jokersloose
starting to shine!
Member since September 2011
Posts: 36
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Post by jokersloose on Sept 20, 2011 15:19:53 GMT -5
Hey all,
James here. Intro in the "Vistors and Members" section.
Any ways have a ton of questions so lets get started
1. Has anyone posted pictures of there rocks after each step?
For example: Rough 1st time, rough 2nd time...etc...till the finished product has come out. If so can someone post the link too the thread.
2. How long do you use each grit? I have read to let each step run 1 week. But have learned that each step takes as long as it is going too take. So lets say step 1 takes 6 weeks, how often do you change your water? How much grit do you put in each time. I have read where after one week it is worthless is that true or not?
3. What do y'all do with your finished rocks?
4. How can you tell when a step is done?
5. Just any advice you can give a new guy. I know I need a new tumbler. The cheap one I have isn't going too cut it. But one step at at time.
Thanks in advance for your answers,
James
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jokersloose
starting to shine!
Member since September 2011
Posts: 36
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Post by jokersloose on Sept 20, 2011 18:02:14 GMT -5
More ?'s Do you wash between each step? How many use a different barrel for each step. I read that grit from the previous step can scratch the stones. Does anyone use a sander or dimmel to smooth/shape there rock before they start? More to come.
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blessed
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2010
Posts: 329
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Post by blessed on Sept 20, 2011 20:02:47 GMT -5
Welcome James; I will try a few questions. 1. Not sure, but you are welcome to give it a try. 2. I only use 60/90 for one week, 120/220 oen week, the rest for 2 weeks. I would not say it is useless. Some of us use old slury to jump starta new run. yes, wash between each and every recharge and every step 3. I give most of mine away. Do keep some special ones. 4. When you are satisfied with the way they look. 5. Try www.therockshead.com He has what you need. 6. If you have extra barrels for each step, yes. If not make sure every thing is clean. 7. Use a sander or drimmel. Yes, I use a tile saw. I hope this helps-------James
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Post by Bikerrandy on Sept 20, 2011 20:15:43 GMT -5
I use a tile saw as well. Get the cheapest one that money can buy and use it to cut the roughest edges from the rock. You can also use a bench grinder with a lapidary silicon carbide wheel, the wheels usually run around $30.
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jokersloose
starting to shine!
Member since September 2011
Posts: 36
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Post by jokersloose on Sept 20, 2011 22:03:40 GMT -5
Thanks u both for your answers and yes they help a ton. Thanks for the link I got a cheap one from freecycle and re-trying my hand at it. I picked up some rocks from Elk Mnt the other day going to try my hand at them next. They look mostly quartz, you can pictures in my intro thread if you would like. I have some river rock in there now the tumbler came with 3 packs of grit to do one round. I had no idea you can't do just any kind of rock but we'll see in another week and half how they turn out. James
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Post by susand24224 on Sept 20, 2011 22:35:23 GMT -5
Hi, James, I will try to give a little more detail. Also, you might want to invest in "Modern Rock Tumbling" if you have a few bucks to spend.
First, there is no formula for tumbling rocks. Some of the softer ones or ones already smooth from river/ocean may be done with 60/90 for one week. Most will not. When the pits, scratches and imperfections are gone and the rocks are a shape that you like (or as blemish free as you like) they are done with that stage. After a few tries, you will know what blemishes will never come out by just tumbling.
If you don't know, rocks must be of similar hardness to polish properly. Take your rocks (with a sharp edge) and see if one will scratch another. If yes, the scratched one may need to go in a different batch. Or, if you don't mind messing up a few just throw them all in and the ones that get smooth but don't polish are softer. Save them, and when you have enough, run them again in 500 (and maybe 1000) grit, and then polish.
I usually just do a week of everything after 60/90. The great part about tumbling is that if that doesn't work I can always back up and do it again. All you've wasted is a few TBs of grit.
Beware the polish! If you think you are doing everything right and the rocks don't polish, it may be your polish. The "kits" are notorious for 2nd rate polish. I get mine from the Rockshed.
Quartz can be tricky. It is hard, but it also fractures easily. Don't get discouraged if it doesn't work well for you. I've been tumbling for years and still have problems with quartz on occasion.
I use one barrel all the way through from coarse through polish. Once in awhile it causes me problems but not enough for me to change my sloppy ways. I agree that a separate barrel for polish is better, and at one time had one, but somehow they got mixed up and I gave up. I do, however, put the rocks in the barrel with Ivory Soap shavings for a day between grit and polish.
I hope this helps.
Susan
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Post by connrock on Sept 21, 2011 7:50:27 GMT -5
Hi James,,,, I'll throw in my 2 cents worth here,,,,,,,, There are polished rocks and then there are highly polished rocks. Some people are happy with a slight shine on rocks with pits and cracks and all sorts of flaws while others try to get the best flawless polished rocks on the planet! It's obvious which are the most difficult to attain and many factors enter into the equation of attaining flawless polished rocks. I'm not going to try to write a book on how to do this here but will say that patience is key to success! There is a lot of info on this web site that will help you to get started and if you go here and scroll about 1/2 way down the page ,,,it will get you going and answer a LOT of you questions,,,,,, You will see the following,,,, Please use the options below to start your journey on the rock tumbling experience!www.rocktumblinghobby.com/You also asked for photos of the tumbling process in a step-by-step format,,,, This is not the best that can be done but it's all I have to offer,,,, imageevent.com/tcknkk/comprocks2009;jsessionid=nb5u8jr0v8.camel_s?n=0&z=9&c=3&x=1&m=24&w=0&p=0I can't go without adding this,,,, ;D If you start out with junk ,you will only get junk in the end! Junk in,,,,junk out! Try to choose rocks without major flaws in them and you will do OK! Agate and jasper are tried and true performers! Good luck,,, connrock
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jokersloose
starting to shine!
Member since September 2011
Posts: 36
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Post by jokersloose on Sept 21, 2011 9:48:32 GMT -5
Thanks as I have said I will need a new tumbler is I keep this up, my little Smithsonian one just isn't going to cut it for very long. But hey it was free and got me back into it. I was given one as a child, but not a very good gift for an ADHD child LOL. But thanks for all of the advice I can't wait too see how "if" my river rock shines up any at all. I put it in before I read not ALL rocks shine. I'm not 100% sure what I have is quartz never really seen it raw before, but I would guess that is what it is after cleaning it up real good. But we'll see that is what is next. And don't worry I love learning curves that is what sold me on Linux and I think it will sell me on this. I am not one to give up on something just because it didn't do what I thought/wanted it too. I would have never gotten married if that was the case Thanks again, James
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Post by Jack ( Yorkshire) on Sept 22, 2011 15:51:32 GMT -5
Welcome James
" James " That is a name we all remember with real Awe
jack Yorkshire uk
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Minnesota Daniel
freely admits to licking rocks
A COUPLE LAKERS
Member since August 2011
Posts: 891
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Post by Minnesota Daniel on Sept 23, 2011 1:38:27 GMT -5
Hi James!
I would second concrock's remarks about junk in -- junk out, and go one further. Grit and polish cost money, and the time and effort you put into it are valuable too. My advice is to go straight to my last paragraph from here, but if you want to know why, read on:
Soon after I started I realized that even though they finished with a high polish, the plain brown jasper, dark brown very plain pet wood, and the dirty white quartz weren't really worthy of the effort and expense I had put into them. Then I bought some nice looking rough sold by one of the regular vendors (ML) on eBay -- they each have a big selection to choose from. The first was called ladybug jasper. It was pretty cool looking, black with orange blobs. The other two were jade and amethyst. I struggled with the jasper, it kept fracturing so bad I set it aside. Then I tried the jade and it turned out to be full of soft spots. The amethyst though was a total bust. I was a newbie, and wasn't experienced enough to realize that it was garbage. So much black matrix that there was nothing left after tumbling. Literally. The jasper sat in the bottom of a box for a couple years when I pulled it out and had a look at it again. It's not jasper, it's obsidian with feldspar in it! It has a name -- can't recall it at the moment. Obsidian isn't easy in the first place, but sell it to a newbie and tell them it's jasper! Worse still, all that stuff was expensive! DON'T BUY ROUGH FROM THOSE VENDORS ON EBAY!
Then I found this place, followed advice about where to get stuff, took the dive, and placed an order for grit, polish and rough from the Rock Shed. I was reborn.
Daniel
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jokersloose
starting to shine!
Member since September 2011
Posts: 36
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Post by jokersloose on Sept 23, 2011 9:17:00 GMT -5
Thanks, From what I read here in WY I can find jade, opal, diamonds, agate and tons of other stuff. Of course I have too find out where to find it and such. To bad winter is on it's way. I have ton of folks say Rock Shed I have already book marked there site. I know there is a learning curve as with anything. Where the test of a person comes in is 1. are they willing to learn from there mistakes 2. can they take advice and/or criticism 3. is what ever you are trying too learn still fun. I figure as long as I can yes to all 3 then I am on my way to being a rock hound.
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