IslandGirl
off to a rocking start
Member since January 2004
Posts: 19
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Post by IslandGirl on Feb 3, 2004 17:34:48 GMT -5
ooops, sorry about that empty message...don't know what happened to the text. Anyway, I'll try get it right this time! I'm knew to this site and to the island, so have lots of things to learn!
First question, I collect bazillions of rocks off the beach...can I tumble them all together or would this be disasterous? I thought it would be fun to see what I would end up with. These rocks are all different sizes, from 1/4" to 2". We have lots of quartz, basalt, jasper, epidote, porphyries, dallasite, and some rhodonite, plus others that I don't know the names of.
What is the best book to purchase to help in identifying what I find. I need something with LOTS of pictures...showing before and after polishing . Most of the beach rocks I have are smooth already. Some are easy to identify, some more difficult.
This is a great site. Thanks for any information you can provide. Is there anyone else here from Vancouver Island?
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Post by stoner on Feb 3, 2004 23:01:14 GMT -5
Hey Island Girl. Welcome. I live on the West coast also(SF Bay area) and get a lot of my rocks from the beaches. I just finished a load I got from Morro Bay and was a little disappointed with the results-but it was a lesson well learned. You should only tumble hard rocks with hard rocks and softer ones separately. The harder rocks in my batch came out looking really nice, but the softer rocks didn't take a shine very well. I knew better, but was anxious to get them all done. Sounds like you got a pretty good variety up there. Enjoy hunting and tumblin' them stones.
later, Ed
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hurk
starting to shine!
Member since March 2003
Posts: 37
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Post by hurk on Feb 4, 2004 13:06:50 GMT -5
Hey there newbie we may collect from the same areas? I collect just north of victoria up to sooke... great beaches... as for tumbling put them all together you can usually tell what ones are sandstone by looking, they just aren't as smooth feeling as the others... I usually start at 220 grit for 3-5 days then go to 400 for a week any rocks that you have missed sorting should be ovious by now if not a couple of days of polish you will know for sure weather all your rocks are going to take a shine one exception to the rule that I have found is jade for it needs a longer time to polish it will shine in streaks on the stone to start... any questions feel free to ask Ive been tumbling the same stuff for a year now...HURK
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linda
off to a rocking start
Member since April 2004
Posts: 2
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Post by linda on Feb 4, 2004 20:59:34 GMT -5
Thanks for the good info. Spent 5 hours on beach today (@ Bowser) collecting goodies...I find that I am starting to pick up bigger rocks...will need a front end loader soon ;D. Think I'd better start sorting and get that tumbler rollin'. Can't keep collecting, will run out of storage room soon! Hubby already complaining!
Hurk, we live in Qualicum Beach so my hunting so far has been on the east side of the Island. Where do you purchase your grit, other supplies, etc.? Hope to get to Victoria one of these days and check out rock shop there. Do you have a favorite reference book on gems and minerals? I need something with lots of pics I think.
What are you finding in the Sooke area? Have you hounded in the Tofino area? Do you do any gold panning around there? That's another one of my interests.
Hmm, sorry for all the questions, but I just need to know everything! I am SO addicted!
Linda
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Justme
starting to shine!
Member since March 2003
Posts: 38
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Post by Justme on Feb 5, 2004 0:00:58 GMT -5
You have come to the right place for your rock addiction. First, sort the rocks according to hardness and tumble away. While learning the hard lesson of patience (I am on my 25th day of Phase 1 with some agates) read the wealth of information found on this site. It will cause you to be more addicted than before and more sure of your results.
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Pdwight
has rocks in the head
Member since June 2003
Posts: 619
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Post by Pdwight on Feb 5, 2004 0:44:23 GMT -5
Hi Linda and welcome. Sort those rocks and sell them for a token ammount to help you pay for media !!
Dwight P
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hurk
starting to shine!
Member since March 2003
Posts: 37
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Post by hurk on Feb 5, 2004 14:52:01 GMT -5
HI Linda as for the grit I get my grit in Cloverdale but I hear there are two places in Victoria I haven't checked out yet both are listed in a book I have for the island ,one is Mineral World and Scratch Patch,in Sidney and the other is the Rockhound Shop on Cloverdale St. Victoria I hear the first is worth a visit to for the collection of minerals and stones... The book I have is called " A Field Guide To Gold, Gemstones & Mineral Sites of British Columbia ... Volume1... Vancouver Island" The book also lists Missing Link Fossils in Qualicum Beach but dont Know If they supply grit... there is also rock clubs in Courtney and Parksville... hurk
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berna
off to a rocking start
Member since October 2012
Posts: 1
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Post by berna on Oct 11, 2012 13:30:10 GMT -5
I am also interested in getting supplies. I would like to know if The Rockhound Shop in Victoria ships grit or do I have to go down there? I was given the grits along with a tumbler, but the polishing powder was a brownish color and stained my white rocks pink. I am on my second batch of rock tumbling-it is a GREAT hobby. I LOVE rocks! Berna
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itsandbits
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since March 2012
Posts: 825
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Post by itsandbits on Oct 11, 2012 14:17:57 GMT -5
Hi Berma, can't help you with the local rocks there. Vancouver island is a seperate chunk of land from the rest of BC. in more ways than one. up at the northern tip you will find nephrite too. Lots of different minerals and rocks to tumble and cut.
Welcome
Lloyd
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billg22
spending too much on rocks
Member since November 2011
Posts: 451
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Post by billg22 on Oct 11, 2012 14:27:38 GMT -5
Ed, When you collected the Morro Bay area, did you try the Waddell Creek beach? I picked up about a tumbler full and they came out great! My Penguin Point material had some rock with silver specks in them.
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Post by deb193redux on Oct 11, 2012 15:27:18 GMT -5
Hi - Since you already know many of the types that are common on your beaches, it might be best to google for images of each type - rough and polished. There are great picture books on agate and jasper but your beach will have more than just agate and jasper, and these books, while beautiful, will come up short for your purposes. There are also rock and mineral field guides, but these will contain hundreds if not thousands of pictures, mostly types not found on beaches. Again, not suited for your purpose. There is a neat book on beach stones, with over 200 photos, and some geology/history about various types of stone on beaches. It is not too expensive. It may not match your beach exactly, but, who would not love this book: www.amazon.com/Beach-Stones-Margaret-W-Carruthers/dp/0810955334/There is also a field guide to the identification of pebbles, and it is specific to the Pacific Northwest! But wait, it is a pamphlet and only two pages. I found it limited, but not too bad for $11. maybe good for use with kids: www.amazon.com/Identification-Pebbles-Guides-Pacific-Northwest/dp/1550173952/Happy hunting |
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Post by deb193redux on Oct 12, 2012 16:55:57 GMT -5
grrr ... I see I responded to a 8 year old question because an old thread got resurrected off topic.
Oh, well, they are still nice books on beach stones
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