ArkieRockhound
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since February 2005
Posts: 870
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Post by ArkieRockhound on Feb 23, 2005 17:52:26 GMT -5
I've been fascinated by Rocks all my life but have never lived where I could get out and collect when I did have a little extra time. I just retired so I started looking for a rock tumbler. I didn't want a tiny one with one barrell, I'm too impatient! I kept checking Ebay till I found a homemade job with one 12 lb and two six lb barrells. I got it two weeks ago and it works great. Now all I have to do is find some good rocks. I ordered a few to start with but they're not the greatest. Most of them are probably too rough to ever shape up.
Anyway, I found this board so I'm really reading and learning a lot! This is greatl I know I will have a lot of questions. I'd love to find another tumbler just like this one. I want to make up for all the lost years in a hurry. Now, as soon as the weather permits, I'm going to go out and see what Polk County Arkansas has to offer besides crystal. If anyone knows a good location around here, please let me know. Sorry so long winded. I'll try to keep it short after this.
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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 Feb 23, 2005 17:57:57 GMT -5
Welcome to this great site Arkie...
I am still very new at it and I do understand your impatience for wanting everything yesterday.
But please do remember that tumbling does take time and does require lots of patience.
I have found out that it does pay in the long run with the most beautiful stones one could ever wish for.
And , eh as for long stories ...not to worry we love them too haha
jack
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Post by sandsman1 on Feb 23, 2005 18:00:17 GMT -5
hi arkie WELCOME --and its about time you gave in to the rock hahaha---and if you get some rock that wont shape as fast as the rest just put it back in with your next 60/90 run and let it roll anther week and so on till it gets to where you want it to be i seen whole batchs of rocks go for 5 weeks in 60/90 before i moved them up so dont rush them and you will get some great rocks
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phoenix1647
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2013
Posts: 186
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Post by phoenix1647 on Feb 23, 2005 18:00:36 GMT -5
Welcome to the group and the boards....lots of good people here with loads of good information and tips.
You might check in the creeks in your area to find some good rocks to work with and also check ebay for rocks.
I have an excellent supply of petrified wood I can either trade or sell you...banjocreek has lots of good rocks he will sell too..and I am sure other members will have something if intrest to you...just ask for what you want..someone will respond.
Pho
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phoenix1647
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2013
Posts: 186
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Post by phoenix1647 on Feb 23, 2005 18:26:42 GMT -5
awww geeez sands..i got a batch in 60/90 now that's been there for two week and I am chomping at the bits to move up but they are just not ready.....patience is not my strongest suit here....
Pho
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ArkieRockhound
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since February 2005
Posts: 870
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Post by ArkieRockhound on Feb 23, 2005 18:38:44 GMT -5
Thanks for all the replys. I'm trying to be patient! I went to the Ouchita River this week and picked up about 100 Lbs of rock. Not too much color, a few orange, red and yellow. Just river rock. I did pick up a bunch that are black with white banding that are pretty smooth. I have some just like it in an aquarium that are real pretty. Thought I would play with that awhile till I find something real nice. I do have several pieces of Pet. wood from Brazos Co. Tx. It's not colorful, just looks like wood, but if I break some up, will it have more color in the center? They are pretty large pieces. Thanks for the advice.
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ArkieRockhound
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since February 2005
Posts: 870
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Post by ArkieRockhound on Feb 23, 2005 18:41:55 GMT -5
I have an excellent supply of petrified wood I can either trade or sell you...banjocreek has lots of good rocks he will sell too..and I am sure other members will have something if intrest to you...just ask for what you want..someone will respond. Pho Would love to have some Arizona Pet wood. Maybe we can work out a trade, or quote me a price and I will buy some. Thanks
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phoenix1647
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2013
Posts: 186
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Post by phoenix1647 on Feb 23, 2005 19:10:19 GMT -5
Brazos county is just across the river from me..I live in Burleson county... Won't find out what color is in there until ya break it or slab it....that's the fun part of this hobby....
Pho
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ArkieRockhound
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since February 2005
Posts: 870
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Post by ArkieRockhound on Feb 23, 2005 20:39:38 GMT -5
Guess I should have checked your info. Thought you were from Phoenix. We probably have the same type of Pet. wood. Is it really colorful inside and how is the best way to break it? Thanks
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Post by Cher on Feb 23, 2005 23:16:57 GMT -5
Hi Arkie, Welcome to the forum!! *smile* Patience is definitely in order for rock tumbling, hard as it may be. Be sure you have a camera too cause we like to see pics of everyone's pretty polished rocks when they come out of the barrels. Sounds like you had a good trip if you picked up 100 lbs, the banded ones sound nice.
Cher
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Post by rockyraccoon on Feb 24, 2005 2:24:32 GMT -5
welcome arkie - in the vendors section there is alot of good info on places to buy rough rock. and in the buy, trade, sell section too. hope you have a digital camera so you can show us pics of your batches of rocks!
kim
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Rose
Cave Dweller
Member since November 2004
Posts: 875
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Post by Rose on Feb 24, 2005 3:31:41 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum arkie I'm pretty new to this too, and the patience thing is hard but I'm getting there !
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Post by creativeminded on Feb 24, 2005 9:30:03 GMT -5
Welcome to the family Arkie. There is no such thing as too many questions, after all how do we learn if we don't ask questions. Tami
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chassroc
Cave Dweller
Rocks are abundant when you have rocktumblinghobby pals
Member since January 2005
Posts: 3,586
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Post by chassroc on Feb 24, 2005 10:33:13 GMT -5
Welcome to the Dark Side Arkie. A twelve pound (and dual six#) tumbler is very impressive. There is lots of rocks for sale or trade on these boards. If you're like most of us, I'll bet you will get more fun out of tumbling rocks you find yourself. That being said, I've still purchased a pound for every pound I collected. Something to be said for variety, "the spice of..". Get as longwinded as you want, if we get bored we just move on to the next post and noone is ever the wiser. Charles
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Post by Noosh9057 on Feb 24, 2005 11:04:29 GMT -5
Welcome to the site. You will fid a lot of great people here with lots of info.
Roger
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,095
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Post by stefan on Feb 24, 2005 13:39:15 GMT -5
Hey welcome welcome welcome- You have landed at the place to be- Tons of info- cool contests and generally great people! The only thing they don't offer here is PATIENCE- but that can be learned (especially after you see how long it takes to get some of the results found here!) What I did at first was to go back over the member photos- and find rocks I wanted and then ordered them- Of course I only have a single barreled 3# right now so it does not take too much to fill it- Also check the vendor section- lots of good vendors out there!
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Post by connrock on Feb 24, 2005 19:14:38 GMT -5
Hi Arkie or is it hierarchy?? LOL Welcome to our group and congrats on your retirement!! If you don't mind i'd like to put in my 2cents about the rocks you're going to polish. I agree that there's nothing like polishing rocks that you have collected yourself but,,,,,,,,,,,, In most cases, and espically with "newbies", the rocks that you find may not polish up the way you might think they would. The easiest way to tell if the rock is a keeper is to do a scratch test with a sharp piece of quartz.If the quartz scratches the rock in question it's a "leaverite",,,,as in leave-er-right-there.If it doesn't scratch the rock it's a keeper.It's just about that simple.There are rocks that can be scratched by quartz but for a newbie I don't suggest you try to polish them. Petrified wood can be a little tricky as well.It sometimes consists of different hardnesses and the softer areas can create a contamination problem for you.It also can have tiny pitts and crevises that will do the same thing.I'm not saying that all petrified wood is unworthy of the tumbling process as I have tumbled many pounds that have come out as good as any other "good" tumbling material I have done. I would suggest that if you tumble "pet" wood inspect it after a week in the rough stage.You can pretty much tell what's good and bad by then and it will also tell you which pieces you should and should not tumble in the future. It can be a costly and dissapointing experience if your first attempt at tumbling turns out not as nice as you would have expected.The time it takes to tumble polish a load in a rotary tumbler can take several months and if you've chosen the wrong material to start with you will for sure be dissapointed. Just my thoughts Arkie,,,,,,Just my thoughts,,,,,,, Tom
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ArkieRockhound
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since February 2005
Posts: 870
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Post by ArkieRockhound on Feb 24, 2005 22:05:06 GMT -5
Hey Tom, That sounds like a lot of good information. The rocks I'm tumbling now are a box of agate I bought on Ebay. A few of them good and some not so good. I'm just trying to collect my next load. I have lots of quartz, so I will test them all that way. I've been trying to read every post and am trying to learn all I can. Trish
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