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Post by johnw on Oct 6, 2018 10:03:13 GMT -5
johnw Enjoy and admire them! Also cab them and put them in jewelry. Some are just for display; some serve as coasters. Used to enjoy the chase in the wilds, but just easy chasing now. Hi Pat, Thanks for sharing, have a great weekend. Cheers, johnw
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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 Oct 23, 2018 21:40:53 GMT -5
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Post by MsAli on Oct 23, 2018 21:48:39 GMT -5
Those were actually pretty cool
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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 Oct 24, 2018 17:04:16 GMT -5
Hot Melt Glue is your friend
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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 Apr 5, 2019 20:54:53 GMT -5
I am useless now . . . The last barrels I loaded have been running for a month Two 6 pound barrels, both running the same batches of rocks One running in 600 SiC Silicon Carbide The other running 1000 AO Aluminum Oxide Prepolish Both barrels with plastic beads. I think the 1000 prepolish may be making polished rocks by now . . .
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Post by Rockindad on Apr 6, 2019 4:50:05 GMT -5
I am useless now . . . The last barrels I loaded have been running for a month Two 6 pound barrels, both running the same batches of rocks One running in 600 SiC Silicon Carbide The other running 1000 AO Aluminum Oxide Prepolish Both barrels with plastic beads. I think the 1000 prepolish may be making polished rocks by now . . . Maybe it's time to step away for a bit? If it us starting to feel like a chore or obligation you will resent it and may never want to get back into it. Any other lapidary pursuit interest you? Al
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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 Apr 6, 2019 6:52:55 GMT -5
Maybe it's time to step away for a bit? If it us starting to feel like a chore or obligation you will resent it and may never want to get back into it. Any other lapidary pursuit interest you? Al I will get-it-together and finish these 2 barrels next week. Then I have several varieties stone countertop material I really want to try. I have been working Overtime at my real job and it's really pushing tumbling off the priority list. Plus, I have about 10 hobbies and tumbling will eventually work it's way back into the rotation.
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Post by Rockindad on Apr 6, 2019 7:55:15 GMT -5
Maybe it's time to step away for a bit? If it us starting to feel like a chore or obligation you will resent it and may never want to get back into it. Any other lapidary pursuit interest you? Al I will get-it-together and finish these 2 barrels next week. Then I have several varieties stone countertop material I really want to try. I have been working Overtime at my real job and it's really pushing tumbling off the priority list. Plus, I have about 10 hobbies and tumbling will eventually work it's way back into the rotation.
I hear ya, been working all kinds of crazy hours the last few months. Damn work getting in the way of the fun stuff! Al
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Post by Toad on Apr 6, 2019 18:16:05 GMT -5
I cut short my tumbling season in 2017 and took 2018 completely off. Just hit the doldrums I guess...
But my 12 pound barrels have started again today and I'm really looking forward to the clean out next Saturday. My goal is to finish rocks fist-size or larger. I still have plenty of smaller stuff, but I need something for filler, right?
Don't let the hobby rule you. If you need a break, take it.
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Post by Starguy on Apr 6, 2019 23:00:19 GMT -5
Wooferhound I hear you. I have been tumbling for 40 years. I have had some pretty long periods of lack of interest. Like Pat said, there are other fun things to do with rocks. I have 3 cabbing machines and an old beat up faceter that I play with too. The coolest thing I do with my tumbled rocks is plunk them down in front of kids and tell them they can pick any rock they like. It keeps them quiet for a long time and they are always happy with what they find. I hope you find your inspiration with rocks. It’s kind of a dying hobby. We need to be teaching the next generations about lapidary arts. My 22 year old son made his first cab a couple weeks ago. He had a lot of fun working on it.
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Post by 1dave on Apr 7, 2019 5:07:45 GMT -5
For me it is NOT what I do with the rocks - It's what Mother Nature did with them!
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amathyst
off to a rocking start
Member since April 2019
Posts: 4
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Post by amathyst on Apr 7, 2019 16:25:52 GMT -5
Remember - one persons trash is another persons treasure. That being said - if it were me and I had too many polished stones and I was running out of uses for them, I would pick out the worst (yes, the worst) and just leave them around the neighborhood, parks, parking lots, etc. Children love finding pretty rocks and they would be thrilled to run across something like this at the park or creek. And your worst ones would be their best ones, you know what I mean? My daughter is 21 now but she still has not lost the love of picking up pretty rocks. (One reason I finally invested in a tumbler) I am brand new to tumbling - I just filled my tumbler for the first time today. I think we will be doing it for a long time though because we plan to make jewelry with the polished stones, and I know I could buy stones polished already but I kind of like the idea of doing it myself - even if they don't all turn out fantastic. The ones that don't fit what we are doing, will go around the parks for children to find. One good thing about rocks, they are never garbage. They can always go somewhere outside.
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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 Apr 8, 2019 7:34:53 GMT -5
We keep the ones we like and then give the others to kids in the neighborhood or send a box with my daughter to school. Even if you don't have kids you could probably call the office and see if they have interest. Might inspire the next generation of tumblers and rock hounds. I second this idea. I teach at the local elementary afterschool program helping out kids with their homework. I give out tumbled rocks as prizes to those who finish all their homework. They really like to look at the various rocks and pendants (the pendants are drilled and the kids can make Moana necklaces, etc. for mom). The rocks that really get them the most excited, and chatty, are when I bring in some different coprolites. They think this is the coolest thing since sliced bread, or dinosaurs. Anyone ever tumbler a coprolite? I'll have to try that.
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driver
off to a rocking start
Member since April 2019
Posts: 17
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Post by driver on Apr 8, 2019 23:11:35 GMT -5
Wooferhound I hear you. I have been tumbling for 40 years. I have had some pretty long periods of lack of interest. Like Pat said, there are other fun things to do with rocks. I have 3 cabbing machines and an old beat up faceter that I play with too. The coolest thing I do with my tumbled rocks is plunk them down in front of kids and tell them they can pick any rock they like. It keeps them quiet for a long time and they are always happy with what they find. I hope you find your inspiration with rocks. It’s kind of a dying hobby. We need to be teaching the next generations about lapidary arts. My 22 year old son made his first cab a couple weeks ago. He had a lot of fun working on it. I never knew how they cut gems, thanks! That is very interesting, I want a faceter now lol. I googled it and watched a guy cut a stone into a gem through a series of videos. Can you do that with any pretty looking rock?
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Post by 1dave on Apr 9, 2019 7:48:18 GMT -5
Wooferhound I hear you. I have been tumbling for 40 years. I have had some pretty long periods of lack of interest. Like Pat said, there are other fun things to do with rocks. I have 3 cabbing machines and an old beat up faceter that I play with too. The coolest thing I do with my tumbled rocks is plunk them down in front of kids and tell them they can pick any rock they like. It keeps them quiet for a long time and they are always happy with what they find. I hope you find your inspiration with rocks. It’s kind of a dying hobby. We need to be teaching the next generations about lapidary arts. My 22 year old son made his first cab a couple weeks ago. He had a lot of fun working on it. I never knew how they cut gems, thanks! That is very interesting, I want a faceter now lol. I googled it and watched a guy cut a stone into a gem through a series of videos. Can you do that with any pretty looking rock? Lots of Faceting helps here: forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/board/32/faceting-gem-cutting-gemstones?page=2A Fun Fast way is what John Sands called Cabojohns. A search on members who facet: #1 - John Sands, sandsman1 OK first I wanna say I don't think Im an expert (far from it),, but doc thought this might help someone get the idea of how I do it and maybe get some pointers from the pics and maybe even get me some new pointers too hahaha--so if you have a better way of doing something here PLEASE speak up I can use all the help I can get --so here goes I got some small slabs from Kim that she wants shaped this came off a piece that was big enuff to make two from so you can see one side has an even edge to start where I cut it from the bigger piece I'm doing the pics with one hand so I can take the pics just to give you an idea of what I'm doing,, but I allways use both hands so I can get even pressure to get a strait edge after i even out all the sides this is what i have to work with when i start to bevel the edges where ever i start i go around the piece clockwise never jump around the piece you will never get the corner lines even,, as you go around the piece the lines will line up with the corners as you go and when the corners line up the bevel will be very close to the last one you did so it helps there too it keeps you from making the next bevel bigger or smaller as you can see in this pic i hit a fracture that didnt show on the surface so now i will have to redo the edge or trash the piece-- dont worry kim i redid it haha so i jumped over to the trim saw and cut out the fracture and got a clean edge here you can see i redid the bevel so the lines matched at the corner and after the last edge is done this is ready for a 220 belt to get rid of lines from the rough grind and maybe face it so there-s no lines from the saw cut,, i never try and face a piece on the 80 grit hard wheel i can never get an even surface i wait till it hits 220 belt and on the drum its alot easyer to get a good even face heres the two i just finished a rough grind on from kims stuff well i hope somebody gets a tip or two from all this -- and dont forget im new to all this too, so if you have any tips ill be glad to learn them hahaha seeya---john PS. the rough grind wheel i use is an 8 inch 80 grit diamond wheel after that i use 220--400--600 silicon carbide belts and i finish with a 1200 diamond belt
A simple way is Jamb Peg Faceting!Also, Jamb Peg Faceting in Brazil! forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/thread/73406/faceting
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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 Apr 9, 2019 10:59:50 GMT -5
I did a long needed Cleanout today of the two 6 pound barrels. Did a little checking and it looks like this stuff has been rolling for 9 weeks straight. One barrel in SiC 600, these rocks had a slightly glossy sheen on them. The other barrel was AO 1000 prepolish, I meant to pull a couple of samples from that batch to see if they had shined up but I forgot.
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RWA3006
Cave Dweller
Member since March 2009
Posts: 4,176
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Post by RWA3006 on Apr 9, 2019 21:11:46 GMT -5
The rocks that really get them the most excited, and chatty, are when I bring in some different coprolites. They think this is the coolest thing since sliced bread, or dinosaurs. Anyone ever tumbler a coprolite? I'll have to try that. gatorflash1 Yep. I have tons (literally) of highly agatized coprolite that tumbles well. Let me know if you want me to send you some.
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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 Apr 19, 2019 16:56:18 GMT -5
Planning on doing One More Batch before taking a Real Break.
I've gotten access to about 50 'Sink Cutouts' from Countertop Material.
Yesterday I Chiseled this stuff up into small enough pieces to tumble and got it started.
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Post by Rockindad on Apr 19, 2019 17:15:55 GMT -5
Been thinking about your situation. No offense meant, as I do not know the answer, but to what level do you take your rocks? I know in many of my pursuits what keeps me going is trying to achieve the highest possible standard (whatever that is). If you are already at that level it is probably just time to walk away for a bit. I'm sure if you stick around the forum you will eventually find inspiration again.
Al
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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 Jul 29, 2019 5:09:51 GMT -5
The rotary Tumblers have been powered Off for a few months. They had been sitting full of rocks that had rolled in Stage 1 for about 2 weeks. Yesterday I turned them on, after 5 minutes I could hear the contents rolling sluggishly in a thick slurry.
Went ahead and did a cleanout of the two 6 pound barrels, one had some plain ole rocks, and the other one had various varieties of Counter Top Material in there, which was looking great while wet.
Starting two more barrels, one is full of rocks that have passed Stage 1 inspection and are finally moving on to the polish stages. I'm anxious to get this running so I can eventually make some YouTube videos that feature my Cleanout Sink and how simple and fast it makes things. The 2nd barrel was reloaded with countertop material still running in Stage 1. Almost have enough passed through Stage 1 to go on through polish. Am really wanting to see this stuff Polished.
I'm not completely lost, yet . . .
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