General Meeting. Thursday, November 15, :00 p.m. Location: Clubhouse, th Street North, St. Petersburg, FL. Program.

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1 November, 2012 Volume 44, No. 3, Page 1 General Meeting Thursday, November 15, :00 p.m. Location: Clubhouse, th Street North, St. Petersburg, FL Program Tampa Bay Watch Tampa Bay Watch, Inc. is a 501 (3) nonprofit stewardship program dedicated exclusively to the protection and restoration of the marine and wetland environments of the Tampa Bay estuary through scientific and educational programs. DUES ARE DUE! $15.00 Individuals $20 per family Please give your check to the membership chairperson, or Jerri Heer, Treasurer at our General Meeting. If your last name starts with A-M, please bring goodies to our meeting to share. If you won a prize last month, please bring something to donate for this month.

2 Page 2 Rock-A-Gram November, 2012 Board Members Julia Larson, President glassgal0947@gmail.com Dave Schwebel, Vice President dschwebel@tampabay.rr.com Jerri Heer, Treasurer jheerx6@aol.com Stephen Redden, Recording Secretary yahwah777@yahoo.com Donna Sapp, Correspondence Secretary dsapp43@yahoo.com Pat Davis, 3 Year Director/ Past President outtamygourd@yahoo.com Dave Kane, 2 yr. Director DAVIDMKANE@yahoo.com Dave Watson, 1 yr. Director bwatson1@tampabay.rr.com Bucky Joseph, 1 yr. Director gambler1946@aol.com Debbie Bremer, Editor Rock-A-Gram Newsletter bremerslapidary@yahoo.com SGAMS Clubhouse Address: th Street North, St. Petersburg, FL 33709, Clubhouse Activities: Listed on mailer coversheet and announced at membership meetings. SGAMS Board of Director's Meetings: 7:00 p.m., 1st Thursday of each month; September - May. All members are invited to attend SGAMS Board of Director's Meetings at our clubhouse. We solicit your attendance, and constructive suggestions for improving our club. General Meetings: 7:00 p.m., 3rd Thursday of each month; September - May, at our clubhouse. President s Message The Southeast Federation of Mineralogical Societies (SFMS, our parent organization) met in Tampa this past month. Our treasurer Jerri Heer represented SGAMS at the meeting and will have a lot to tell us at our meeting on November 15. There were some great suggestions on increasing awareness of, and attendance at, the federation workshops at William Holland and Wildacres. Our support of these workshops is critical. Now that I am serving as president of our club, we need someone to take over as the education chair, to schedule and coordinate classes and report to the board on these activities. SGAMS is YOUR club. When you submitted your application for membership, you agreed to help in various areas. We need YOUR input and YOUR help to keep things running smoothly. Fair warning: The president can APPOINT committee chairpersons. I may be calling on YOU. Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Number One on my current list of things to be thankful for is that the tsunami of political ads is at last over, regardless of the outcome of the election. I have a lot of more serious things on my list, including family, friends, health, a good roof over my head and more than enough food on my plate. There are many, many people in the world, even here in our own community, who are not so fortunate. I hope you will think of them during the coming holidays and do what you can to help. A toy for a needy child is a huge thing. Even a jar of peanut butter for a food bank or a few coins in a kettle can mean a lot. Julia Larson President Happy Thanksgiving!

3 November, 2012 Rock-A-Gram Page 3 Monthly Bench Tips By Brad Smith Hound s Howl, November 2012 Loose Heads Flying off the handle is never good, particularly if it's a hammer head. The traditional way to tighten a loose hammer head is a bit of work, but there's a fast and easy solution available for about 50 cents superglue. Simply put a couple drops in from the handle side, let it set up, and then a few drops from the top side. Be sure to get the thin superglue, not gel. It penetrates better. Packages of two superglues are usually available at the 99 cent store. Just $16.95 Announcing: "BenchTips for Better Jewelry Making", a new book for beginning and intermediate jewelers by Bradford Smith. It contains 101 useful Bench Tips to help improve skills and increase quality at the bench. The 96 page book is filled with close up photos to explain the techniques and makes a great gift for the holidays For more details, see: or More Bench Tips by Brad Smith can be found at: Facebook.com/ BenchTips or groups.yahoo.com/group/benchtips/ DUES ARE DUE! November is the last month to pay your 2013 membership dues. They must be paid by November 30th or your membership will be cancelled. If you want your membership card mailed to you, please include a self -addressed, stamped envelope. I will not be mailing anything unless you provide a SASE. Our club budget does not include mailing expenses and I can not afford to mail your items from my personal money. I am at every meeting and your items can be picked up from me at that time. Donna Sapp, Membership Chair New Members Please give the following people a warm welcome when you see them. Welcome to our club. Thomas Smith Holly Dodson Cheryl Cullihen Helen Tantum Get-Well Wishes Our get well wishes go out to Don Schlough and Charlie Woolheater. We hope you both are feeling better soon. Visit a Mineral Museum A number of years ago we provided a list of some of the finest mineral museums in the United States that you can visit. Do you want to be a really good mineral collector? Then you need to see and study some of the best mineral specimens in the world. To do this, it is best to visit a mineral museum, look carefully at the specimens, take pictures, draw some pictures, and make notes about the specimens you see. The key to a good mineral collection is knowledge. And the more you know, the better you will be at building a fine mineral collection. Now that winter is just about upon us and digging is not so possible in some parts of the country, perhaps you and your family could go on a trip to a special mineral museum. The complete list of museums is very, very long. You will have a lot of success by going to this website for a good list of important mineral museums. Then, GOOGLE the phrase mineral museum and spend time looking at the information you find. Courtesy of Mini Miners Monthly A Monthly Publication for Young Mineral Collectors Vol. 6 No. 1 January Diamond Dan Publications. All pictures and articles in this newsletter are property of Diamond Dan. Publications and cannot be copied or reused in any format (printed or electronic) without written permission of Diamond Dan Publications, P.O. Box 143, Manchester, New York or diamonddan@rochester.rr.com. Tips and Trips, November 2012

4 Page 4 Rock-A-Gram November, 2012 Upcoming Shows Stones and Bones, Vol. 9, Issue 11 Federation News Hound s Howl, November, 2012 November 17-18: West Palm Beach, FL Gem & Mineral Society of the Palm Beaches. 46th annual gem, mineral, jewelry, bead and fossil show, South Florida Fairgrounds Expo Center East, 9067 Southern Blvd., West Palm Beach. Hours: Sat 9-6, Sun Free Parking. Admission $7, children under 12 free. Visit website for $1 off coupon. January 11-13, 2013: Largo, FL Annual show; Pinellas Geological Society; Largo Cultural Center; Parkside Room, 105 Central Park Dr.; Fri. 10-6, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 12-5; free admission; contact Hugh Sheffield, (727) or (727) February 2-3: Panama, FL 22nd annual show; Panama City Gem & Mineral Society; Bay County Fairgrounds; American Legion Bldg., 2230 E. 15th St.; Sat. 9-5, Sun. 9-4; free admission; exhibits, door prizes, gems, minerals, fossils, jewelry, beads, lapidary arts, wire wrapping, silver smithing; mojo3002@ comcast.net February 8-10, Cocoa, FL 36th Annual Symphony of Gemstones show; Central Brevard Rock & Gem Club; Space Coast Convention Center (Holiday Inn Express); 301 Tucker Ln., Exit 201 west, I-95 at Hwy. 520; Fri. 12-6, Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-5; adults $4 (discount coupon on Web site), children (12 and under) free; exhibits, hourly prizes, grand prize, silent auction, slabs, cabs, rough and cut gems, fossils, minerals, beads, hand-crafted and fine jewelry, equipment, tools, supplies, books, demonstrations, free mini-classes Web site: February 23, Lakeland, FL Annual show; Imperial Bone Valley Gem, Mineral & Fossil Society; First Presbyterian Church of Lakeland; 175 Lake Hollingsworth Dr.; Sat. 9-4; adults $3, children (under 18) free; hourly door prizes, Spin & Win game, kids' Treasure Dig, demonstrations, educational displays, silent auction, Chinese auction; Web site: Some links to help you keep track of upcoming shows. Eastern Federation The November EFMLS Newsletter contains several articles of interest including an introduction by Cheryl Neary, the new EFMLS President a Safety article by Ellery Borow encouraging anyone with a good safety idea to share it with others minutes of the 2012 EFMLS meeting held in Harrisburg, PA this past September a complete listing of the new EFMLS committee chairs You can read these articles by downloading the November issue at: American Federation The November AFMS Newsletter also contains several articles of interest to members... new information regarding land closures that may effect our collecting rights on public lands are discussed new President Don Monroe encourages clubs to recruit younger members to take on leadership responsibilities Safety chair Owen Martin discusses hurricane safety Web Site contest chair Dan Imel talks about changes to the 2013 AFMS (and thus regional) web site competition a complete listing of the new committee chairs You can read these articles by downloading the November issue at: news/default.htm --Both from Gem Cutters News, November 2012 Southeast Federation The September Lodestar articles worth noting... a president s message by Jason Hamilton from Jacksonville, Florida Emsisoft anti -malware recommended by Carl Talbott after his laptop caught the FBI Ransom virus Carl Talbott s lead article on gold and silver as money upcoming Shows in the south through mid January Be Safe Be Well and current hazards to the southland: European Hornet, West Nile Virus, Copperhead snake, and hurricanes. Nominations Committee with current slate for election at the October 20 Annual Meeting The next Lodestar will be published in November and can be downloaded at:

5 November, 2012 Rock-A-Gram Page 5 Show News It is time again to begin earnest preparation for our show. So far, all of last year's vendors have been contacted and half have sent in a deposit. Also 3 new dealers have expressed interest in joining us. Out of the many details to attend to first off are advertising and show volunteer slots. The show notice has gone to the Federation and assorted magazines are getting theirs now. The fliers are being updated and will be available at the December meetings. So please, begin to remember where you put up fliers last year and think where they might additionally go this time. But ask permission first! The mail cards lists will soon be prepped and I need a volunteer or so to do the typing. I also need everybody to being thinking about where in the show you can give your club a hand. Don't worry if you have never worked a show it is simple, fun and you have a chance to learn a lot of things you did not know even existed. The areas to be covered are set-up, breakdown, information table, ticket booth, club table, hospitality, and demonstrators. So we have a place for everyone and every talent. The sign up sheets will be at the General Meeting and in coming articles. I'll explain each area in more detail at our meeting. These jobs and time slots all need to be filled for a successful show. The more we can spread the work around the easier the show will be for us. Oh, by the way the show is on March 1 st, 2 nd, & 3 rd with set up on Thursday the 28 th of February. Thanks, Bill Schmidt Lanyard Contest As part of our campaign to encourage everyone to wear their SGAMS name badges to club activities, we are going to have a "Design and Decorate your Lanyard" contest. You can start on your lanyard at anytime, but please do not bring it into the clubhouse or show anyone until the "Big Reveal" which will be the night of our general meeting in February, They will be judged at that time by 3 of the board members and winners will be announced before the close of the meeting. The judges will be looking for creativity, quality of work, lapidary relatedness, and colorfulness. The lanyards can be as blingy, simple, flashy or just plain pretty--whatever your imagination can come up with. We will award 1st, 2nd, & 3rd places, with the winners given "club credits" as prizes. These club credits can be used to purchase materials at the clubhouse (such as slabs or stones), they can be applied towards class fees or put towards shop time. The only way they cannot be used is towards the annual membership dues. So, get your thinking cap on and show us what you can do. If you do not have a name badge, they can be ordered from Donna Sapp for $3.50 at the meetings. They will be enclosed in a plastic sleeve and include a metal clip. To further encourage everyone to wear their badges, we will have a "Penalty Jar" for those who "forgot". The penalty will be.25 cents and can be placed in the jar which will be at the sign in table. So...DON'T FOR- GET YOUR BADGE!! Donna Sapp Show Committee: I am calling a first meeting for anybody interested in the Show Committee. We will be talking about volunteer slots at the show and items about advertising. It looks like Thursday the 29 th will be a safe date to have it. The normal meeting time of 7:00 will be a starting point and any changes to suit everybody can be looked at during the meet. Thanks, Bill Schmidt Show Chair

6 Page 6 Rock-A-Gram November, 2012 The meeting was called to order at 7 p.m. Suncoast Gem & Mineral Society, Inc. General Meeting Minutes September 20, 2012 Minutes from September board meeting have not been approved by the board. Jerri Heer presented the treasurer s report. The yearly audit has been completed but the report has not been received. There were no problems. Corresponding Secretary: A get-well card was sent to Hugh Sheffield. Field Trips: A field trip with the Pinellas Geology Society field trip was discussed. A field trip coordinator is still needed. Education: The education chair is still vacant. Historical: Sandy Schwebel volunteered for the historical chair position. The Federation information from Julie and Don Roberts was discussed. Darrell Groves and his wife are going to donate a computer to the club. Meeting Program: Members reported on their summer activities and projects. Speaker and new member Tom Smith gave a talk about gem and diamond cutting and laps that he created. The meeting was adjourned at 8:20 p.m. Following the meeting, Bucky Joseph conducted a shop tour. Submitted by: Steve Redden, Recording Secretary

7 November, 2012 Rock-A-Gram Page 7 Suncoast Gem & Mineral Society, Inc. Board Meeting Minutes October 4, 2012 The meeting was called to order by Dave Schwebel, at 7:15 p.m. Board members present were: Jerri Heer, Steve Redden, Donna Sapp, Pat Davis, Dave Kane, Dave Watson, Bucky Joseph. Committee chairs present: Bill Schmidt, Kathy Kettelkamp. The Treasurer s report was presented and filed for audit. There was a change in balance for July, due to a check clearing late. Corresponding Secretary: Donna Sapp reported that a get well card was sent to Don Schlough. Donna is going to take over the name badges from Sue. Name badges are $3.50. Membership Chair: Donna Sapp presented the following applications which were approved: Thomas Smith, Holly Dodson, Cheryl Cullihen, Helen Tantum (Voted on via ). A member paid during the summer, and his membership will be extended to 2013 due to him not voted on. Activities: Kathy Kettelkamp, is working on plans for the Christmas Dinner. Details will be discussed at the general meeting. Annual Show; No report, Building; No report, Bulletin; No report Education; No report, the education seat is still open. Equipment: Pat proposed buying a kiln for enameling, and she may head up a class. She will write up a proposal for both. Dave Schwebel and Bucky will make a wish list for equipment for the shop. Shop usage and sharing machines was discussed; Bucky is to draw up a list of rules. Historical; Possibly putting the scrapbooks on display in the silver room was discussed, Field Trips; No report, Nominating; No report, Program Chair; Carolee Boyles will speak about field trips and rock hounding. Bucky and Dave will discuss cabbing. Ebay: Jerri: Expenses for the ebay account will be written from the ebay checking account. Pat amended Julia's motion to purchase shipping supplies for ebay sales. The motion was approved. Unfinished Business: Lanyard and cabbing contest were proposed, also more show and tell at the general meetings. Dave Schwebel proposed that the contest winner get a scholarship at William Holland Lapidary School. Dave appointed a committee consisting of Bucky, Pat and himself to make a recommendation to the Board on details of scholarship awards. Jerri put forward motion for one-time lawn-mowing, Bucky seconded; Motion passed. A lawn-mowing donation bucket will be made by Dave Schwebel to be put out at the next general meeting. Julia wants raffles to restart at the general meetings. New Business: Jerri is going to represent the club at the SFMS meeting. Jerri will present info for the SFMS meeting at the general meeting. The meeting was adjourned at 8:28 p.m. Submitted by: Steve Redden, Recording Secretary

8 Page 8 Rock-A-Gram November, 2012 Suncoast Gem & Mineral Society, Inc. General Meeting Minutes October 18, 2012 The meeting opened at 7 p.m. There were 26 members and no guests present. Dave Schwebel presided for Julia Larson. Jerri Heer presented the treasurer's report. Notes from previous board and general meetings were not available. Paid lawn maintenance has started. A donation bucket has been put out to pay for the maintenance. The 2012 Christmas party will be held at the clubhouse. Jerri also reported on the ebay program, which is bringing in a few dollars monthly. She asked for donations from the members for items to put on ebay. An ebay link will be put on the club website. Dealer Report Nine dealer applications for 47 tables have been received to date. Member Report Donna Sapp reminded members that dues for 2013 must be paid. Anyone who has not paid by November will be purged from the roster. Donna is now assuming responsibility for ID badges. The cost remains $3.50. Members are reminded to wear their ID badges to meetings and other official club functions. Get-well cards were sent to Don Schlough and Charlie Woolheater. Donna reported there will be an ALAA meeting in Jacksonville. Representatives from our club may attend. Important ALAA votes may be ed to all members. Dave will add a link to our website. Bucky Joseph reported that all equipment in the shop is up and running. Mondays are open for cabbing; Wednesdays are open by appointment. Dave may open the shop on some Thursdays. Cost is $2.50 an hour for equipment use. Equipment is to be fairly shared and everyone is to clean up after themselves. Sue Black announced that kumihimo weaving classes are available. Dave Watson announced that faceting classes are available on Mondays for $ Classes will run approximately six weeks. He also says that wire-wrapping classes are available by appointment for $15.00, everything included. Don Roberts announced jewelry-making workshops may be available at the clubhouse. Dates and details will be forthcoming. Main Program Carolee Boyles spoke about recent field trips that she has taken. The meeting was adjourned at 8:22 p.m. Submitted by: Steve Redden Recording Secretary

9 November, 2012 Rock-A-Gram Page 9 WE THANK OUR ADVERTISERS FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGE ALL OUR MEMBERSHIP TO VISIT AND PATRONIZE THEIR BUSINESSES. FACETING: Mondays 6-9 p.m. Clubhouse Class Schedules (As of September 6, 2012) CABBING: Mondays 6-9 p.m. Wednesday (by appointment only with 24 hour notice) Contact Bucky Joseph at or Saturdays - TBA For further information regarding other classes, contact instructors listed below. CABBING (Mon): Bucky Joseph at , gambler1946@aol.com or Dave Watson at , bwatson1@tampabay.rr.com (Sat): TBA CHAIN: Stephen Kraybill, , or shkraybill@yahoo.com FACETING: Mondays, Dave Watson (727) METAL WORKING: Don Roberts, flmetalman@yahoo.com KUMIHIMO: Japanese weaving technique, Sue Black at or sueblack@tampabay.rr.com WIRE WRAPPING: Dave Watson at or bwatson1@tampabay.rr.com

10 ROCK-A-GRAM This is the official newsletter of the SUNCOAST GEM AND MINERAL SOCIETY, INC. P.O. Box 13254, St. Petersburg, Florida This Society is a member of the SOUTHEAST FEDERATION OF MINERALOGICAL SOCIETIES, INC., and its parent society, the AMERICAN FEDERATION OF MINERALOGICAL SOCIETIES, INC. The general purpose of this society is to promote popular interest in education and research in the earth sciences and lapidary arts, and to cooperate with other similar organizations. General Meetings are held the third Thursday of each month, September through April at 7:00 p.m., at our clubhouse, th Street North, St. Petersburg, FL. December and May meetings are special meetings and a time and place will be announced in this bulletin. The public is cordially invited to attend the general membership meetings. Dues: $15.00 single or $20.00 couple/family; due annually each September. All exchange bulletins should be sent to the Rock-A-Gram editor. Feel free to copy any material from this bulletin, but please list all byline credits. ROCK-A-GRAM (Official Bulletin) Suncoast Gem & Mineral Society, Inc. Debra Bremer, Editor 1349 Lakeview Road Clearwater, FL Clubhouse Activities September - May Board Meeting: (September - May) First Thursday: 7:00 p.m. Clubhouse Open: Mondays, 6-9 p.m. Wednesdays, By Appointment Saturday, TBA Faceting, Classes: Mondays, 6-9 p.m.