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Post by MyNewHobby on Apr 15, 2009 12:43:25 GMT -5
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Mudshark
fully equipped rock polisher
Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock. Will Rogers
Member since December 2008
Posts: 1,083
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Post by Mudshark on Apr 15, 2009 14:37:43 GMT -5
Hi Julie,I think they all came out great.Nice assortment of colors,nice and shiny batch.Great job and thanks for posting them.
Mike
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Post by 150FromFundy on Apr 15, 2009 16:56:51 GMT -5
You shouldn't be too disappointed. For a newer tumbling member, your batch looks good, and many are supreme. I didn't even post pictures of my first few disasters. I tried it on my own before discovering RTH.
The addition of sugar is highly debated and you will hear many arguments for and against. I can't be bothered with it. You can try it, but I think the effect will be minimal, if anything.
Probably the one biggest thing you can do to improve the success of the entire batch is to simply tumble a full load of the same material. The tendency when you are new to tumbling is to tumble a mixed batch because they are ALL so pretty. Simply tumble all the rocks that you would find in a typical mixed batch, but do it one barrel full (of the same rock) at a time. It will take a little longer, (probably a year, or so) but you will now have many of all the rocks found in a typical mixed batch.
This is a SLOW hobby. I can see it taking a lifetime.
150FromFundy
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tom
having dreams about rocks
Member since March 2009
Posts: 50
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Post by tom on Apr 15, 2009 17:48:25 GMT -5
Your stones look exceptional. Pick out the ones you really like with the cracks and flaws and let them go for another tumble.
In my opinion. If a stone wants to be polished it will be done, it don't polish, leave it be. Enjoy it as is.
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luv2hound
freely admits to licking rocks
I try & I try, but dang it! Those rocks just keep ending up in my pockets
Member since June 2007
Posts: 890
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Post by luv2hound on Apr 15, 2009 18:06:51 GMT -5
Julie, I think your batch turned out great. And the more you tumble the more you'll learn. Keep up the good work. THis is a wonderful hobby.
Mitzi
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Post by MyNewHobby on Apr 15, 2009 18:12:01 GMT -5
I know, I know .... all the rocks are beautiful no matter what. I just do not want to make the same mistakes over and over.
For the time being I am now going to tumble only same or like rocks together. Maybe I have too wide of a mohs range in each tumble.
Thanks guys .... as always ...
Julie
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ejs
spending too much on rocks
Member since July 2008
Posts: 478
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Post by ejs on Apr 15, 2009 18:32:17 GMT -5
Very nice! I see all kinds of stuff in there: quartz, aventurine, fancy jasper, tiger jasper (I think), carnelian agate. You did a great job for just starting out! You should be psyched and pleased.
As others have said, I think you'll have much better luck with some of the problem stones if you tumble them in isolation or with other stones of the same Mohs hardness. I learned that lesson the hard way with Labradorite and others. The good news is, if you gather a full batch later, you can add your lesser ones back in.
Keep at it! And keep us informed!
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Post by Condor on Apr 15, 2009 19:28:08 GMT -5
That will happen quite often. There will be some great ones and some not so nice ones within the same batch. The trick is like the others have said and that is to separate them then tumble the ones you are not happy with. Overall I think they are nice, but if you're not happy with some just redo them again.
Condor
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Post by MyNewHobby on Apr 15, 2009 20:42:09 GMT -5
Okay .... so is it a general rule of thumb that if I really do not like how the stone(s) came out (knowing how it can come out) I can toss it (with other like stones this time) back into 60/90 (I would think to get the polish off) and run it as if I am starting fresh?
Now that makes me feel good to know.
As always ... I learn no matter what!! Sweet!!!
Julie
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Post by Michael John on Apr 16, 2009 2:10:29 GMT -5
Retumbling will only rescue the ones that chipped ... it won't uncrack or unfracture. But at least you'll have a second chance with some of them.
Looking at your batch, I noticed that most of your stones are large ... not many medium or small. That's probably part of your chips/fractures/cracks problem. You need to balance your load better, even tumbling like-material, or the large stones will bang against each other, causing these problems. Also use plenty of filler for cushioning. I recommend plastic tile spacers which are relatively cheap and available at just about any hardware store. That's what the po-folk out here use, and they work great.
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Post by LCARS on Apr 16, 2009 2:21:19 GMT -5
Do you happen to know for sure what this one in the middle is? It looks quite a lot like muggle stone, I've been looking for a new supply of it...
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Post by MyNewHobby on Apr 16, 2009 10:55:09 GMT -5
Cool .... I may pull the chipped and nicked and set them aside. And then again I may just put them in my champagne flute on my table as they are still pretty.
As for the cracked and shattered and yet still one stone, I know I cannot rescue those but will put them aside as a reminder of what can happen when certain things occur.
As for the muggle stone ... I have no idea ... I will look back on my notes to see (I have tried to be really good about documenting where I got the batches/stones from) where I got them.
I will take some pictures tonight (better ones) and post them. I have a couple of them I think.
As always
Julie
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Post by frane on Apr 17, 2009 20:16:05 GMT -5
Julie, sometimes they work out and sometimes they don't. There are often pits and fractures inside that end up showing up. Some folks don't feel that the sugar helps but I think it does when using a tumbler toward the end of a batch. You may have needed more cushioning also. Sometimes, you just can't do anything about it because it is just the stones.
I think you have a lot of pretty ones there with some beautiful shine!
Fran
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