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Post by fernwood on Jan 15, 2019 5:47:35 GMT -5
Sorry if this info was already posted and I missed it. The 2019 will be delayed due to the November 2018 fires in Paradise, California. Not only did several club members lose their homes but the rock planned for the tumbling contest is now ash. The club is working on getting rhodonite. Rock will probably be sent out a few weeks into January. www.featherriverrocks.org/show/rock-tumbling-contest-drop-down2Rhodonite is something I wanted to try tumbling. My skills are nowhere good enough to enter the contest now, but, maybe, I will get things dialed in soon.
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Jan 15, 2019 7:36:28 GMT -5
Well rhodonite should keep the entry list to a minimum. I know it varies in quality but even the more desirable stuff does not tumble well at all. It is a soft rock and the black portion is even softer then the pink portion. Even cabbing it can be pretty tricky.
Use the RTH google search and search for tumbled rhodonite. You will not find many results.
Chuck
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Post by fernwood on Jan 15, 2019 8:03:49 GMT -5
I had a large piece from Billy. It was lost in the mail when I sent it to Walt for cutting.
I love this stone. Willing to take a go on it. Hoping others here will too. Am guessing it is similar to tumbling Granite? Have had good results with that.
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Post by HankRocks on Jan 15, 2019 8:41:36 GMT -5
Well rhodonite should keep the entry list to a minimum. I know it varies in quality but even the more desirable stuff does not tumble well at all. It is a soft rock and the black portion is even softer then the pink portion. Even cabbing it can be pretty tricky. Use the RTH google search and search for tumbled rhodonite. You will not find many results. Chuck If Chuck says it's difficult to tumble, that's all I need to hear. I won't be entering!
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Jan 15, 2019 8:49:40 GMT -5
Well rhodonite should keep the entry list to a minimum. I know it varies in quality but even the more desirable stuff does not tumble well at all. It is a soft rock and the black portion is even softer then the pink portion. Even cabbing it can be pretty tricky. Use the RTH google search and search for tumbled rhodonite. You will not find many results. Chuck If Chuck says it's difficult to tumble, that's all I need to hear. I won't be entering! I am trying to think back to any that has been tumbled and posted here. I am not finding much to go on. I know that some Rhodonite is a lighter shade of pink with vary little black areas and then some is a much darker pink with more black. It is found in multiple locations and the contest page does not list what location. I am guessing it would be the California stuff. Don't let the difficulty scare you. Everyone that enters faces the same challenges. Last years material was no fun and I did not really like my finished rocks but I still got second place. If all the rocks are bad you just have to have the best bad rocks, lol Chuck
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Post by MsAli on Jan 15, 2019 9:00:20 GMT -5
I have seen some that have a nice polish so it can be done somehow?
Dont know how though
I've thrown in 2 pieces of it with a batch and it came out matte finish while the rest of the batch had a nice shine
I'm thinking it may need a different polishing medium ?
While we are on the subject. Maybe a dumb question. Can it come in any color other than pink?
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Jan 15, 2019 9:08:54 GMT -5
I have seen some that have a nice polish so it can be done somehow? Dont know how though I've thrown in 2 pieces of it with a batch and it came out matte finish while the rest of the batch had a nice shine I'm thinking it may need a different polishing medium ? While we are on the subject. Maybe a dumb question. Can it come in any color other than pink? I agree. All of the pieces I have tumbled have just been in mixed batches. Some experimenting in a dedicated batch will be required. It is a mixed hardness material so that always adds to the challenge. This just shows the varying types. The pieces I have tumbled were the gemmy kind like the last two pictures. Chuck
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Post by HankRocks on Jan 15, 2019 9:16:05 GMT -5
The Rhodonite that you used to be able to pick up by the bucket full around the old Sunnyside Mine on the shores of the now departed Lake Emma in Colorado was pretty hard stuff. It had a very nice pink color with very few dark spots. I have a few polished pieces somewhere in the garage. Had 3 tumbled preforms that were among the first I ever sold. There was an occasional bit of silver on the rock.
Interesting story about Lake Emma. One of the mines in the area was working at a lower elevation than the lake from the next valley over. Apparently they got to close and the lake broke through down through the mine. Fortunately it was a Sunday night and the only one on site was a night watchman who heard the roar of the water out the mine entrance and managed to get out of the way and to higher ground. If the breakthrough had occurred with the 100 or so mine employees present they would most likely all have been lost. From what I see on Google earth, the lake never came back.
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Post by MsAli on Jan 15, 2019 10:45:02 GMT -5
The Rhodonite that you used to be able to pick up by the bucket full around the old Sunnyside Mine on the shores of the now departed Lake Emma in Colorado was pretty hard stuff. It had a very nice pink color with very few dark spots. I have a few polished pieces somewhere in the garage. Had 3 tumbled preforms that were among the first I ever sold. There was an occasional bit of silver on the rock. Interesting story about Lake Emma. One of the mines in the area was working at a lower elevation than the lake from the next valley over. Apparently they got to close and the lake broke through down through the mine. Fortunately it was a Sunday night and the only one on site was a night watchman who heard the roar of the water out the mine entrance and managed to get out of the way and to higher ground. If the breakthrough had occurred with the 100 or so mine employees present they would most likely all have been lost. From what I see on Google earth, the lake never came back. That would of been scary as heck. In the past couple of years Ive done a lot of reading about the Crosby Mine pits I snorkel and collect at. The main reason besides trying to identify some stuff I found is because I swear to you some of them are haunted. There is one in particular I will never snorkel again. www.minnpost.com/minnesota-history/2013/02/milford-mine-disaster-1924-save-your-breath-and-start-climbing/
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,685
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Post by Fossilman on Jan 15, 2019 11:03:53 GMT -5
Go for it, you never know till you try it!
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Post by MsAli on Jan 15, 2019 11:16:12 GMT -5
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Post by rockjunquie on Jan 15, 2019 12:43:29 GMT -5
Weeeeeeeeell, if ANYONE can polish that stuff- our tumblers certainly can!!
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Tommy
Administrator
Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,673
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Post by Tommy on Feb 28, 2019 22:04:57 GMT -5
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El JeffA
spending too much on rocks
Member since February 2016
Posts: 353
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Post by El JeffA on Feb 28, 2019 22:21:34 GMT -5
I will give it a go this year. I just printed out the application form.
Does anyone know if the rock has been sent out yet?
Jeff A
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Post by Jugglerguy on Feb 28, 2019 22:22:45 GMT -5
Mine have been tumbling for a couple weeks now.
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El JeffA
spending too much on rocks
Member since February 2016
Posts: 353
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Post by El JeffA on Feb 28, 2019 22:28:20 GMT -5
Thanks Rob...I better get my application sent off! Good Luck!
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Feb 28, 2019 22:48:48 GMT -5
TommyI entered and received my rocks 2-20. They are officially rolling for the first week right now. I changed things up a little bit and did some hardcore pre-shaping this time. I normally do not do much grinding on the contest rocks. All of these pictures were taken on the same day I received the rocks. This should be an extremely fast stage one tumble. The challenge will be getting a good polish. straight from the box After an hour in the loto with borax to clean off the dust and dirt After pre-shaping Chuck
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scottyh
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2007
Posts: 181
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Post by scottyh on Mar 1, 2019 0:02:16 GMT -5
yep got mine but I am in the process of shifting. The rough is ugly..... but I will get onto the pre-grind asap and ill give it a go
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scottyh
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2007
Posts: 181
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Post by scottyh on Mar 1, 2019 0:03:29 GMT -5
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Post by parfive on Mar 1, 2019 1:53:44 GMT -5
scottyh How did your new neighborhood make out in 2011 earthquake, less than six months after a bigger one? Looks like it was centered just 2km west of town!
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