Quote:
Originally Posted by periwinkle
DesertDreamer, you haven't had any cracking with the goldstone you got at Quartzsite? That would be my biggest concern. If I encased it and pulled it and put it into a bead and then later the bead cracked that would be disasterous. So far, I have only used the fairly small 14mm or so chunks I got through Arrow Springs at the Gem Show in Tucson. This is the expensive stuff.
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No cracking with surface or encased stringer, either with 96 or 104 COE. I do a fair amount of both. I got it for $10/lb. I've whacked off large chunks at a time, slowly heated them in the kiln, then dropped them in a bucket of cold water. That makes it fracture but not always come apart. A few whacks with a hammer and you get useful pieces.