mgroothuis
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2022
Posts: 163
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Post by mgroothuis on Mar 23, 2023 5:44:34 GMT -5
I've learned over the winter, that it doesn't matter how smooth a large beach rocks is, it'll likely be left standing alone at the end of winter with nothing to tumble with it.
I especially like rocks that are 3-4 inches round. Here we are, near the end of winter, and all my smaller rocks are done or close to it, but the larger ones are are all sitting to the side waiting. Since they don't fit in the Lot-O, they tie up a larger barrel for a month tumbling with ceramics while others wait. I can see why some people have 8-9 barrels going at once.
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Post by Peruano on Mar 23, 2023 6:23:37 GMT -5
Bigger is not always better. At cleanout time, a vibe batch with 200 rocks is a lot more exciting than one with 45. Go figure, after all its for entertainment that I do this.
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mgroothuis
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2022
Posts: 163
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Post by mgroothuis on Mar 23, 2023 7:58:44 GMT -5
Bigger is not always better. At cleanout time, a vibe batch with 200 rocks is a lot more exciting than one with 45. Go figure, after all it's for entertainment that I do this. Me too. It's all for fun. I like the bigger rocks because the display better on a shelf or mantle. Ironically, I have a couple hundred smaller ones done and only a handful of larger ones. haha Oh well.
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Post by manofglass on Mar 23, 2023 8:59:05 GMT -5
I like the bigger rocks I polish them in a tv5 vibe the biggest rock I polished is 3"x 4"x 2"
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Post by amygdule on Mar 23, 2023 20:38:13 GMT -5
I like the bigger rocks I polish them in a tv5 vibe the biggest rock I polished is 3"x 4"x 2" I'd like to see your polished rocks ...
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Post by manofglass on Mar 23, 2023 21:11:01 GMT -5
I like the bigger rocks I polish them in a tv5 vibe the biggest rock I polished is 3"x 4"x 2" I'd like to see your polished rocks ... All I have left is what the wife clamed for her collection
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,339
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Post by quartz on Mar 23, 2023 23:57:46 GMT -5
8 pounds 12 oz. It does have some internal cracks.
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Post by parfive on Mar 24, 2023 0:36:05 GMT -5
Helluva job in that little Thumler’s, Larry. : )
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waterboysh
spending too much on rocks
Member since April 2021
Posts: 369
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Post by waterboysh on Mar 24, 2023 10:15:22 GMT -5
Instead of making the rock look big, since there is no other context, to me it looks like a normal sized tumbling rock sitting on a tiny tumbler...
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Post by Rockoonz on Mar 24, 2023 10:41:48 GMT -5
I love big rocks and I cannot lie But then I have multiple saws...
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,339
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Post by quartz on Mar 24, 2023 23:00:44 GMT -5
It was a bit of a squeeze, but 8-9 months later it got done.
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,680
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Post by Fossilman on Mar 26, 2023 10:09:32 GMT -5
My biggest rock tumbled was petwood and it's around four pounds Came out beautiful....
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Post by Bob on Apr 13, 2023 12:06:23 GMT -5
I've learned over the winter, that it doesn't matter how smooth a large beach rocks is, it'll likely be left standing alone at the end of winter with nothing to tumble with it. I especially like rocks that are 3-4 inches round. Here we are, near the end of winter, and all my smaller rocks are done or close to it, but the larger ones are are all sitting to the side waiting. Since they don't fit in the Lot-O, they tie up a larger barrel for a month tumbling with ceramics while others wait. I can see why some people have 8-9 barrels going at once. I chuckled when I read that first sentence, but for a different reason than you address. They always seem to take longer than expected, because there is almost always a rind to grind off even on such rocks. It almost never looks that way in the hand on the beach, but after one week of rough grind you can tell it's there. Then, with progress, sometimes you start to see that that rock has fractures all over the place--hmm--maybe not too deep--give it another month, or 2 or 4 or.... Just recently, I was so hopeful about best big pre-rounded quartzite I've ever tumbled, a big bigger than a grapefruit. Got the rind off, looking better, than a internal crack--not much--started to show which grew and grew! It's like a pre-cracked rock inside but not propagating to the surface, just to ruin the tumble. Saw 1/4" off, then 1/2", it gets bigger and bigger. Threw it away after a year's work!
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hypodactylus
spending too much on rocks
Member since July 2021
Posts: 432
Member is Online
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Post by hypodactylus on Apr 13, 2023 16:32:27 GMT -5
I've learned over the winter, that it doesn't matter how smooth a large beach rocks is, it'll likely be left standing alone at the end of winter with nothing to tumble with it. I especially like rocks that are 3-4 inches round. Here we are, near the end of winter, and all my smaller rocks are done or close to it, but the larger ones are are all sitting to the side waiting. Since they don't fit in the Lot-O, they tie up a larger barrel for a month tumbling with ceramics while others wait. I can see why some people have 8-9 barrels going at once. I chuckled when I read that first sentence, but for a different reason than you address. They always seem to take longer than expected, because there is almost always a rind to grind off even on such rocks. It almost never looks that way in the hand on the beach, but after one week of rough grind you can tell it's there. Then, with progress, sometimes you start to see that that rock has fractures all over the place--hmm--maybe not too deep--give it another month, or 2 or 4 or.... Just recently, I was so hopeful about best big pre-rounded quartzite I've ever tumbled, a big bigger than a grapefruit. Got the rind off, looking better, than a internal crack--not much--started to show which grew and grew! It's like a pre-cracked rock inside but not propagating to the surface, just to ruin the tumble. Saw 1/4" off, then 1/2", it gets bigger and bigger. Threw it away after a year's work! Ooof.. brutal. I also like to try to tumble larger rocks (not super big, but maybe tennis to baseball size) but find it to be a frustrating experience. Not only does it take a lot longer, but some rocks (the more agate/transparent kind - not the jaspers) golf ball sized or larger seems to get a bunch of small bruises in my QT12. This is with my barrel as full as possible (around 75% - any more and the grit doesn't grind) with a range of other rock sizes.
Hasn't stopped me yet, I guess. Although my output is dismal as I keep experimenting and tumbling the same rocks for months (year?) on end...
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Post by Bob on Apr 14, 2023 15:57:55 GMT -5
I also like to try to tumble larger rocks (not super big, but maybe tennis to baseball size) but find it to be a frustrating experience. Not only does it take a lot longer, but some rocks (the more agate/transparent kind - not the jaspers) golf ball sized or larger seems to get a bunch of small bruises in my QT12. This is with my barrel as full as possible (around 75% - any more and the grit doesn't grind) with a range of other rock sizes. Sometimes that happens to me too and has for years. I've never figured it out completely, but what I do is change something and then it goes away. It might happen more the more rounded the rocks in the mix, due to the way certain impacts happen. I stop it by removing that rock that has that damage, setting it aside for a while, continuing processing, and then reintroducing it back into the barrel in a different mix. Sometimes I have to take it back to a prior grit level to get rid of those. If you have any of those that propagate all the way to the end, and you don't want to start over, do an Opticon treatment just before polish. The fine cracks and Hertzian cones will often disappear.
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dirtsifter
Cave Dweller
Co to za kamyczek?
Member since September 2022
Posts: 402
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Post by dirtsifter on Apr 15, 2023 6:11:59 GMT -5
Wow! I am not alone in this struggle! Yet I keep trying....
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