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Post by Jugglerguy on Nov 10, 2022 17:47:49 GMT -5
Something I plan to do soon is tumble some pyrite to make "gold nuggets". Both kids are really into burying things in the sandbox, marking it with a toy, and then "discovering" it a day or two later. But it's usually things like sticks or little toy cars. I want to get a little treasure chest to bury some pyrite in for them. That's a really fun idea! |
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bbrooker88
off to a rocking start
Member since January 2022
Posts: 15
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Post by bbrooker88 on Dec 2, 2022 0:33:32 GMT -5
I was watching the Charlie Brown Halloween special and while every other kid got candy, Charlie Brown got rocks. It crossed my mind to maybe give out some to trick or treaters but then again, I had this sort of funny thought I might see them again later that night getting thrown through my window. My kids are young so I see the opportunity to disperse some through their teachers as little prizes.
It is the age old question though, what to do with them. But I think what we ultimately all love is not the end product so much, but finding or buying that rough and watching the evolution of the process. Just like doing ceramics, it's not about having a house full of ceramic pieces, but throwing the lump on the wheel and seeing what you can make out of it.
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khara
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2022
Posts: 1,979
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Post by khara on Dec 2, 2022 0:54:41 GMT -5
Jugglerguy I missed this thread originally. Have you already made the video? I haven’t checked YT in a while. You already said dish on coffee table and this is similar but a little different. We have a lazy Susan on our dining room table. We often have it covered with a pile of polished tumbles. It is especially great if you are having company over and will be serving coffee or even a meal. People will sit at the table for hours talking and telling stories while perusing all the rocks. I think it makes the visit last longer, so…. This could be good or bad depending on who you invite!🤓
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khara
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2022
Posts: 1,979
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Post by khara on Dec 2, 2022 0:57:05 GMT -5
One more idea, transparent agates can easily be hot melt glued to the small white Christmas lights. This makes a lighted agate garland for the tree or anytime of year as a decoration.👍🤓
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Post by Jugglerguy on Dec 2, 2022 15:17:38 GMT -5
I was watching the Charlie Brown Halloween special and while every other kid got candy, Charlie Brown got rocks. It crossed my mind to maybe give out some to trick or treaters but then again, I had this sort of funny thought I might see them again later that night getting thrown through my window. My kids are young so I see the opportunity to disperse some through their teachers as little prizes. It is the age old question though, what to do with them. But I think what we ultimately all love is not the end product so much, but finding or buying that rough and watching the evolution of the process. Just like doing ceramics, it's not about having a house full of ceramic pieces, but throwing the lump on the wheel and seeing what you can make out of it. I agree that this is much more about the process than the finished product for me. I just get this question all the time so I thought I'd make a video to answer it. I actually made a video showing what I do with my tumbled rocks, but since most of them are just stored in boxes in the basement, it wasn't a very good response. |
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Post by Jugglerguy on Dec 2, 2022 15:18:43 GMT -5
Jugglerguy I missed this thread originally. Have you already made the video? I haven’t checked YT in a while. You already said dish on coffee table and this is similar but a little different. We have a lazy Susan on our dining room table. We often have it covered with a pile of polished tumbles. It is especially great if you are having company over and will be serving coffee or even a meal. People will sit at the table for hours talking and telling stories while perusing all the rocks. I think it makes the visit last longer, so…. This could be good or bad depending on who you invite!🤓 I haven't made the video yet. I'm still gathering supplies. One of these days I might get around to it! |
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waterboysh
spending too much on rocks
Member since April 2021
Posts: 386
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Post by waterboysh on Dec 2, 2022 15:59:07 GMT -5
Two uses in one picture. 1. Build a zoo behind your city to hold all your zebra jasper 2. Build a train for your zebra jasper to ride in.  |
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Post by Jugglerguy on Dec 2, 2022 16:40:31 GMT -5
Two uses in one picture. 1. Build a zoo behind your city to hold all your zebra jasper 2. Build a train for your zebra jasper to ride in. That's a pretty niche use case. I like it though! |
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ClassicRock
off to a rocking start
Member since December 2022
Posts: 7
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Post by ClassicRock on Feb 9, 2023 5:51:11 GMT -5
JugglerguyI just stumbled across this video idea and you may have already completed it. Two ideas I didn't see.... 1) Rocks for table top (or larger) waterfall. When its not on, the rocks would still be shiny. 2) Worry stones. Some rocks just fit in your hand better than others and there are right and left handed stones! We gave some to our grandson who is a worrier.
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller 
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,722 
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Post by Fossilman on Feb 10, 2023 19:09:33 GMT -5
I buy small clear bottles at the Hobby Lobby store and fill them up, cork them.
They sell like hotcakes!
Bottles come in all sizes and shapes...
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Post by chris1956 on Sept 20, 2024 12:32:28 GMT -5
When I was teaching English to local engineers, I kept a small bag of polished rocks with me to give out randomly. They loved it. I dumped the rocks onto the table, and let them select which one or two they wanted. They studied them intently and admired every aspect. I think I got as much joy giving them the polished rocks as they got getting them. What!? Engineers need to be taught English? I resemble that comment.  |
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advancedlemon
off to a rocking start
Member since October 2020
Posts: 10
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Post by advancedlemon on Oct 21, 2024 19:47:41 GMT -5
does anyone actually have windy desks? My desk is in the same room as the rock rumbling thingys. (Aka tumbling machines) It can be handy to have a few bigger tumbles laying about. When the noise gets unbearable and I have to relocate, one acts as a door stop to aid moving the furniture through the fire door while another works well to hold down any items that are likely to blow away once outside in the relative tranquility of the garden...  |
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advancedlemon
off to a rocking start
Member since October 2020
Posts: 10
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Post by advancedlemon on Oct 21, 2024 21:29:02 GMT -5
Also don't forget: #17 hardcore and #18 (for beach collected stones) take them back to the beach where they came from* Well, I jest.  Maybe not for the video haha! However just because these sound like pointless endeavours does not make them any less valid than, for example, keeping them in a box in the basement... Personally I find it rather hard to part with my lil' rocksses, especially at first, but after some time has elapsed I start to get somewhat less attached! Perhaps I have better specimens. Or I get fed up having to dust them. Time to make new ones maybe. Selling things can be a hassle, takes up time, want to keep it as a hobby, etc. Also these are quite handy options to have for the tumbles that maybe started out promising, but for whatever reason, let's just say they aren't my favourites in the end... Whatever we 'do' with them, we do learn something from it all! Mine are mostly erratics so I get to figure out what they are and where they came from, see how they react to being tumbled, then I look at them for a while, appreciate their form and colours, play with them a bit, etc. Also there is a spiritual side for me too and as others here have noted. *Disclaimer/word of wisdom: Yes I do keep a record of where all my stones are from! Also I'll be honest, I don't particularly like the thought of littering the beach with unnaturally processed pebbles, and I'm sure most people would agree, so use common sense! A beach which is heavily exposed to the elements very quickly returns the surface of most pebbles to their natural point of equilibrium, texturally speaking, but not necessarily to their natural shape. |
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birdie
starting to shine!
Member since September 2024
Posts: 36
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Post by birdie on Oct 31, 2024 11:32:04 GMT -5
Wow- the crafter in me loves this thread!!
How about Christmas ornaments?
• attach a metal loop with E6000/ gorilla glue
Or
• put inside a small metal cage
Or
• attach tiny rocks about 3" apart on sturdy but slightly pliable 24" length of wire (leaving about 12" free on the bottom end) and poke them into the tree like a spray. It would look best to do about 10+
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WhiskeyZero
starting to shine!
Member since December 2017
Posts: 48
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Post by WhiskeyZero on Nov 4, 2024 15:42:05 GMT -5
I collect old mason jars and I have some on display that are filled with tumbled rock.
This past weekend my friend Jess rode a 205 mile gravel bike race in the western Colorado and eastern Utah desert (basically from Fruita to Thompson Springs and back along the book cliffs if you know the area). I was her support team and met her at each of the 8 aid stations with fresh water bottles, energy gels, first aid supplies, warm clothing, etc. She has a large rock collection (she's mostly interested in crystals and their metaphysical properties) so I collected rocks from the desert around each aid station that looked like they were pretty smooth already and would polish well. I'm tumbling them now in course grit and I'll give them to her in a fancy jar as a Christmas gift this year. She'll appreciate that they came from along the course she raced.
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rockinronda
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since December 2023
Posts: 220
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Post by rockinronda on Nov 4, 2024 21:08:04 GMT -5
I’ve asked myself and Google the same thing! These are not my ideas but ideas I’ve come across and struck a fancy.    I did make a couple of the macrame rock cages. Came out ok. My rocks are too smol |
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Maybe not for the video haha! However just because these sound like pointless endeavours does not make them any less valid than, for example, keeping them in a box in the basement...
Nov 14, 2024 18:17:57 GMT -5
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Nov 15, 2024 17:44:51 GMT -5
