Putting a Cover on a 55 Gallon Barrel in Tucson

Gene hammering the lid to make it fit.

If it is necessary to ship about 500 pounds of rock, it is most often shipped in a 55 gallon metal drum. These drums are used to ship rock all over the world and come in a variety of sizes; even though they all held 55 gallons of crude oil or juice concentrate originally. The top of the barrel is cut out, a cover made with some sort of metal ring to attach the cover to the barrel; usually with a bolt to hold it.

These rings and covers also come in a great variety of sizes and designs to match a particular barrel. The barrel rings may require a specific size bolt or a bolt of sufficient length. 

Veronica on the barrel holding the ring while Gene hammers.

Now, when a barrel arrives somewhere, the rock is taken out of the barrel, used or displayed or whatever and the barrel lid and ring are thrown into a pile of other barrel lids and rings. When a barrel is shipped the barrel is filled with rock and a lid and ring are selected from the pile of lids and rings to seal the barrel. They never fit properly; especially in Tucson. 

Almost done hammering.

In the picture accompanying this blog is a method commonly used to make a slightly too big barrel cover fit a slightly too small barrel. If someone stands on top of the lid while someone else beats on it with a big hammer; it can be made to fit the barrel. The ring has to be bolted on before the person gets off or the cover may pop off. The ring in this particular case was slightly small, requiring a longer bolt than usual. Such a bolt could not be found even though these various sized bolts are placed in a box for easy recovery when needed. When a nut was finally attached to the barely long enough bolt to secure the ring, the person on the barrel was allowed to get off and not required to travel with the shipment to its destination. 

Will it fit?

Success! Fitting the ring around the barrel.

Cold Mountain Thundereggs

A sea of rock bags.

It is time again for the Tucson Gem & Mineral Show down in Tucson, Arizona. The Gem Shop has been a vendor at the show for over 35 years and it is one of our favorites. The atmosphere in Tucson is so much fun and you never know what is going to happen. Gene and Veronica headed down to Tucson January 20, 2013 to set up the Tucson Showplace. As stated earlier, you never know what will happen in Tucson and this year already is proving to be no different. After some shipping difficulties, The Gem Shop is happy to announce the arrival of Cold Mountain Thundereggs!

Rough Cold Mountain Thundereggs.

Veronica and worker unloading the truck.

The rock is here! Ready to unload the goodies.

The Gem Shop first debuted Cold Mountain Thundereggs at the Denver Coliseum Show in September 2012. These beautiful Thundereggs were sold out in only two days! Roughly translated from the Spanish, Sierra Fría, this thunderegg comes from the Sierra Mountains in Mexico between the cities of Aguascalientes and Zacatecas. Cold Mountain Thundereggs are similar to Butterfly Jasper but offer a brighter range of colors. Also the thundereggs can contain water banding and features red, mauve, or black “webbing.” While technically a rhyolite due to its thunderegg nature, Cold Mountain Thundereggs are highly silicate and filled brecciation. This material takes an exceptional polish which makes it ideal for both cabochons and specimens. The rough nodules usually have a bumpy exterior, but occasionally can be smooth. Nodule sizes can ran from 2 inches to 8 inches, with the average size ranging between 3-4 inches.The Gem Shop has several tons of this material available for purchase at the Tucson Showplace Show February 1-17, 2013, as well as on our website, thegemshop.com, and by phone at 866-377-4666.

The unloaded rock in the yard.

Veronica unloading a bin of rock.

Veronica with an empty bin on the forklift.

Close up photo of a Cold Mountain Thunderegg.