titaniumkid
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since June 2023
Posts: 227
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Post by titaniumkid on Jul 25, 2023 20:08:44 GMT -5
G'day everyone! I've been lingering for a while, but finally decided to join and contribute. Thank you so much for all your posts; they've been really useful to a beginner rock tumbler like me. I've loved rocks since I was a kid, especially tumbled rocks, and as an adult I occasionally looked into getting a rock tumbler but never committed until I was given a National Geographic tumbler as a gift last year. It was not even an entry level tumbler, but more the toy marketed at kids. It did the job though, and I bought better quality grit and more rocks as the obsession took hold. Sadly, though, the machine is notorious for being hard to open and close, and I eventually cracked the lid trying to close it With a bunch of rocks and grit sitting there but no tumbler, what's a person to do but get a better tumbler Because of space limitations (tumbling happens in the bathroom), the upgraded tumbler is a Lortone 3a. It's my baby, along with my kids and dog (and rocks) <3 I don't live in the best part of Aus for finding tumbler-worthy rocks (unless I start nicking them from gardens), but I did recently visit what must be Victoria's equivalent to The Rock Shed: Crystal World. The prices were a bit steep, especially as I compare and drool over what it available in the US, but it was fun. I'm an ecotoxicologist/zoologist/ecologist/not-sure-what-I-am by training, so that does make me a bit paranoid/neurotic about the toxicity of some of the things involved in rock tumbling and the environmental implications of what I'm doing. I try to be careful. I look forward to sharing some adventures here and learning from your collective wisdom. Kallie
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Post by Pat on Jul 25, 2023 20:22:28 GMT -5
Welcome from California. Not a tumbler, but there are many expert tumblers here. Enjoy!
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Post by rockjunquie on Jul 25, 2023 21:13:25 GMT -5
Welcome from Virginia!
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Post by jasoninsd on Jul 25, 2023 21:38:43 GMT -5
Hey Kallie! Welcome to the forum from South Dakota, USA! (I'm right around the corner from The Rock Shed!! )
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Post by vegasjames on Jul 25, 2023 21:51:42 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum.
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RockyBeach
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since July 2023
Posts: 240
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Post by RockyBeach on Jul 25, 2023 22:17:47 GMT -5
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ashley
Cave Dweller
Member since February 2023
Posts: 915
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Post by ashley on Jul 25, 2023 22:56:38 GMT -5
Hi from Illinois!
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Post by liveoak on Jul 26, 2023 6:04:25 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum from NW Florida, Good on ya mate for taking the plunge.
Patty
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chris1956
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2022
Posts: 1,295
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Post by chris1956 on Jul 26, 2023 7:27:28 GMT -5
Welcome from Missouri, USA. I have a Lortone 3A and it is a great machine.
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Post by aDave on Jul 26, 2023 11:17:04 GMT -5
Welcome to the Forum from Southern California. I am interested in this one comment from your introduction:
It doesn't have to be here in this thread, but I'd like to see you expand on this and explain your concerns. I'm sure others would like to see that as well, as "toxicity" has never been something I've considered from the tumbling side of things, with the exception of the herbicidal quality of Borax.
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Post by Starguy on Jul 26, 2023 11:34:22 GMT -5
Hi Kallie titaniumkidWelcome from Idaho USA. Great choice with the Lortone 3A. That was my first tumbler and it lasted over 30 years. I still have it but it has become unreliable.
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Post by pauls on Jul 26, 2023 17:14:47 GMT -5
Hi kallie.
Welcome from another Victorian. Central Vic so if there's anything I can help with give me a shout. Also I have some bits and pieces looking for a home that would be good in your tumbler, free.
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Post by pauls on Jul 26, 2023 20:44:33 GMT -5
As to the toxicity of things in the tumbler. you don't need to worry too much. Most of the rocks you would likely be tumbling are just variations of Quartz so Si02, (Quartz family). Avoid metallic ores, not that you could even get most of them to polish. Iron will be OK, so Hematite and Banded iron Formation and Tiger Iron, but are really messy. The grits you use will be Silicon Carbide. Polish is likely Tin Oxide which shouldn't be toxic. Cerium Oxide Aluminium Oxide and Chrome Oxide are the alternatives I will leave the toxicity of them to your expertise.
I have never found the need to use Borax, our water here is good and doesn't leave streaks
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Post by opalpyrexia on Jul 26, 2023 20:59:00 GMT -5
Welcome from Washington State.
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dillonf
fully equipped rock polisher
Hounding and tumbling
Member since February 2022
Posts: 1,601
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Post by dillonf on Jul 26, 2023 21:11:19 GMT -5
Welcome
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titaniumkid
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since June 2023
Posts: 227
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Post by titaniumkid on Jul 26, 2023 21:54:25 GMT -5
Welcome to the Forum from Southern California. I am interested in this one comment from your introduction: It doesn't have to be here in this thread, but I'd like to see you expand on this and explain your concerns. I'm sure others would like to see that as well, as "toxicity" has never been something I've considered from the tumbling side of things, with the exception of the herbicidal quality of Borax. I've done a lot of research on water and sediment pollution. We were monitoring and measuring the impacts of many types of pollutants on aquatic organisms, from pesticides to industrial chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and (especially in urban environments) metals, so I'm very conscious of the impact of metals on the environment. I'm familiar with ecological guidelines for these pollutants, but they are usually derived from acute exposures, not chronic or sublethal exposures. A lot of our research uncovered the impacts of what would normally be considered harmless concentrations of pollutants on organisms, especially if they are exposed over a long time. I know a lot of the beautiful colours in rocks come from metals that might not be good for soil organisms. If they aren't bound to the soil, they can also easily be flushed into stormwater and end up in creeks or the bay (this is what happens here in Australia, where our stormwater system is separate from the sewer). It's also a case of a little bit of knowledge making me super paranoid about what I might potentially be exposing my kids and dog to (I'm not a human toxicologist and my understanding of soil and air pollution is limited; I'm also an anxious person haha). It makes me think twice about what rocks I might tumble, and also what I do with the slurry. Currently, I'm letting the slurry settle out; then I dewater it and, possibly taking a bit of a risk with the pipes, tip the water into the sink so that any water soluble contaminants will at least undergo water treatment before being released into an aquatic ecosystem. I've seen data showing wastewater treatment is pretty good at removing metals. Any remaining solids will be binned (and I'm hoping any metal concentrations in that will be fairly low and diluted by the grit and non-toxic bits of rocks). Am I crazy? Yeah, but I don't want to hurt the worms in the garden
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titaniumkid
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since June 2023
Posts: 227
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Post by titaniumkid on Jul 26, 2023 21:56:57 GMT -5
Hi kallie. Welcome from another Victorian. Central Vic so if there's anything I can help with give me a shout. Also I have some bits and pieces looking for a home that would be good in your tumbler, free. I'm in south-east Melb but I'm a country kid (originally NSW, near Mildura). Nice to meet you
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Post by catmandewe on Jul 26, 2023 23:17:10 GMT -5
Welcome from Idaho.
Tony
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michiganpebbler
spending too much on rocks
Member since April 2023
Posts: 344
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Post by michiganpebbler on Jul 27, 2023 11:15:27 GMT -5
Hey Kallie! Welcome to the forum from South Dakota, USA! (I'm right around the corner from The Rock Shed!! ) Bragger!
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michiganpebbler
spending too much on rocks
Member since April 2023
Posts: 344
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Post by michiganpebbler on Jul 27, 2023 11:18:42 GMT -5
Welcome from lower Michigan!
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