"Sixteen Uses for Tumbled Rocks" - Ideas for Video Needed

[Jugglerguy]

I'm working on a new video about uses for tumbled rocks. I have a pretty good list started, but I wanted to make sure I'm not missing anything obvious. I'm trying to keep the list limited to things that someone with only a rock tumbler could do, no drilling or grinding should be necessary. My plan is to do a fairly short, quick fire video with shots of the various ideas and voice over narrating them. Here's what I have so far:

1. Give them to kids (Could Maggie’s boy be in my video?)
2. Carry some in your backpack to give to people on beaches
3. Put them on the soil of potted plants
4. Dish on coffee table
5. Fill a gumball machine
6. Aquarium gravel or accent rocks
7. Put them in geocaches
8. Vase Ideas: Just a vase full of rocks, Vase with rocks and dried flowers, large cylindrical vase with smaller candle inside and rocks around candle
9. Fridge Magnets
10. Keychains (bell cap on rock)
11. Give them to a teacher to hand out as prizes in the classroom.
12. Stick on eyes to make little animals (pet rock)
13. Use them for games, such as mancala, Monopoly, checkers, etc.
14. Ladies pin or tie tack
15. Paperweight - does anyone actually have windy desks?
16. Mosaic

One omission that might be fairly obvious is wire wrapping one. I left that off because I don't think I have ever seen a tumbled rock that was wire wrapped that I liked. They usually look like someone wrapped a twist tie around a rock. I do like cabs that are wire wrapped, but not more naturally shaped tumbled rocks. If there is a way to make a neat wire wrap on a tumbled rock, it's beyond my skill level probably most people watching a video like this.

So, what am I missing? What's on my list that should be removed?

Thanks!

[Deleted]

Could add to #11 give to science teacher to teach rock types with. Also to #16 add rock art.

[dshanpnw]

Hello, I donated a tray of about 15 pounds of tumbled beach rocks for the rock club to sell; I put $30 on it. I also donate tumbled rocks to the club for prizes and giveaways. Kind of an obvious one I guess. That's all I have to offer.

[pebblesky]

Sounds like an exciting project.

What I could think of is to tumble (but not polish) some white, grey or black rock for pebble painting. It took me a while to collect good pebbles for the painting purpose. The surfaces should be relatively flat, not too porous, but also not too smooth (otherwise the paint won't stay easily).

[jasoninsd]

Good idea for a video Rob! 

I'm with you in regards to not liking most results on wire-wrapped tumbled stones. One of the few style of wraps which I thought didn't look like a hot mess (that really sounds mean...) is the following one. Here's a link to a "cage" wire wrap which I thought looked the most interesting...and a style I'm going to try one of these days...

[Pat]

When I was teaching English to local engineers, I kept a small bag of polished rocks with me to give out randomly. They loved it. I dumped the rocks onto the table, and let them select which one or two they wanted. They studied them intently and admired every aspect.

I think I got as much joy giving them the polished rocks as they got getting them.

[pebblesky]

Maybe make an advent calendar out of 24 tumbled stones. You reveal one stone every day. Oh I would love to have one...


Use tumbled stones to decorate the zen garden in your front yard. Zebra stones could be a nice match. They will be stolen unfortunately...


Some interior design ideas like this looks fun:

[drocknut]

Awesome ideas. I've seen the tumbled stones glued together to make bowls or candle holders. I also put them in my rock "treasure bags" that I sell at rock shows (only sold them at one show so far but they are a hit especially when you say there are tumbled rocks in them too).

[electrocutus]

Probably not something for a fun video, but I've used some of mine to put on relatives' gravestones.

[waterboysh]

Another obvious one is to sell them. We keep a lot, give some away, do things with them... but still have lots left over. I raise money for my local Children's Miracle Network Hospital and I am considering selling my excess and donating the proceeds.

[jimmie]

Pocket rock, I carry my favorite at all times!

[vance71975]

Oct 19, 2022 12:12:27 GMT -5 Jugglerguy said:

I'm working on a new video about uses for tumbled rocks. I have a pretty good list started, but I wanted to make sure I'm not missing anything obvious. I'm trying to keep the list limited to things that someone with only a rock tumbler could do, no drilling or grinding should be necessary. My plan is to do a fairly short, quick fire video with shots of the various ideas and voice over narrating them. Here's what I have so far:

1. Give them to kids (Could Maggie’s boy be in my video?)
2. Carry some in your backpack to give to people on beaches
3. Put them on the soil of potted plants
4. Dish on coffee table
5. Fill a gumball machine
6. Aquarium gravel or accent rocks
7. Put them in geocaches
8. Vase Ideas: Just a vase full of rocks, Vase with rocks and dried flowers, large cylindrical vase with smaller candle inside and rocks around candle
9. Fridge Magnets
10. Keychains (bell cap on rock)
11. Give them to a teacher to hand out as prizes in the classroom.
12. Stick on eyes to make little animals (pet rock)
13. Use them for games, such as mancala, Monopoly, checkers, etc.
14. Ladies pin or tie tack
15. Paperweight - does anyone actually have windy desks?
16. Mosaic

One omission that might be fairly obvious is wire wrapping one. I left that off because I don't think I have ever seen a tumbled rock that was wire wrapped that I liked. They usually look like someone wrapped a twist tie around a rock. I do like cabs that are wire wrapped, but not more naturally shaped tumbled rocks. If there is a way to make a neat wire wrap on a tumbled rock, it's beyond my skill level probably most people watching a video like this.

So, what am I missing? What's on my list that should be removed?

Thanks!

Creating Patterns In Resin Art.

[ericabelle]

I've always wanted to encase some in resin for a tabletop. But I'm still hatching that idea.....

[vance71975]

Oct 19, 2022 17:10:03 GMT -5 ericabelle said:

I've always wanted to encase some in resin for a tabletop. But I'm still hatching that idea.....

My girl Does Resin art, We are gonna take Smalls and Pebbles that are used in place of Ceramic and make like Houses and paths and rock gardens In a serving tray and also to fill a resin skull.

[markb]

We like to carry one or two around with us and give them to people we encounter who do something nice, or maybe need a bit of support or encouragement. I point out that just like rocks, we all have imperfections in our lives. But over time, if we are a follower of God, he will work on us and grind away the rough bringing us to a high polish, then take us home with him to be added to his collection of “keepers”.

markb

[ericabelle]

Oct 19, 2022 18:29:28 GMT -5 markb said:

We like to carry one or two around with us and give them to people we encounter who do something nice, or maybe need a bit of support or encouragement. I point out that just like rocks, we all have imperfections in our lives. But over time, if we are a follower of God, he will work on us and grind away the rough bringing us to a high polish, then take us home with him to be added to his collection of “keepers”.

markb

That's a lovely use of the polished rocks - my father in law asked me for some to do the same thing.  I was really happy to give him some witnessing rocks!

[susand24224]

1. Attach a magnet to the back and use for refrigerator magnets.
2. Put in the bottom of a soap dish so the soap can drain (I did it with Apache tears, but every now and then have to clean them)
3. And yes, depending upon the shape, some can make nice pendants (tending toward slab shape).

[Deleted]

markb
That’s awesome Mark!

[vegasjames]

I like colorful, non-toxic rocks for bee waterers. Allows the bees to get to the water without falling in and drowning. And the bright colors attract the bees.

[Jugglerguy]

Oct 19, 2022 12:43:13 GMT -5 jasoninsd said:

Good idea for a video Rob! 

I'm with you in regards to not liking most results on wire-wrapped tumbled stones. One of the few style of wraps which I thought didn't look like a hot mess (that really sounds mean...) is the following one. Here's a link to a "cage" wire wrap which I thought looked the most interesting...and a style I'm going to try one of these days...

I agree. That is neat and would work with lots of rock shapes.

susand24224 those are very nice wraps but, as you said, those are small slabs, almost cabs, not the typical tumbled rock.

Both of these seem a little complicated for the type of list I'm going for though. If I knew how to do them, they'd make good videos on their own.

ashley My wife was a science teacher. Science teachers don't really like tumbled rocks. They like them natural. Geologists will break a rock just to see how it breaks and what a fresh surface looks like. Did you have something specific in mind by "rock art" Do you mean the pictures made from little pebbles? Two of my sisters make those. I'll add that to the list.

dshanpnw waterboysh I thought of selling them, but decided to leave that off the list. The person buying them would still need a use for them.

Pat I have given away a lot of rocks and I agree that I get at least as much pleasure from it as the recipients do.

@pabblesky, the advent calendar is a little complicated for me to make on my own. The candle holder is sort of similar to #8 on my list. I like that!

Bravura Cabochon Designs That's a good idea, but my wife wouldn't let me do it when we had a tile backsplash put in our kitchen, so I can't show an example. I might include it anyway.

electrocutus Do you just set them on top, or are you making headstones and incorporating them? I do think I'll leave that one out either way so people don't leave my video crying.

jimmie I make little crosses for that purpose, but I suppose just a rock could be nice to carry around too.

vance71975 ericabelle I guess that's sort of like making a mosaic. I might add it to that one.

markb I have always just carried them when I'm out rock hunting to give to people I meet on the beach. I guess I could give them away to other people too. I like your message that you give out with the rock.

vegasjames Is a bee waterer like a bird bath? I'm seriously thinking about carving a bird bath into a large boulder in my backyard. I actually considered putting some tumbled rocks in there. I have heard that copper keeps the water from getting algae in it, so I was going to put in some raw copper that I picked up in the U.P.

Thanks everyone for the ideas. I won't use all of them, but I do appreciate all of them.