jaime
off to a rocking start
Member since June 2020
Posts: 16
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Post by jaime on Jul 7, 2020 23:42:54 GMT -5
I bought about 10 lbs of rough quartz from therockshed.com and nearly every piece is extremely fractured. As a result, the rocks tumble very poorly. I’d love recommendations on where I can procure some quality quartz if anyone is up for sharing! Thank you!
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Post by MsAli on Jul 8, 2020 6:12:28 GMT -5
IMO there are some types of rocks that you have got to have certain expectation that they will contain fractures. Especially if its crushed rock.
Quartz is one of them. Therockshed has always been upstanding and me personally i'd reach to out to Shawn and see if he has some higher quality pieces.
Thegemshop is another place you could try
or keep an eye out here on the marketplace for rough
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Post by HankRocks on Jul 8, 2020 8:35:17 GMT -5
jaime I have found the best place to get un-fractured and mostly clear quartz is collecting it at the fee-mines in Arkansas. Probably not an option for you. Whenever I go I am always looking to pick up clear pieces broken off during th mining process. The crystal structure does make rounding them off during tumbling a lot easier than say Agate or jasper. There are also individual crystals that have damage that I throw in the tumble bucket. I am not sure who sells quartz like the ones I describe. Will check few of the shops located around the Arkansas area area and see if they have any.
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EricD
Cave Dweller
High in the Mountains
Member since November 2019
Posts: 1,142
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Post by EricD on Jul 8, 2020 9:14:23 GMT -5
I bought about 10 lbs of rough quartz from therockshed.com and nearly every piece is extremely fractured. As a result, the rocks tumble very poorly. I’d love recommendations on where I can procure some quality quartz if anyone is up for sharing! Thank you! I wonder if markymark still has some of this and if it's high enough quality for jaime:
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rockymom
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2015
Posts: 118
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Post by rockymom on Jul 8, 2020 9:27:58 GMT -5
I have bought smokey quartz and quartz crystal from the rock shed and they were both virtually fracture free almost kind of boring. The quartz crystals look like icicles when finished.
I really like quartz because it is quick tumble compared to agates. Also self collected by streams and looked for pre-rounded fracture free pieces. Sometimes the hunt is the best part.
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lordsorril
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since April 2020
Posts: 766
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Post by lordsorril on Jul 8, 2020 12:31:34 GMT -5
I bought about 10 lbs of rough quartz from therockshed.com and nearly every piece is extremely fractured. As a result, the rocks tumble very poorly. I’d love recommendations on where I can procure some quality quartz if anyone is up for sharing! Thank you! Quartz is crystalline it should not tumble poorly unless you are unhappy with the final product and are looking for optical clarity (which is a separate identifier when buying rough). If you are having issues tumbling it: then I would examine your method. Quartz will chip and fracture without adequate sizes/cushioning. A picture would help us figure out what is going on.
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jaime
off to a rocking start
Member since June 2020
Posts: 16
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Post by jaime on Jul 9, 2020 18:56:43 GMT -5
Hi everyone— thanks so much for all the tips, which are very helpful! I’ll try to add some pictures— just need to go through the tutorial.
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jaime
off to a rocking start
Member since June 2020
Posts: 16
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Post by jaime on Jul 10, 2020 15:11:58 GMT -5
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jaime
off to a rocking start
Member since June 2020
Posts: 16
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Post by jaime on Jul 10, 2020 15:14:07 GMT -5
I am new to tumbling so I am realizing that I am not a good judge gf quality at this point. I do love The Rock Shed-- got an excellent deal on my lot-o-tumbler (they're like the only website that does not charge sales tax?! Saved me 10% right off the bat!) and the customer service is excellent-- very fast shipping as well.
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wpotterw
spending too much on rocks
Member since September 2016
Posts: 421
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Post by wpotterw on Jul 10, 2020 15:28:33 GMT -5
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Post by pauls on Jul 10, 2020 16:41:34 GMT -5
New age shops are a source but you will pay fairly high prices, I check them out for faceting material. Faceting rough suppliers are another source for good fracture free Quartz, you will pay by the carat for this though. That's why I scrounge new age shops.
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lordsorril
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since April 2020
Posts: 766
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Post by lordsorril on Jul 11, 2020 7:36:25 GMT -5
Crushed rock is crushed rock and I wouldn't be thrilled with the shapes as they are now. If they were my stones I would take a rock chisel and a hammer and tap tap tap on the red lines pictured below to 'clean them up' a little before tumbling any further. They will be much smaller, but, they should look nice when are done
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,680
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Post by Fossilman on Jul 11, 2020 8:28:02 GMT -5
Hit Tony up.......
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jaime
off to a rocking start
Member since June 2020
Posts: 16
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Post by jaime on Jul 13, 2020 19:50:18 GMT -5
Crushed rock is crushed rock and I wouldn't be thrilled with the shapes as they are now. If they were my stones I would take a rock chisel and a hammer and tap tap tap on the red lines pictured below to 'clean them up' a little before tumbling any further. They will be much smaller, but, they should look nice when are done Love this idea! As a newb it is greatly appreciated!
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Post by greig on Jul 14, 2020 11:19:18 GMT -5
I can collect various kinds/colours of quartz in Ontario. It seems that most of the massive quartz from veins is fractured during extraction: Blasting or crushing. Points seem to survive better, but it seems a shame to tumble them. When I bring rock home, I find it better to cut it with a saw then make it smaller with a hammer. Good luck with your tumbles.
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