ontherocks
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since May 2017
Posts: 76
|
Post by ontherocks on Jan 21, 2018 11:17:12 GMT -5
I have not been having good results lately, so I decided to post some of what I have tumbled this fall as motivation to myself. This is Amethyst from Gems by Mail. It was pretty fractured and frustrating to tumble. Not sure if that is just what this rock is like, or if I just got some crappy rough. Here is the rough: Here is the finished product (only the half decent pieces): I tumbled some Sodalite also purchased from Gems by Mail. This stuff was so frustrating to tumble. It seemed to be fine up until the polishing stage, where is would gets tons of little pits and crevices. I tried different ways of polishing it, but I couldn't ever get a really good result. Here is the rough before I crushed it with a hammer: Here are a few of the better pieces: I purchased some Fiber Optic Glass from my one local rock show. I am not sure what it is supposed to look like, but it was super easy to tumble and it came out pretty neat. Here is the rough: Here it is finished: Here is some variegated tiger eye purchased from ebay. I thought I would like it more, as I usually love blue rocks, but I don't like it as much as regular gold tigers eye. Here is the rough: Here they are finished (the yellow tiger eye rough was from a souvenir shop): I tumbled some snakeskin agate I purchased off ebay. This was a quick tumble because I only left it one week in stage one. I don't know if I will do it again, but it is something different. Rough: Polished: Finally I tumbled Noreena Jasper I purchased on ebay. This is one of my favorite rocks and pretty easy to tumble. I didn't get the shine I was hoping for, and that I have seen others get on here, but I am really happy with how it turned out. Rough: Polished: Thanks for looking!
|
|
|
Post by Jugglerguy on Jan 21, 2018 11:31:48 GMT -5
That’s a really nice variety of rocks. They all look pretty good to me. It’s clear that you take your time with the first stage. Do you finish them in a rotary or vibe?
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,159
|
Post by jamesp on Jan 21, 2018 12:06:03 GMT -5
Same question. Cool selection of treasures and some tricky to tumble polishes.
|
|
|
Post by gmitch067 on Jan 21, 2018 12:19:05 GMT -5
I think that you are doing real well! Some very nice tumble results there.
Amathysts have always given me a challenge, and my results are usually a mirror of yours. I find a goodly number of my amathysts get recycled back to 80 grit, and each time they come out a little better (although a little smaller). Keep trying there! Lol!
The Sodalite came out very nice.. I like!
Wow!!! I love the fiber optic glass… very nice shine…’gotta try that!
Blue Tiger Eye (Hawks Eye) is a very beautiful stone… lots of catoyance. My kids and grandkids jump on both the blue and yellow (I usually mix them together in gifts). It depends on how I wake up in the morning as to which I like more. The more I look into the depth the more I like the blues.
The snakeskin agate is… interesting. Nice tumble and nice shine… Just looks creepy! I guess the stone can’t help that. I will have nightmares for a week… thank you?
I really like the Noreena Jasper… It is super! Nice shine… even though you would like better. I have had very nice results adding a step with a week of Sic 1000 followed by using Tin Oxide polish on the brecciated Jaspers. I have also had real nice results with using Aluminum Oxide 1000 (AO-1000) followed with AO-14000 polish. Also… Nice before and after photo coverage. We loves da photos!
Thank you for this post! Glenn
|
|
|
Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Jan 21, 2018 12:40:40 GMT -5
looks like good results to me. 50% turn out on amethyst is pretty normal. Sodalite and Norenna are both a bear to get a high shine on so what you have look great.
Chuck
|
|
|
Post by captbob on Jan 21, 2018 13:20:34 GMT -5
I think those are some fine looking rocks! Maybe the amethyst had a hard ride, try more cushioning. But the rest of them are quite nice. You are well on your way!!
|
|
|
Post by MsAli on Jan 21, 2018 13:33:25 GMT -5
They look good. Love the optic glass and the Noreena. A lot of amazing tumblers on here to help you.
|
|
|
Post by HankRocks on Jan 21, 2018 13:36:18 GMT -5
I think the Amethyst is about what to expect, as Captbob said maybe a bit more cushioning. Most of the Amethyst sold as tumble material is very flawed material full of imperfections and fractures. The clear, fracture free material would be gem grade and be cost prohibitive for tumbling.
|
|
ontherocks
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since May 2017
Posts: 76
|
Post by ontherocks on Jan 21, 2018 17:34:17 GMT -5
That’s a really nice variety of rocks. They all look pretty good to me. It’s clear that you take your time with the first stage. Do you finish them in a rotary or vibe? I should have mentioned, these were all done in a Model B for first stage and fished out on a Lot-O. Thanks for your kind words.
|
|
illusionist
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since August 2017
Posts: 137
|
Post by illusionist on Jan 22, 2018 15:41:16 GMT -5
Awesome! Love the before and after!
|
|
|
Post by Garage Rocker on Jan 22, 2018 19:48:07 GMT -5
Good stuff! Like the optical glass a lot. Snakeskin agate is one I haven't tried...yet. You got a pretty good shine on that Noreena, it's not an easy one.
|
|
|
Post by adam on Jan 30, 2018 12:22:28 GMT -5
The noreena jasper takes the cake. Nice job.
|
|
|
Post by vegasjames on Jan 30, 2018 15:26:30 GMT -5
Looks great. Really like the fiber optic glass.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 30, 2018 17:33:43 GMT -5
How fun is that!
|
|
Daimon
off to a rocking start
Member since January 2018
Posts: 20
|
Post by Daimon on Jan 30, 2018 18:06:02 GMT -5
Lovely stuff. Just a quick question from a Brit. How big is the coin so I can work out the size of the rocks? Cheers.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 30, 2018 18:45:57 GMT -5
How big is the coin so I can work out the size of the rocks? 2.426 cm (US quarter dollar)
|
|
ammolite88
off to a rocking start
Member since November 2017
Posts: 2
|
Post by ammolite88 on Feb 1, 2018 23:15:54 GMT -5
amazing
|
|
|
Post by fernwood on Feb 2, 2018 7:34:49 GMT -5
Love how the snakeskin turned out.
|
|
|
Post by arghvark on Feb 5, 2018 11:45:01 GMT -5
Absolutely love the snakeskin and the fiberoptic glass.
Nice stuff!
|
|
tkvancil
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2011
Posts: 1,546
|
Post by tkvancil on Feb 26, 2018 11:14:49 GMT -5
Everything looks good to me. Nice job.
All quartz of any type I've bought online has lots of fractures.
|
|