barabel
off to a rocking start
Member since October 2004
Posts: 6
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Post by barabel on Oct 19, 2004 23:00:00 GMT -5
Hi - My name is Louise. My husband bought me a rock tumbler for my bday many years ago but I never really gave it much attention.
I have just retired and I am getting my life organized with all the things I've been wanting to do. We went through the chest of 'rocks' last night and I inherited a whole buch of rocks. I also bought a bag at Dowd's today. I am now equipped and ready - I want to do tons ;) of gem chips. I am not really sure on how to proceed so any tips are more than welcome... I still have to clean out my tumbler but here I go... Talk to you later.
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AgateHunter
starting to spend too much on rocks
LAKE SUPERIOR AGATE Minnesota State Gemstone
Member since September 2004
Posts: 107
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Post by AgateHunter on Oct 19, 2004 23:47:09 GMT -5
Hi Louise, Welcome to the forum. ;D If you have any questions, just post them, and some one is bound to have an answer.  Chris |
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Post by sandsman1 on Oct 19, 2004 23:58:41 GMT -5
Hi Louise and WELCOME ---let us know how far along are you like do you have your grit yet and what ever else thats needed and im sure one of us here can help point ya in the right direction---stop by often and bring some pics--hahaha----seeya--- john from philly. pa.
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llanago
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2004
Posts: 1,714
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Post by llanago on Oct 20, 2004 0:05:27 GMT -5
Hi Louise, welcome aboard. Chris is right - just ask a question and you'll probably get lots of answers. Also on the RockTumblingHobby.com home page, Andy has a great tutorial you might want to read through. It saved my bacon, when I first started tumbling. Had I not read it before I even got my tumbler, I would have poured the slurry down my sink! I am now equipped and ready Not so fast here, lady!  You made no mention of a camera so you can take pics to post for us. We love pics! llana |
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barabel
off to a rocking start
Member since October 2004
Posts: 6
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Post by barabel on Oct 20, 2004 0:09:12 GMT -5
Thank you all. Yes I do have a Loretone tumbler, 4 types of grits, a container of beads, water and lots of courage!!! My husband used to be an amateur geologist and used to cut his own but never did any tumbling, only hand polishing on a slab of glass.
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barabel
off to a rocking start
Member since October 2004
Posts: 6
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Post by barabel on Oct 20, 2004 0:11:35 GMT -5
No problem... I have a camera!!!
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Post by Cher on Oct 23, 2004 16:42:07 GMT -5
Hi Louise  Welcome to the forum! Glad your all set and glad you have a camera, we're kind of  over pics. Cher from Minnesota |
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Post by krazydiamond on Oct 23, 2004 17:26:31 GMT -5
Jeex, Louise (sorry, HAD to do that...)
welcome to the forum, congratulations on your retirement! you are going to have SO much fun with your new hobby...so, your hubby is a real geologist and has a grinder? hmmmmm....we may be bugging HIM for identifications of all of out idaknowite specimens....
see ya,
KD
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llanago
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2004
Posts: 1,714
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Post by llanago on Oct 23, 2004 19:06:19 GMT -5
I,m so glad to hear you have a camera! We really hate folks that post about their new batch out and don't show us any pics! And a hubby that is an amateur geologist? I think YOU better get ready for lots of questions for your hubby to answer for us. We have a lot of NOIDs (no ID) that we can use his help on. Not that most of us really have to know what kind of rock it is, but sure will be nice to have another person that can chime in on our identification questions. llana |
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Post by All on Oct 23, 2004 20:39:40 GMT -5
My first batch is brewing since last night. One container of amethyst chips and the other with rose quartz chips. Sure wasn't easy breaking those up... I broke them on an old shoe anvil (the only solid metal thing I found in the house), and a hammer. Boy, I had rock pieces flying all over. Sure would like hubby to afford me an easier way... BTW, hubby will gladly help with any rock identification. Just send your pics. He has been an amateur geologist since his teens. I'm looking forward to putting my hands on his 'ROCKS'.  (collection, that is!) Now Now... no bad thoughts.(wink, wink,nudge,nudge)
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bwalters
has rocks in the head
Member since March 2004
Posts: 557
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Post by bwalters on Oct 23, 2004 22:46:00 GMT -5
Welcome, Louise,
You're gonna love your new obsession, and this forum! And sounds like your hubby will really enjoy your 'retirement'!
Please come back often.
BE (Barbara from Texas)
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Post by cookie3rocks on Oct 23, 2004 22:48:44 GMT -5
Youre gonna fit right in here just fine Are you using a rotary or vibratory tumbler? I'm gonna assume rotary. I'm a vibe user myself, and the timing is different, but the grits are the same, and I am still experimenting with that. Makes a big difference! Welcome to the board! Post picks when you can. I was kinda an outcast till I got my camera (see Llanna's post) and now I'm having too much fun! Good luck and welcome ;D cookie |
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bwalters
has rocks in the head
Member since March 2004
Posts: 557
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Post by bwalters on Oct 23, 2004 23:16:06 GMT -5
Great! Just found out that I'm an outcast cuz I ain't got no stinkin' camera!
Oh, well...........
BE
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Post by Cher on Oct 25, 2004 0:50:12 GMT -5
Nah, your not an outcast. Some post photos, others post knowledge .... we need you too!
Cher
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barabel
off to a rocking start
Member since October 2004
Posts: 6
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Post by barabel on Oct 25, 2004 9:26:43 GMT -5
I have a question... My first load is chips of amethyst and rose quarts. Do I really have to go through the 4 phases of tumbling? Can I skip phase 2 and go directly to one of the 'polishing' phases. I am also thinking... if they ask 4 tablespoons of grit per phase... I will quickly run out of grit and it is quite expensive. I am worried the chips will disappear with so much trumbling. 
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Post by BearCreekLapidary on Oct 29, 2004 20:56:27 GMT -5
Hello Louise,
Welcome to the board, you sure came to the right spot for quality information!
John
Southwestern Kansas
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Post by connrock on Oct 30, 2004 18:16:14 GMT -5
Hi Louise and welcome to our group!! There are no real short cuts to the actual tumbling but there a lot of little things you can do before you put your load in the tumbler. You say that you are tumbling chips.If your chips are in fact chips there's nothing much you can do to "prep" them so I won't elaborate on preping your rocks. A rule of thumb on material loss is that you will loose about 1/3 of what you started with.I the case of chips this 1/3 can be quite a lot and you won't have much left for all your effort. I've polished a lot of flint chips but I do them in a small vibrating unit.The vibes are much more gentler and forgiving then the rotaries. I can go on and on and probably not hit the answers you're looking for so i'll quit while I still have some ink left in my computer!! Does anyone know how often you have to refill these electronic monsters with typing ink?? I've been using this computer for about 2 years now and haven't run out yet!!LOL Oh Yea,,,,Louise,,,,, This IS a VERY expensive hobby and you're just starting!! Tee Hee Hee,,, So much for your Social Security check!!LOL Go to this link and scroll down a ways.Andy )our host and site owner) has quite a good explaination of the whole process. www.rocktumblinghobby.com/Tom |
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llanago
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2004
Posts: 1,714
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Post by llanago on Oct 30, 2004 18:45:21 GMT -5
The vibes are much more gentler and forgiving then the rotaries. I always have some chipping when I use the vibe. Course, I usually don't use pellets - I HATE those darn things and they always end up sticking to the top or so high on the sides of the bowl that they really don't do much good! How do ya' keep those little suckers down in the bowl to cushion the rocks instead of above the rock level??? I actually get less chipping in the rotary. But, then I load it up with pellets. Sometimes it is just worth the risk of chipping rather than messing with those )#**&@) pellets! The cross I cut when thru a couple of weeks of 60/90 and the 220 in the rotary with no pellets. Into the vibe in prepolish with lots of pellets, then broke in the wash cycle. I was so disappointed! But, that's the way it goes sometimes I guess! I do use pellets in the vibe when I am doing really nice rocks that I want to do all I can do to keep from chipping. But when ya' have a yardfull of flint for the taking, no big deal if some get chipped. And now that I have the grinder, I can just grind the chips away! ;D llana
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Post by connrock on Oct 30, 2004 20:06:16 GMT -5
Llana, The instructions I got with my vibe said not to use pellets.I tried to us them once and they did the same thing.They all came to the top. I figured that was because of their size being small and the rest of the load being bigger material.Kinda like panning for gold.The smaller lighter material goes to the bottom and the heavier gold sinks to the bottom when you shake (vibrate) the gold pan. I knew there had to be something else but couldn't put my finger on it,,,,,,,,not then anyway. I was at a hardware store and saw the little rubber thingys the tile man use to keep the bathroom tiles the same distance apart. They look like little crosses and come in different sizes sold in bags,,,,maybe 50 or so to a bag?? I bought 3 different sizes and all of them worked. Give it a try,,,maybe it'll work for you too!! Tom |
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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 Nov 1, 2004 14:36:47 GMT -5
Hi Louise , welcome to this fantastic forum
where we all have so much fun and keep learning day after day after day .......
Jack from New Zealand
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You made no mention of a camera so you can take pics to post for us. We love pics! 
over pics. 
(collection, that is!) Now Now... no bad thoughts.(wink, wink,nudge,nudge)
... to the New Guys from The ChatBox V.2 Crew