pizzano
Cave Dweller
Member since February 2018
Posts: 1,390
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Post by pizzano on Feb 14, 2018 16:12:24 GMT -5
Amature results of completely vibe tumbled Agates.....: Out of the batch posted previously, I managed about 40% worth showing off, 30% needing more refinement, 20% needing major help and 10% not worth keeping. As I have found with hobby grade rough rock purchase and collections (still kinda new at vibe tumbling), the initial effort required (cleaning, cutting, grinding) by hand, will be rewarding and time consuming.....but it pays off.
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Post by MsAli on Feb 14, 2018 16:13:36 GMT -5
Not bad at all!!
Where are you getting your rough from?
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pizzano
Cave Dweller
Member since February 2018
Posts: 1,390
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Post by pizzano on Feb 14, 2018 16:39:27 GMT -5
So far, have only purchased rough from The Rock Shed......they have a good selection and prices....but beware, they have heavy handed crushers. everything I have received in the quartz family has been deeply fractured...... same with many of their banded/serape selections of Jasper and amethyst........a 2" stone ends up around 1" after hand grind and cleaning.
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Post by fernwood on Feb 14, 2018 18:01:31 GMT -5
Welcome. Have you thought about purchasing larger, natural pieces and breaking/cutting them yourself?
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pizzano
Cave Dweller
Member since February 2018
Posts: 1,390
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Post by pizzano on Feb 14, 2018 19:24:04 GMT -5
Hi.....
Yes I have considered that. Have purchased 3" & 4" rough, which at The Rock Shed is considered a medium/large size for tumbling in an 8" bowl. Have had some decent results cutting and hand shaping Jasper prior to vibe.
However, I'm really not equiped with the tools to take on much larger than 4" to 5" pieces. I own a nice Dremel 4000, lots of various grades of diamond blades and bits, two small bench grinders (one for grinding, one for polishing), a couple of dual 4" rotary tumblers and the Lyman Turbo Twin vibe....that's it.....Oh, several sizes of hammers and chissels.....which I'm not to good at mastering without even more fractures to add to the purchases.
This was supposed to be the start of a "hobby" my wife and I could both enjoy......on a budget (which I have exceeded)......lol
Anyway, like most of my hobbies, once I've gotten decent at it, cost always rises exponentially.......If I really ever get serious and come up with some disposable income, I'll purchase a horizontal lap and a decent size table top stone cutting saw........then try to find a place to put them and try to get a "return" on my investment.......lol
Thanks for the suggestion...
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Post by MsAli on Feb 15, 2018 0:24:22 GMT -5
I love The Rock Shed, but been getting my rough lately from The Gem Shop. Larger pieces, good quality (IMO) if you register with them they give a discount and good shipping costs. Plus it is fun to take a hammer and work out some stress.
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Wooferhound
Cave Dweller
Lortone QT66 and 3A
Member since December 2016
Posts: 1,422
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Post by Wooferhound on Feb 15, 2018 7:22:20 GMT -5
This was supposed to be the start of a "hobby" my wife and I could both enjoy......on a budget (which I have exceeded)......lol Anyway, like most of my hobbies, once I've gotten decent at it, cost always rises exponentially.......If I really ever get serious and come up with some disposable income, I'll purchase a horizontal lap and a decent size table top stone cutting saw........then try to find a place to put them and try to get a "return" on my investment.......lol After I bought 3 tumblers and 60 pounds of grit it was really cheap
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Post by fantastic5 on Feb 15, 2018 8:24:10 GMT -5
Great shine on all, but that first one is my favorite for sure! And welcome!
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pizzano
Cave Dweller
Member since February 2018
Posts: 1,390
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Post by pizzano on Feb 15, 2018 8:37:16 GMT -5
I love The Rock Shed, but been getting my rough lately from The Gem Shop. Larger pieces, good quality (IMO) if you register with them they give a discount and good shipping costs. Plus it is fun to take a hammer and work out some stress. Ya, I like most of the Shed's rough, but now stay away from the smaller/medium quartz types. The Gem Shop looks interesting. A little reluctant due to the size of their material. I spent the first 6 months at this spliting, cracking, banging and smashing chunks of our "home grown" rough. Mostly, Fledspar, milky pink/white Quartz, Rose Quartz, Quartzite, Blue Granite, Speckled Basalt, common Granite Opal, Blue/White Calcite, Pink/Red Garnet and various Halites. Thought I'd give the chissel and hammers a break...lol....and was looking for more "exotic" and colorful MOHS 7 types. Found The Shed and due to the convience and lack of managable "exotics" here in the So. Cal deserts and mountains, we started getting lazy and began purchasing.....lol...My son has brought us several lbs. of interesting natural rough from Utah (I have yet to identify)....maybe I'll start wacking on them and see what happens......!
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pizzano
Cave Dweller
Member since February 2018
Posts: 1,390
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Post by pizzano on Feb 15, 2018 8:46:14 GMT -5
Great shine on all, but that first one is my favorite for sure! And welcome! Thanks.......It's taken some practice, but finally getting there. I managed to end-up with several nice nuggets like the first one and many "almost ready to show". Just posted 3 due to forum practice and time......most were about an 1" in size......still learning, that's what I like about this hobby, everything is a new adventure with surprises and "pit-falls".....lol
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Post by fantastic5 on Feb 15, 2018 8:51:12 GMT -5
Great shine on all, but that first one is my favorite for sure! And welcome! Thanks.......It's taken some practice, but finally getting there. I managed to end-up with several nice nuggets like the first one and many "almost ready to show". Just posted 3 due to forum practice and time......most were about an 1" in size......still learning, that's what I like about this hobby, everything is a new adventure with surprises and "pit-falls".....lol I always try to teach my kids that successful people will learn more from their failures than from their successes. This hobby is very much the same way. The flip side of that is just being too critical of your own work. Everything is a balance. Thanks for sharing your work!
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pizzano
Cave Dweller
Member since February 2018
Posts: 1,390
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Post by pizzano on Feb 15, 2018 8:52:15 GMT -5
This was supposed to be the start of a "hobby" my wife and I could both enjoy......on a budget (which I have exceeded)......lol Anyway, like most of my hobbies, once I've gotten decent at it, cost always rises exponentially.......If I really ever get serious and come up with some disposable income, I'll purchase a horizontal lap and a decent size table top stone cutting saw........then try to find a place to put them and try to get a "return" on my investment.......lol After I bought 3 tumblers and 60 pounds of grit it was really cheap Ya.....it started out inexpensive with us at first too......lol.....But our taste has grown and our pocket book is still "beer budget".....lol
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Post by Jugglerguy on Feb 15, 2018 20:14:30 GMT -5
That first bot is awesome. I have a batch coming out this weekend. Is the color in that picture accurate? I’ve never seen such a purple Bot.
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pizzano
Cave Dweller
Member since February 2018
Posts: 1,390
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Post by pizzano on Feb 15, 2018 20:43:10 GMT -5
That first bot is awesome. I have a batch coming out this weekend. Is the color in that picture accurate? I’ve never seen such a purple Bot. Thanks....If you mean "photo shopped" or otherwise modified, NO...!....I wouldn't even know where to start with that application...LOL All of the photos were taken with a digital camera......my cell phone. I had two artificial light sources from two different directions. Dual Cool White fluorescents tube type and one fixed fluorescent bulb, each are 60watt. Both are the lighting in my "man cave " garage/shop. I took the advise of a thread here at the forum and changed my camera settings (limited as they are) to reflect no flash and no auto focus. Also increased the frame ratio and held a very steady hand at about 7" away from the target. The "bot" you mention has the same color specktrum in natural sun light.........I have 5 pieces from the same larger rough I cut, that look very similar. Quite frankly, this was my first attempt at Botswana. Had no idea what to expect. When the rough was delivered and inspected, I mentioned to the seller that they looked more like cab material......he laughed and said I would be surprised.....I WAS.....lol Hope your's come out with a surprise like mine........! Note: Forgot to mention....if you take a look at my other thread, you'll notice the same material wet in a yellow bowl after a grind stage.......you'll see the purple in that photo under different lighting conditions, my kitchen.
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Post by Jugglerguy on Feb 15, 2018 21:19:40 GMT -5
That first bot is awesome. I have a batch coming out this weekend. Is the color in that picture accurate? I’ve never seen such a purple Bot. Thanks....If you mean "photo shopped" or otherwise modified, NO...!....I wouldn't even know where to start with that application...LOL All of the photos were taken with a digital camera......my cell phone. I had two artificial light sources from two different directions. Dual Cool White fluorescents tube type and one fixed fluorescent bulb, each are 60watt. Both are the lighting in my "man cave " garage/shop. I took the advise of a thread here at the forum and changed my camera settings (limited as they are) to reflect no flash and no auto focus. Also increased the frame ratio and held a very steady hand at about 7" away from the target. The "bot" you mention has the same color specktrum in natural sun light.........I have 5 pieces from the same larger rough I cut, that look very similar. Quite frankly, this was my first attempt at Botswana. Had no idea what to expect. When the rough was delivered and inspected, I mentioned to the seller that they looked more like cab material......he laughed and said I would be surprised.....I WAS.....lol Hope your's come out with a surprise like mine........! Note: Forgot to mention....if you take a look at my other thread, you'll notice the same material wet in a yellow bowl after a grind stage.......you'll see the purple in that photo under different lighting conditions, my kitchen. I'm sorry, I really didn't mean to sound like I was accusing you of Photoshopping your photos. Actually, I sometimes use my photo program to adjust colors on my pictures in an attempt to make them look more like the rocks do in real life, so Photoshopping isn't necessarily a bad thing. I was just surprised at the color. The Bots I've seen have mostly been brown or gray. Yours looks really cool. This will be my second batch of Bots finished, but they were all purchased at the same time so I don't expect them to look any different than the first ones.
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