rockfiend
off to a rocking start
Member since December 2014
Posts: 8
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Post by rockfiend on Dec 7, 2014 15:39:34 GMT -5
Hi I'm James
I have no shame in telling you I have no idea where to start with the ideas that are floating around in my head! I want to use polished rocks to sculpt and create design patterns for table tops. So my problem seems to be that there is various degrees of hardness to rocks and I need to obtain specific colors and so far all I have come across are mixed bags of rough and really I have no idea what each rock is or what its attributes are . I could use some direction on the information I need. I need to learn how to identify rocks good for tumbling and to ID what color they would be in general and I would have to know hardness as I have read that you have to tumble rocks of relative same hardness together. Side note. I am a fabricator by trade for big oil rig company and have ability to fab large scale rock tumblers but I am wondering if anyone would know if there is a limit to size verses quality? I am not talking house size tumbler by the way, just maybe 55 gal drum size and smaller. Thanks for reading and thanks for any and all information you send my way! James
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Post by catmandewe on Dec 7, 2014 15:49:39 GMT -5
The larger tumblers work much faster than the smaller tumblers as there is much more interaction between the rocks. A 55 gallon drum would be approx a 400 lb tumbler. I had for a short time a 600 lb tumbler and it worked extremely fast. If you mix hardness’s together in a big tumbler like this then the softer ones will just become mud. The only way to learn what you want to learn is to get out and check out the rocks and spend some time looking at and handling rocks. Rock shows and rock clubs are good places to start if you have any close to you.
My wife and I have made quite a few tables out of stones, they always come out really cool. Looking forward to seeing what you make, please post pics as you go so we can see what you are doing.
Tony
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rockfiend
off to a rocking start
Member since December 2014
Posts: 8
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Post by rockfiend on Dec 7, 2014 16:25:11 GMT -5
Thanks Tony encouraging information about big tumblers! I was hoping someone had compiled an awesome book for good tumble rocks so I could read up before I bumbled around.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Dec 7, 2014 18:01:46 GMT -5
If you go to the tumbling section on here there is enough information to keep you busy for a long time and most all of it is very knowledgeable. Any other questions just ask, there are a lot of people on here that will give you straight up answers. Jim
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,685
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Post by Fossilman on Dec 8, 2014 11:37:19 GMT -5
Hopefully "Jack" is on here,he knows his business about building huge tumblers......Welcome to the forum too....... Oilfield (thumbs up)..Did my 22 years in the patch in North Dakota and Montana)....
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Post by johnjsgems on Dec 11, 2014 20:43:54 GMT -5
If you are buying rock just ask the hardness. Most of the tumbling rocks will be in the 7 range. If you are collecting rocks a pocket knife scratch test works well to eliminate rocks too soft to tumble. If the knife scratches the surface it is too soft. Agates and jaspers will not scratch. You will see a metallic streak from the blade that will rub off. Welcome to the forum. I want to make a table some day using polished slabs. Most I have seen are covered with resin so I suppose polish wouldn't matter.
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rockfiend
off to a rocking start
Member since December 2014
Posts: 8
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Post by rockfiend on Dec 12, 2014 17:29:34 GMT -5
Hey thanks for the run down . I will keep a pocket knife handy to test the rocks. As for table I wish there were huge geodes or such type of rock to slab for a table!! Well thanks for the welcome and the info!
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Post by snowmom on Dec 13, 2014 5:28:50 GMT -5
James, welcome to the forum. Lots of your questions can be answered by reading back posts on the forum, and our members are among the most knowledgable and experienced in so many phases of working with rock, you will find somebody to help for almost any question. glad you are with us, looking forward to seeing your creations on the forum. Deb in Michigan Snowmom on the forum
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