gregw
off to a rocking start
Member since December 2011
Posts: 21
|
Post by gregw on Jan 16, 2012 11:28:06 GMT -5
OK, I got my Lot-O tumbler in first and could not wait for the rotary to arrive and then wait a few weeks more for some stones to start in the Lot-o..... So I took some stones that looked pretty smooth that could maybe start at the 220 grit size. Anyway here they are wet after first round at the 500 grit level. I am very happy with the results and variety of colors and patterns from backyard rocks. I know that most of these really need to start over to eliminate some of the recess areas that don't tumble well, but happy just the same. Attachments:
|
|
herchenx
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,360
|
Post by herchenx on Jan 16, 2012 12:03:46 GMT -5
It's fun to see things coming along. I have resisted adding anything to the vibe yet, waiting for the coarse stage to be done in the rotary first.
The brownish rock with white bands toward 3 0'clock on the right looks cool. Also the one directly opposite with the red and black looks like it could be pretty once it's done.
Thanks for sharing!
|
|
gregw
off to a rocking start
Member since December 2011
Posts: 21
|
Post by gregw on Jan 16, 2012 12:27:55 GMT -5
You picked out my favorite 2. I saw the red one early on but the brown one with white bands was a surprise, it had a thin layer of other rock over that pattern. There is also one with narrow brilliant emerald green bands (too narrow to see in this photo). Another complete surprise.
All these and many more in buckets came from the excavation of my new house I'm building and also from the well drilling. My well water sieve is 95 feet down in a 20 foot thick band of these river rocks. 30 gallons / minute flow. The Ohio river is within sight of the house.
|
|
herchenx
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,360
|
Post by herchenx on Jan 16, 2012 13:06:07 GMT -5
Sounds like you have a good amount of tumbling ahead. We have no naturally occurring rock around our house (at least as I have been able to find yet!) so we are joining the local rockhounding club to find out what there is reasonably close that we could access.
Keep us posted on the river rock, I can't wait to see how it comes out. My guess is that you will get adept at filtering the rocks that won't be of much interest when tumbled and that you can keep a pile of interesting ones ready to go.
Which rotary did you end up buying? I started a batch of various types of rough agate as well as some Bahia agate rounds on Saturday night in my Lortone 66B. I'll be opening it tonight to see if I need to add some volume.
|
|
gregw
off to a rocking start
Member since December 2011
Posts: 21
|
Post by gregw on Jan 16, 2012 13:34:03 GMT -5
I got the 2 barrel thumbler model A-R2. I'm also getting 2 additional tumblers from friends that had them collecting dust in a closet. I have no idea if they are any account.
I have both barrels going right now. By the time they are rounded enough there should be enough to fill one Lot-O, due to material loss. Have to wait and see.
I have a bucket full of small geodes that I got from a local creek that will go in next. I have broken open a few and the are generally solid, not sure what to expect from them.
Next will be petrified wood from the same creek, I don't expect much from that, but will give it a try.
|
|
herchenx
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,360
|
Post by herchenx on Jan 16, 2012 13:44:24 GMT -5
Man, petrified wood, unlimited river rock, free tumblers, geodes... sounds like you should start tumbling rocks. Oh wait.
We have a river in town that flows straight out of the rockies (we sit right at the edge of the plains and the rockies) - and SUPPOSEDLY there are "interesting rocks" in the gravel bars when they are left exposed. (No idea what that means)
I may head over during lunch and see what I can find, I feel jipped to live in such a mineral-heavy state and feel as though there is so little within easy access for me.
Hopefully I can find these "interesting rocks" and be able to stop dumping $$ into ebay just to get some variety.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 16, 2012 19:23:56 GMT -5
John If you need variety you do not need to go any further than my email. I will send you all the variety you want if you pay the shipping. You would have to break it up but all it takes is a good hammer. There is one guy on here that uses a dumb bell and swears buy it. Jim
|
|
gregw
off to a rocking start
Member since December 2011
Posts: 21
|
Post by gregw on Jan 16, 2012 20:50:50 GMT -5
Hi Jim, I love variety, what can you suprise me with? Would be happy to pay shipping for some unique Wyoming rocks. I've been to Wyoming twice, once this past September on a 7 day backpacking trip in the Wind River Range and once passing through on a cross country bicycle trip. Passed by south of you through Rawlins, Lander, Crowheart, Dubois and into the tetons. Beautiful country. Tell us about Greybull, what is that town like.
|
|
|
Post by susand24224 on Jan 16, 2012 22:11:10 GMT -5
I'll be watching the one with the red on the left. Nice variety of backyard rocks! And--they're looking real good.
Susan
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 17, 2012 11:35:18 GMT -5
Not much to say about Greybull. 1815 people plus me. A bunch of bars that I have not been in. A small museum that has a pretty nice rock and mineral collection but none of it local? ? I have to travel or use internet for almost anything that I need. The only thing that I have an abundance of is hills and mountains which I love in the summer and more beautiful stones than a thousand people could process (tumble, cab, slab) in a thousand years. All I have to do is go out and pick it up. Do you have any way to grind bad stuff off of stone? It would make a difference in what I send. It is six below zero right now but it is supposed to be up into the forties in a couple of days. I will put together a box then. You can either pay back the shipping on my pay pal or send cash in the mail. I will send my address and pay pal account in a PM and you can do the same. Not sure what it will be yet but I am sure you will not be disappointed. Jim
|
|
unclestu
Cave Dweller
WINNER OF THE FIRST RTH KILLER CAB CONTEST UNCLESTU'S AGUA NUEVA AGATE
Member since April 2011
Posts: 2,298
|
Post by unclestu on Jan 17, 2012 18:36:30 GMT -5
John If you need variety you do not need to go any further than my email. I will send you all the variety you want if you pay the shipping. You would have to break it up but all it takes is a good hammer. There is one guy on here that uses a dumb bell and swears buy it. Jim So that is why she always has a head ache LOL and I thought she didn't love ,me any more ;D
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 17, 2012 20:19:40 GMT -5
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha Stu you made my day. Jim
|
|
gregw
off to a rocking start
Member since December 2011
Posts: 21
|
Post by gregw on Jan 25, 2012 9:31:21 GMT -5
OK here are the final results. Dry rocks. The shine is OK, I like them but can see by these results that the rotary tumbler phase can not be skipped. No problem, I will have a batch to start next week. Many of these will go back to the beginning and get tumbled. Attachments:
|
|
|
Post by paulshiroma on Jan 25, 2012 10:02:04 GMT -5
Nice variety of stuff, GregW! It looks pretty good for skipping the coarse stage. Love the fact that you pulled these from your backyard. That's cool. If I did that, all I'd get was left over concrete chips and red brick fragments from when my place was built in 1967. Looking forward to seeing your results! Paul
|
|
herchenx
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,360
|
Post by herchenx on Jan 25, 2012 11:51:42 GMT -5
It is nice to see the shine, thanks for sharing the end result.
|
|