rollingstone
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since July 2009
Posts: 236
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Post by rollingstone on Jun 3, 2004 16:48:15 GMT -5
Hi, I just started reading this board yesterday, after I came across it accidentally while search for a definition for mine tailings in google. Anyway, what really surprised me is that I see some people leave their stones in the first grind for a very long time, up to five weeks. I've never left mine in longer than 10 days, and I usually polish various forms of quartz. Am I missing something?...I've usually pretty happy with the results, but maybe I shouldn't be? I'm going to try and attach a photo of some amethyst that just came out of a first grind...hope it works (the colour doesn't show up very well in the photo, maybe next time). Does this look about right to others, or would you tumble them longer?
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WarrenA
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2003
Posts: 1,530
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Post by WarrenA on Jun 3, 2004 18:17:41 GMT -5
my rule of thumb is to tumble until YOU are satisified how the stone looks some take longer than others.
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Post by cookie3rocks on Jun 3, 2004 18:31:09 GMT -5
I'm just a beginner, but I'e run 2 batches,, mostly quartz but with some harder stones also. One for 7 days and one for 10. I wasn't real happy with either one. Now I'm running plume agate, about a 7 on the Moh's scale, and I'll run it as long as it takes. It's been in a week and one day with very little change, so I'm probably looling at 4 weeks or more before I move on. Like Warren said, keep going untill you are sure they are ready to move on or you may be dissapointed with really hard stuff. And Welcome ;D
cookie
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Post by rockyraccoon on Jun 3, 2004 20:07:17 GMT -5
i close my eyes and use just my fingers to test for readiness. i want mine smooth before i move on. my eyes might like what they see but my fingers tell me whether it's really ready.
kim
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Post by cookie3rocks on Jun 3, 2004 20:53:54 GMT -5
Great idea Kim, I'm gonna start doing that at the end of the cycles. Become one with the stone. OOOOHHHHMMMM ;D cookie
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bwalters
has rocks in the head
Member since March 2004
Posts: 557
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Post by bwalters on Jun 3, 2004 22:48:26 GMT -5
Cookie & Kim, You guys just crack me up! ;D But joking aside, Kim, that really does sound like a good idea. I may try the 'touch' test on my next load.
Welcome to the board, Rollingstone! There is a wealth of information to be learned here, and also alot of just plain fun to be had! Sounds like you've already had some tumbling successes. Like Warren said, if you're satisfied with your stones, then they're done!
BE
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thewiz
has rocks in the head
"What good is money if you don't spend it"
Member since January 2004
Posts: 735
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Post by thewiz on Jun 3, 2004 23:01:58 GMT -5
i tried that with the mrs and all it got me was a smack "sorry i couldn't help my self"
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Post by cookie3rocks on Jun 3, 2004 23:49:15 GMT -5
Darlin, Its just that our stones are internal. Sorry ;Dcouldn't help it. cookie
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Post by stoner on Jun 4, 2004 2:06:02 GMT -5
I had internal stones-kidney stones-removed last year. Too bad they couldn't get it out in one piece(it was the size of an egg)-I would have tumbled it!
Ed
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Post by rockyraccoon on Jun 4, 2004 8:48:22 GMT -5
just put some stevie wonder on, sway your head and feel some rocks . kim
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Post by rockyraccoon on Jun 4, 2004 9:14:58 GMT -5
big as an egg! so sorry for you stoner - i started getting kidney stones after having my baby. had several that i didn't know what was going on then finally one that caused me to go to the emergency room. told the doc to please knock me out - make the pain stop. he gave me a shot and put something in the i.v., a bottle of pills - that's what i'm talking about - knock me out! and this was a small stone! and they give you a strainer the tin man could wear as a hat and tell you catch the thing! big as an egg - i'm gonna have nightmares! ambulance wouldn't need to cut the siren on i could wail loud enough to get all the cars to pull over ;D.
kim
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Post by stoner on Jun 5, 2004 2:46:14 GMT -5
Hey Kim. So you know the pain they can cause. I've heard women with 5 kids say they'd rather have another baby than have kidney stones. What started out as an outpatient type surgery, turned into a week in the hospital and a 3 month recovery for me. Drink plenty of water!!!
later, Ed
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Mazanec
spending too much on rocks
Member since March 2004
Posts: 355
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Post by Mazanec on Jun 10, 2004 11:31:31 GMT -5
I like the touch test idea too. THANKS!
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Banjocreek
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since March 2003
Posts: 1,115
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Post by Banjocreek on Jun 10, 2004 11:42:05 GMT -5
I like the touch test, but I also get a good idea when the stones are in the sludge, I can see the different pits or cracks easily in the gray soup. I try to run until surface blemishes are gone. The Agates I've been running are on there 4th week in 60/90 and I'll probably graduate 1/2 of them to the 120/220. But some stones are great after a week in 60/90, and the quartz I've run is one of those, Obsidian seems to shape up pretty quickly too.
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