hsnopi
off to a rocking start
"So, I have a bag of rocks. Now what?"
Member since June 2010
Posts: 18
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Post by hsnopi on Jun 22, 2010 8:19:48 GMT -5
hello all,
I recently went to Cape Cod and collected some stone off the beach while at a family reunion. Beautiful colors and shapes. I have always loved stone but never done too much about it. I love it's heft and shape and color patterns. I figured I could collect a little sample on our vacations and make a display out of them to mark trips we go on. I have enough coffee mugs already:)
So, I thought I might start doing some tumbling. I would like to keep the shape of the stone and I read the vibrating tumblers are better for that. Time is not my concern here, though. In fact, if you think hand polishing is even better that's fine. I just have no idea how to approach that one.
I have a rock that is about 1" as the smallest and the largest is about 5" on the long diameter and 3" on the short.
I had done some research and was looking at the Ultra-Vibe 18.
My question is, is this large enough to accommodate the large rocks? or do I need an even bigger one?
My other question is, I read that it both does and does not matter if you mix stones. While reading the vibe tutorial here it says softer stones will be destroyed. so now I am completely confused on that point.
I have not yet identified the stones. not sure how but I know there is a tutorial here. I suppose I have to though I haven't found that to be terribly exciting.
Anyway, I will be reading more as I go.
Hsnopi
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Post by jakesrocks on Jun 22, 2010 9:42:04 GMT -5
The UV - 18 is a good tumbler. but that 3 X 5 stone might be a little large for it. You should have all stones of the same hardness in a tumbler mix. The softer stones won't take a polish when mixed with harder stones. A simple test is to try scratching each stone with a pocket knife. Anything that scratches should go in one tumbler mix, and anything that won't in another. I wouldn't try hand polishing, unless you're a glutton for punishment. You'll spend many long hours hand sanding them.
Don
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Post by johnjsgems on Jun 22, 2010 10:38:40 GMT -5
If you plan on tumbling lots of big rocks you may need a 40lb. model. The scratch test mentioned is good. Anything that will scratch with a knife will be really hard to polish in a tumbler. Mixing hardness in a vibe tumbler is less critical than in a rotary sine the rocks are cushioned by using a lot of ceramic media (1/3-1/2 the load). If all the rocks are beach rounded already a rotary would do a nice job without changing shape. You need only a short run in 60/90 to remove deep scratches, etc. Keeping that step short will pretty much maintain the already rounded shape.
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hsnopi
off to a rocking start
"So, I have a bag of rocks. Now what?"
Member since June 2010
Posts: 18
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Post by hsnopi on Jun 22, 2010 10:54:32 GMT -5
oooh. so i could get a rotary then. i heard they were quieter which i do like. hrmmm....this open more possibilities. I don't think I will be tumbling a lot of rocks. well not yet. i may get a bug, i hear tumbling is contagious:)
if I get a rotary then can I put in one of the big rocks and a lot of filler? and would filler be just smaller rocks I find lieing around or the plastic pellets?
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Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Jun 22, 2010 12:31:15 GMT -5
I own a UV-18 and 18 lbs. is a lot of rock to tumble. I can't imagine a 40 lb. vibe. If you still go with a vibe, you'll need to buy a lot of ceramic pellets to use as filler. It's really important to have at least 1/3 of the load be small rocks (1/2" and smaller).
As John said, if your stones are already rounded from the beach, a rotary isn't going to change them much in the short coarse run you'll need (which you may not need at all if there aren't deep scratches or cracks). A 12-15 lb. rotary will handle your big stone better, too, but I wouldn't put in more than one that size.
Chuck
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hsnopi
off to a rocking start
"So, I have a bag of rocks. Now what?"
Member since June 2010
Posts: 18
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Post by hsnopi on Jun 22, 2010 13:17:30 GMT -5
ok, i checked rock shed and got some more opinions and I am thinking about this one...
Model B - 15 lb Capacity
Thumlers Rock Tumbler.
They seem to be a recommended brand.
and THANK YOU ALL for your input. I am starting to get excited about this.
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chassroc
Cave Dweller 
Rocks are abundant when you have rocktumblinghobby pals
Member since January 2005
Posts: 3,586
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Post by chassroc on Jun 22, 2010 15:33:50 GMT -5
Hsnopi,
Welcome to RTH. I don't know if you were vactioning at the Cape or if you live there. I live in Massachusetts but not the Cape; I'm in Bedford in the heart of the birth of the Revolution next to Concord and Lexington.
A lot of the beach stones are quartz, a bit tricky to tumble but very doable. Post a picture if you can.
charlie
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hsnopi
off to a rocking start
"So, I have a bag of rocks. Now what?"
Member since June 2010
Posts: 18
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Post by hsnopi on Jun 22, 2010 20:24:49 GMT -5
ok so in the middle of that reply we had a power outage. the link is to a bigger picture with numbers. 1 & 28 are of particular interest to me. big version w/ numbers: www.hsnopi.net/media/rocks/rocks.jpg |
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Post by susand24224 on Jun 23, 2010 11:15:26 GMT -5
From looking at the photo, it looks like you have a mix of various hardnesses, plus a few that may not get a shine at all. Prior to beginning this adventure, I recommend that you try a scratch test for hardness and attempt to separate them into piles that are similar.
You also will lose a lot of the interesting grooves, etc., and I see at least a few that will likely undercut (mixed hardnesses in one stone).
I'm saying this because I don't want you to think you are doing something wrong if it doesn't work--some rocks just don't polish the way we would like.
Susan
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hsnopi
off to a rocking start
"So, I have a bag of rocks. Now what?"
Member since June 2010
Posts: 18
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Post by hsnopi on Jun 23, 2010 12:03:41 GMT -5
I appreciate that. Wil the scratch test (iirc, truy to scratch it with a knife) be sufficient?
I understand some might even completely disappear. That is fine. I plan on practicing on some of the railroad ballast locally to see how that works.
Rocks 1 & 28 are my main concerns (see link to big numbered photo, but they are the top left purplish one, large and the green one, large near the bottom right.) also the one near the green, the white and black one. I think it is a type of quartz.
I know there might be some undercutting, I think that is ok. This is how we learn I suppose:)
I really am resisting the temptation to throw in one big rock, a ton of plastic pellets and going. I need to practice a little. but practicing in this case is a 2 month period!
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Post by susand24224 on Jun 23, 2010 18:29:14 GMT -5
I would be inclined to scratch the rocks with each other (if there are any sharp spots). If not, the knife test will help a bit, and at least sort out the ones that could be next to impossible. Or find yourself a piece of quartz to break and use that to test.
I clicked on the link, but did not get a numbered photo--I got the same photo. The rock on the upper left appears to have some pretty deep crevices which will slow you down significantly. I can't really tell what it is, though. The green rock also appears very "dull," i.e., questionable whether it will be sufficiently nonporous to take a shine. Quartz shouldn't be a problem, although the different colors you mention could make tumbling less than even.
I hope this helps--and I hope that someone comes along to help who is better at identifying the rocks in your photos than I have been.
Susan
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hsnopi
off to a rocking start
"So, I have a bag of rocks. Now what?"
Member since June 2010
Posts: 18
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Post by hsnopi on Jun 23, 2010 18:32:27 GMT -5
ah ok cool.
if you click ont he link it opens to the same picture with what look like red dots. it is a large resolution so if you zoom in you will be able to see them.
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Post by johnjsgems on Jun 23, 2010 21:38:04 GMT -5
By the way, tumbling one rock with a load of plastic pellets will not work. The rocks, covered with slurry contacting each other is tumbling. You could possibly do it with a load of gravel, small beach rocks, or ceramic media but multiple sizes really helps.
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hsnopi
off to a rocking start
"So, I have a bag of rocks. Now what?"
Member since June 2010
Posts: 18
|
Post by hsnopi on Jun 24, 2010 9:01:43 GMT -5
ok cool. will do that. once i get the money saved I am off to buy the tumbler.
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Post by johnjsgems on Jun 25, 2010 9:45:16 GMT -5
If you want the material but don't care about having the large size you can break them up to more manageable sizes and use a smaller tumbler.
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