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Post by captbob on Apr 20, 2017 9:06:21 GMT -5
Looking around my "office" here at all the trays/jars/dishes of past tumbles I would have to say that good quality tiger eye is probably the one rock that stands out to me as the easiest, most fool proof rock I have tumbled. A monkey could get an outstanding pit free shine on quality tiger eye.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller 
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,600
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Post by jamesp on Apr 20, 2017 9:08:05 GMT -5
One of my favorite tumbles. Big Snakeskins. No cracks, no pits, polished quickly(=dead hard)  |
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,600
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Post by jamesp on Apr 20, 2017 9:08:50 GMT -5
Looking around my "office" here at all the trays/jars/dishes of past tumbles I would have to say that good quality tiger eye is probably the one rock that stands out to me as the easiest, most fool proof rock I have tumbled. A monkey could get an outstanding pit free shine on quality tiger eye. Tigereye is a good one Bob. |
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Post by captbob on Apr 20, 2017 9:16:29 GMT -5
James, I am transitioning all my barrels from Rios to coral as barrels become available. Have four 15 lb barrels running coral right now. Doing coarse grit (46/70 or 60/90) runs only and then setting them aside.
Will run a bunch and then select the best pieces to move on. Already have some finished with coarse cycle.
Not the solid corals you like to tumble but the bots. Stuff has re-energized my tumbling enthusiasm.
Not sure what I'm gonna do with them, but I think they are cool as heck! Something new to dust.
Need to take pics, but I've grown photo lazy.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,600
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Post by jamesp on Apr 20, 2017 9:19:23 GMT -5
James, that's why this is such an important thread for anyone just starting out. Getting good tumbling material makes all the difference in the world. I'll never understand why outfits sell newbies the starter tumbling mix they do. I got labradorite in my original mix of rocks for crying out loud. I would have given up if I thought I was suppose to get a good shine on that. Mosses and the like are fun to tumble, you have to temper your expectations, but they sure are nice to look at. Like Dave said, some materials you just have to expect a less than mirror shine, but that doesn't make them unenjoyable. A lot of self collected material is fun to tumble, but it may not be a trophy tumble, depending on what and where you are collecting. You just can't expect miracles out of subpar material. Trash in = trash out sorta comes to mind Randy. A fellow has to really target good tumbling material. If you can find it in the back yard you are fortunate. But it's not the norm. |
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Post by Garage Rocker on Apr 20, 2017 9:21:30 GMT -5
James, I am transitioning all my barrels from Rios to coral as barrels become available. Have four 15 lb barrels running coral right now. Doing coarse grit (46/70 or 60/90) runs only and then setting them aside. Will run a bunch and then select the best pieces to move on. Already have some finished with coarse cycle. Not the solid corals you like to tumble but the bots. Stuff has re-energized my tumbling enthusiasm. Not sure what I'm gonna do with them, but I think they are cool as heck! Something new to dust. Need to take pics, but I've grown photo lazy. 
These??? Interested to see those pics. Lotta potential there.
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Post by captbob on Apr 20, 2017 9:27:46 GMT -5
Yes, like those in the bucket. I call them "bots". May be a better name. As I said, I'm only doing coarse for now so I can carry on with the best of the best. Will go take a couple pics.
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Post by captbob on Apr 20, 2017 9:51:09 GMT -5
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Post by Garage Rocker on Apr 20, 2017 11:32:59 GMT -5
Nice looking material. Will be dyn-o-mite when/if they take a polish. Could be tough with all the crevices, but the challenge should keep you into it. It's cool when the bubble tops grind off and show something else underneath, like your second pic. Only tried a couple botryoidal pieces, not quite as distinct bubbling as that coral, but I liked the outcome.
Hope it all goes well, we'll be watching (patiently). |
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Post by Garage Rocker on Apr 20, 2017 11:34:39 GMT -5
One of my favorite tumbles. Big Snakeskins. No cracks, no pits, polished quickly(=dead hard)
Going to have to give these a try. It's the second or third time I've heard you reference these as a favorite. I gotta know for myself.
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notjustone
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2017
Posts: 426 
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Post by notjustone on Apr 20, 2017 11:39:59 GMT -5
I think I would prefer them over some of the real solid stuff. looks like they would have a lot going on in them. |
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,600
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Post by jamesp on Apr 20, 2017 11:58:07 GMT -5
Killer bots for the barrel captbob. Just don't run them too long. They loose their looks. Lots of smalls to get down in the pockets. They take a fine polish too. |
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Post by HankRocks on Apr 20, 2017 12:53:17 GMT -5
Are you breaking up larger pieces of the coral, or are those pieces how you found them? Either way I do like the Bytroidal. Trying to figure a way to polish it without losing too much of the look. May try a small batch of some of the recent trip agate. Wonder if using AO 80 for an extended period and then polish might limit the wearing down on the "bubbles" Of course under the bubbles can be even more layers of color.
Henry
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Post by captbob on Apr 20, 2017 14:07:19 GMT -5
Henry the smalls are as I found them - in someone's back yard!  Found an old collection close to home. Raided it 3 times so far. Not sure I need to go back for any more coral. I've already taken the cream of the crop. Tons of big heads left there, but don't know what I would do with anymore. May head back over to take a closer look at the Brazilian agates hoard. Maybe not a "hoard" more like 10-15 milk crates full. A bunch. Aside - makes me wonder what it cost to import Brazilian agates decades ago, and what the heck he did with them. Huge collection, limited variety of rock types though. Fun rummaging through all the buckets and big Tupperware type containers. Guy had -literally- tons of rock/coral. Limited room here and lack of desire to resell NO interest in reselling keep me from making an offer on the entire lot. |
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,492
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Post by Sabre52 on Apr 20, 2017 17:37:27 GMT -5
Wow, those botryoidal corals are friggin great! Sadly, many moss type agates develop pits in the tumble, though this is somewhat easier to handle and seems less a problem for me on the wheels. It's just the way the mineral/crystal structures line up in the stone. Plumes are often the same way. What looks like solid plume or moss is often more tubular in nature or softer than the chalcedony that surrounds it. The tumbler especially, tends to cut away at or catch polish or grit in these little soft spots, tubes or pits that are exposed when cut across. I've seen this even in the nicest types of moss like the Indian Green moss. Cut lengthwise without cutting across the filaments and no pits. Cut across the ends of the moss filaments, pits. Woodward plume sometimes has this problem too. Very frustrating, but that's just the way rocks grow. ON the wheels a lot of this problem can be fixed by using hot stuff or super glue to hit the tiny pits before you go to the polish pads. Just heat the stone up good and apply. hen finish polish after it sets a day or so. Can't do this with tumbles as it's too time consuming and the tumbler scoops the filler right out of the pits over time. I kicked myself for not supergluing this Woodward plume before I hit the pads. No excuse except I forgot...Mel  Looking through it:  |
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Post by HankRocks on Apr 20, 2017 18:34:13 GMT -5
Those are some very nice Bytroidal pieces. I have 4 or 5 flats of them that I am planning on doing something with. Not sure why I have such an attraction to them, just just look very neat to me. I picked up every piece I saw on my Big Bend trip and have almost 3 gallons of them.
Tapped in to an old friend's dad's collection, probably about 10 milk crates full of rough. A lot of it old stock stuff. Have only brought about 10% of it home. My friend did find a box with about 130 slabs in it that I brought home a week ago. One more dang box of stuff in my still dis-organized garage.
The question remains, how much is too much.
Henry
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Apr 20, 2017 19:57:11 GMT -5
Going slightly off topic - or still on topic but with a different angle ... What are Brazilian agates worth? Bigish 'uns, as in softball sized or better? They aren't as expensive as Montana agates are they? Never considered buying them (still not sure they attract me) but the person that has that coral hoard here close to home has crates and crates full of those Brazilians. Old time collection. Eyeballed them and they seem to be high quality. Worth a couple bucks a pound? Figure I could fill a 55 gal barrel for a few hundred bucks. They worth having? Not sure what I would/could do with them. Seems like they would be a boring tumble. (?) 
I've never seen plume in a Brazilian!
awesomeness
< kicking myself for seeing that offering in the For Sale section and saying "meh... Brazilian agates..." >
Read more: forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/thread/75904/mels-blackskin-brazilian-agates?page=1#ixzz4enYqzaBJ
Dang that Jeremy!! |
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Post by tims on Apr 20, 2017 20:15:29 GMT -5
Moss agate is really hit or miss for me, if mine grind through to the inclusions they pit out terribly, and only get worse with more rolling.
I'd warn away from Teepee canyon for anyone that likes perfect; maybe it's my method but they seem to love to chip, pit and crack. I still love them polished but probably a poor choice for perfectionists.
Pet wood has been good in my limited experience. A pinned list of "easy" stuff for beginners seems brilliant.
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Post by Garage Rocker on Apr 20, 2017 20:37:51 GMT -5
Moss agate is really hit or miss for me, if mine grind through to the inclusions they pit out terribly, and only get worse with more rolling. I'd warn away from Teepee canyon for anyone that likes perfect; maybe it's my method but they seem to love to chip, pit and crack. I still love them polished but probably a poor choice for perfectionists. Pet wood has been good in my limited experience. A pinned list of "easy" stuff for beginners seems brilliant. Good idea, as long as that list includes a caveat, 'easy tumbles' take a long, long time. They are, by nature, usually harder rocks. Thus they take a good shine. |
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,492
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Post by Sabre52 on Apr 20, 2017 21:20:56 GMT -5
Hard to pick a favorite tumble material but in terms of glass finish and easy going I'd choose Botswanas, Moctazumas, Lakers and Brazilian slabettes. Less problems and come out fantastic. Hornitos brecciated jasper works up real nice too. I personally hate Tigereye though the ranch kids like it best. I always seem to have trouble with bruising on the edges so have to round it like forever. Most frustrating agatte nodules I've ever tried to work are Queensland agates. They seem too have a lot of internal stress. Look so good when first cut and then always freaking fracture all over the place. Expensive dang stuff to have it go to crap every time you cut some.
Bob, you want to check for windows in those Brazilians. Over the years there have been several types imported. Some are just nice banded carnelians. Piranha's, sometimes called rainbows are awesome often multicolors and Umbos are usually gray with black and white with little color at all but often nice banding. Those are often treated. Eons ago when I were young Piranhas were fifty cents a pound but can be ten times that or more now. Umbos should be only be a couple bucks and carnelians a bit more..Mel
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Found an old collection close to home. Raided it 3 times so far. Not sure I need to go back for any more coral. I've already taken the cream of the crop. Tons of big heads left there, but don't know what I would do with anymore.
