1nickthegreek
spending too much on rocks
Member since February 2014
Posts: 382
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Post by 1nickthegreek on Aug 21, 2014 17:08:20 GMT -5
I use USPS flat rate exclusively if for nothing more than the convenience of simply wheeling the packages out to the mailbox, and if too large for the box then I just write a note to my carrier and they come grab it off the front porch at the top of the wheelchair ramp. I could also simply just schedule a carrier pickup, but a lot of my sales are later in the evening so they miss the cutoff to request a pick up.
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1nickthegreek
spending too much on rocks
Member since February 2014
Posts: 382
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Post by 1nickthegreek on Aug 21, 2014 1:57:35 GMT -5
Hello, I am looking to rent a cement mixer in the next while to see how that tumbles rocks. The Lortones are not enough for all the rocks I have, and I'd like to be able to throw the bigger/junkier pieces in a big tumbler. Has anyone had experience using a cement mixer to tumble rocks? I've seen some homemade tumblers on this forum and they look great, but I am not the best handyman. What plus-size tumbling equipment do you guys use? Thank you. Get in touch with jamesp, he builds all sorts of massive scale tumblers including one with old farm equipment tires and wheels as drums if I remember correctly.
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1nickthegreek
spending too much on rocks
Member since February 2014
Posts: 382
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Post by 1nickthegreek on Aug 19, 2014 0:40:38 GMT -5
I love that Montana as well ...im curious as to being able to go collect some of this material one day any info ? Just go float the Yellowstone River and pull off on the gravel bars n load up on the Yellowstone River Agates LOL Well, not as easy finding as it sounds like, but there is a plethora of agates and pet wood to be found up there with a lil bit of work. Braders, it might be worth your time to ask Fossilman for advice on hunting agates up there, he was raised up there in Montana, and is super helpful!!!!!
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1nickthegreek
spending too much on rocks
Member since February 2014
Posts: 382
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Post by 1nickthegreek on Aug 18, 2014 13:49:04 GMT -5
dang, I've been outed! I know we have basanite here, and perhaps that is what the 'starry" one is...silicated basalt with feldspar porphyry ?. I learned my lesson on packing rocks in those flat rate boxes, thanks Wampidy for the schooling... still a neophyte at so much. my name is snowmom and I am rock crazy. (and Wampidy is an enabler!) (thanks for your advice and counsel, and for your help in so much) use lots of fiver reenforced tape, it should be fine then I ship out all sizes of flat rate boxes stuffed with rocks daily pretty much, on the Medium and large flat rates, be sure to tape the bottom flaps in extremely well, and then I seriously tape the COMPLETE box with a minimum of 2 layers of clear 2.5 inch wide packaging tape, and I have never had a box break open (knock on wood). If I am sending smaller stuff such as tumble sized lakers, I will double bag in ziplocs and then always put bags in small flat rates inside the larger boxes, seems to solve the problems very well.
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1nickthegreek
spending too much on rocks
Member since February 2014
Posts: 382
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Post by 1nickthegreek on Aug 18, 2014 13:33:18 GMT -5
I love that Montana as well ...im curious as to being able to go collect some of this material one day any info ? Just go float the Yellowstone River and pull off on the gravel bars n load up on the Yellowstone River Agates LOL Well, not as easy finding as it sounds like, but there is a plethora of agates and pet wood to be found up there with a lil bit of work.
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1nickthegreek
spending too much on rocks
Member since February 2014
Posts: 382
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Post by 1nickthegreek on Aug 11, 2014 17:30:32 GMT -5
My 40 hp HP had a standard 1/3 hp PSC motor. Same motor was on the really big models too. It doesn't take much to turn big tumblers. Motor prices have shot up in the last 10 years. When I retired, 1/3 hp motor was about $100 retail. Last time I stopped in the wholesale house the same motor WHOLESALE "good guy price" was $90. That would make retail list about $200. If you have a Graingers try them. They sell to pretty much anyone as long as you are not competing with service companies. You would need 1/3hp, 1725 rpm, open drip proof, resilient mount, thermally protected. Copper windings always a best choice. I wont deal with Graingers, I can get anything at wholesale cost from the bearing supply house I worked at for years..... thanks though!!!
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1nickthegreek
spending too much on rocks
Member since February 2014
Posts: 382
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Post by 1nickthegreek on Aug 11, 2014 5:39:42 GMT -5
Thanks Lee, I remember that from when I was selling them in the past , but the reminder was a good thing for me!!
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1nickthegreek
spending too much on rocks
Member since February 2014
Posts: 382
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Post by 1nickthegreek on Aug 11, 2014 5:21:28 GMT -5
I wanna see pics of a 6 foot ball python LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They look just like 4 footers. Unless the image has something for scale there would be no way to know if it was 4-5- or 6 feet long. In my 11 years of owning a reptile specialty store I sold three of them. They do exist. There are those that believe the really big ones are from a single disjunct population. There is no data to support or deny this concept. Cool, I have seen some blood balls that were big like that, but not 6 foot nor p. regius lol
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1nickthegreek
spending too much on rocks
Member since February 2014
Posts: 382
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Post by 1nickthegreek on Aug 10, 2014 4:08:09 GMT -5
Very nice cabs there Fossilman, same guy gonna cut up those slabs I sent you?? I cant wait to see what he does with that Hells Canyon Herringbone wood!!!!
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1nickthegreek
spending too much on rocks
Member since February 2014
Posts: 382
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Post by 1nickthegreek on Aug 10, 2014 3:50:54 GMT -5
a 6ft ball python will weigh about 12-14# I wanna see pics of a 6 foot ball python LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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1nickthegreek
spending too much on rocks
Member since February 2014
Posts: 382
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Post by 1nickthegreek on Aug 10, 2014 3:42:38 GMT -5
Well, I got a box of slabettes today from someone, not sure if it was from you or not. Are you in Florida, Roger??
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1nickthegreek
spending too much on rocks
Member since February 2014
Posts: 382
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Post by 1nickthegreek on Aug 10, 2014 3:01:08 GMT -5
I am always in search of Alaskan Bloodstone since my dad brought me a 5 pound piece from up there, 20+ years ago. when he was fishing on the Kenai Peninsula....so there is a target for ya to find and if you do then i would LOVE like 20 lbs of cutters and a few pounds of tumble sized rough.
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1nickthegreek
spending too much on rocks
Member since February 2014
Posts: 382
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Post by 1nickthegreek on Aug 9, 2014 23:16:32 GMT -5
Very nice patina, good choice to just leave as is rather than repainting it!!!
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1nickthegreek
spending too much on rocks
Member since February 2014
Posts: 382
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Post by 1nickthegreek on Aug 9, 2014 3:42:40 GMT -5
Tela, it is awful and I think it should be sent directly to the outskirts of Idaho (to me) so it is out of mainstream circulation LOL Beautiful piece!!!!!
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1nickthegreek
spending too much on rocks
Member since February 2014
Posts: 382
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Post by 1nickthegreek on Aug 7, 2014 10:07:04 GMT -5
I have seen some Carey, Idaho tube agate that looked a lot like that too. The colors are great in your piece. Maybe Tony catmandewe can chime in as I am sure he has seen stuff like that. Same here, in fact I have a few pieces of it in the other room right now!!! Beautiful green and clear chalcedony in it!!!!
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1nickthegreek
spending too much on rocks
Member since February 2014
Posts: 382
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Post by 1nickthegreek on Aug 7, 2014 4:07:34 GMT -5
I am desperate for a bunch of Maury Mountain Moss Agate rough if anyone has any?!?!?!?! Needs to be larger pieces like 1.5-4 or 5 pounds please.....if this is the wrong spot to post this, can someone please move it for me? Thank You
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1nickthegreek
spending too much on rocks
Member since February 2014
Posts: 382
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Post by 1nickthegreek on Aug 3, 2014 3:28:54 GMT -5
first batch in and running, did a 12 hour check a few minutes ago and it was pretty dry. It seemed quite wet when I checked just before bedtime at about the 3 hour mark. rinsed and added more grit and its running again. I was able to do a bit of culling and replaced the rocks I removed with filler to keep levels up and onward from here. It is working faster than I thought it would. Interesting! Remember that your grit will basically double in number each 12 hours, so you can just add more water and then only rinse at the 24 hour mark.....that is where this tumbler is soooo wonderful, you only use a tiny amount of grit each batch!!!!
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1nickthegreek
spending too much on rocks
Member since February 2014
Posts: 382
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Post by 1nickthegreek on Aug 1, 2014 10:17:39 GMT -5
Work schedule would keep me from getting anything for a few days. So my question is what did I use as filler? I am gonna say MARBLES......?Brader . Marbles?
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1nickthegreek
spending too much on rocks
Member since February 2014
Posts: 382
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Post by 1nickthegreek on Jul 29, 2014 20:49:43 GMT -5
I dealt with this issue as well, I solved it by buying a Lot-O tumbler and have had ZERO issues since upgrading to this brand. Thanks so much for all of your input everyone!! I think on the next batch I will try to keep almost 100% full and maybe try some ceramic media as well. The instructions for this tumbler say to avoid ceramic media, but I think they are referring to a "dry" tumble with metal jewelry (my best guess). 1nickthegreek, what type of Lot-O do you have? Make, model, etc. I will be on the lookout for one when I can afford to upgrade Thanks again so much for all of your advice everybody, very appreciated I just have the base Lot-O, single barrel and it is the best vibe I ever had....when I had the tv-5, the ceramic really just chewed the bowls up and they dried out so fast that I had to upgrade as it was driving me batty lol therockshed.com/rocktumbler/lototumbla.jpg
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