Cutting Geodes in half (VIDEO)

[Sombeech]

We were at Lagoon this weekend and in Pioneer Village, they sell Geodes for 4 and 6 bucks each. My son and I decided to give them a try.

I grabbed my angle grinder with a diamond blade and it cut them open fairly easily.

I could tell the big one was hollow because we could hear some pieces rattle around inside.

Warning on the volume, the grinder is loud.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eORI-FjDSDo

[rockgremlin]

I should bring over some of mine. I've got a bunch of uncut Dugway Geodes from several trips over the years. There's one that's about the size of a soccer ball that weighs about 2 pounds.

[Sombeech]

I should bring over some of mine. I've got a bunch of uncut Dugway Geodes from several trips over the years. There's one that's about the size of a soccer ball that weighs about 2 pounds.

My setup was rigged and probably unsafe, I clamped the angle grinder in the bench vice, I think I've only got the 4 inch wheel. I could tell on the bigger rock it was getting more difficult to cut through because I was reaching the limits. I had to start making wider cuts to make it work with that wheel.

But if there's a bigger wheel / grinder, and a safer way to mount it, it would be a great tool. I've seen videos where guys will use a tile saw to cut them, that seemed like a good setup.

[dougrz]

I suppose it has to be a diamond blade. But might a cheap 7 inch masonry blade on a table saw work? Safer setup at least.

[Sombeech]

Yeah a masonary blade might work, although I don't know if it would cause any additional chips or shards.

I guess I could have put the rock in the vice instead of the grinder, I may have crushed the rock in the process though. If there is a safe way to hold the rock down, on a towel on a work bench, the grinder should do fine.

With the table saw as well, it might not get the whole circular cut in the same exact line after flipping it, but it might be close.

It's fun for sure, now I'm mildly looking at cleaning solutions, maybe cutting that big rock one more time. We used to go to Goblin Valley and bring home a bucket load of geodes from those white mounds in the park, surely illegal now, but we would just bust them up with a hammer. They were small though.

ha ha, I think that's rockgremlin in the background

http://www.bogley.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=230&stc=1&d=1110258113

[oldno7]

Looks like a lot of rocks to push over on the way to the geode hill...


Say--did you guys ever happen to be boy scouts?:ne_nau:

[rockgremlin]

^^^yup that's me in the background, haha. I remember that trip. Good times. :2thumbs:

[twotimer]

You're a geek, man! But that's cool.

You're outta your friggin' mind with that angle grinder like that. Be careful...Jesus.