victor1941
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2011
Posts: 1,978
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Post by victor1941 on Jan 9, 2023 11:09:14 GMT -5
Do you hand shape/grind before you tumble them?
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rocknewb101
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2022
Posts: 1,323
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Post by rocknewb101 on Jan 9, 2023 11:27:07 GMT -5
Beautiful samples of pet wood! Can't wait to see the final product! Good luck!
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pebblesky
fully equipped rock polisher
Placed another order in rockshed. Happy 2024 everyone!
Member since September 2022
Posts: 1,392
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Post by pebblesky on Jan 9, 2023 15:21:11 GMT -5
This year's rocks seem to be more interesting than those from last year.
Looking forward to your tumbling progresses!
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ataraktos
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since January 2020
Posts: 140
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Post by ataraktos on Jan 9, 2023 19:59:46 GMT -5
Yeah that last one, looks very similar to one of mine but mine, is more layered with a heavier concentration of black specks in one half. Good luck!
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malduin
starting to shine!
Member since June 2022
Posts: 29
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Post by malduin on Jan 16, 2023 18:28:30 GMT -5
I had it worse as I dont have access to a grinding wheel. I just took off the sharp edges with my dremel and gonna do most of the hard work in my course tumbling... gonna take a while...
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pebblesky
fully equipped rock polisher
Placed another order in rockshed. Happy 2024 everyone!
Member since September 2022
Posts: 1,392
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Post by pebblesky on Jan 16, 2023 20:47:34 GMT -5
Love to see these pictures!
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elpam
starting to shine!
Member since June 2022
Posts: 25
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Post by elpam on Feb 20, 2023 22:09:34 GMT -5
How is the tumbling going? Got any new pics of the petrified wood....
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,095
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Post by stefan on Feb 21, 2023 16:41:49 GMT -5
I haven't even touched them since the last update. I got a girlfriend now so I haven't had time to work on them. But they're destined to be touched up before continuing tumbling. Hopefully within a couple weeks. LOL that is always the way! I just keep running mine and running mine in course. I smack them with a hammer every other week and make em smaller and smaller. At the rate I'm going they will need a microscope to see my entry! I'm having a lot of fracture issues. I think this next week they are going to be loaded up in a smaller barrel with ceramics to see if I can salvage anything.
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elpam
starting to shine!
Member since June 2022
Posts: 25
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Post by elpam on Feb 21, 2023 17:27:51 GMT -5
I'm a couple of weeks behind you guys...I think my box was the last one sent out. I'm still tumbling in 60/90 and they are shrinking away..still lots of imperfections.
Just was wondering how everyone's were doing.
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vickster
off to a rocking start
Member since August 2022
Posts: 13
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Post by vickster on Feb 23, 2023 15:53:58 GMT -5
Hefty, Thanks for the pictures. I had some of these petrified Rocks that I thought were ready for 500 in vib tumbler but after sitting for A week I noticed I could see more chips and holes. I am wondering if these rocks show more flaws as they “dry” out waiting for the next stage. A mystery. Still, have lots of time and will start at the beginning with some of these.
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malduin
starting to shine!
Member since June 2022
Posts: 29
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Post by malduin on Feb 23, 2023 16:14:08 GMT -5
I am in the same boat as you elpam, I do have a handful or so ready to move one but the ones in coarse are getting pretty small.
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,095
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Post by stefan on Feb 24, 2023 16:47:20 GMT -5
I clean out on Saturday. Still in 60/90 but I'm only at the 7 week mark and fully expect to have to run at least 12 weeks in course. I honestly believe this wood is more "opalized" and they are a bit softer and more prone to cracks and fractures. I just ordered some Linde A for good measure as I may actually try to run these straight thru in the rotaries.
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,095
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Post by stefan on Feb 25, 2023 19:10:05 GMT -5
softer material and the Vibe are not a good combo. I just did my 7 week clean out and I have about 3 rocks that should be ready in 2 to 4 weeks. THey have lost almost half their volume so far.
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cthomas
off to a rocking start
Member since April 2023
Posts: 19
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Post by cthomas on Apr 8, 2023 12:20:56 GMT -5
I’m trying my luck with this years contest as well. I got several large pieces, much larger I think than what was in the original photos of this thread. I actually started two barrels because they just wouldn’t comfortably fit into one. But also my pieces were a lot more ‘wood’ like than the ones in this threads photos. They all had serious cracks and pits and were shapes that would just not be good for tumbling. I did one week at 100/120 and then broke out the dremel for some hand shaping. I’ve only been tumbling for like six months or so and this was the first time I have ever dremeled rocks. Had to get some new bits and everything, lol!
Did another two weeks on stage 1 and then two more weeks on stage two and just finished two weeks on stage 3. I have a lot of tiny fragment pieces, some really huge and cracked pieces (which I have removed from rotation for now.) Currently down to about 7 potential candidates of decent size. (I was going to post a picture but the Cloudinary service seems complicated)
Not sure what my next steps are going to be. Might do another week in stage 3 or might move to stage 4 now.
I wish the contest website provided more guidance on what the judges are looking for other than just grit in cracks.
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elpam
starting to shine!
Member since June 2022
Posts: 25
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Post by elpam on Apr 30, 2023 22:29:16 GMT -5
Chiming in....I've moved my rocks from 60/90 to 120/220 today. None of my pieces are perfect but was worried that I wouldn't finish all the stages before the mail in deadline. I triple washed them with the hose and detailed the cracks with the water pick. Onward I go!
Do you think they are judging on smoothness or shine? I don't know much about petrified wood but the pieces I have seen ...have rough spots but have a high shine.
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cthomas
off to a rocking start
Member since April 2023
Posts: 19
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Post by cthomas on May 6, 2023 18:46:24 GMT -5
Did a clean out today. Might actually have some potential candidates of decent size. Still doing two barrels minus some of the larger more fractured pieces. Everything is on stage 4 now, but I’m going to try a stage 5 as well. Hopefully I have time. I have a few weeks of travel and vacation coming up and I turn the tumblers off if I am not home for extended periods.
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doublebluff
having dreams about rocks
Member since September 2021
Posts: 55
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Post by doublebluff on May 8, 2023 8:26:18 GMT -5
This has been a very interesting thread and I really appreciate the depth of discussion about rock preparation. And it is funny how the girlfriend got in the way! Ain't that life... Good stuff all, thanks.
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vickster
off to a rocking start
Member since August 2022
Posts: 13
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Post by vickster on May 12, 2023 17:52:52 GMT -5
Finally got my 5 candidates done and I’ll be mailing them off next week. It’s been a tough learning experience. But a good one. At the start I was thinking why is this so hard and I didn’t expect much. But as I realized that was the idea. Make it hard to see who can finish the rocks. It’s been fun and good luck to all.
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Post by jasoninsd on May 12, 2023 22:43:56 GMT -5
Congrats on getting those done vickster!! Good luck!!
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quartzilla
Cave Dweller
Member since April 2020
Posts: 1,215
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Post by quartzilla on Jun 9, 2023 8:00:42 GMT -5
I had the same issue with last years contest. Shaping my stones on a flat lap helped eliminate those before I was deep in the course run. I’m thinking those are gonna take a while to eliminate in a vibe
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