NDK
Cave Dweller 
Member since January 2009
Posts: 9,440
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Post by NDK on Jan 12, 2009 16:08:00 GMT -5
Hi everyone. My name is Nate, Glad to be here amongst such a fine group. Here's a few photos of some rocks I just finished polishing a few days ago. I don't know what all is there, as my daughters picked them out of our landscaping stone. I believe it's mostly quartzite, with a little jasper, and who knows what else. If anyone can identify any of it, I'd be very happy to be able to tell my daughters what it is. Thanks! Two group shots:   Some jasper maybe?  Some type of conglomerate. This is about the size of a jelly bean. I wish it was larger.  This is beautiful! Can anyone identify it?  Another unknown. If the light hits it right, there's iridescent sparkles in it.  Something with a band of quartz in it.  And last, an amethyst we got in a tumbler pack from a toy store, lol.  |
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ejs
spending too much on rocks
Member since July 2008
Posts: 478
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Post by ejs on Jan 12, 2009 18:36:51 GMT -5
Wow, great tumble for "found" material! You got a nice shine on those. What was your process?
I do see a lot of quartz and quartzite in there. I think the red rock at 3 o'clock in the 2nd photo is an agate, but I'll leave the IDs to those who are much better at that than me!
Good job, and welcome aboard!
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NDK
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 9,440
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Post by NDK on Jan 12, 2009 20:36:48 GMT -5
Thank you ejs!
My process was pretty simple. Most rocks were smashed with a hammer, a few I cut with a diamond blade in circular saw I used for a paver project this summer (what a dusty mess dry cutting!). Then a week in each stage, and overnight in burnish.
My tumbler WAS a pos from harbor freight. The motor burned out before my 1st batch was finished. I exchanged it for another one, which burned out before the polish stage on my 2nd load. Grrr! Just before Christmas I went to exchange it again, and there were none in stock. I filled out a rain check, and 3 days later I got it back (in the mail) stating they're discontinued. That's great, so I took it back for a full refund. In the meantime I bought an old used Thumblers AR12 without a barrel for $25.00! Bought a 3 lb thumbler barrel at the local hobby shop and finished this load.
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Saskrock
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2007
Posts: 1,852
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Post by Saskrock on Jan 12, 2009 21:06:51 GMT -5
I love your unknown spotted one. Looks like some sort of jasper to me.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,496
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Post by Sabre52 on Jan 12, 2009 23:37:30 GMT -5
Nice bunch of tumbles. I especially like the first banded ones and the one with the little orbs which I'd call oolite or oolitic chert. It's called oolite if the spheres are less than 2mm and pisolite ( fish egg stone) if the spheres are over 2 mm. Similar forms are found in agate, chert, and even limestone....Mel
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NDK
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 9,440
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Post by NDK on Jan 13, 2009 19:35:03 GMT -5
Thank you, Mel.
I told my family what you said the spotted rock was named. It's funny, I didn't realize how beautiful it was until the photo was taken. There's a larger piece of it in the 2nd group photo, at about 1:00. when I get a saw, I might see if I can talk my daughter into letting me cut it up, lol.
Now I just need to figure out if it's (hopefully) a piece we picked up from around the house.
Thanks again!
Nate
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Post by frane on Jan 13, 2009 23:01:13 GMT -5
Very nice batch! I really like the green banded one!
Fran
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NDK
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 9,440
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Post by NDK on Jan 13, 2009 23:14:40 GMT -5
Thanks Fran. I had 2 pieces of that in the tumbler at one point. I have to look to see if I accidentally culled it before the polish, or if the tumbler gremlins got it!?!
Saskrock, thank you too. I'm sorry I missed you in my last comment.
Edit: I just checked my little dish o' culls and the banded piece isn't in there. Hmm, wonder where it went.
But I did find several more pieces of the oolite, and 2 more larger pieces of the whitish conglomerate.
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Post by sparkles on Jan 15, 2009 17:12:58 GMT -5
Hi NDK,
Cool Tumble! Congratulations and welcome to the Forum! You got a great result, and from collected material too, nice job! ;D I like the quartzies, and sparkly rocks always make me smile, but your spotty Oolite is truly magnificent! What a brilliantly beautiful stone! It's fantastic! Can't wait to see your next batches, and thanks so much for the lovely photos, I really enjoyed seeing them.
Cheers,
Sparkles.
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DeanW
has rocks in the head
Member since December 2007
Posts: 721
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Post by DeanW on Jan 21, 2009 12:25:12 GMT -5
Nice batch, found rocks are great!
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NDK
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 9,440
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Post by NDK on Jan 21, 2009 23:30:06 GMT -5
Thank you Sparkles & Dean.
I got another bunch yesterday from a spot where the sun melted a little snow and exposed some of the landscaping. It's probably not enough for a full batch, but it's a start. I'm hoping to get to HD soon and pick up a workforce saw, so this will give me something to practice on too.
Nate
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