Kai
spending too much on rocks
Member since December 2018
Posts: 331
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Post by Kai on Feb 20, 2019 15:14:15 GMT -5
Well, it should better say Kai's Newbie Korner, but oh well... pssst. Anyway, lately I've been playing a lot with different gravel stones and rock-minerals that I can find when Soča river torrent brings them to the plains. Unfortunately this means that my chances of correctly identifying the type of rock are close to 0, but oh well. They look pretty, right? Good enough for a stupid newbie like me. The last couple of weeks I was mostly doing just #1 round with the roughest grit to find out which stones would take the grinding well enough, wouldn't flake, which weren't cracked etc etc. Now THIS is the result of all those weeks: ...and despite the fact that the majority of it is nowhere near good enough, I nevertheless think that I finally amassed enough good-quality material for one or two second batches and maybe even a third...! Yay!!
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Post by rockjunquie on Feb 20, 2019 15:30:11 GMT -5
Stupid newbie? I think NOT. Are you having fun? Because that's what really matters and besides, they look good to me.
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Post by pauls on Feb 20, 2019 15:30:46 GMT -5
They are nice looking stones Kai, you are doing well.
We've all been newbies at something, sometime, forget the "stupid" bit, I have read all your posts and you are putting in the time and effort to research things and grow your knowledge, you are a smart newbie.
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Post by mohs on Feb 20, 2019 15:35:55 GMT -5
Right on - project What I call found2fin Gathered from the Soča plains ? rocks roll !
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Kai
spending too much on rocks
Member since December 2018
Posts: 331
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Post by Kai on Feb 20, 2019 15:58:05 GMT -5
Awww, thanks all of you! You see, this is the best way for a stupid newbie to forget the "stupid" bit - motivation and praise from the big guys and girls!
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lookatthat
Cave Dweller
Whatever there is to be found.
Member since May 2017
Posts: 1,360
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Post by lookatthat on Feb 20, 2019 16:23:28 GMT -5
Some of those are looking pretty good!
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Post by miket on Feb 20, 2019 17:08:45 GMT -5
Nope, not stupid at all. Like me, just learning. I have rocks -mostly agates- that have been tumbling in rough grit since Christmas. Every week or so I check them and get to pull one out if I'm lucky. There's a container with water in my basement that has rocks waiting impatiently to go on to the next stage. Anyway, they're looking fine. Just takes time.
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Post by fernwood on Feb 20, 2019 17:49:50 GMT -5
Perfect. That was a great experiment. It will take time to learn. Many here are still learning after over 25 years of tumbling. When one no longer expands their knowledge it is not a good thing.
Be sure to post which you are moving to the next stage. I would like to see some of those closer up.
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Post by miket on Feb 20, 2019 18:48:30 GMT -5
Perfect. That was a great experiment. It will take time to learn. Many here are still learning after over 25 years of tumbling. When one no longer expands their knowledge it is not a good thing. Be sure to post which you are moving to the next stage. I would like to see some of those closer up.
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Feb 20, 2019 19:47:31 GMT -5
What they all said. I think they're looking good!
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Post by Rockindad on Feb 20, 2019 21:38:38 GMT -5
In no way stupid! Have fun. Don't be afraid to experiment and fail, that is how we learn and ultimately achieve the results we are striving for. A lot of those look pretty cool!
Al
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Kai
spending too much on rocks
Member since December 2018
Posts: 331
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Post by Kai on Feb 21, 2019 13:14:20 GMT -5
Awww, guuuuys (and gals too, of course), you make me blush!! (blush2) Alright, I'll take a photo of the batch for #2, just for you!! I'm planning to do the selection this weekend.
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NevadaBill
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2019
Posts: 1,332
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Post by NevadaBill on Feb 22, 2019 21:13:31 GMT -5
I like them. You have a nice diversity of colors in this group. My favorites are (9:00 position) the darker one with white quartz lines streaking through it, and the (11:30 position) light jade looking ones with banding in them. Can't wait to see your next batch!
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Kai
spending too much on rocks
Member since December 2018
Posts: 331
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Post by Kai on Feb 23, 2019 7:55:34 GMT -5
Right, this is the selection that made it to #2: Sorry NevadaBill, the darker one with white quartz lines didn't make it because too much grit was getting caught in cracks, but I did include two of the banded ones. In the bottom right corner is various debris for filler. Now a question: i'm reading all around the forum that a day of cleaning session is recommended between the batches. Are there any substances I should add to the lot, like soap or similar? Thanks!
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Post by miket on Feb 23, 2019 8:22:51 GMT -5
Nice selection. Some say ivory soap flakes, some say borax. I've been using borax.
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Post by TheRock on Feb 23, 2019 15:26:28 GMT -5
Lookin goof Kai.
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Kai
spending too much on rocks
Member since December 2018
Posts: 331
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Post by Kai on Mar 9, 2019 16:43:10 GMT -5
A question: Did it ever happen to anybody that a rock which split in half and therefore had one very straight and smooth side, got stuck - kinda like vacuum - to the lid or the back side of the drum, so it is kept still while all the other rocks still tumbled around? This is what happened to me -
View from the top:
View from the side - note how sharp is the edge. It must have been stuck to one side and only the other side was getting polished Comparison between two halves of the same stone which cracked: one was moving freely around the tumbler, the other one was probably stuck to the backside or the lid.
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Post by aDave on Mar 9, 2019 21:43:52 GMT -5
I had the same issue in a recent batch. I'm thinking it was stuck to the bottom of the barrel. [
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Post by miket on Mar 9, 2019 22:57:45 GMT -5
I'm finding the same with some of the cabs I'm trying to tumble. They seem to get stuck on the bottom of the barrel on the flat side of the stone.
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Post by fernwood on Mar 17, 2019 6:58:43 GMT -5
I have never had any cabs stick to the barrel. Maybe because I use lots of media and run cabs with tumbles. The variety in sizes might be preventing them from sticking? Just a thought.
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