighting these up at all is that not just any black light works very well. The lights that work well are kind of expensive, are bad for your skin, and aren't supposed to be left on for long periods of time.
I wasn't convinced they'd tumble either, but they did really well. Did you see the video where I tumbled them? th-cam.com/video/5wiAY3vVFws/w-d-xo.html
I have never heard of yooperlites. Pretty cool. What are some places that use the lights that make the rocks glow? Nightclubs? Bars? Could make some nifty room decor. Tabletops with the rocks inlaid? Great shirt. Go Blue.
Regular black lights won’t make these glow much, if at all. That’s the problem with finding something fun to do with them. Did you see the video showing how we found them? th-cam.com/video/7xzNiQmKpEw/w-d-xo.html Go blue!
When they’re glowing they kind of remind me of glowing charcoal briquettes. It’s a shame that they can’t be made into some kind of lamp but it is what it is I guess. Someone suggested making them into wind chimes and I kind of like that idea. You would have to chamfer both sides of the holes where the fish line went through it or it would eventually cut through it and that would be a bummer. I’ve got 3 or 4 days of rotary tumbling left on tumbling a batch of stones the Rob method, which I followed to a tee. After burnishing them after prepolish they came out with a hint of a shine on them. I was really pleased. 😀
@@MichiganRocks I’m sure my stones will turn out just fine. They looked better after the prepolish burnishing stage than the first batch that I did my way. About the yooperlites, your sister makes pictures with flat stones. Maybe you could make like stars ,a crescent shaped moon, campfire flames, automotive headlights, windows for cabins like the lights were on inside. It would be a conversation piece when guest come over that you could shine a light on and make the picture come alive.
Another thought 💭. You could glue cork or felt to the backside and use them for coasters or a spoon or spatula rest for cooking. You can get rolls of sheet cork at N. A. P. A. stores.
@@davidhile5363 That's a new idea. I might try that with another type of rock. Something a little bigger that I could slab a little thicker and hollow out the top a bit. I'm not sure how I'd make the concave part, but I'll think about it.
@@davidhile5363 Those are some fun ideas. They remind me of glowing coals more than anything, so a campfire might be cool. I'm not sure that I could make a convincing campfire shape though. I'll have to experiment.
I think I like them more as slabs. Fascinating! And pretty. I think some kind of display that could have UV turned on when you wanted to see them. As necklaces I can’t see going someplace that has black lights turned on. And I don’t want UV lights pointed at me. 😎
I could make a UV lighted display case, but I don't really have a spot for something like that in the house. I think I'll just stick with grabbing the flashlight when I want to show them off.
You have been kind of "slab-happy" recently. :) You might be able to build a display with a UV fluorescent lamp in it. These lamps aren't all that uncommon. Nice video. Thanks. Nice of Mrs. Michigan Rocks to help...
Hi Dan. From what I've read, the 365 nm lamps can't be left on for very long. I have seen some displays made for Yooperlites, but you're just supposed to flip them on for a short time while you look at them. I guess that's ok though, not much different than some other lights in the house.
I probably could make a light switch cover, although the hole for the actual switch would be tricky to do. The problem is, they only look good with a U.V. light shining on them. They don't glow on their own at all.
@@MichiganRocks Bummer. I have vintage 1970s glow in the dark switch covers and they absorb light and stay spooky after the lights are off. Prolly full of uranium or radium but I don't care.
I'll take a turtle! :D Seriously...how FABULOUS! WoWoWoW....You know...next time yer in the area, you COULD plant them back on a beach! Or do it down there someplace! Plant one or two on a beach and wait to hear the news!!!
Do you think a 1/4 inch slab would survive a beating by the waves? I doubt anyone would find it unless it was between the time of planting and the first windy day.
I'm using an MK-303 on my trim saw. My slab saw outside uses a thicker blade. I'm not sure how thick it is, I believe they come in differnet thicknesses. I don't consider myself a saw expert. If you want better opinions, I'd suggest going to the Rock Tumbling Hobby forums and ask there. There are some really experienced people who could help you more than I can. forum.rocktumblinghobby.com
I think turtles, crosses, hearts or guitar picks. The guitar picks would glow when the band turned on the black lights. Also did you check out the one that the magnet stuck to, to see it you could see the iron in it? Keep up the great videos and God bless you and your family.
The magnetic one probably had magnetite in it. From my experience with magnetite, it doesn't look metallic. It's usually just black. To answer your question, I didn't see anything that looked like iron to me.
These rocks are amazing under UV light ! I totally agree with you these are not suitable fo jewellery making ! I think may be ornaments would be the best choice ?! Surely you would come up with some great idea 😊👍
They remind me of a night view of the heavily populated areas of the world from the International Space Station. Did you find the magnetic one in, or around Lake Superior? We find a lot of big solid ore pieces (quite shinny and very dense and heavy) up in the U.P. and some of that is supposed to be magnetic. It's why ship's compasses were giving off false readings in certain areas of Lake Superior, resulting in some sunken ships from years back. There might be some ore mixed in with the matrix. Just a thought.
I found these in the eastern U.P. Capt Paul, who is a geologist, commented that there is magnetite in the rock where these come from. Some of the beaches I hunt on Lake Superior have several inches of black sand on them. There's gold in that sand, but there's also a lot of magnetite. I made a little magnetic device to separate the magnetite from the black sand. It's a fun little activity. Here's the video where I learned to make the magnetic thingy: th-cam.com/video/riQFzOud3XQ/w-d-xo.html
Those are really neat. I wonder why just the one was magnetic. I was thinking just polish them all up as slabs and make turtles out the ones that don’t look as good under the light. I liked the same one that you did. It looked like a bunch of stars in a dark night sky.
The magnetic one clearly contains a mineral that the others don't, or at least contains a higher percentage of it. I'm not sure what that mineral is though.
Hi I've watched your fun show about polishing and cutting rocks I was wondering what do you do with all of them? Do you possibly still some of your smaller cut pieces?
I think you meant "sell" instead of "still". I don't sell anything online. I sell a very small number of things in a local shop. Here's what I do with my tumbled rocks: th-cam.com/video/jZ9Dns9ioX8/w-d-xo.html
These only look good with a light shining right on them. It has to be in front since the rocks are opaque. They're really pretty boring under regular light. That's what's frustrating about making things out of them.
@@MichiganRocks Thank`s for answering, I was to fast to write because you almost said what I was wondering about, sorry for that. Hope you find a way to put a light-source into or in front of something nice made of them. Thumbs up!!
Is black light the same as ultraviolet light? Would they glow? Interesting rocks, but would not be colorful enough to make anything out of it. Enjoyed the demonstration.
Nothing any better than what you see here. There's not much to show. I've been using Elmer's wood glue lately, but I have also used Titebond II. Just cover the cut face in glue and clamp it to a board. To remove the last slab from the board, just soak it in water for a week or two and it should fall off. Don't use outdoor waterproof glue for this reason.
It's "dop wax" if you're searching for it. Here's a link at the Rock Shed: www.rockshed.com/rock-shop/lapidary-equipment/other-useful-stuff/dop-wax/ They're out of stock. Amazon has it too, but the cost twice as much.
Nancy is right, these lights can't be run for long periods of time. I think the best I could do is take my little flashlight out and point it at the chimes.
I am one of the ones that have asked you before if you sell your items. I saw you just mentioned you sell things through a local shop. Are you able to disclose that shop. I would love some of your pieces. Rock hunting is a physical challenge and almost impossible for me which makes me really sad. But tumbling would be out of the question for me even if I was able to hunt some rocks. So that’s why I would like to purchase some of your pieces. I’m all about Michigan items. Thank you
I'm sorry you can't get out rock hunting. I sell a few things at a religious gift shop called Olivet here in Alpena. They have my crosses, guitar picks (not rocks from Michigan), and heart necklaces. They don't have an online store, so you can just email them or call. olivetbookandgift.com
Thanks for the great video I watched this one after your obsidian video because I was curious if you would use a light box to show us the pieces that you cut. Do you ever use light boxes to display, I need to finish your video about what you do with your rocks. But I noticed that you did not use one in this video. So I am curious do you think a box with a opaque white plastic would make some of the crystals and transparent rocks look prettier on display? Also are you familiar at all with the game of Backgammon? My parents had a very elaborate table that was for backgammon it was made out of some exotic lizard skin and had amazing pieces made from stone and dice and it was a nice little table when you weren't playing. I bet the yooperlite stones would make amazing Backgammon pieces, do you ever make pieces for backgammon out of other materials and stones with your lapidary work? If someone made a backgammon table that had lights under the board with an opaque transparent material for the triangles and a dark material for the board that would look amazing. Do you think this material would make an amazing backgammon table, not that anyone would ever make it but still.
It's funny that you mention backgammon. My wife and I have been playing almost every day for six months or so. My priest was going to get together a few guys to play, but then he got transferred to another parish. I had planned to make him a set of stone backgammon pieces, but we never did play a game. I might still make some backgammon pieces for my wife and I someday. I don't have a lot of rocks on display in the main part of my house. Most of them are in my shop. I don't have a light table, but I did buy a flat LED thing that's made for tracing. It isn't quite bright enough to really light up a rock. I bought it to do some photography of translucent rocks. The problem with Yooperlites is that lights that are suitable for making them glow get very hot and are not made to be left on for long periods of time. They're also bad for your eyes and skin. Yooperlites are opaque, so the light has to shine on them from the front. A light table wouldn't really work well for them.
U.V. lights come in different wavelengths and qualities. You can buy a cheap blacklight or some really expensive U.V. lights. When you start researching them, you'll see that there is a huge price range and they can get very expensive. I have this light: kingsleynorth.com/convoy-s2-uv-led-flashlight.html?ref=robertabram1& (affiliate link). My neighbor was with me when we hunted these and he had a $20 light. His worked, but they didn't glow nearly as bright and you had to have the light a lot closer. We ended up putting his away and sharing my light. There's a little more expensive light called the Convoy C8 that I've heard really good things about too. kingsleynorth.com/convoy-c8-uv-led-365nm.html?ref=robertabram1& (affiliate link).
I have bought some yooperlite rocks and the light you told me about. Love looking at them from time to time. I made the mistake of buying a floodlight that I thought would work to display them at night. Wrong wavelength I found out. It works a little but not like the one you told me about. Good question about what to with them. At one time I thought about putting yooperlite in my aquarium and finding the right light for the tank. People with aquariums love cool rocks in the tank. Don't know if that would work or not. Sorry this got long!
I'm not sure if the U.V. light would be bad for the fish. It's not good for your eyes or skin. Also, the lights aren't supposed to be left on for long periods of time, so you'd have to just turn on the aquarium light for short periods when you wanted to see them.
Idk if you ever work with wood or not but Maybe get a nice piece black walnut or an exotic wood and after you cut a cross or turtle or whatever inlay the rock in the wood so without light it will have the wood contrasting with it and then with uv light it will glow on its own. Drill a hole 3/4 way in on the back and put wood dowel in it and then it can sit on end table of shelf. Many things you could do with the wood. Id cut wood the same shape as rock just bigger
The only two places I have hunted them was the Lake Superior Forest Campground which is a little west of Muskallonge Lake State Park and The Mouth of the Two Hearted River Campground. I found rocks in both places. Both spots are closer to Munising than Marquette. You might want to post your question on a Facebook group, like "Great Lakes Rocks & Minerals".
If you missed the video where we found these, it's here: th-cam.com/video/7xzNiQmKpEw/w-d-xo.html
Here is the video where I tumbled Yooperlites: th-cam.com/video/5wiAY3vVFws/w-d-xo.html
kitchen backsplash or countertop , bathroom tile, tabletop , any type of stonework, outdoor ornaments , come on man , do it all, think outside the box here ..LOL
@@tomjones2121 Wow, that's a lot for three little rocks to cover. I better slice them thinner.
@@MichiganRocks get more LOL
@@MichiganRocks They are easier for me to find lately I got a great 365nm uv flashlight.
@@greatnorthernviews3052 What one did you get?
The unpolished larger rock reminds me of flying at night and looking down at the cities. Beautiful😊
Yeah, it does look like that. I suppose the non-fluorescent part could be a river going through the city.
I did not know what a yooperlite was, until now. Thanks for your amazing channel. Watching you take numerous rocks from the rough state to a beautiful completed state leads me to believe you will make the most out of these rocks.
You should watch the video where we found them. www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009POI1V2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
@@MichiganRocks Definitely will.
Man I love these!!
Love the comment about your wives shoes, 🤣
Carly will ask me and then goes to our daughter Scarlett and asks her, andddd it’s mostly the opposite of what I said... it’s cause we’re enamoured by their beauty and therefore biased. Haha!
I finished opening the package! And I stood there with Benny just amazed at your craftsmanship and your generosity! I’m going to share the stones between the four of us, Benny, Pauly and Rhondda, but I’m definitely going to hide the crazy lace and guitar picks when I show them. Well, the guitar picks I will 😉
Thank you from the bottom of my heart mate. Your package was beyond what I expected and your polish is to die for! You are a master polisher Rob. You really are.
I'm glad you had fun with the box. Do you play guitar? I don't, but it's fun to make the picks. Those aren't rocks from Michigan, by the way. I can't remember what I sent, but I don't think I have made any guitar picks from Michigan rocks.
How is Will doing?
Hey Rob, yeah I play guitar, before I took up Rockhounding I used to be in a punk/metal band but nowadays I prefer playing the more refined acoustic style music 😉
As for Will, he’s doing well, but it’s a bit of a journey. I’ve wanted to make a post to update everyone; and to be honest I really think I should have by now.
I need to sit down with Rhondda and see where they are up to with his treatment. Unfortunately I’m finding myself a bit busy with the jobs i have and haven’t been able to do very much but to maintain the rock videos. So fortunately for rhondda and Dave they were able to get a proper diagnosis of pans/pandas for Will which we always thought would be the biggest accomplishment in finding help for him but unfortunately it seems it’s more than just a diagnosis.
So now there is treatment that they are doing but it’s kind of like the end game of helping Will be completely healed is a bit of a longer timeline with numerous approaches, and a lot of watching and waiting to see how he reacts to each one.
I think I really need to make a video explaining this but it’s so hard and with the response to the first video and also the support given I feel like I may have bitten off more than I can chew. So far he’s doing well, but not fully at where he was before he fell ill.
I don’t know what to say if we were to make a video explaining where we’re (Will is), at but i think it must be time. Too many people have invested their thoughts prayers and support both spiritually and financially. I just wish I had definitive news to share. And so does Rhondda and Dave. It must be so exhausting for them.
Honestly man, they are seriously the most genuine, big hearted, people I have ever met.
I think prayers really help, far far greater than money. I just hope people know that’s where I am coming from, from the beginning. Just support for the family. And help for Will.
Sorry Rob, super long message. Any words of wisdom would be super appreciated. Much love mate.
@@Rookie_Rockounding I don't think you necessarily have to do a whole video, you could just do a community post to update everyone. You also don't have to give specifics, just let people know that he's improving, but it's not an overnight cure sort of thing. I know I'm happy that he's improving. Even if the doctors need to try numerous approaches, it still gives Will and his family so much more hope than just wondering what's wrong with him. Thanks for the update. I feel better. I'm still praying for the little guy daily.
Make crosses and hand out at church without letting know that it glows in the dark. You would get some cool reactions . Great vlog Rob
But how would anyone ever realize that it was fluorescent?
That's what I was wondering since the aren't just normal "glow-in-the-dark". Lol.
I dont think they realize that if requires a UV light to glow and that they dont just glow in the dark.
I thought it was naturally fluorescent. My bad
@@carolmccorry3053 A lot of people seem to think that. If that was the case, I could make all sorts of fun stuff.
Yooperlites have got to be my favorite. A friend and I are considering a trip up north to Michigan. Soley to rock hound yooperlites. And, of the State rock, petoskey.
Planning a bit of fishing as well. Awesome slabs! I liked them ALL. Even the one with the blemish. It reminds us that we're ALL beautiful, yet NOT perfect. Have a great week and be safe out there.
Looking for Yooperlites was a lot of fun, more fun than I expected. Just plan to walk a long way from the campground before dark and then walk back after dark.
Those are beautiful no matter what you decide to make with them. Thanks for sharing! 💜
They are pretty cool rocks. Fun stuff.
Absolutely farout ! I have been waiting for this video..well worth the wait..thank you so much for sharing 😁
I'm glad it was worth the wait!
I’m thinking of using some of mine to supplement a shower floor that has exposed aggregate currently. Thanks for sharing this video. I have been wanting to see some slabbed and they are beautiful rocks when illuminated.
Sounds like a fun project. Good luck with it!
The Yopperlight are so gorgeous . My first time to ever see any . The glowing is fascinating to me . Have a great evening .
You should watch this video where we found them. That was the most fun part. th-cam.com/video/7xzNiQmKpEw/w-d-xo.html
i have a yooperlite and i have been wanting to slab mine for a while now thinking it may look way cool on the inside so thank you for the video
Looks pretty much the same on the inside, except flatter.
Those rocks look gorgeous and even more slabbed.lmfao shes holding the light suprised she didnt hit me 🤣🤣🤣🤣
She doesn't abuse me too badly.
The Coldwell Complex (where this particular sodalite included syenite comes from) does contain small amounts of magnetite and nickeline, so it's possible your specimen has a grain or two of these minerals in it which a magnet would stick to. In addition, the Coldwell also contains some rare earth elements as well. I have no idea what you could make out of them, but I know where you could send a few slabs..... ;-)
That sure makes sense. Leave it to you to know the source of these.
@@MichiganRocks Well, I try...
They are an amazing rock. My one son and his wife go rock hunting all the time. They found some of these rocks. I thought they were so cool!
They really are fun. I didn't expect to have so much fun looking for them, but I did. It's such a different rock hunt.
@@MichiganRocks I’m hoping to go hunt these rocks one day. Since my one son & daughter in law knows where to get them I’ll go with them when they go.
@@deniseview4253 Sounds like a good plan.
@@MichiganRocks 😆
I really like these, they are besutiful. Maybe christmas ornaments? Or mounted for a lighted base? Thanks for sharing, these sre so much fun to look at.🙃
Christmas ornaments could be cook, I guess. Then I need to find UV Christmas lights to go with them. I'm pretty sure that doesn't exist, and wouldn't be allowed on our tree if they did.
That is very cool ,I have never seen anything like this and I am originally from Michigan and spent my summers as a young man working on Mackinaw island walking the stone beaches. Wow that is just cool as heck. Thanks for sharing.
These have become really popular to hunt for on Lake Superior beaches in the past few years. Here's the video where we found them: th-cam.com/video/7xzNiQmKpEw/w-d-xo.html
@@MichiganRocks cool beans thanks for the link.
Those look so cool.
If I get a bright idea, I'll send a note.
A bright idea is exactly what I need!
Ya know, I was already enjoying this video, and then you made me laugh when you brought your wife into the conversation, lol.
I'm glad you were amused.
They are just beautiful. The light is amazing. Nice video, thank you
They are pretty amazing. It's fun to see just how different they look under different lighting.
Wow,amazing!!! Thank you so much for shearing...
Cool! Now you’ve got even more that glows❣️I thought about drilling them and making wind chimes. If you had them out on a patio and could shine a light on them...🤷🏻♀️
I suppose, but they'd only look good at night. Of course, that would be the case with whatever I make.
@@MichiganRocks yeah, they’re a pretty boring rock in the daylight! I’ve seen a variation of them they find at Lake Erie. Their sodalite pattern is different- like smaller molecules of it that look a little more diffuse.🙂
@@littledabwilldoya9717 They even vary a fair amount where I found them. Like that bigger one wasn't as bright and had smaller specks of sodalite.
Set them in a slab with a night night for kids. Love the video, awesome stones
That sounds good, but they're not translucent, they don't glow after you turn the light off, and the light is not good for your eyes or skin. That's why I'm having a hard time finding something half way practical to do with these.
Nice glowing upperlite stone its good using if without electricity in a place making as remarkable on the dark places as signal lights. 😍😄
These do not glow unless a U.V. light is shining on them. The glow goes away as soon as the light goes off.
Very cool slicing. The unpolished one when you were first holding up the slices looked like a butterfly. Good show Rob!
Maybe I should make it into a butterfly.
@@MichiganRocks Kind of why i mentioned it LOL!
These are amazing! Thanks for sharing!!
Those look so awesome!
Also, nice yooperlites....someday I hope to aquire one!
Very cool rocks!! 🐢🐢🐢Thank you for sharing🐢👍🐢👍🐢👍
I think this is the third video they've appeared in. I figure if I drove that far to get them, I'll get my money's worth out of them.
Those are so cool! I think the turtle is a good idea.
Alright, a vote for a turtle.
I would make letters, for a Michigan Rocks sign. For $25 you get a 365nm bulb, that you can put in a standard sconce, to illuminate the sign. Does the magnet stick to all slabs of the one rock?
I just went to check the magnet on all the slabs. It does stick to all of them, so the magnetite, or whatever mineral seems to be distributed pretty evenly through that one rock.
Old disabled house bound dusty rusty rockhound here: This is another rock I have not worked with. Beautiful like a night sky or looking into molten lava as it flows. I would love a Yooperlite turtle. Or maybe a large cab pedant mounted on a yellow gold colored Victorian style finding with a lovely thick chain. It would be beautiful like black onyx... a real statement piece.
The problem is, they look pretty boring under regular light. It would be inconvenient to only wear it in dark conditions and also carry a UV light with you.
Love these rocks!
Absolutely gorgeous!!!
So, so beautiful!
I just took a quick look at this episode. Forwarded it to three friends. Your awesome I love your content! I will I always do I’ll have to look back and see if you’ve ever done a video on your tumbling cabinet I would like to copy it to some extent someday. I have a friend whose father had a gift shop in Copper Harbor and St. Agnes and he made a rock Tumbler using .2 large tractor tires that he put large stones in using different sands that he could find. I thought about using a cement mixer with the windmill.
The problem with cement mixers and tires is that you'd have to keep watering them so they didn't dry out. Not a big problem, but one that you don't have to deal with in a sealed barrel.
Here are a couple videos showing the tumbler:
Homemade Tumbler: th-cam.com/video/6qIcK2ZohGM/w-d-xo.html
Tumbler Update: th-cam.com/video/PAMOCc2BNJM/w-d-xo.html
Did you see the video where we found the Yooperlites? th-cam.com/video/7xzNiQmKpEw/w-d-xo.html
that was beautiful!! i was thinking thinner slabs to make a keep sake box, and here you slabed some of these rocks up already,, as for what i would like to see you make? ..... a video of what you/your MRS. decided you should make,,,,, yup a video will do
Great, that's super helpful.
@@MichiganRocks hope i didnt get ya into trouble or make extra work for ya its what i have been thinking bout for the last couple of weeks or so
Wow , those are so cool. They look like stars and galaxies. Maybe you could make a mosaic piece . You could cut up the slabs and make it like a puzzle. 😍🥰😇❤👍🏻
I've thought about make a mosaic sort of picture, but if I was going to do all that work, I'd do it with rocks that would look good all the time, not just under U.V. light. I've never been able to find a picture that liked that also had colors of rocks that I could find.
Wow! SUPER cool!!! Need a trip to the UP!
What about a bracelet mixed with other colored stones. Then those stones would be a fun surprise under a black light!
That's a possibility. Mixing them with other stones is a good idea.
The slabs look great.
Those are so cool!! Night light.
Are you suggesting that I make a night light out of one? They're not translucent, and the glow goes away when the U.V. light goes off. So I don't think that would work.
Amazing otherworldly!
I’ve watched several of your videos and they are all really cool
Thank you!
Key fobs? Shaped like a flying saucer or rocket or comet? Then if you lose your keys you can find them w your flashlight.
That's an interesting idea. You just have to make sure that you remember to keep your U.V. light with you.
True about the flashlight. I wonder if they’d be useful & fun when camping. What do people use UV flashlights for anyway? Other glow-in-the-dark shapes could be mushrooms or jellyfish - or even a lightbulb or lantern or flashlight. They’re just so wicked cool when they’re all glowing but kind of plain when not. Maybe a Jack o’ Lantern or pumpkin or a bat for Halloween. Apparently there are tiny UV LEDs. Cool DIY video showing how to make rims for your bike that glow at night using phosphorous spray paint and little UV LEDs. Anyway, I’m sure you’ll figure out something! Thanks for another interesting video. So cool to see inside these rocks!
@@micheleboyd1830 Someone else suggested Halloween shapes. I like that idea.
The insides were as pretty as the outside! Would love the tiny end cuts❤
Pretty much the same on the inside as the outside, but that's ok, because I like the outside!
Thanks a lot. Now I want a yooperlite. Dang it.
It was a lot of fun hunting for them. th-cam.com/video/7xzNiQmKpEw/w-d-xo.html
Those are very cool slabbed! Make something for yourself that you can use to wow friends and family when it gets dark.
I'm still thinking about possibilities.
Yooperlites are awesome.... make whatever you want. Maybe a bead for Nancy. Since it takes a special light for the effect.
My son in law made space themed fridge magnets out of these slabs. You must not have gotten to that video yet.
I just purchased a house in the UP it's a 20 minute drive to the shore of lake Superior on the WI border. I went to explore a few weeks ago and met a local that told me about the Yooperites I didn't know about them I can't wait to search for some when the snow melts and it is a little warmer out 😊 I have a few UV Flashlights I used in Arizona looking for scorpions while camping. They Glow nicely also but you don't want to pick them up 😮 or take them home with you 😂
You might need to invest in a better light for Yooperlites. They'll light up with cheaper lights, but not nearly as brightly. I have a Convoy S2 that works well for me.
kingsleynorth.com/convoy-s2-uv-led-flashlight.html?ref=robertabram1& (affiliate link)
@@MichiganRocks I was looking at that one also this one Convoy C8 365nm UV LED Flashlight with Patented Glass Filter but the second one won't ship from Amazon till the middle of April? The best UV I have is a Dual UV from NEBO I found at a local Ace hardware.
@@KRich408 The C8 is really great.
@@MichiganRocks I found the Conway at Kingsley North not far from me 👍 it will be here tomorrow. I can't wait for the snow to melt so I can go to Little Girls Point Park with it 😄
You make awesome guitar pics. Would this be a good stone for that? Love your videos! Very helpful info for a newbie!
Thanks you rock!
I'm not sure if they'd be strong enough for that or not. Good idea though. I like it.
That would be such a good idea. Would that work?
@@karenraabis5296 I might try and find out if it's strong enough. If I can't break it with my hands, it should be good.
It's so cool that you like the idea for pics! I hope it works 🤞🤞
The 'non-glowing' areas sure do glow; a purplish color where there are no orange dots, or even a sort of metallic-looking light blue in one place.
If you cut just right, you can make sets of jewelry. Under black light, the parts that don't look good to some look great to others...
If you cut as jewelry, advertise them as "party jewelry", as many "parties" (ahem!) use black light as illumination ...
If you make pieces into nightlights, there are very definitely black (and other types of) lights that are small enough...
Kitchen countertops, furniture...
That purple part isn't actually glowing, but it's just the black light itself on the rock.
The problem with lighting these up at all is that not just any black light works very well. The lights that work well are kind of expensive, are bad for your skin, and aren't supposed to be left on for long periods of time.
nice . anything you already make would look great.
That leaves lots of possibilities then.
So cool! Thank you.
You're welcome!
Wow! I have a few and would never have thought they would take a polish....too grainy. ‘Guess I’ll have to try now😀 thanks!
I wasn't convinced they'd tumble either, but they did really well. Did you see the video where I tumbled them? th-cam.com/video/5wiAY3vVFws/w-d-xo.html
I own lapisluzi jewelry most of the pieces have the same florescence except for the earrings set in gold !
Cool!
Thanks for the video......
You're welcome!
I have never heard of yooperlites. Pretty cool. What are some places that use the lights that make the rocks glow? Nightclubs? Bars? Could make some nifty room decor. Tabletops with the rocks inlaid? Great shirt. Go Blue.
Regular black lights won’t make these glow much, if at all. That’s the problem with finding something fun to do with them. Did you see the video showing how we found them? th-cam.com/video/7xzNiQmKpEw/w-d-xo.html
Go blue!
Maybe you could make cabs for mood rings. 😂 Remember those?
I remember them, but unfortunately, these don't react to changes in temperature.
@@MichiganRocks Yes, but they'd be a great surprise in the right light! Just kidding!
Very nice... I may have to cut a few of mine in slabs now...😄👍
Yep, get slabbing!
When they’re glowing they kind of remind me of glowing charcoal briquettes. It’s a shame that they can’t be made into some kind of lamp but it is what it is I guess. Someone suggested making them into wind chimes and I kind of like that idea. You would have to chamfer both sides of the holes where the fish line went through it or it would eventually cut through it and that would be a bummer. I’ve got 3 or 4 days of rotary tumbling left on tumbling a batch of stones the Rob method, which I followed to a tee. After burnishing them after prepolish they came out with a hint of a shine on them. I was really pleased. 😀
Good luck with that batch of rocks. I'm going to feel guilty if they don't turn out.
@@MichiganRocks I’m sure my stones will turn out just fine. They looked better after the prepolish burnishing stage than the first batch that I did my way.
About the yooperlites, your sister makes pictures with flat stones. Maybe you could make like stars ,a crescent shaped moon, campfire flames, automotive headlights, windows for cabins like the lights were on inside. It would be a conversation piece when guest come over that you could shine a light on and make the picture come alive.
Another thought 💭. You could glue cork or felt to the backside and use them for coasters or a spoon or spatula rest for cooking. You can get rolls of sheet cork at N. A. P. A. stores.
@@davidhile5363 That's a new idea. I might try that with another type of rock. Something a little bigger that I could slab a little thicker and hollow out the top a bit. I'm not sure how I'd make the concave part, but I'll think about it.
@@davidhile5363 Those are some fun ideas. They remind me of glowing coals more than anything, so a campfire might be cool. I'm not sure that I could make a convincing campfire shape though. I'll have to experiment.
I think I like them more as slabs. Fascinating! And pretty. I think some kind of display that could have UV turned on when you wanted to see them. As necklaces I can’t see going someplace that has black lights turned on. And I don’t want UV lights pointed at me. 😎
I could make a UV lighted display case, but I don't really have a spot for something like that in the house. I think I'll just stick with grabbing the flashlight when I want to show them off.
@@MichiganRocks that works!
Awesome! Thank You! 😊
You're welcome. There's a video coming one of these days showing what happened to the slabs.
So cool!!!
Спасибо!
Those are very cool 😎
Very cool. Crosses I think would be good.
I could definitely make crosses.
Ohhhh que Hermosos azules las piedras amarillo?? Buenas noches
Estos son sienita con sodalita. La sodalita emite fluorescencia.
heart shaped paper weights would be nice !
Ok, I'll put that on the list of possibilities.
Those are cool all opened up
They're pretty cool however you look at them.
Make a little of everything crosses, turtles, hearts or make something like an owl and cabs. Like your video really nice looking yooperlites
I might do that. Just make a few things and then show the finished products in a video.
Wow, that unpolished rock turned out better than I expected. I have no suggestions for what to do with them -- they are just cool rocks to me.
That one isn't a bad rock, just not as bright as the other two.
@@MichiganRocks Once you slabbed it though, it seemed to outshine the other 2.
@@salishseaquest7952 In person, it isn't nearly as bright, but it is a more even pattern.
Those things are so cool
Maybe you could make something artsy to put in those hanging frames and attach/install a small florescent light on it or by it 🤔 ??
From my research, there isn't a small light that works well with these. If you know of one, I'd love to know more about it.
You have been kind of "slab-happy" recently. :) You might be able to build a display with a UV fluorescent lamp in it. These lamps aren't all that uncommon. Nice video. Thanks. Nice of Mrs. Michigan Rocks to help...
Hi Dan. From what I've read, the 365 nm lamps can't be left on for very long. I have seen some displays made for Yooperlites, but you're just supposed to flip them on for a short time while you look at them. I guess that's ok though, not much different than some other lights in the house.
That unpolished one held many beautiful secrets. Too bad you can't make light switch covers of them. That would be cool. TFS 💖🦅🦅
I probably could make a light switch cover, although the hole for the actual switch would be tricky to do. The problem is, they only look good with a U.V. light shining on them. They don't glow on their own at all.
@@MichiganRocks not even in the pitch dark?
@@icatz Not even a little.
@@MichiganRocks Bummer. I have vintage 1970s glow in the dark switch covers and they absorb light and stay spooky after the lights are off. Prolly full of uranium or radium but I don't care.
I'll take a turtle! :D Seriously...how FABULOUS! WoWoWoW....You know...next time yer in the area, you COULD plant them back on a beach! Or do it down there someplace! Plant one or two on a beach and wait to hear the news!!!
Do you think a 1/4 inch slab would survive a beating by the waves? I doubt anyone would find it unless it was between the time of planting and the first windy day.
@@MichiganRocks For years!
sutch good idea
Can you recommend a very good thin diamond blade?
I'm using an MK-303 on my trim saw. My slab saw outside uses a thicker blade. I'm not sure how thick it is, I believe they come in differnet thicknesses. I don't consider myself a saw expert. If you want better opinions, I'd suggest going to the Rock Tumbling Hobby forums and ask there. There are some really experienced people who could help you more than I can. forum.rocktumblinghobby.com
I think turtles, crosses, hearts or guitar picks. The guitar picks would glow when the band turned on the black lights. Also did you check out the one that the magnet stuck to, to see it you could see the iron in it? Keep up the great videos and God bless you and your family.
The magnetic one probably had magnetite in it. From my experience with magnetite, it doesn't look metallic. It's usually just black. To answer your question, I didn't see anything that looked like iron to me.
Maybe a dumb question because it is a different kind of magnet but did the magnetic one stay magnetic after it was cut? Thanks
Yep. All the slices were magnetic too.
These rocks are amazing under UV light ! I totally agree with you these are not suitable fo jewellery making ! I think may be ornaments would be the best choice ?! Surely you would come up with some great idea 😊👍
I haven't come up with a great idea yet. A couple people suggested space themed things, like a UFO or moon shape. I kind of like that idea.
@@MichiganRocks very good ! I’ll be waiting to see your beautiful artwork 👍🥰
They remind me of a night view of the heavily populated areas of the world from the International Space Station. Did you find the magnetic one in, or around Lake Superior? We find a lot of big solid ore pieces (quite shinny and very dense and heavy) up in the U.P. and some of that is supposed to be magnetic. It's why ship's compasses were giving off false readings in certain areas of Lake Superior, resulting in some sunken ships from years back. There might be some ore mixed in with the matrix. Just a thought.
I found these in the eastern U.P. Capt Paul, who is a geologist, commented that there is magnetite in the rock where these come from.
Some of the beaches I hunt on Lake Superior have several inches of black sand on them. There's gold in that sand, but there's also a lot of magnetite. I made a little magnetic device to separate the magnetite from the black sand. It's a fun little activity. Here's the video where I learned to make the magnetic thingy: th-cam.com/video/riQFzOud3XQ/w-d-xo.html
Those are really neat. I wonder why just the one was magnetic. I was thinking just polish them all up as slabs and make turtles out the ones that don’t look as good under the light. I liked the same one that you did. It looked like a bunch of stars in a dark night sky.
The magnetic one clearly contains a mineral that the others don't, or at least contains a higher percentage of it. I'm not sure what that mineral is though.
The mystery mineral may be magnetite, a naturally magnetic iron oxide mineral.
Hi I've watched your fun show about polishing and cutting rocks I was wondering what do you do with all of them? Do you possibly still some of your smaller cut pieces?
I think you meant "sell" instead of "still". I don't sell anything online. I sell a very small number of things in a local shop.
Here's what I do with my tumbled rocks: th-cam.com/video/jZ9Dns9ioX8/w-d-xo.html
Strange stone. :What can you made of that one? Do you then need light behind/below so that they always are glowing? Or else, they do look boring.
These only look good with a light shining right on them. It has to be in front since the rocks are opaque. They're really pretty boring under regular light. That's what's frustrating about making things out of them.
@@MichiganRocks Thank`s for answering, I was to fast to write because you almost said what I was wondering about, sorry for that. Hope you find a way to put a light-source into or in front of something nice made of them. Thumbs up!!
Those are cool in the UV light, turtles would be good or maybe a Ghost shape for people to use at Halloween?
A ghost is interesting. Too bad we don't have Halloween trees to hang ornaments on.
Is black light the same as ultraviolet light? Would they glow? Interesting rocks, but would not be colorful enough to make anything out of it. Enjoyed the demonstration.
Black lights are U.V. lights, but they're not the right wavelength. You need a pretty good light to make them glow well.
@@MichiganRocks thanks for explanation.
Do you have a video on gluing wood to a rock to saw ??
Nothing any better than what you see here. There's not much to show. I've been using Elmer's wood glue lately, but I have also used Titebond II. Just cover the cut face in glue and clamp it to a board. To remove the last slab from the board, just soak it in water for a week or two and it should fall off. Don't use outdoor waterproof glue for this reason.
Thanks for helping me!!! Hopefully I'll bump into you on a beach somewhere!!
I agree with the turtle idea
Ok, thanks!
Can you tell the name of the wax i can use to polish my stones on a dob stick and where i can get it?
It's "dop wax" if you're searching for it. Here's a link at the Rock Shed: www.rockshed.com/rock-shop/lapidary-equipment/other-useful-stuff/dop-wax/
They're out of stock. Amazon has it too, but the cost twice as much.
Could you make wind chimes and put a light under a metal hood so they would light at night?
Really hard to leave the UV lights on for long periods of time!
Nancy is right, these lights can't be run for long periods of time. I think the best I could do is take my little flashlight out and point it at the chimes.
@@MichiganRocks Well, dang, I thought I was on to something, lol.
I am one of the ones that have asked you before if you sell your items. I saw you just mentioned you sell things through a local shop. Are you able to disclose that shop. I would love some of your pieces. Rock hunting is a physical challenge and almost impossible for me which makes me really sad. But tumbling would be out of the question for me even if I was able to hunt some rocks. So that’s why I would like to purchase some of your pieces. I’m all about Michigan items. Thank you
I'm sorry you can't get out rock hunting. I sell a few things at a religious gift shop called Olivet here in Alpena. They have my crosses, guitar picks (not rocks from Michigan), and heart necklaces. They don't have an online store, so you can just email them or call. olivetbookandgift.com
Very nice
Thanks for the great video I watched this one after your obsidian video because I was curious if you would use a light box to show us the pieces that you cut. Do you ever use light boxes to display, I need to finish your video about what you do with your rocks. But I noticed that you did not use one in this video. So I am curious do you think a box with a opaque white plastic would make some of the crystals and transparent rocks look prettier on display? Also are you familiar at all with the game of Backgammon? My parents had a very elaborate table that was for backgammon it was made out of some exotic lizard skin and had amazing pieces made from stone and dice and it was a nice little table when you weren't playing. I bet the yooperlite stones would make amazing Backgammon pieces, do you ever make pieces for backgammon out of other materials and stones with your lapidary work? If someone made a backgammon table that had lights under the board with an opaque transparent material for the triangles and a dark material for the board that would look amazing. Do you think this material would make an amazing backgammon table, not that anyone would ever make it but still.
It's funny that you mention backgammon. My wife and I have been playing almost every day for six months or so. My priest was going to get together a few guys to play, but then he got transferred to another parish. I had planned to make him a set of stone backgammon pieces, but we never did play a game. I might still make some backgammon pieces for my wife and I someday.
I don't have a lot of rocks on display in the main part of my house. Most of them are in my shop. I don't have a light table, but I did buy a flat LED thing that's made for tracing. It isn't quite bright enough to really light up a rock. I bought it to do some photography of translucent rocks.
The problem with Yooperlites is that lights that are suitable for making them glow get very hot and are not made to be left on for long periods of time. They're also bad for your eyes and skin. Yooperlites are opaque, so the light has to shine on them from the front. A light table wouldn't really work well for them.
Question answered !!!
Is there a difference between a UV light on those rocks and a black light?
U.V. lights come in different wavelengths and qualities. You can buy a cheap blacklight or some really expensive U.V. lights. When you start researching them, you'll see that there is a huge price range and they can get very expensive.
I have this light: kingsleynorth.com/convoy-s2-uv-led-flashlight.html?ref=robertabram1& (affiliate link). My neighbor was with me when we hunted these and he had a $20 light. His worked, but they didn't glow nearly as bright and you had to have the light a lot closer. We ended up putting his away and sharing my light. There's a little more expensive light called the Convoy C8 that I've heard really good things about too. kingsleynorth.com/convoy-c8-uv-led-365nm.html?ref=robertabram1& (affiliate link).
I have bought some yooperlite rocks and the light you told me about. Love looking at them from time to time. I made the mistake of buying a floodlight that I thought would work to display them at night. Wrong wavelength I found out. It works a little but not like the one you told me about. Good question about what to with them. At one time I thought about putting yooperlite in my aquarium and finding the right light for the tank. People with aquariums love cool rocks in the tank. Don't know if that would work or not. Sorry this got long!
I'm not sure if the U.V. light would be bad for the fish. It's not good for your eyes or skin. Also, the lights aren't supposed to be left on for long periods of time, so you'd have to just turn on the aquarium light for short periods when you wanted to see them.
@@MichiganRocks thanks didn't realize that about the light. Thanks Rob!
does the UV shine through the stone or make the glow happen from the backside if backlit?
No, it's an opaque stone.
Idk if you ever work with wood or not but Maybe get a nice piece black walnut or an exotic wood and after you cut a cross or turtle or whatever inlay the rock in the wood so without light it will have the wood contrasting with it and then with uv light it will glow on its own. Drill a hole 3/4 way in on the back and put wood dowel in it and then it can sit on end table of shelf. Many things you could do with the wood. Id cut wood the same shape as rock just bigger
I do some woodworking, but I have never done any sort of inlayed project. Something to think about...
Are family is heading to Michigan this week is Marquette or Munising better for yupperlites
The only two places I have hunted them was the Lake Superior Forest Campground which is a little west of Muskallonge Lake State Park and The Mouth of the Two Hearted River Campground. I found rocks in both places. Both spots are closer to Munising than Marquette. You might want to post your question on a Facebook group, like "Great Lakes Rocks & Minerals".
I vote for tumbling the slabs. Also agree to cut them into Michigan shapes.
Michigan shapes are something I could do easily. I'm starting to get a list of possible shapes to cut.