American Federation of
Mineralogical Societies

Club Activities

TBA

Details: Click Here  

www.meetup.com

An Internet site for:

- Announcing various

- Categories of clubs

- Societies

- Meeting times

- Programs

- Announcements etc.

June Club Meeting: Featured Program

Program:  Click here for Program Details

Big News

The Southeast Federation:

We encourage you to go to the Federation web site and take a look around at what others are doing throughout the lapidary community at www.amfed.org/sfms. If you are planning a trip in the Southeast US, find another club and arrange to visit. There is a lot to learn from how others do things! And don’t forget to check the schedules at Wild Acres and William Holland. These are two of the best remaining bargains in the entire U.S. (if not the best!!)

Tips  Tricks:

Presented by Brad Smith are available at groups.yahoo.com/group/BenchTips/ or at facebook.com/BenchTips

This month he has information on; making wax carving tools and variations of ring sizers. He also ha a link to a great tutorial on making a tube setting in steel!!!

The Cabbing Shop:

Remember, the shop will NOT be open the day (Thursday) after the Wednesday meeting. We continue to get 7-13 members at the shop each week. All machines are up and running except one new one Don is working on. The silversmithing bench is available, a 6” trim saw is now operating, new blades have been replaced on 2 of the 10” saws. There are many new buckets of slabs to go through and purchase. There are 6 grinder/polishers to cut cabs on as well as other assorted equipment. Go to www.fgcgms.com for directions. The cabbing shop is a great place to spend a few hours to chat with fellow members, cut a stone or two, acquire some great rough and learn a thing or two. And, it’s cheap, only $5.00 for three exciting hours on the machines…..the talk is free.

Classes:

Contact Don (dcdietz@comcast.net) Sean or Steve or stop by the shop at the Graves Company Thursday evening from 6:30 to 9:30. The cabbing class is $50 for four 3 hour classes (all proceeds go to the club). Randy, Mike and Christophe are now taking their classes. Sue and Mackenzie are next in line. Dave Lonser’s Saturday morning faceting classes are continuing. The faceting classes are $145 for 5 classes. For more information or sign up contact Sean or Steve.

Library:

The Les and Marge DeGarmo Memorial Library is in the Cabbing Shop. Shelves of books, pamphlets and papers are available on just about any subject dealing with rocks, gems and jewelry can be found there. There are tapes on opals, faceting and lost wax casting, and other subjects. Some are old but still quite applicable. Lapidary Journal, Rock and Gem, and Gem and Mineral magazines are also available for those who may want to peruse these wonderful sources of information. Many duplicates can be bought for $.50 a copy but others are permanent to the library. Materials can be ’checked out’ on a weekly or monthly basis by signing the check out/check in sheet and copies are only subject to the originators copyright (most can be copied). Krystyna has finished a reorganization of the entire library and has produced a complete list of available materials which Don will be publishing soon!

Mineral Study Group:

The Miami group is starting a micro-minerals group. If interested, give Maria Garrido a call at 305-562-2963. The meetings will be at 11730 SW 174th Terrace from 7:00pm to 10:00pm. Additionally, KC Foster has a monthly minerals group meeting at her home on the first Thurs of each month from 7:00 to 10:00pm . For more information contact KC at 561-523-4600. At these meetings, which might be more convenient for Broward members, you will learn more about crystal systems, how to ID minerals, what reference materials are available, how to collect, mount and display them, etc.

Interested in Rockhounding?

Well, there are many in SOFL with the same idea. Peace River, Vulcan Quarry, and other interesting places are but a few of places where rockhounds can go in Florida. Unfortunately Rucks pit is currently closed. John Speier, KC Foster and Michelle Renne all go to these places and would love to have some company! Check out www.gemandmineral.cc, www.amfed.org, www.amfed.org/efmls, or www.canaveralmgs.com for links and info.

Club Sawing Service:

Don and Les provide a sawing service whereby they will slab members rough for a reasonable fee when the saws are in operation. The club’s 12 in saw and Don’s 10” are both down for bearings. Don also has a 14” drop saw which needs a new pump. Nothing new on the Club’s 20” saw stored at Graves Co. Contact Les or Don for further information.

The South East Federation:

We encourage all of you to go to the Federation web site at www.amfed.org/sfms and take a look around at what others are doing throughout the lapidary community. If you are planning a trip somewhere in the Southeast US, we encourage you to find another club and arrange to visit. There is a lot to learn from how others do things! And don’t forget to check the schedules at Wild Acres and William Holland. These are two of the best remaining bargains in the entire U.S. (if not the best!!)

Interested in rock hounding?

Well, there are many in SOFL with the same idea. Peace River, Ruck’s Pit, Vulcan Quarry, and other interesting places are but a few of places where rockhounds can go in Florida. John Speier, KC Foster and Michelle Renne all go to these places and would love to have some company! Check out www.gemandmineral.cc, www.amfed.org, www.amfed.org/efmls, or www.canaveralmgs.com for links and info.

Mineral Study Group:

The Miami group is starting a micro-minerals group. If interested, give Maria Garrido a call at 305-562-2963. The meetings will be at 11730 SW 174th Terrace from 7:00pm to

10:00pm.

Additionally, KC Foster has a monthly minerals group meeting at her home on the first Thurs of each month from 7:00 to 10:00pm . For more information contact KC at 561-523-4600. At these meetings, which might be more convenient for Broward members, you will learn more about crystal systems, how to ID minerals, what reference materials are available, how to collect, mount and display them, etc.

For the Electronic Edition of "LODESTAR" go to: http://www.amfed.org/sfms/lodestar_newsletter.html

While you are there, take a look around this interesting site.

Advertising in the Newsletter:

For new or our previous advertisers, it is time to renew your subscription to our Newsletter. The cost is $25 per year for which you get 12 exposures to over 50 people interested specifically in lapidary and jewelry . For those interested, please send a check for $25 payable to FGCGMS to Angela Dietz, Secretary, at 4923 NW 66th Ave, Lauderhill, FL., 33319. If there is any special verbiage you want included, please include a note to that effect.

Membership:

******MEMBERSHIP IT IS TIME TO RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP. Dues are very reasonable; $15 for single and $20 for a family. The money from membership fees pays for the website server as well as paper and ink for the Newsletter and membership in Meetup. Our membership has been growing!! As of Dec 2011, we had 58 paid up members.. We are growing, planning on bigger and better activities and could use your support! So renew your membership now. (If you joined in the last quarter of 2011, your dues are paid up until next year).

Dues are $15 for a single or $20 for a family

Membership Applications are available by clicking on the

Click Here: Membership Application

Best of the Web:

• The Internet offers a vastpanoply of resources for gem and mineral enthusiasts.

• A few central resources will get you started in finding still more information For Some of the finest natural Turquoise around and information check out these sites:

www.nevadagem.com,

www.traderoots.com

www.nevada-outback-gems.com

Great slabs and rough can befound at: www.color-wright.com

The Bob’s Rockshop website offers hundreds of links to gem and mineral-related websites, mailing lists,informational sites, clubs, and vendors: http://www.rockhounds.com/rockshop/table.shtml

An incredible free resource for jewelers, lapidarists and artists, with forums, galleries, instructional pages, and vendor information: http://www.ganoksin.com