Post by Admin on Jan 7, 2022 14:58:05 GMT -7
The story behind the Rock Case in your library
In March of 2019 I got to wondering "What am I going to do with all those rocks I have hauled home?"
I'm getting "long in the tooth," and it is time to start disposing of my collection. I asked the principle of our local grade school, Mrs Roundy, if they were interested. YEP!
I envisioned what I wanted it to look like. I decided on 48" X 46" X 26" deep so it could be divided into four sections - Special (Teacher Stuff, Crystals, Meteorites, etc.); Igneous; Sedimentary: Metamorphic; and a storage space on the back for large charts.
Here is what I put in my version:
Rock Chest Drawer Contents:
A – Section - Special
- A1. Teacher's Stuff and Things
Materials – Books, Tags, Pointer, Three pronged tweezers,
Magnifying lens, Prism
- A2. Crystals - Natural, Faceted and cabochons.
- A3. Lapidary - Cutting and polishing rocks to create jewelry.
Cabochons, arrow heads, slabs, Picasso Stone Neck Slide
Navajo Made Watch Band.
- A4. Meteorites
- A5. Miscellaneous Special Stuff
Core from Iron Mountain
Magnets to demonstrate crystallization
Giant Fulgurite – Lightening Rock
Gold Pan
B – Section - Sedimentary
- B1. Concretions – Moqui Marbles
- B2. Crystals - Natural, Faceted and cabochons.
- B3. Vein Minerals – Turquoise, Varascite. Fairfield Varascite
(considered quite valuable) Varaquoise (Snowville, Utah)
- B4. Sedimentary Rocks
Sandstone, Shale, Limestone, Mudstone, agate, Granite.
- B5. Miscellaneous Special Stuff
Conglomerate, Sandstone, etc.
C – Section - Igneous
- C1. Geodes
a. Amygdules (Gas Bubbles)
b. Spheroids → Lithophasae (Thunder-Eggs)
- C2. Future
- C3. Extrusive
Pumice, ash fall, tuff, pyroclastic, lava, rhyolite, obsidian,
spheroids - Thunder-eggs.
- C4. Intrusive
Quartz Crystals, Feldspars, Hornfels, Micas
gas bubbles - Geodes.
- C5. Miscellaneous Special Stuff
D – Section - Metamorphic
- D1. Metamorphic Hand Samples
- D2. Heat.
- D3. Pressure
- D4. Transformed from Sandstone, Shale, Limestone, Mudstone, agate, Granite.
Quartzite, Slate, Marble
- D5. Miscellaneous Special Stuff
The metamorphic collection was lite for the cabinet so I am donating my newly acquired Andalusite collection to it. I've designed this accompanying sheet:
crosb.proboards.com/post/569/thread
It had to be "kid proof" and on wheels.
Building the School Rock Case:
I built the base with 2X6's for the width to support the sides that would set on it, held together with pocket drills and Gorilla Glue.
I drilled and bolted the castors on using carriage bolts, then used 2X4's for the sides to screw to, making sure to overlap them the opposite way from the 2X6's for strength. I wanted the largest heavy drawers to set on the base and main divider, and used 1X4 lumber to build the common drawers and 1X6 for the fronts so they could extend down 3/4" and also use the routed in drawer support cleats as a stop. The extra space allowed an extra large drawer for the top of each section.
I drilled a 3/4" hole in the middle of the main dividers and cut 3/4" slots from back to center on the upright divider and vice-versa on the parallel divider, slid them together, then inserted them into the side routed slots and 2X4 center slot. I glued a support splint under the center joint for additional support.
The door track is 3/4" c-channel.
I glued cleats on the inside of the cabinet top to secure it to the sides and hold the upright divider in place, attached the hasp to lock the front sliding door, and 3/4" C-channel for the 1/2" door to slide into on the front and back of the cabinet.
The Cabinet Back.
Drawer building time!
I made the drawers 1/8th inch smaller than the space they were to go into for a good snug fit.
Drawer pulls were routed out of the top front of drawers and the bottom back so there was finger room.
Stuffing the drawers:
I made the large drawers with round routed front and side hand cutouts so they can easily be removed, carried to a classroom, and put back in place.
Note the large drawers have notches to hold charts and slots in the sides to easily handle them.
One mistake I made was to stamp the number (A1 Teacher Supplies, A2 Crystals etc) on the top of each drawer. It can only be seen when pulling the drawer out. I should have stamped it into the front of each drawer.
Completed cabinet
8- Finished cabinet front
with the sliding door in place and locked at the school where it is much appreciated and used.