driftwood
off to a rocking start
Member since January 2023
Posts: 2
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Post by driftwood on Feb 14, 2023 13:58:36 GMT -5
My wife and I decided late last year to jump into the hobby of rock tumbling. My wife has always been one to collect interesting rocks from wherever we visit. We purchased a national Geographic Platinum tumbler, read the directions and tossed in some rocks and away we went. We discovered a lot in those first 4 weeks. The first lesson was that the directions in the National Geographic kit produced less than desirable finished rocks. 1 week at each stage using the grit that came with the kit produced rocks that were neither shiny nor well shaped. We also learned that some very pretty sandstone rocks don't belong in the tumbler with the hard rocks! That led us to do some web research that ultimately led us to this site. We decided to go buy new grit from Rock Shed and go back to stage 1. We repeated stage 1 until we had enough rocks to be worthy of moving on to stage 2. That was probably 6 weeks. We also limited the National Geographic tumbler to speed 1 only. Speeds 2 and 3 were way too fast. Once we got to stage 2, we did 1 week each at stages 2-4. We then did an ivory soap burnish for 2 hours. We are happy to report that the finished rocks turned out better than we hoped. Needless to say...We are hooked! Thanks to everyone on this forum. We have learned a ton from all the experience and knowledge found here. Mix of rocks we found and some included in the National Geographic kit Lake Superior Agates Amethysts we mined in Canada over 20 years ago A rock we call the "Driveway Agate". Found on our new gravel driveway in NW Wisconsin Rock likely found in the National Geographic kit (ID help needed) Not sure if this is one we found (ID help needed)
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Post by Son Of Beach on Feb 14, 2023 14:49:19 GMT -5
Looks like you are well on your way, congrats on your first successful tumble. Sorry 'bout the addiction part, can't help you there Might have to get us a closeup of that LSA Last one looks gneiss perhaps.
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Post by jasoninsd on Feb 14, 2023 15:25:52 GMT -5
First, welcome to the forum from South Dakota! Second, congrats on figuring out picture posting right off the bat! And third...WOWSERS! Y'all did a fantastic job on those tumbles! Good for you guys for "sticking it out" and figuring out what was going wrong...as you're results really showed you did your homework!! Way to go!!
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issa411
off to a rocking start
Member since February 2023
Posts: 4
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Post by issa411 on Feb 14, 2023 20:34:30 GMT -5
Beautiful!
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rocknewb101
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2022
Posts: 1,368
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Post by rocknewb101 on Feb 15, 2023 9:06:47 GMT -5
Those are some pretty shiny rocks you've got there! Great job! I love the amethyst! They look amazing, and so satisfying to know you mined it yourself!!
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jimmie
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since August 2021
Posts: 233
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Post by jimmie on Feb 15, 2023 9:20:47 GMT -5
Very good for the first tumble!
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