glacialtilly
off to a rocking start
Member since March 2016
Posts: 13
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Post by glacialtilly on Mar 4, 2016 19:48:59 GMT -5
I am brand new to tumbling and getting ready to start a batch of Lake Superior beach stones. Looking forward to learning from all of you. Spring is just around the corner and rock picking will commence; I can't wait! I also pick up field stones and larger chunks to use in landscaping, luckily I have a DH who doesn't mind carrying and lugging 5 gallon pails around full of rocks from our adventures. We just moved last fall and I had to bring some of those choice rocks to the new house. I hope I'm not the only one who does things like that.
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Post by Jugglerguy on Mar 4, 2016 20:02:08 GMT -5
No, you'll fit right in here. We all have rocks in our heads.
I'm from Alpena and I make a few trips to Lake Superior every summer. There are some great rocks to tumble there. I really like unakite. It tumbles great.
Are you a Yooper?
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glacialtilly
off to a rocking start
Member since March 2016
Posts: 13
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Post by glacialtilly on Mar 4, 2016 20:11:28 GMT -5
Hi Rob, Nope, not from the UP, just travel through and take some time to pick rocks. We live in Big Rapids and the Muskegon River rolls by right outside our door. Lots of rocks in there!
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Post by Jugglerguy on Mar 4, 2016 20:39:13 GMT -5
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Post by vegasjames on Mar 4, 2016 20:44:04 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum.
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,687
Member is Online
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Post by Fossilman on Mar 5, 2016 9:56:09 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum!!!
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Post by manofglass on Mar 5, 2016 10:31:04 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum
Walt
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glacialtilly
off to a rocking start
Member since March 2016
Posts: 13
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Post by glacialtilly on Mar 5, 2016 16:49:31 GMT -5
Rob, thanks for sharing all those pics! So impressed...you really turn out some nice rocks! I hope mine will turn out half as nice. I will definitely need some advice when I load my first batch up. Also, what an amazing yard, beautiful with all of those rocks. My little walkway and landscaping borders pale in comparison. Well, I better get reading some advice on what to do with my tumbler.
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Post by Jugglerguy on Mar 5, 2016 17:40:46 GMT -5
Do you have a rotary tumbler? That's what the first stage is usually done in. If so, fill it about 2/3 with rocks. Try to get different sizes in there, not all large ones. Add about a half cup of water for a three pound barrel, a whole cup for a 6 pound barrel. Put in about a tablespoon (or a little more) of coarse grit per pound based on the barrel size. For example, if it's a three pound barrel, use 3-4 tablespoons of grit. Coarse grit is usually 60/90, 46/70, or 80. Put the lid on and get it rolling. The first stage takes forever, so get it going now and then do some reading about the other stages. Don't open it for a week.
After a week, open it up and rinse the stones in a colander over a bucket. Don't put any rock slurry down your drain. Inspect each rock. If you're doing beach or river rocks, you might get extremely lucky and have one that is perfect after a week. Most likely that won't happen for a couple weeks. Eventually, you'll find that some rocks will be perfectly smooth with no holes or cracks. Set those aside and replace them with more rough rocks. Even if you don't take any out in the first week, you may be able to add more rough rock because all the other rocks will be worn down and therefore smaller. The first stage never really ends. You just keep removing rocks that are done and replacing them with fresh rocks.
Eventually, you'll have enough rocks pulled out of stage one to start stage two. Rocks can take anywhere from a couple weeks to several months in stage one. There is not set amount of time. One of the most common misconceptions about tumbling is that the first stage takes a set number of weeks. In reality, each rock is different and takes as long as it's going to take.
I do my other stages in a vibratory tumbler. I'm assuming you are doing all rotary, so I'll let someone else advise you on the other stages. Just get going on stage one. It's going to take a while!
Rob
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Post by snowmom on Mar 6, 2016 6:16:18 GMT -5
welcome from Michiagn. lots of good info and great folks here.
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timloco
has rocks in the head
Member since April 2012
Posts: 545
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Post by timloco on Mar 6, 2016 8:10:38 GMT -5
Welcome from Colorado!
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es355lucille
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since February 2016
Posts: 194
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Post by es355lucille on Mar 6, 2016 11:24:22 GMT -5
Hi and welcome to the forum! From Alberta, Canada here and have just started tumbling. We are the same, every outing ends up with heavy lifting back to the truck! There is lots of great information found on this forum along with some great people with a lot of experience. Have fun.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,173
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Post by jamesp on Mar 7, 2016 10:42:57 GMT -5
Welcome from Georgia.
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rockwizz
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since May 2007
Posts: 971
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Post by rockwizz on Jun 16, 2016 19:20:17 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum. Hope you have a great experience with everyone here. I live in Utah. The cool thing about joining is getting involved in traveling Boxes, trips, and rock exchanges, and sharing pictures of your work
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