bpaul
off to a rocking start
Member since December 2009
Posts: 21
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Post by bpaul on Jan 3, 2010 19:51:49 GMT -5
Sorry if this is a naiive question. I've noticed a lot of online sites that offer several pound of various types of rock I think I'd like to tumble. Is it reasonable/acceptable to buy these blocks of stone, crush them myself, and then tumble the results? I don't want to waste good stones, but these look like the type of thing I would have to crush if I found it in the field myself. Any help/direction would be enormously appreciated.
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snuffy
Cave Dweller 
Member since May 2009
Posts: 4,319
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Post by snuffy on Jan 3, 2010 21:22:55 GMT -5
Nothing wrong with that question. I've never thought of it like that. It seems to me if you buy it,you can do whatever you want with it. Personally,I have always purchased crushed rough. I feel if I tried to crush it myself,I would end up with useless small shards and powder.There are good sellers on here who sell great tumbling rough. Anyway,enough of my opinion.Good luck,welcome and feel free to ask questions.
snuffy
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Post by deb193redux on Jan 3, 2010 21:26:53 GMT -5
Folks do it. You may get splintery stuff. You want a cold-steel chisel and mallet and not just a hammer. Cover for safety ... etc.
You can also try chunking it up on a tile saw to get more rounded pieces. The splinters tend to be long and narrow.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,497
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Post by Sabre52 on Jan 3, 2010 22:27:17 GMT -5
Yeah, I crunch up a lot of tumbling rough myself. Sometimes it's only possible to find or buy big stuff. There is a lot of waste with a lot of materials as quartz gems especially, tend to show conchoidal fracture and often throw off flakes useless to tumble. Often this can ruin the patterns you're looking for too. Add to this the huge amount of sharp nasty fragments and splinters you have to avoid and dispose of and it's often more cost effective and efficient to buy rough someone else has crushed. Real mechanical rock crushers do a better job of breaking rough too and since it breaks along more natural fracture lines, sometimes that kind of rough takes less time to round off. Hammered rough breaks real sharp and can take much longer in coarse grind.. I imagine almost everyone has their own cracking technique. I just wear safety gear and use a rock hammer. But, expensive rough I usually saw first and stuff I have a lot of it doesn't hurt to waste some......Mel
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bpaul
off to a rocking start
Member since December 2009
Posts: 21
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Post by bpaul on Jan 3, 2010 22:52:58 GMT -5
Thanks so much for the responses. Is it ok if I ask where people think they get the best crushed materials. Are there specific sites/catalogs/companies anyone can recommend?
Thanks again.
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snuffy
Cave Dweller
Member since May 2009
Posts: 4,319
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Post by snuffy on Jan 3, 2010 23:10:06 GMT -5
I have bought every type of rock that the Rock Shed carries,with excellent results and excellent service. Also, I have bought from most of the members who are posted on the new thread in the buy,sell and trade section. you can be assured you will be happy with the product and service from these people.
snuffy
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,497
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Post by Sabre52 on Jan 4, 2010 8:50:09 GMT -5
Yep, Rockshed is a good oufit. I buy most my supplies and all my amethyst tumbling rough from them. Fair prices and fast shipping....Mel
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Post by Toad on Jan 4, 2010 9:25:22 GMT -5
I always try to buy in a size that will fit my tumbler - but I also don't hesitate to buy something I like just because I'll have to bust it up.
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Post by connrock on Jan 4, 2010 9:30:29 GMT -5
If you do buy big rocks and break them up don't throw away the chips and small pieces as they make VERY good filler with the onus that they are the same material you will be tumbling!!!
connrock
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