What do I need? and help identify stones

ace
starting to shine!

Member since August 2008
Posts: 39

What do I need? and help identify stones Sept 19, 2008 9:43:42 GMT -5

Quote

Post by ace on Sept 19, 2008 9:43:42 GMT -5

Hey,

Looking to buy my first tumbler and would like some suggestions on what to buy. Initially I want to tumble some stones that we brought home from our trip to Gem Mountain gem mine in Spruce Pine, NC during our vacation this summer. I posted some info about that trip here.

forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/index.cgi?board=introductions&action=display&thread=25381

We came home with quite a few rough stones and would like to tumble or polish them if possible. I am keeping an eye on ebay and craigslist for a used tumbler if possible. I have a vibratory tumbler that I used for polishing brass cases when I reloaded ammunition. I understand that a vibratory tumbler have limitations and advantages in polishing stones.

Also, some of the stones we brought home, we did not either get them identified or forgot what they told us by the time we got home. Also could you suggest which stones could be tumbled or polished. Thanks for your help and thanks for reading. I hope this is not too many pictures on one post and apologize to everyone on dial-up.

Randy

1- Amethyst

2- Kyanite

3- Aquamarine

4- unknown

5- unknown

6- unknown

7- Rose Quartz??

8- Rut. Quartz

9- Amazonite?

10- Sodalite

11- unknown

12- Moonstone

?

13- Garnet

14- Ruby??

15- Emerald??

16- Smokey Quartz

17- Black Tourmaline

18- small assorted stones

Eastern Kentucky is not the end of the world, but you can see it from here.

akansan still telling self it's just a hobby Member since January 2006 Posts: 4,075	What do I need? and help identify stones Sept 19, 2008 10:17:10 GMT -5 Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by akansan on Sept 19, 2008 10:17:10 GMT -5 First - don't tumble the kyanite! Now for the unknowns - #4 - best guess is emerals in matrix #5 - citrine #9 - amazonite

chassroc
Cave Dweller

Rocks are abundant when you have rocktumblinghobby pals

Member since January 2005
Posts: 3,586

What do I need? and help identify stones Sept 19, 2008 10:33:48 GMT -5

Quote

Post by chassroc on Sept 19, 2008 10:33:48 GMT -5

Welcome to this forum...you'll get lots of opinions here Ace. Best way to start is with a two barrel 3 pound tumbler. I'd recommend Lortone's 33b model. Tumbling(rotary) is a four (sometimes more) step process. Each process should take about a week except that the initial step (coarse grit) can take two or more weeks. If you have a dual barrel tumbler you can use one exclusively for the initial stage and another barrel for subsequent stages.

The best material to start tumbling with is agate or jasper or petrified wood. If you go with your material from NC, your best bet is the amethyst or quartzes. material like the cyanite or mica (which has cleavage planes ) is not generally recommended for tumbling. I'm unsure if Moonstone is similar.

You should tumble materials with the same hardness together (reference MORS hardness scales). This would mean that a softer rock like Sodalite(5.5 on MORS) should not be tumbled with Quartz(7.0 on MORS).

csroc

Material that is as hard or nearly as hard as the grit is hard to tumble and takes forever. This includes emeralds, sapphires, rubies and diamonds.

Wolfden fully equipped rock polisher Member since November 2007 Posts: 1,368	What do I need? and help identify stones Sept 19, 2008 12:24:54 GMT -5 Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by Wolfden on Sept 19, 2008 12:24:54 GMT -5 wow what a great haul, I have wondered if Gem Mountain was worth going to , now I see it is lol #4 looks like emeralds I have some that look just like it. Dennis
	" Be Who You Are And Say What You Feel, Because Those Who Mind Don't Matter And Those Who Matter Don't Mind." - Dr. Seuss

kawakami starting to shine! Member since September 2008 Posts: 30	What do I need? and help identify stones Sept 19, 2008 13:12:35 GMT -5 Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by kawakami on Sept 19, 2008 13:12:35 GMT -5 Yea, #4 looks like the emeralds I bought. #15 looks a bit too dark to be emeralds.