ericabelle
spending too much on rocks
Instagram acct: @erica_shoots_everything
Member since April 2021
Posts: 482
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Post by ericabelle on Oct 1, 2022 16:58:11 GMT -5
I hardly ever tumble anything less than a mohs of 7, but I just happen to have a “soft” load going right now of Feldspar and granite. I also threw in some mostly rounded rocks I collected on Lake Michigan that didn’t need much shaping. In fact, that’s another thing you could do, which I think you already do some, is do quite a bit of the shaping before you put it in your tumbler. I do have a lot of Quartz and quartzite that I have found to do. But really I was just looking for a list of what rocks actually tumbler faster than the Iron Man race I have going against these agates lol. I am totally good with a batch taking 30 to 45 days total. Not so good with stage 1 taking 30 to 45 days lol Quartz and quartzite take quite a lot longer to shape than feldspar and (some) granites. I think you might be happy with those. Just don’t get arrested stealing any from someone’s landscaping! LOL 😂
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vance71975
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since September 2022
Posts: 760
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Post by vance71975 on Oct 1, 2022 17:35:26 GMT -5
I do have a lot of Quartz and quartzite that I have found to do. But really I was just looking for a list of what rocks actually tumbler faster than the Iron Man race I have going against these agates lol. I am totally good with a batch taking 30 to 45 days total. Not so good with stage 1 taking 30 to 45 days lol Quartz and quartzite take quite a lot longer to shape than feldspar and (some) granites. I think you might be happy with those. Just don’t get arrested stealing any from someone’s landscaping! LOL 😂 ROTFLMAO nah I dont steal from landscaping. Weird the quartz I have was smooth in 7 days in My tumbler and 4 days in my girls Nat Geo type tumbler. I mean you can still see brusing and stuff but shaped out no nicks or gouges.
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ericabelle
spending too much on rocks
Instagram acct: @erica_shoots_everything
Member since April 2021
Posts: 482
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Post by ericabelle on Oct 1, 2022 17:43:47 GMT -5
Quartz and quartzite take quite a lot longer to shape than feldspar and (some) granites. I think you might be happy with those. Just don’t get arrested stealing any from someone’s landscaping! LOL 😂 ROTFLMAO nah I dont steal from landscaping. Weird the quartz I have was smooth in 7 days in My tumbler and 4 days in my girls Nat Geo type tumbler. I mean you can still see brusing and stuff but shaped out no nicks or gouges. Well, then, you would go through slightly softer rocks in no time!
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vance71975
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since September 2022
Posts: 760
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Post by vance71975 on Oct 1, 2022 17:58:02 GMT -5
ROTFLMAO nah I dont steal from landscaping. Weird the quartz I have was smooth in 7 days in My tumbler and 4 days in my girls Nat Geo type tumbler. I mean you can still see brusing and stuff but shaped out no nicks or gouges. Well, then, you would go through slightly softer rocks in no time! I have noticed that hardness isnt linear, Like an agate at a 7 hardness takes much longer to cut than a quartz at 7 hardness. Which im not gonna lie, Almost kinda makes the hardness scale a bit useless IMHO. Its really weird, Logically I would think, 7 is 7 and anything that is 7 should cut at the same rate, but nope.
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quartzilla
Cave Dweller
Member since April 2020
Posts: 1,198
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Post by quartzilla on Oct 1, 2022 18:07:40 GMT -5
Amethyst, smoky, clear, and citrine will always tumble faster than the agates and jaspers. The above are considered crystalline quartz and even though they are the same hardness as agate the agates and jaspers are way tougher due to their cryptocrystalline structure. Kinda the same deal with nephrite and Jadeite jades. The microscopic crystals interlocked together are way harder to break down than a single crystal the size of your thumb.
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vance71975
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since September 2022
Posts: 760
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Post by vance71975 on Oct 1, 2022 21:02:16 GMT -5
Amethyst, smoky, clear, and citrine will always tumble faster than the agates and jaspers. The above are considered crystalline quartz and even though they are the same hardness as agate the agates and jaspers are way tougher due to their cryptocrystalline structure. Kinda the same deal with nephrite and Jadeite jades. The microscopic crystals interlocked together are way harder to break down than a single crystal the size of your thumb. Awesome! Thanks!
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Post by Bob on Oct 4, 2022 10:42:29 GMT -5
Pat Softer rocks tumble faster but on the other hand it is a challenge to get them to a great polish. It would be much easier to deal with hard rocks, as I have heard all the time. Exactly! And among hard rocks, the fibrous microcrystalline (or cryptocrystalline I forget which) structure makes agates nearly impossible to screw up. Whereas non-fibrous, such as jaspers, can easily be damaged in the tumbler before one has sufficient experience.
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Post by Son Of Beach on Nov 3, 2022 14:54:40 GMT -5
vance71975I finished my first piece of Mookite this week and I can say it tumbles much faster and still take a nice shine.
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vance71975
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since September 2022
Posts: 760
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Post by vance71975 on Nov 3, 2022 19:37:11 GMT -5
vance71975 I finished my first piece of Mookite this week and I can say it tumbles much faster and still take a nice shine. Mookaite Jasper?
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Post by Son Of Beach on Nov 4, 2022 14:03:13 GMT -5
vance71975 I finished my first piece of Mookite this week and I can say it tumbles much faster and still take a nice shine. Mookaite Jasper? Yea, spelled it wrong haha, but that's the stuff.
I wasn't impressed early but it's pretty easy to work with, just avoid the crumble white stuff.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Nov 4, 2022 14:24:02 GMT -5
vance71975I finished my first piece of Mookite this week and I can say it tumbles much faster and still take a nice shine. Was that piece in the latest batch photos? Curious to see it! I love the colors in it but haven’t bought any yet.
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markb
Cave Dweller
Member since May 2022
Posts: 472
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Post by markb on Nov 4, 2022 14:36:03 GMT -5
I have a thought. If you want a guarantee that every stage takes no longer than 7 days, then try starting with very small stones no wider than the size of a fingernail. However, keep in mind that some of the rocks you tumble may end up even smaller, like about the size of a BB. Sorry Vance, you can't (always) have your cake and eat it too.
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Post by Son Of Beach on Nov 4, 2022 14:42:36 GMT -5
ashley I think it was...here is that piece next to an unfinished piece.
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Deleted
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Member since January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Nov 4, 2022 14:55:07 GMT -5
That looks great Chad! Thank you for showing me.
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vance71975
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since September 2022
Posts: 760
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Post by vance71975 on Nov 4, 2022 15:21:53 GMT -5
I have a thought. If you want a guarantee that every stage takes no longer than 7 days, then try starting with very small stones no wider than the size of a fingernail. However, keep in mind that some of the rocks you tumble may end up even smaller, like about the size of a BB. Sorry Vance, you can't (always) have your cake and eat it too. roflmao sure I can Opals, Obsidian and Lapis! But joking aside all three were near perfect in about 3 to 5 days in stage 1. They are currently in Polish and have only got about 2.5 to 3 weeks in them.
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vance71975
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since September 2022
Posts: 760
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Post by vance71975 on Nov 4, 2022 15:22:33 GMT -5
Yea, spelled it wrong haha, but that's the stuff.
I wasn't impressed early but it's pretty easy to work with, just avoid the crumble white stuff.
Awesome thanks Ill throw it on the list.
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