amathyst
off to a rocking start
Member since April 2019
Posts: 4
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Post by amathyst on Apr 7, 2019 18:00:33 GMT -5
Hi everyone - As I have said in my intro, I am brand new to tumbling and my tumbler is a children's version, the National Geographic hobby edition. My question is - the rocks included, were a variety of sizes and some seemed pretty tiny to have much left over after a tumble. What I am wondering is if I should stop it early and take the smaller rocks out? Will it help them to not stay in as long as the larger and more jagged ones? Common sense tells me I should but since I am new, asking you guys first Thanks ahead of time for your time
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braat
spending too much on rocks
Member since December 2016
Posts: 350
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Post by braat on Apr 7, 2019 18:43:16 GMT -5
Hi everyone - As I have said in my intro, I am brand new to tumbling and my tumbler is a children's version, the National Geographic hobby edition. My question is - the rocks included, were a variety of sizes and some seemed pretty tiny to have much left over after a tumble. What I am wondering is if I should stop it early and take the smaller rocks out? Will it help them to not stay in as long as the larger and more jagged ones? Common sense tells me I should but since I am new, asking you guys first Thanks ahead of time for your time I'd leave the small rocks in there....check out "Inspecting Your Rough" in the following link: rocktumbler.com/tips/rock-tumbler-instructions/
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Post by Rockindad on Apr 7, 2019 21:46:13 GMT -5
The website that braat gave you is a great place for a beginner to start. That site along with this forum and you can't go wrong. Pay special attention to this: However, other people want to have more control over the tumbling process and only admit excellent rocks into STEP 2. These people sort their rocks into four categories: A) those that are ready for STEP 2 B) those that could be improved by another week in STEP 1 C) those that should be trimmed and returned to STEP 1 D) those that should be discarded They then repeat STEP 1 until they have enough nicely shaped rocks that are ready for STEP 2. People who follow this process produce really nice tumbled stones; however, this process is very time consuming. Not every rock has to come out at the same time. Pull each one when they are ready, some will definitely take much longer than others. All depends on what you want as a final result. Some just want to reveal a little more of what nature made while others are trying to perfect it. Much depends on your patience. Al
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kskid
Cave Dweller
Member since July 2014
Posts: 98
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Post by kskid on Apr 7, 2019 22:51:58 GMT -5
I agree with both of the previous posts, but I sense that you're asking from a slightly different perspective.
Your reasoning is sound. As with most things, there are trade-offs. If you leave the smalls in they will likely be ground away, sacrificing themselves in great service to the larger rocks that will be made beautiful. If you pull them early, they will survive to the end of the tumble, but they will not be smooth, blemish free, beauties. And your larger stones will take longer (and possibly be smaller) to become smooth and blemish free. The decision is yours to make. Will the smalls be happier surviving as the ugly ducklings of the batch or perishing in the noble service of others?
I leave them in. I recommend trying it both ways and see how you feel about it. I think you'll know within two or three batches.
Welcome to the group!
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gatorflash1
spending too much on rocks
Active in Delaware Mineralogical Society, Cabchon Grinding and Polishing, 2 Thumlers B's and a UV-18
Member since October 2018
Posts: 375
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Post by gatorflash1 on Apr 8, 2019 7:15:06 GMT -5
Hi Amethyst - One of the things not mentioned, or appreciated by most newbie rock tumblers, is the hardness of the material being tumbled. Hard rocks will take much longer to tumble than soft rocks, duh! Seems obvious. But how do you know what is hard and what is soft when you get a mixed packet of rocks from the seller, or find a bunch when rock hounding? That's the rub. Unless you know what kind of rock it is, and then can look up it's mohs hardness number, you are probably tumbling rocks with a mix of hardnesses (is that a word?). The hard ones tend to beat up the soft one so that when you pull them out of you tumbler after many days the soft ones have become much smaller. Bottom line is tumble rocks of the same hardness. Don't mix up rocks of varying hardness. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohs_scale_of_mineral_hardness
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Post by grumpybill on Apr 8, 2019 12:35:13 GMT -5
Grumpy Bill's quick and easy hardness test:
Try to scratch the stone with the tip of a knife. a) If the knife scratches into the stone, I discard it. b) If the knife leaves a metallic streak without scratching the stone, it goes into the tumbler. c) Try scratching the stone with a mill file. If no marks, the stone will take a great polish!
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