cryscrk1
off to a rocking start
Member since July 2024
Posts: 1
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Post by cryscrk1 on Jul 1, 2024 9:43:14 GMT -5
Thx for letting me join! I've been a rock junkie for yrs. I have a Thumler's model B that I used when we lived in ID and NM. Now back in my home state of IA and delighted with the landscape rocks!! I've just finished stage 3 on a batch of quartz/ jasper/agate, and they're not shiny. Some have a luster, and others are just flat. I'm not going to do stage 4 until I've done at least one more batch so I can fill the tumbler. I ran stage 1 for 8 days, stage 2 for 7, and stage 3 for 3 1/2. Any suggestions on what I should do to get a better result? Thank you in advance!
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rockbrain
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2022
Posts: 2,955
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Post by rockbrain on Jul 1, 2024 11:39:21 GMT -5
Maybe I'd misunderstood but you can't really expect them to be shiny until after stage 4.
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Post by Starguy on Jul 1, 2024 11:43:46 GMT -5
If you want to test if they’re ready, you can put some polish on a damp piece of leather. Briskly rub the stone on the leather. If it’s ready, it will start to shine pretty quick.
Welcome from North Idaho.
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chris1956
fully equipped rock polisher
![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star_green.png) ![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star_green.png)
Member since July 2022
Posts: 1,961
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Post by chris1956 on Jul 1, 2024 15:03:49 GMT -5
Welcome from Missouri.
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Post by vegasjames on Jul 1, 2024 16:33:53 GMT -5
Welcome from Southern Nevada.
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Post by jasoninsd on Jul 1, 2024 17:51:46 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum from South Dakota! ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png)
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titaniumkid
spending too much on rocks
![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star_teal.png)
Member since June 2023
Posts: 439
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Post by titaniumkid on Jul 1, 2024 18:06:55 GMT -5
Hi from Australia ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png) I found increasing the polishing time from one week to two weeks helped some rocks get a better shine in a rotary tumbler. I'd also recommend making sure the tumbler is well filled during the polish stage (with ceramic media or small stones or something), because I have wrecked rocks and had to take them back as they bashed around too much. The polish doesn't thicken the water as much as grit does, so the slurry doesn't buffer the rocks as well and the rocks are more likely to crash about rather than slide past each other. Some rocks didn't seem to care. Others cared a lot and ended up with lots of fine cracks the polish then settled in. If you go to the rock tumbling board (https://forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/board/22/rock-tumbling) you will find lots of relevant advice from people who get beautiful results.
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Post by liveoak on Jul 2, 2024 6:15:10 GMT -5
Welcome from NW Florida
Patty
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rocknrob
Cave Dweller
No matter what AI thinks, I do not in any way resemble John Malkovich
Member since May 2024
Posts: 300
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Post by rocknrob on Jul 2, 2024 23:11:20 GMT -5
Welcome from Washington state!
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Post by Pat on Jul 2, 2024 23:20:56 GMT -5
Welcome from California. Not a tumbler, though many tumbling pros here.
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