Our Multi-Million Dollar Project (Progress Reports Here)

We are pretty excited about doing something that has never been done before.  With the help of Joe Love, Premiere Agate Artist, we are aiming at becoming a landmark for Montana Agate.  The Project involves some forty - 20 inch Montana Agate panels; lining two driveways and a sidewalk with 1/2 inch of crushed and polished Montana Agate; a Montana Agate Fountain; Montana Agate light fixtures; and several other Montana Agate garnishes to the home of Rising Sun Wholesale.  The total Montana Agate used in this project is estimated to be in the neighborhood of 20 tons which will include between 25,000 and 50,000 highly polished Montana Agate Cabochons.  Rising Sun Wholesale has been collecting Montana Agate for several years.  Montana Agate values have soared with its increasing scarcity.  Currently Montana Agate sells for between One and Eight dollars a pound for Selected Choice pieces.  We started these improvements in early 2007 and anticipate completion sometime in 2008. 

In order to accomplish this monumental task we have enlisted the help of an engineer, machinists and welders, an Artist, Joe Love, who specializes in Montana Agate, and others.

We've even had to build our own specialized equipment to complete the various tasks, including:

• A 150 Amp Caterpillar Generator used to power the Crusher

• Two Rock Crushers adapted to Montana Agate

• Three Giant Rock Tumblers

• A Rock Sorting Machine (to be completed soon)

Other equipment used includes 7 Rock Saws and various smaller rock tumblers.

Overall costs have already reached into the tens of thousands and we anticipate the final costs to be as high as SIX MILLION DOLLARS.

Here are a couple of items we will be adding to the our multi-million dollar project:

- The Montana Agate Mailbox (shown in photo to the left), designed and built by Joe Love.  This Mailbox was specially commissioned to be made from hundreds of hand-shaped Montana Agates. The mailbox includes an opening for adding a light and a fully functional front door.

- An Eagle adorned with over 5,000 Montana Agate Cabochons.  The Eagle was adorned with Montana Agate by Joe Love.  (More Photos of the Eagle are here.)

We will be adding more details later, including an interview with Joe Love.  We also plan on posting Progress Reports as things are completed and more information about some of the obstacles we had to overcome.

Back-Lit Agate Panels (Day and Night)