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Post by Tweetiepy on Mar 4, 2005 11:16:37 GMT -5
How on earth do you folks get those nice round shape rocks (I'm not talking about the shaped stones) but the nice flatty roundy ones? Mine just smooth out but they never get the nice & round like those I've seen. How do you do it?
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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 Mar 4, 2005 11:51:23 GMT -5
If you have a Wal Mart up there..check in the crafts area...you can get bags of river rocks for a buck or so..
If not..check any of your crafts stores...look for river rocks..
Pho
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stubby
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since April 2004
Posts: 150
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Post by stubby on Mar 4, 2005 11:59:43 GMT -5
Lots of weeks in course grit.
Also, something I haven't tried yet...using dremmel to smooth rocks.
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Post by sandsman1 on Mar 4, 2005 12:07:50 GMT -5
hey tweet first you have to face the fact that one week of course just wont doit after about two batches it finaly got through to me and seeing james's rocks,, i started lettin them go atleast 4 weeks in 60/90 with a good rinse and recharge every 7 days--some even went 5 weeks,, 99% of your shaping is in 60/90 after that your just smoothing scratchs,, so do an experiment and let some go three weeks and look at them and i bet you do at least 3 weeks from then on
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69beeper
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2004
Posts: 377
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Post by 69beeper on Mar 4, 2005 12:11:12 GMT -5
To get 'em nice and round and pit free, I've found that it takes about 6-8 weeks in #60/90 for most agate, and bout 4+ weeks on the quartz/amethyst.
Jimmy
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Post by Tweetiepy on Mar 4, 2005 12:34:54 GMT -5
hey tweet first you have to face the fact that one week of course just wont doit after about two batches it finaly got through to me and seeing james's rocks,, i started lettin them go atleast 4 weeks in 60/90 with a good rinse and recharge every 7 days--some even went 5 weeks,, 99% of your shaping is in 60/90 after that your just smoothing scratchs,, so do an experiment and let some go three weeks and look at them and i bet you do at least 3 weeks from then on I'm never gonna be able to let them run that long... but I will have to try that at some point, maybe when the "thrill" has worn off a bit.... does that even happen? my 4 yr old son still ooohs & ahhs at the pictures of rocks, maybe soon he'll do the same for mine...
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Post by sandsman1 on Mar 4, 2005 12:42:25 GMT -5
tweet after you do a few batchs and keep sayin i wish they where shaped alittle more you will bite the bullet and do extra runs in 60/90 and the longer you leave them in 60/90 the better your batchs will come out,, and you will start sayin this one im gonna do for 4 weeks and see how they come out hahaha,, hey im sure we all had to see for ourselves that the longer there in 60/90 the better they look finished,, other then grinding them round theres no other short cut to great shaped rocks
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Post by gaetzchamp on Mar 4, 2005 12:50:56 GMT -5
Doesn't the type of tumbler you have dictate what shape rocks you get?
I've been working under the assumption that my vibed rocks will always have a blocky, flatty shape to them and rotary tumblered rocks will have more of a rounded appearance.
Is this true? If not, then I need to try something different. I've got gobs of rocks w/ flat surfaces. I'm fine w/ this, but a little variety would be welcome.
Gaeter
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Post by sandsman1 on Mar 4, 2005 13:08:24 GMT -5
gaeter your right about a vibe and a roller the vibe will just start to polish with the first step with very little shaping ---thats why some people use both there great for a fast great shine but you cant beat a roller for shaping---im parcial to very rounded well shaped rocks so even if i had my vibe up and running i still would do 60/90 for a few weeks in one of my rollers to get that shape i like ---but hey too each his own some people prefer the more natural shape --cookie has turned out some realy cool jewlery with just a vibe i think they came out great ---its just a matter of taste
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Post by gaetzchamp on Mar 4, 2005 13:23:56 GMT -5
Tweety-
What type of tumbler do you have??
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69beeper
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2004
Posts: 377
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Post by 69beeper on Mar 4, 2005 13:32:43 GMT -5
She has a Lortone 33B... I remember, she waited 'til polish to use that second barrel... ;D
Jimmy
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Post by Tweetiepy on Mar 4, 2005 14:18:59 GMT -5
She has a Lortone 33B... I remember, she waited 'til polish to use that second barrel... ;D Jimmy I guess I was so excited, folks remember that ;D I'm very memorable I'm getting them out of pre-polish this weekend (waited a whole week for pre-polish & my other is running in coarse (a whole week too - that one may go longer depending on what they look like - I've been good with this second batch, only peeked once to let the gas escape!!!
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,095
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Post by stefan on Mar 4, 2005 14:50:19 GMT -5
Let em roll baby roll- The only way to GO! Tweet- Patience is the WORST PART of this hobby- If you get a chance to get some Bubblegum Agate- they are pretty round already so they should help you cheat a bit!
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Post by Tweetiepy on Mar 4, 2005 14:59:32 GMT -5
Let em roll baby roll- The only way to GO! Tweet- Patience is the WORST PART of this hobby- If you get a chance to get some Bubblegum Agate- they are pretty round already so they should help you cheat a bit! Hey Stefan, were you not tumbling some of this? How did they turn out?
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,095
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Post by stefan on Mar 4, 2005 15:03:44 GMT -5
Ha Tweet- I got some- It is due to go in in about 2 years! Lets see- next batch is all Ocean Jasper, then there is some Botswanna Agate, then another assorted batch, then I have some Flint coming, Then the Bubblegums! WOW I have too much stuff to tumble- Maybe I'll sneak one into the Ocean Jasper- Just for S&G's-
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Post by Cher on Mar 4, 2005 18:06:53 GMT -5
Hey Tweety, after you start looking at them, like when your recharging, you'll find that there's some you want to take out cause you like their shape, others you want to let go longer. Take out the ones you like and put them in a little pail of water and add some more rough to the barrel to keep it filled. That way you'll be starting to build up some for the next stage but you can still let the ones go that you really want rounder. It also helps to decrease the impatience doing this.
Cher
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Duckbean
fully equipped rock polisher
Looking for rocks in all the wrong places
Member since February 2005
Posts: 1,072
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Post by Duckbean on Mar 4, 2005 23:45:29 GMT -5
I've seen 40/70 grit around has anyone tried it, or is it too corse? Wondered if it would shave off a day or two.
Bob
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llanago
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2004
Posts: 1,714
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Post by llanago on Mar 5, 2005 9:44:48 GMT -5
Tweetie, one thing this hobby does is teach patience! I'm sure that we all moved our rocks on before they were ready when we first started. I know I did. Once the excitement wears off, it's easier. One thing that really helped me was seeing the pics James and Banjocreek posted of their finished batches. I want my finished batches to be as pretty and shiney as theirs and to get that, ya' just have to let them go in 60/90 a long time.
Bob, I have used 46/70 and can't say it was any faster than 60/90. Of course, when I used it I had just started tumbling and wasn't keeping a record of everything as I do now, so really can't say for sure.
llana
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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 Mar 5, 2005 12:27:22 GMT -5
Tweety, One thing that amazes me is just how addictive this hobby can be. I purchased a Lortone 33B for my wifes birthday a couple of years ago and helped her through her first batch. It has been my hobby ever since! I didn't realize how "not round" my rocks were until i looked at some of the photos and saw the perfect shaping and shining being done...I have started to get more perfectionist like. I just had 3 batches that I just discarded because the rocks were so pitted and not coming out perfect...I had to buy a rock grinder just to get some of the imperfections down to a more manageable level.
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