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Post by Jugglerguy on Dec 15, 2016 15:29:15 GMT -5
I was tumbling some beads that I made for my wife and I needed some rocks to throw in to fill up the tumbler. I used all of my large ceramics in this Lot-O load and these rocks are what it took to fill the barrel up the rest of the way. Garage Rocker gave me some photography tips that I used when taking the pictures. Thanks Randy! The Christmas beads. These are from two rocks I collected in Lake Superior. Red Jasper and some sort of green rock. I call it unakite, but it doesn't have much red at all and the color isn't really typical for unakite, so I'm not sure what it really is. These are from a rock I picked up while visiting Chuck on Drummond Island a couple summers ago. I grabbed it near the quarry. It's not great, but it polishes up well and I think of Drummond Island every time I see this rock. The rest of the rocks are all from Superior. I think this is just quartz. All the fractures support that. Two shots of it. Not quite as shiny as the others, but I like it. Lucky I found it with the camo on. Jaspelite I'm not 100% sure this is from Michigan. I try to keep my rocks separated, but I don't really remember finding this one. Bead scrap
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Post by Garage Rocker on Dec 15, 2016 16:13:00 GMT -5
Your beads came out great, it looks like a lot of work. The camo rock is cool, just don't drop it in the grass. Most of the tumbling type rock around here is like your Drummond Island rock, it's not too colorful, but it does take a good shine. There's apparently a lot of color to be had up there though. Nice batch, with nice pics!
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napoleonrags
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2015
Posts: 474
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Post by napoleonrags on Dec 15, 2016 16:23:21 GMT -5
Well done. Nice pix. I like the last one before the bead scrap.
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grizman
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since July 2011
Posts: 878
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Post by grizman on Dec 15, 2016 16:46:03 GMT -5
Cool tumbles! They turned out very nice. Tell us about your bead-making technique, please?
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ChicagoDave
has rocks in the head
Member since June 2016
Posts: 720
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Post by ChicagoDave on Dec 15, 2016 16:55:44 GMT -5
Very nice. And great job on the pictures. I like the "bead scrap".
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panamark
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2012
Posts: 1,343
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Post by panamark on Dec 15, 2016 17:10:18 GMT -5
those are really nice. The beads came out great. I am confused on the new unwrite rock though
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Post by MrMike on Dec 15, 2016 17:16:55 GMT -5
those are really nice. The beads came out great. I am confused on the new unwrite rock though You'd think the World Champion would get his rock names correct.....Just kidding Rob, dammmm autocorrect. Nice batch btw 👌
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Post by Jugglerguy on Dec 15, 2016 17:23:58 GMT -5
those are really nice. The beads came out great. I am confused on the new unwrite rock though New computer. I guess it hasn't learned "unakite" yet. Just did it again in that last sentence.
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Post by Jugglerguy on Dec 15, 2016 18:25:56 GMT -5
Cool tumbles! They turned out very nice. Tell us about your bead-making technique, please? I made a post about this, but after about fifteen minutes of searching, I can't find it. So, here's what I do: 1. Cut a thick slab. 2. Cut a square out of the slab. 3. Drill a hole in the slab the size of the grommet. I haven't put the grommets in yet, but I put silver grommets in each side of the hole. I think the drill bit is 3/16 in. or 5 mm. This is the worst part. Drilling is slow. 4. I made a jig for my trim saw to round the outside of the bead. I clamp the jig to my vice and run the bead through a lot of times. First I remove the square's corners, then I remove the resulting corners then I just turn the bead while it's next to the blade and the edge of the blade acts as a grinder and rounds the bead. When I finish, I turn the bead over and do it again. 5. Cut the head off a bolt that has the same diameter as the bead hole. Hot glue the bolt into the hole of the bead. Chuck the bolt in a drill and run it on a cab machine to round the ends. 6. Tumble in a vibe tumbler with only large ceramic media. Small media gets wedged in the hole and breaks the bead when removing it (at least the way I was removing it). 7. Glue silver grommets in the ends of the beads. 8. Give to wife to wear on Pandora bracelet. 9. Use beads as an excuse to buy more lapidary equipment.
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Post by wigglinrocks on Dec 15, 2016 18:52:29 GMT -5
Very nice polish batch , like 'em all . Those beads turned out great . Very clever bead jig also .
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barclay
has rocks in the head
Lowly Padawan of rocks
Member since November 2011
Posts: 510
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Post by barclay on Dec 15, 2016 18:52:57 GMT -5
I love step 9. Now i just have to figure out how to alter it so my wife will let me buy more lapidary equipment
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Post by rockpickerforever on Dec 15, 2016 19:00:50 GMT -5
I made a post about this, but after about fifteen minutes of searching, I can't find it. So, here's what I do: 1. Cut a thick slab. 2. Cut a square out of the slab. 3. Drill a hole in the slab the size of the grommet. I haven't put the grommets in yet, but I put silver grommets in each side of the hole. I think the drill bit is 3/16 in. or 5 mm. This is the worst part. Drilling is slow. 4. I made a jig for my trim saw to round the outside of the bead. I clamp the jig to my vice and run the bead through a lot of times. First I remove the square's corners, then I remove the resulting corners then I just turn the bead while it's next to the blade and the edge of the blade acts as a grinder and rounds the bead. When I finish, I turn the bead over and do it again. 5. Cut the head off a bolt that has the same diameter as the bead hole. Hot glue the bolt into the hole of the bead. Chuck the bolt in a drill and run it on a cab machine to round the ends. 6. Tumble in a vibe tumbler with only large ceramic media. Small media gets wedged in the hole and breaks the bead when removing it (at least the way I was removing it). 7. Glue silver grommets in the ends of the beads. 8. Give to wife to wear on Pandora bracelet. 9. Use beads as an excuse to buy more lapidary equipment. Are you talking this thread? Bead Making Jig
Wasn't hard to find! Same photos, maybe worded a little bit differently.
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Post by Jugglerguy on Dec 15, 2016 19:05:40 GMT -5
Not sure how you found it and I didn't. I searched "site:forum.rocktumblinghobby.com jugglerguy bead jig". Thanks for posting it!
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Dec 15, 2016 19:08:12 GMT -5
#9 = pure genius
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Post by rockpickerforever on Dec 15, 2016 19:11:24 GMT -5
The best excuse!!!
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richardh
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 391
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Post by richardh on Dec 15, 2016 21:18:37 GMT -5
The beads came out fantastic! The tumbles look great also. Looks like you pretty much have the photography figured out. Also the explanation for the bead making process was very interesting.
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napoleonrags
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2015
Posts: 474
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Post by napoleonrags on Dec 15, 2016 23:07:58 GMT -5
I love step 9. Now i just have to figure out how to alter it so my wife will let me buy more lapidary equipment Pure genius. I need to use this paradigm to explain the virtues of drinking beer.
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dottyt
spending too much on rocks
Member since July 2016
Posts: 305
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Post by dottyt on Dec 16, 2016 0:14:06 GMT -5
Great beads! Way better than any of the stone beads I have seen in a bead store!
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Dec 16, 2016 18:48:33 GMT -5
Nice work on those beads Rob. Glad you figured out how to tumble them without filler getting wedged in the holes. Any idea what the red rock was that you used for the beads?
Edit: I just re-read and seen you listed the red as jasper. I was thinking it looked like an offspring of jaspelite.
Chuck
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Post by Jugglerguy on Dec 16, 2016 21:49:05 GMT -5
Nice work on those beads Rob. Glad you figured out how to tumble them without filler getting wedged in the holes. Any idea what the red rock was that you used for the beads? Edit: I just re-read and seen you listed the red as jasper. I was thinking it looked like an offspring of jaspelite. Chuck The whole rock was red. I assume it was red jasper. No sign of hematite in it.
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