Don
off to a rocking start
Member since July 2004
Posts: 6
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Post by Don on Jul 10, 2004 19:32:22 GMT -5
Hello everyone, My Son and I are brand new to the hobby!! My son is 9yrs. old and has shown a great interest in "rocks". Im in the process of buying a small tumbler and some books.. Any advice the experts can offer would be greatly appreciated.  Don |
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Post by cookie3rocks on Jul 10, 2004 20:38:01 GMT -5
Don, my man, you have come to the right place. Lots of great info from very knowlegable people and a lot of fun goofing around from everybody. Don't think any question you have is "dumb". I never would have learned to use my vibrating tumbler had I not asked, and doing it right makes it sooo much more fun.
Look forward to seeing you on the boards ;D
cookie
PS, the only reason I have earned the rank of "god" is because I asked alooot of stupid questions
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donwrob
has rocks in the head
Member since June 2003
Posts: 509
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Post by donwrob on Jul 10, 2004 20:58:09 GMT -5
Hey Don, nice name. I like it! Welcome to the site, Don from Ohio
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Post by BearCreekLapidary on Jul 11, 2004 2:12:43 GMT -5
Hello Don and son!
It is great that you and your son are exploring the great hobby of lapidary. It is always good to hear of young adults getting involved in the hobby, as someday they will be the teachers of the lapidary arts!
Welcome, we look forward to hearing from you and your son and your future accomplishments.
Enjoy,
John
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Post by sandsman1 on Jul 11, 2004 4:52:51 GMT -5
WELCOME DON AND SON to the place your aloud to throw rocks ----just throw them in a box and mail them to me hahaha teasin,, come back often let us know how its going--seeya --john
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Post by connrock on Jul 11, 2004 12:02:38 GMT -5
Welcome Don and son,,, I'm just a day or two ahead of you joining this group and it seems great to me. I don't want to seem like a know-it-all but I would like to suggest that when you buy a tumbler don't go for a cheap one.You'll only be looking for trouble and you don't want that when you and especially your son are starting out in a venture that can,and in most cases for newbies,will be a messy,frustrating one. I know that good tumblers are a tad expensive but in the end (if you are serious about it) a good one will more then pay for itself. If you don't mind i'd like to suggest a Thumler's Tumbler or a Lortone tumbler.In my opinion they are the best on the market and have a wide variety to choose from. At times Ebay has some good deals but do a little research before bidding.I was just thinking about bidding on a used Lortone unit which has 3,,,,,1-1/2 pound barrels and found that for $10.00 more I could have a brand new one.I paid $79.70 for this unit plus shipping. I bought this tumbler because all of my other 7 tumblers are large capacity units and I sometimes want to polish a small batch. This tumbler is ideal for a "newbie" (and an ole buzzard like me) because it has 3,,,,1-1/2 lb barrels which lets you not only do small loads ,,,,,,,saving on grit/polish/electricity/your nerves etc),,,,It lets you have one barrel for roughing,one for your mid range tumbling and one exclusivly for polishing/burnishing!!!! I STRONGLY suggest this unit for you and your son. And,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,If you don't like it,,,,,, I'll buy it from you for what you pay for it at Eloxite !!! (because they're the cheapest) That's how sure I am that you'll LOVE it!!!! I just posted a link to a great tumbling article and i'll post it here for you and your son again. www.gemservice.com/lapidary.htmI KNOW you both WILL have a lot of problems because all of us do especially in the beginning.It takes a LOT of patience and sticktoitiveness to get the "wet look" on your polished "gems". I think I can speak for the whole group when I say that we are ALL here to help!!! That's what it's all about. PLEASE ask away and good luck to you and your son! Tom Ps,,,DO NOT POUR THE "mud" FROM YOUR TUMBLER DOWN THE DRAIN!!!!!!! VERY IMPORTANT!!!!!!! Pps,,, I think i'd better add that in NO way am I affiliated with Eloxite,Thumler's Tumblers or Lortone. |
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Post by rockyraccoon on Jul 11, 2004 12:39:19 GMT -5
welcome! i like my lortone's and have not had any problems with them. i did a lot of reading in here before i decided what to get. i started with the toy tumbler and quickly realized it wasn't cut out for long-term tumbling. the one tom is recommending would be great for starting as it has the 3 barrels but if you really like it you'll be wanting bigger quickly but you would still find many uses for the 1-1/2#ers. whatever you get you will need different barrels for the different stages so as not to contaminate.
kim
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llanago
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2004
Posts: 1,714
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Post by llanago on Jul 11, 2004 13:18:42 GMT -5
Welcome, Don and son, to the coolest board on the Net, IMHO! Lots of great folks and valuable information. I found the forum the day after I ordered my first tumbler. What I learned here saved me many a major mess up!
I have a Lortone 33B, a Lortone QT66, a Raytech vibe and two used Lortone 33B's that I am cleaning up and working on to get to tumbling. I don't think you can go wrong with a Lortone.
A couple of things you might want get for this hobby is two or three buckets and a strainer. I couldn't do without these things when cleaning my rocks after each stage.
Glad to have you. You will learn alot here and have a bunch of fun. We are all kinda crazy - rocks in our heads maybe! ;D
llana
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Don
off to a rocking start
Member since July 2004
Posts: 6
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Post by Don on Jul 12, 2004 22:34:38 GMT -5
I just have to say you guys are great ! Thanks for all the info., and advice, there's nothing more frustrating than starting off with a new hobby, and not having any support. I think im going to take Connrocks advice on that Lortone model, seems to make the most sense. Well my son and I have collected some rocks in the past 2 days.. Found some nice ones at a local rock quarry, and some nice agates use in railroad bedding on an old rail line thats not in use anymore.. So we have some rocks ! I've read quite abit about Lake Superior Agates. I basically live on the shore of Lake Michigan, gonna check some spots along the shore there, and see what we can find. Thanks again for all your help, and we look forward to be a part of this awesome forum. P.S. - The only drawback that I can see from this hobby is, I can't seem to walk across a parking lot, without looking at my feet, searching for rocks.. lol |
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Post by stoner on Jul 13, 2004 1:31:28 GMT -5
Welcome to the board Don and son. My, My, you've already got it-ROCK FEVER. It can't be cured, but take 1 agate and call me in the morning! I've got it too. I go to places where I once searched for possible Bonsai trees to bring home, but now I don't even see trees-just rocks!
This is a great place and I'm sure you and you son will find this hobby quite fun and rewarding.
later, Ed
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bschultz
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2004
Posts: 234
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Post by bschultz on Jul 13, 2004 9:20:56 GMT -5
Welcome Don & Son. Glad you wound up in the right place for starting your new hobbie. By all means go and read the article that Conrocks posted, it will get you off on the right foot and help you achieve better results quicker. The best advise I can give you is to not give in to the desire to move out of the 1st stage to quickly. The first stage can be long and kinda boring but it is a very important stage in acheiving a good final polish. Three, one week, cycles in rough (60-90) is not unheard of. Most of all have fun and learn from your mistakes and admire your triumphs.
Bob
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bwalters
has rocks in the head
Member since March 2004
Posts: 557
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Post by bwalters on Jul 13, 2004 18:47:47 GMT -5
Welcome Don and Son,
You're gonna love it here! Someone here can answer any rock question you may have, and we also have tons of fun while learning from each other.
Looking forward to hearing more from you both!
Barbara (from Texas)
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deepsouth
fully equipped rock polisher
He who rocks last rocks best
Member since January 2004
Posts: 1,256
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Post by deepsouth on Jul 14, 2004 18:21:51 GMT -5
A warm welcome to you Don and son,
I have been here only a short while and hope to hang in for ever that,s how cool this site is.
I have only one Lortone QT6 and am hoping to buy another 2 one day. It is working great for me, but 3 is better than 1. I do have a borrowed machine , brand unknown , but that one will have to go backt to it's owner one of these days.
Have fun with your head down as mine is where-ever I go hahaha
Jack
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RedwoodRocks
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since March 2003
Posts: 762
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Post by RedwoodRocks on Jul 16, 2004 10:42:37 GMT -5
Don,
Welcome to the board. We all know about looking down for rocks. I was doing that yesterday in Missouri, I was looking at the landscape rock thinking how the rock would tumble! You can tell a rock hound from the bump on their forehead!
Cal
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duke
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since May 2004
Posts: 77
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Post by duke on Jul 17, 2004 17:41:12 GMT -5
Hi Don and son...welcome to this board...lots of people with great ideas and info so I'm sure you will learn lots of 'stuff' about this rock tumbling hobby. I think you are making a great choice with the Lortone tumbler. Good piece of equipment and parts are readily available on the net or from Lortone.
Again, welcome and look down while you are walking..but, you already knew that.. ;D
duke
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