Post by puppie96 on Sept 4, 2007 2:45:46 GMT -5
A while back somebody in the neighborhood told me the name of a landscaper where they got a cool yard rock. Took me a while to get there for a variety of boring reasons. They said they do all commercial work now & just have a few remnants of rock lots. OK to poke around. They were selling rose quartz and these "tumbled river rocks" for 20-23 cents/lb. I saw these colors in one barrel and started picking them up, in the confusion with them having no bags I didn't get much. When I went back they said I was picking out of a barrel that was already sold! But for some reason said I didn't have to put back what I had in my bag & I could get more from the lower cost barrel. All I know about this stuff is that I saw a barrel labeled "Johannesburg, SA." I asked about getting more & she said no -- it was sort of a "once in a lifetime thing."
I simply could not believe this & I am so happy that I managed to secure some more. The colors are like nothing I've ever seen. Those green hues are amazing and they polish. Then there are others in beautiful pink, green and lavender pastels. In the most recent batch there's one with agate banding all around the sides (in the tumbler now).
To make it even more amazing, the initial condition of the stones is so smooth and round -- in fact some really do look as if they have been tumbled and polished -- that I have been putting them in a 6-lb barrel with 60/90 grit for 5 days, washing them out and moving to the vibe. Only a few need more coarse grind.
The stuff in the strainer has just been taken out of the first vibe grind and rinsed; still wet.
See that big chunk in the middle? That's a piece of wood I picked up in AZ or at least it should be wood based on the location, though the markings are sort of strange. I started hacking it up and took off part of the sides and bottom, then started hacking up the slices. Finally, I bravely cut the thing right down the center and made 2 halves. I'm doing an experiment, I ran it for 5 days with the round rocks and then put it in the vibe with them. It's larger end barely got through the hole, but it made it. I really don't want to take a lot off of its rough side and it has a smooth face.
Now, this next one shows the small pieces I sliced up & I immediately saw natural earrings! So now I am going to make my first jewelry in spite of myself, I guess.
The other piece lying next to the plate is the twin of the one in the colander. It hasn't been tumbled yet and it is wet in the photo.
Finally, the hunks of rose quartz. At the top of the line the astute viewer will probably notice green & gold, those came from a silent auction -- mex calcite I think and
Sorry about the length of this post. I'd love to get any feedback, especially about the wood -- thanks.
I simply could not believe this & I am so happy that I managed to secure some more. The colors are like nothing I've ever seen. Those green hues are amazing and they polish. Then there are others in beautiful pink, green and lavender pastels. In the most recent batch there's one with agate banding all around the sides (in the tumbler now).
To make it even more amazing, the initial condition of the stones is so smooth and round -- in fact some really do look as if they have been tumbled and polished -- that I have been putting them in a 6-lb barrel with 60/90 grit for 5 days, washing them out and moving to the vibe. Only a few need more coarse grind.
The stuff in the strainer has just been taken out of the first vibe grind and rinsed; still wet.
See that big chunk in the middle? That's a piece of wood I picked up in AZ or at least it should be wood based on the location, though the markings are sort of strange. I started hacking it up and took off part of the sides and bottom, then started hacking up the slices. Finally, I bravely cut the thing right down the center and made 2 halves. I'm doing an experiment, I ran it for 5 days with the round rocks and then put it in the vibe with them. It's larger end barely got through the hole, but it made it. I really don't want to take a lot off of its rough side and it has a smooth face.
Now, this next one shows the small pieces I sliced up & I immediately saw natural earrings! So now I am going to make my first jewelry in spite of myself, I guess.
The other piece lying next to the plate is the twin of the one in the colander. It hasn't been tumbled yet and it is wet in the photo.
Finally, the hunks of rose quartz. At the top of the line the astute viewer will probably notice green & gold, those came from a silent auction -- mex calcite I think and
Sorry about the length of this post. I'd love to get any feedback, especially about the wood -- thanks.