streon
off to a rocking start
Member since May 2008
Posts: 2
|
Post by streon on May 19, 2008 15:43:40 GMT -5
Hi there. I've been reading this forum for a couple of days, as I'm thinking about buying a rock tumbler (either a Thumler A-R1 or a Lortone 3 lb tumbler). The big thing holding me back is that I don't know what I'd do with the finished rocks. I have a one-bedroom apartment, so there's not a lot of room for displays.
I've been reading about the wire wrapping, and I think I could potentially do that and give away jewelry to all of my girl friends. Am I right that I can wire-wrap rocks from a tumbler without cutting them specially? Do you have any other ideas for what I can do with my finished pieces?
Thanks!
|
|
|
|
Post by Jack ( Yorkshire) on May 20, 2008 2:21:28 GMT -5
|
|
streon
off to a rocking start
Member since May 2008
Posts: 2
|
Post by streon on May 20, 2008 8:42:52 GMT -5
Thanks for the tips!
|
|
|
|
Post by deb193redux on May 20, 2008 10:43:36 GMT -5
wrapping tumbled stones is good. you want bean or wafer shaped, not globe shaped. so, this places demands on the shape of rocks you polish. maybe use broken up slabs to get more of the favorable shapes. but you still need some rounded and some smaller ones to get the tumble right. So, some of what you make will not be wrappable.
But, I do not think you would have too much trouble giving away tumbled stones you cannot use. Also, some stones that are jellybean shaped, or pare shaped, can be put into spiral bead cages instead of wire wrapping.
Generally yoiu polish 2 to 3 times more than you can wrap. Ont the most suited go on to wrapping, or other mounting. Schools teachers are often glad to get polished stones, and some folks like to use small bags of stones as favors at kids parties.
BTW, I am in an apartment now after having a whole basement for rocks back in Pennsylvania. There is some mess, and grit cannot go into the drains. So, you need to think through how you will clean grit/mud off rocks and move them through tthe stages. (I think a 5 gal bucket and screen might work well, but you neeed to dump the bucket outside. Or, maybe you can take you barrel outside to clean it with a hose on the lawn.)
Goodl luck
|
|
