Kai
spending too much on rocks
Member since December 2018
Posts: 331
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Post by Kai on Jun 24, 2019 14:16:09 GMT -5
I am interested in your ideas what to do with all those pretty little rounded stones that form as waste material after every round of tumbling not-so-perfect material which flakes a bit or as the end of life of filler material. They're really pretty, nice and rounded, it'd be a pity to just throw them away.
What to do with them? I don't have quite enough of them yet to make a whole mosaic or another large project of similar scale.
What do you usually do, any good ideas?
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Post by MsAli on Jun 24, 2019 14:35:55 GMT -5
I either re-use them as filler or they go in my planters
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jimaz
spending too much on rocks
Member since July 2018
Posts: 474 
Member is Online
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Post by jimaz on Jun 24, 2019 15:52:13 GMT -5
Filler.
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harrym
having dreams about rocks
NH - The Granite State
Member since January 2019
Posts: 59
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Post by harrym on Jun 25, 2019 17:26:22 GMT -5
It is a pity since many are really nice, but I use them as media until they disappear. Makes me wish I had a fish tank, they'd be great for a stony bottom
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Post by stonemon on Jun 25, 2019 19:40:38 GMT -5
I agree with harrym, fish tank material... make sure they are not toxic!
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Post by wigglinrocks on Jun 25, 2019 19:56:55 GMT -5
I'm just hoarding them in buckets , thinking someday I will come up with a brilliant use for them .
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Post by Rockindad on Jun 25, 2019 22:24:13 GMT -5
We are getting quite the collection of these as well. Prefer ceramics for filler so they are building up. My son has made some bracelets and pendants with them. The pendants were just purchased findings (hearts and squares) that he fit the small pieces into jigsaw style, turned out very nice.
Al
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Kai
spending too much on rocks
Member since December 2018
Posts: 331
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Post by Kai on Jun 25, 2019 23:47:17 GMT -5
One person contacted me via PM with a very interesting idea (I don't know why they didn't post it here, maybe they want to stay anonymous), anyway they suggested for the little stones to be used as a gem tree - and they even gave me a link to a tutorial how to do it. I really like this suggestion, I read through the tutorial twice already and I'm finding this idea more and more appealing!
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Post by pauls on Jun 26, 2019 1:29:58 GMT -5
I'm glad someone found a tutorial, I looked but couldn't find anything so I kept quiet. A few of the ladies at Agate Creek make these at camp while their husbands are out hunting for Agates.
They aren't generic trees either, you can look at one of their Gem trees and look around the camp and see the tree it's modeled on.
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller 
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,718
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Post by Fossilman on Jun 26, 2019 9:08:52 GMT -5
I keep using them till they just grind away.... Unless its jasper and agate pieces, than they go into small jars and sold..
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Post by opalpyrexia on Jun 26, 2019 13:44:01 GMT -5
If I tumbled and produced small, low dome leftovers like those on a regular basis, I would save any that looked interesting and take them through to final polish. Then I would then flatten one side to the point of leaving a slight radius on the bottom edge and call them cabs. A group of 5 or 6 of them might make a nice designer's parcel to sell as accent stones or for smaller jewelry pieces.
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MommaGem
spending too much on rocks
Member since April 2019
Posts: 312
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Post by MommaGem on Jun 27, 2019 10:25:05 GMT -5
I let them go through polish with the rest of their batch and then collect them on my windowsill. Makes for a nice decoration  |
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Post by Lapidaryrough / Jack Cole on Jun 27, 2019 11:29:08 GMT -5
Mosaics picture or resin pours for tables or hangings in front of windows.
Stone tree material.
My favorite is fish tank gravels. with geodes
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Kai
spending too much on rocks
Member since December 2018
Posts: 331
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Post by Kai on Jun 27, 2019 11:30:52 GMT -5
I let them go through polish with the rest of their batch and then collect them on my windowsill. Makes for a nice decoration  I try to imagine how this would look like in a house with 3 cats...   |
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jun 27, 2019 12:01:39 GMT -5
Collect enough, and you could make your own exposed aggregate/pebble concrete paths ( or pavers). Just tamp them into the wet poured and leveled concrete surface, allow to partially set, then broom off the cement to expose your colorful rocks. You can do the same thing with unwanted slabs, endcuts, etc. |
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MommaGem
spending too much on rocks
Member since April 2019
Posts: 312
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Post by MommaGem on Jun 27, 2019 12:47:40 GMT -5
I let them go through polish with the rest of their batch and then collect them on my windowsill. Makes for a nice decoration I try to imagine how this would look like in a house with 3 cats...   Ohhhh, that's true! We have 2 cats, but this is a room they can't access, so no scattered "cat toys" all over the room  |
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Kai
spending too much on rocks
Member since December 2018
Posts: 331
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Post by Kai on Jun 27, 2019 13:38:28 GMT -5
Collect enough, and you could make your own exposed aggregate/pebble concrete paths ( or pavers). Just tamp them into the wet poured and leveled concrete surface, allow to partially set, then broom off the cement to expose your colorful rocks. You can do the same thing with unwanted slabs, endcuts, etc. Oh, also a lovely idea, but you would need TONS of them!  They're tiny, maybe 5mm each. |
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jun 27, 2019 15:57:03 GMT -5
Oh, also a lovely idea, but you would need TONS of them! They're tiny, maybe 5mm each. Even the small ones can be sprinkled among larger smooth river pebbles to add more color. You can also embed them in thin-set tile mortar for small, indoor projects (backsplashes, accents, tabletops). They can also be embedded in organic tile mastic or epoxy for very small items such as wooden box lids or trays. If you have enough to sort them by color, then small mosaics as was mentioned previously. |
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Post by Rockindad on Jun 27, 2019 18:01:29 GMT -5
I let them go through polish with the rest of their batch and then collect them on my windowsill. Makes for a nice decoration I try to imagine how this would look like in a house with 3 cats... If they are anything like my cat Junes was just throw them on the floor- now you know exactly how this would look like!  Al |
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Post by Lapidaryrough / Jack Cole on Jun 27, 2019 19:41:41 GMT -5
Collect enough, and you could make your own exposed aggregate/pebble concrete paths ( or pavers). Just tamp them into the wet poured and leveled concrete surface, allow to partially set, then broom off the cement to expose your colorful rocks. You can do the same thing with unwanted slabs, endcuts, etc. spray coat of sugar water to expose the stones. after tapping them into the cement. wash off the next day. signed mason |
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They're tiny, maybe 5mm each. 
