TrixieRed
off to a rocking start
Member since January 2020
Posts: 5
|
Post by TrixieRed on Jan 22, 2020 18:56:43 GMT -5
Soooo...I got a big bag o' rocks for Xmas, mostly quartz and jasper. "Aha!" says I! Perfect for tumbling! Yay!
So, I dragged out my old tumbler. I haven't used it in years, probably because my previous results were... disappointing, to say the least.
So, I started researching the hobby, which eventually led me here (for which I shall be eternally grateful!). I had run the rocks through each step, according to the given instructions, and was once again disappointed. Then I started reading in this forum. I decided to start again. I bought new (quality) grit and polish (my old stuff was possibly contaminated, and probably not great quality to begin with). I used distilled water, because I have super hard water in my well. I left those suckers in there until they were actually ready, not just for a week for each step. I added ceramic media (which I had never heard of, but will never tumble without from now on). I learned about burnishing, and did so after completing each step.
I put them in final polish yesterday. I checked the batch tonight, and guess what? THEY ARE GETTING SHINY! Success at last! My first batch that has ever actually taken a true, shiny polish. And it's thanks to all the fabulous posts on here.
Honestly, the given instructions with tumblers are very misleading. I wonder how many folks give up because they believe that they messed something up? That was my feeling. Thanks to all you pros out there that help the uneducated like myself figure this hobby out!
Now, which batch to do next? 🤔
|
|
|
Post by knave on Jan 22, 2020 19:04:42 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum, and glad things are working out this time. Good job sticking to it.
|
|
|
Post by Pat on Jan 22, 2020 19:31:45 GMT -5
Welcome from California. Not a tumbler, but there are tumbling experts here. Glad you found them!
|
|
TrixieRed
off to a rocking start
Member since January 2020
Posts: 5
|
Post by TrixieRed on Jan 22, 2020 20:09:39 GMT -5
Well, there is an absolutely gorgeous banded amethyst in this batch that is screaming "Make me into a pendant!" I am determined to do just that. 😆
|
|
|
Post by RocksInNJ on Jan 22, 2020 23:21:50 GMT -5
Welcome aboard and glad that you got better results this time. Yes, those instructions that come with the tumblers are very misleading. Especially for the insane amounts of grit they tell you to use and how long to run each stage. Best of luck with your future tumbles.
|
|
|
Post by MsAli on Jan 23, 2020 7:22:47 GMT -5
Welcome
the possibilities are now endless!
|
|
|
Post by fernwood on Jan 23, 2020 7:54:24 GMT -5
Welcome. Glad you fund RTH. Please post your results and ask questions.
|
|
|
Post by joshuamcduffie on Jan 23, 2020 8:02:36 GMT -5
Best of luck, glad you found this forum! It's been very interesting for me, but now I have all sorts of ideas I'd like to try.
|
|
Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,681
|
Post by Fossilman on Jan 23, 2020 10:19:01 GMT -5
Welcome to RTH.... Loads of information and a great set of people here...
|
|
|
Post by aDave on Jan 23, 2020 12:43:25 GMT -5
Welcome to the Forum!
What kind of tumbler do you have?
|
|
|
Post by Starguy on Jan 23, 2020 15:15:39 GMT -5
TrixieRedWelcome from north Idaho. This forum is great! Everybody is so helpful plus you get to see lots of photos of successful tumbles and a lot of other stuff.
|
|
stonemon
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2017
Posts: 1,024
|
Post by stonemon on Jan 23, 2020 16:33:32 GMT -5
Howdy from western Oregon!
|
|
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
|
Post by gatorflash1 on Jan 25, 2020 9:15:45 GMT -5
Hi Trix - Howdy from northern Delaware, the First State, actually we say hi around here. Anyhow, welcome to the party. Regarding your comments about faulty instructions, I think if your beginning rock is very, very,very nicely rounded and does not have any pits, cracks, etc. and is the right hardness you might get away using the tumbler's instructions. My rocks never ever start out that good. So what do I do? I keep repeating running stage 1, checking the rocks periodically, and removing those rocks that look suitable for stage 2. These stage 2 prospects are now well shaped, no markings, pits, etc. It can take months for some of my agates, which is usually what I like to tumble, to reach this stage. I'll let stage 1 run for a couple weeks. Then I sort them. I put the good rocks suitable for stage 2 in a big empty pretzel container with water, or something similar. I recharge my tumbler for another stage 1 and repeat the process. Eventually I get enough rock for stage 2., etc. Tumbling is not really too hard, just time consuming, not my time, my tumbler's time. I just let it chug along until the rock looks ready for the next stage. It seems that my stage 1 does about 95% of all the work and takes the longest amount of time, used the most grit, and is worth not rushing. There are some good ideas on this website from experienced tumblers. For newbies I first recommend getting a good tumbling instruction book. All the good info is then in one place. Here is the book I recommend. rocktumbler.com/book.shtmlI'm looking forward to seeing a picture of your success. Later gator!
|
|