rockhoundmn
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since November 2020
Posts: 75
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Post by rockhoundmn on Dec 20, 2020 23:14:30 GMT -5
So this definitely was interesting! I had a few expectations of how this would turn out and included lots of rocks that were mainly an experiment. I'm glad I didn't start with my best, but did have several that I would consider among my favs. I tried to include a sample of each type of rock I have. Ones that I figured would not hold up too well, or would hold up just fine and some I had really no clue about. I had a couple of technical difficulties with the tumbler at the start. I woke up to a screaming sound that scared the crap out of me on the first morning. Pretty much pulled the machine apart cleaning, oiling the ends of the shafts, discovered my barrel likes to wander to the right, adjusted the pulley on the motor so alignment was better got it going again and discovered the little plastic slip guard on the shaft was causing the noise. Realigned everything and we were good to go! But the barrel didn't sound right and as I watched it, there was definitely some issue with the load distribution. So off it came and I opened her up to take a look. Well, in the time I'd done my little maintenance, a 1" pile of cement had formed in the bottom of the barrel and had glued a good portion of the rocks to it! Lucky I found it as I wasn't looking for it. So I sorted that out, put it all back together and left it running without a problem for a week. No problems, no shifting, same sound of tumbling rocks. The results were that some came out just as beautiful but more enhanced. Some lost their features and others revealed features. Some I can't even recognize and others were more interesting as rough, as it turns out. I'm really interested to see which ones will take a polish in the vibe. Some I will need to do some shaping with, using the dremel, before I polish them. Some are a bust. But I'm super excited and glad I have more of an idea now of which rocks to keep and which probably won't work. Got too excited to match rough photos with "after" shots for comparison. Think I'll be more detailed with that next time. My other hobby is macro photography so I can't wait to shoot the rocks too. Thanks for watching!
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rockhoundmn
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since November 2020
Posts: 75
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Post by rockhoundmn on Dec 20, 2020 23:17:09 GMT -5
The order of pics is messed up. Rather than fixing it, I thought it might be fun to work out which is meant to go where. Or not fun. Either way, I'm too lazy to go back into the post and figure out where to move them.
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Post by stephan on Dec 21, 2020 0:37:11 GMT -5
Well, you definitely got some nice ones, and it’s good to hear you are chalking up the imperfect ones to “experience” and “interesting.”
I have to agree with you on your favorite. It’s pretty cool — along with the agates, and couple that appear to be petrified wood.
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Post by rockpickerforever on Dec 21, 2020 1:12:49 GMT -5
Congrats on your first batch, those are beauties, what a shine!
I think your fav is also mine.
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Post by rmf on Dec 21, 2020 6:25:43 GMT -5
Nice Pics!!! I like #9 best as well but #3 is good and #13 is Mary Ellen Jasper. Nice variety.
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Post by jasoninsd on Dec 21, 2020 8:44:48 GMT -5
Great pics! (They're huge!) I too had "screeching" from my Model B when I first started running it. My barrel was drifting and was rubbing against the Barrel Guides on the roller. My solution, I shimmed up one side of the base and that corrected the drift. You've got the right attitude about the one's not making the cut! I've heard/read you shouldn't let the rocks get dry between stages. I understand that will "cement" any sludge that is still in any crack/crevice/pit. Maybe someone with a lot more experience will chime in about that one...
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electrocutus
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2020
Posts: 331
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Post by electrocutus on Dec 21, 2020 9:15:31 GMT -5
Your rocks are all beautiful. I would agree with your fav choice, but there are many very close behind!
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Post by miket on Dec 21, 2020 10:29:03 GMT -5
I'd say your first batch was a success! Very nice, thanks for sharing!
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quartzilla
Cave Dweller
Member since April 2020
Posts: 1,211
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Post by quartzilla on Dec 21, 2020 11:00:09 GMT -5
Good job those look great!
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rockhoundmn
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since November 2020
Posts: 75
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Post by rockhoundmn on Dec 21, 2020 14:40:33 GMT -5
Great pics! (They're huge!) I too had "screeching" from my Model B when I first started running it. My barrel was drifting and was rubbing against the Barrel Guides on the roller. My solution, I shimmed up one side of the base and that corrected the drift. You've got the right attitude about the one's not making the cut! I've heard/read you shouldn't let the rocks get dry between stages. I understand that will "cement" any sludge that is still in any crack/crevice/pit. Maybe someone with a lot more experience will chime in about that one... Sorry, I did resize the pics! I thought this might reduce the obnoxious size of the photos... Thanks for the message. I will be trying to Dremel out the pits with cement in them as well as try and grind some spalled spots and nubby nubs before adding to the vibe. Best thing about this experiment is that they are all expendable to me. With a few of my favs added, to give a little excitement
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rockhoundmn
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since November 2020
Posts: 75
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Post by rockhoundmn on Dec 21, 2020 14:42:56 GMT -5
Nice Pics!!! I like #9 best as well but #3 is good and #13 is Mary Ellen Jasper. Nice variety. Thank you! I've been admiring other people's pics of Mary Ellen Jasper and I love this particular rock. Didn't make the connection until you pointed this out.
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gatorflash1
spending too much on rocks
Active in Delaware Mineralogical Society, Cabchon Grinding and Polishing, 2 Thumlers B's and a UV-18
Member since October 2018
Posts: 375
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Post by gatorflash1 on Dec 23, 2020 21:16:28 GMT -5
I have some questions about your first batch.
How hard were the rocks you tumbled? What sizes and what medium did you use? Why did you pick these particular rocks to tumble?
How long did you tumble in each stage? Did you carefully check your rocks at the end of a stage to see if they were ready to move to the next stage?
How did you clean the rocks and tumbler between stages?
What kind and how much grit and polish did you use at each stage?
What was the most important thing you learned when tumbling this batch?
What do you think the reason was that caused some rocks to turn out smoothly rounded and shiny, and what caused the result for those that didn't pass your expectations?
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kyoti
has rocks in the head
Member since June 2020
Posts: 542
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Post by kyoti on Dec 24, 2020 9:56:14 GMT -5
Congrats on your first batch! I love the three pale rocks after your favorite Rock picture. They have really cool patterns in them. You have some nice Moss agates in there as well.
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rockhoundmn
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since November 2020
Posts: 75
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Post by rockhoundmn on Dec 25, 2020 0:23:52 GMT -5
Thanks for the replies! gatorflash1 excellent questions, I will type out an answer tomorrow when I'm less sleepy. Merry Christmas everyone!!!
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dshanpnw
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since December 2020
Posts: 883
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Post by dshanpnw on Dec 26, 2020 13:46:00 GMT -5
Hello rockhoundmn, very nice pics and a great batch of rocks! They're great!
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jlcochran42
starting to shine!
Member since July 2020
Posts: 29
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Post by jlcochran42 on Dec 26, 2020 23:57:47 GMT -5
Great job...I'm relatively new at this as well. I started tumbling last year by getting a National Geographic Tumbler for Christmas '18. Once I got comfortable I got serious and bought a couple of tumblers on the more expensive side. Like you, it took time for me to gain experience, either by trial and error, reading this forum, and other research. It just takes time and a few other things like:
- Garbage in, Garbage Out. Carefully inspect your rocks after each stage. Some just aren't worthy of your time.
- Don't rush science. If it takes thousands of years for nature to do it, why do you think you can rush through it in a few weeks?
- Cushion the rocks. I use plastic pellets on about a 1/2 full 3lb tumbler to fill it up to about 2/3. Too much banging can damage them.
Good luck on future batches!
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chandler
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2020
Posts: 105
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Post by chandler on Dec 27, 2020 14:55:21 GMT -5
Congrats on first tumble! I just posted my first tumble also. Great rocks!
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Wooferhound
Cave Dweller
Lortone QT66 and 3A
Member since December 2016
Posts: 1,423
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Post by Wooferhound on Dec 28, 2020 6:29:17 GMT -5
The Crevasses and Concave areas did not do very well. I suggest adding more Smalls to the mix to get these detailed areas polished better. the final polish stage is the tricky part. I ended up . . .
- Fill the barrel fuller than all than all the other stages, more than 3/4 full - Use half rocks and half plastic beads - Use Aluminum Oxide (AO) very fine grade higher than 10000 Grit - Roll it for at least a week, I've checked after 3 days and had really good results at that time
You are getting close !
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rockhoundmn
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since November 2020
Posts: 75
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Post by rockhoundmn on Dec 28, 2020 16:40:33 GMT -5
Thanks again everyone! I just love this place.
Unfortunately, I have hurt my back and this has set me back some. I will be moving the tumbler off the ground after this lot finishes.
I am still answering some of those questions myself, thank you all for the thought provoking comments.
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gatorflash1
spending too much on rocks
Active in Delaware Mineralogical Society, Cabchon Grinding and Polishing, 2 Thumlers B's and a UV-18
Member since October 2018
Posts: 375
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Post by gatorflash1 on Dec 29, 2020 7:42:39 GMT -5
Get well soon!
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