ashers87
off to a rocking start
Member since January 2024
Posts: 4
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Post by ashers87 on Jan 23, 2024 22:22:11 GMT -5
Hi all, So I've been a pretty avid rock collector over the years along my random travels. I figured one day I would actually get a tumbler and do something about them. For Christmas I received a tumbler {Beginners: pretty embarrassing having children advertised pamphlets in the box for whenever I feel like purchasing a rocket or an overflowing volcano.. have to start somewhere I suppose..} and have been excited to dive into it. UNTIL I started destroying some of my most favorite stones. They turned to absolute dust having been demolished by sharper and much harder rocks. TT___TT It seems that every question I have is best and most thoroughly answered here on Rock Tumbling Hobby so after my latest question again was answered by you guys I figured it was definitely time for me to go ahead and get an account and hopefully be able to become a regular around here. Thank you all in advance and I apologize for the very green questions but I do look forward to what you guys might be able to teach me!
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ashers87
off to a rocking start
Member since January 2024
Posts: 4
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Post by ashers87 on Jan 23, 2024 22:28:19 GMT -5
ALL OF YOUR BEAUTIFUL STONES!!! Looking through everyone's posts I am absolutely heartbroken by what I have destroyed I mean you can't bring him back and I should be more excited about what you guys can teach me but I am so crushed on the inside right now....
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Post by vegasjames on Jan 23, 2024 22:29:50 GMT -5
Welcome from Southern Nevada.
Make sure your stones are around the same general hardness. Otherwise the softer stones will get ground down in to nothing rapidly.
I advise starting with some chalcedonies such a jasper or chert/flint to get the hang of using the tumbler first.
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Post by opalpyrexia on Jan 23, 2024 22:30:21 GMT -5
I don't tumble, but welcome from Washington.
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dillonf
fully equipped rock polisher
Hounding and tumbling
Member since February 2022
Posts: 1,595
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Post by dillonf on Jan 23, 2024 22:31:42 GMT -5
Sorry to hear it, and welcome to the forum.
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Jan 23, 2024 23:27:25 GMT -5
Welcome from Northern Arizona! No need to be crushed. We have all killed rocks before. Maybe this will help: * 3. Hardness: A Simplified Hardness Scale: 1 and 2 may be scratched with your fingernail 3 may barely be scratched with a penny 4 is easily scratched with a knife 5 may barely be scratched with a knife. 6 will scratch a knife. 7 will scratch glass 8 will scratch quartz. In 1812 the Mohs scale of mineral hardness was devised by the German mineralogist Frederich Mohs (1773-1839), who selected these ten minerals because they were common or readily available. The scale is somewhat arbitrary. 01.Talc . . . . . . . . . . 02. Gypsum 03. Calcite . . . . . . .. 04. Fluorite 05. Apatite . . . . . . . 06. Feldspar 07. Quartz . . . . . . . .08. Topaz 09. Corundum . . . . . 10. Diamond Swiped from this pinned thread: forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/thread/62933/identifying-rocks-6-basic-testsIf you go to the Rock Tumbling Board forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/board/22/rock-tumbling you will find pretty much all the knowledge about tumbling ever uttered on this forum.
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Post by Pat on Jan 24, 2024 0:15:29 GMT -5
Welcome from California. Not a tumbler, but glad we have tumblers! Like shiny rocks.
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Post by jasoninsd on Jan 24, 2024 0:30:34 GMT -5
ashers87 - Welcome to the forum from South Dakota! So...this hobby has many highs and lows. Sometimes you have a rock which you think won't yield anything...and yet turns out to be one of your forever keepers. Sometimes ones you thought were destined to be forever keepers end up breaking your heart! I'm more of a cabber than a tumbler...and I've had my heart broken MANY times. So just know you're in good company...because like Robin said...we've all done it! Hang in there!!
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pebblesky
fully equipped rock polisher
Purchased another UV mini bowl for tumbling
Member since September 2022
Posts: 1,433
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Post by pebblesky on Jan 24, 2024 1:28:40 GMT -5
Welcome! I generally only tumble hard rocks but once reduced some soft rocks for carving to 1/8 of their original weights. They still look nice, but they are too small and I don't remember where they are now... Once you hop onto the RTH train, you will acquire a lot more beautiful rocks that would be perfect for tumbling!
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Post by liveoak on Jan 24, 2024 7:24:59 GMT -5
Welcome from NW Florida. Patty
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chris1956
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2022
Posts: 1,246
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Post by chris1956 on Jan 24, 2024 9:11:44 GMT -5
Welcome from Missouri. Been there done that.
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Post by drocknut on Jan 24, 2024 9:20:26 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum from south central Arizona
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ashers87
off to a rocking start
Member since January 2024
Posts: 4
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Post by ashers87 on Feb 12, 2024 4:00:34 GMT -5
Welcome from Northern Arizona! No need to be crushed. We have all killed rocks before. Maybe this will help: * 3. Hardness: A Simplified Hardness Scale: 1 and 2 may be scratched with your fingernail 3 may barely be scratched with a penny 4 is easily scratched with a knife 5 may barely be scratched with a knife. 6 will scratch a knife. 7 will scratch glass 8 will scratch quartz. In 1812 the Mohs scale of mineral hardness was devised by the German mineralogist Frederich Mohs (1773-1839), who selected these ten minerals because they were common or readily available. The scale is somewhat arbitrary. 01.Talc . . . . . . . . . . 02. Gypsum 03. Calcite . . . . . . .. 04. Fluorite 05. Apatite . . . . . . . 06. Feldspar 07. Quartz . . . . . . . .08. Topaz 09. Corundum . . . . . 10. Diamond Swiped from this pinned thread: forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/thread/62933/identifying-rocks-6-basic-testsIf you go to the Rock Tumbling Board forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/board/22/rock-tumbling you will find pretty much all the knowledge about tumbling ever uttered on this forum. Thank you so much for this!!!
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RWA3006
Cave Dweller
Member since March 2009
Posts: 4,207
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Post by RWA3006 on Feb 12, 2024 7:56:24 GMT -5
Welcome from Utah. The good news is that you can obtain many other new beautiful rocks and start over again. I'm always looking for an excuse to get more rocks.
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dshanpnw
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since December 2020
Posts: 892
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Post by dshanpnw on Feb 12, 2024 8:49:23 GMT -5
Welcome from Washington state. I've made a lot of beginner mistakes. Those beginner tumblers work pretty good when used properly. Someday the well known name brand tumblers will become more readily available and I hope you'll get one or two.
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rockbrain
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2022
Posts: 2,528
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Post by rockbrain on Feb 12, 2024 10:02:24 GMT -5
Welcome from Central California! Sorry to hear about your loss.
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Tommy
Administrator
Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,663
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Post by Tommy on Feb 12, 2024 10:52:44 GMT -5
ashers87 welcome to the forum! Don't be too hard on yourself. We've all destroyed many beautiful rocks that we thought would tumble or make a nice cabochon. It happens and we move on - literally every new rock is a learning experience. I've destroyed a few that I paid waaay too much for and those are the ones that stick with me .
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