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Post by grumpybill on Jul 5, 2017 7:30:36 GMT -5
As I wrote in my introductory post, I've made mistakes at every step of the first run in my tumbler. I made my first mistake before I even had the critter in my hands! Hopefully, this thread (and others that may follow) will help future beginners or, at least, give experienced rockheads a good laugh.
I bought the tumbler on eBay and while waiting for it to arrive I got over anxious/impatient. I found eBay listings for little ½ pound bags of various tumbling rough and bought six different ones with my only criteria being “Oh, that's pretty!”
Not having done enough (any!) research I didn't know that I shouldn't tumble soft (obsidian) with hard (varieties of quartz), or that I shouldn't load a 3lb barrel with only a ½ lb of stone. Lesson learned: find and read sites and forums such as this before jumping into things.
I also ordered bags of stone from another eBay seller. When they arrived, they looked like someone's culls/castoffs and/or been bashed with a heavy hammer. Some were so fractured I could pull them apart with my fingers. I spent at least an hour making a plastic shield and taking a chisel to them. Lesson learned: buy only from known/reputable sellers.
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Post by fantastic5 on Jul 5, 2017 7:38:12 GMT -5
I don't think you are alone with these sorts of mistakes. Several years ago, I gave my husband a faceter for Christmas, and I went crazy buying faceting rough for him off eBay. Not knowing what to buy or what shapes are needed, we have a lot of pretty useless rough.
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Post by Jugglerguy on Jul 5, 2017 10:32:03 GMT -5
Even when buying rough from a reputable source, you're going to get some stones that are better than others. I have tumbled a lot of rock that I collect myself and have learned over the years what to bring home and what to leave behind. I used to haul home a lot of granite, but I'm almost cured of that. I find a lot of Petoskey stones and pudding stones. I used to bring them all home, but now I'm much more selective and try to only bring home rocks of decent quality. So don't feel bad, if there wasn't a learning curve, this wouldn't be such a fun hobby.
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Post by orrum on Jul 5, 2017 11:11:31 GMT -5
The learning, experiments, customization, and going where you have never been b4 makes the end result your art, your plessure, your pride and most important your satisfaction!!! LOL. RTH ROCKS!
ALSO WELCOME, beware this hobby is addictive!!!
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Post by grumpybill on Jul 5, 2017 11:47:40 GMT -5
Even when buying rough from a reputable source, you're going to get some stones that are better than others. It wasn't "some stones" that were crap ...it was damned near every one. Oh, well...now I have a good supply of small filler. Henceforth I will only buy from eBay rock sellers who also have a real website. (Shoulda' learnt that lesson when I was learning to make guitar pickups...)
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Post by Pat on Jul 5, 2017 16:49:24 GMT -5
... and look at all you have learned, and you are just a beginner!!!
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zekester55
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2017
Posts: 111
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Post by zekester55 on Jul 9, 2017 9:42:10 GMT -5
I have had good luck with Gemsbymail.com for web bought rough. You might have a look there.
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Post by grumpybill on Jul 9, 2017 18:49:28 GMT -5
Thanks, zekester. I'll look into that. Yesterday I trimmed and pre-shaped a bag of rough from the Rock Shed. Very nice stuff. No serious fractures; just a few surface flakes here and there.
EDIT: Wow! Gemsbymail.com has one flat rate for shipping (regardless of size/weight). Gonna' try them the next time I order rough.
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