likesdamusic
off to a rocking start
Member since November 2017
Posts: 2
|
Post by likesdamusic on Nov 3, 2017 22:09:10 GMT -5
Greetings everyone. I’m a newbie to tumbling and this is my first posting; my 9 year old son and I have embraced this hobby 2 months ago and we’ve been tumbling in a Thumler model B, so far assorted kit rocks and such. We’ve begun becoming choosier in our rock gleaning and have begun need to deal with fractured rocks (quartzes and agates) before we put them in the barrel again. I’ve looked for a tutorial on how to break rocks effectively with minimal damage, what hammers/chisels work best, and how to begin to break and contend with slabs. No such tutorial exist, that I’ve found. Can I draw upon the hive mind’s expertise on these basic matters? We’re into this for the long haul and are loving every minute of it. Experienced insight is SO appreciated!
|
|
|
Post by Pat on Nov 3, 2017 22:38:27 GMT -5
Don’t know about tumbling, but there are many experts here. Welcome from California.
|
|
Wooferhound
Cave Dweller
Lortone QT66 and 3A
Member since December 2016
Posts: 1,432
|
Post by Wooferhound on Nov 3, 2017 22:47:29 GMT -5
|
|
quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,352
|
Post by quartz on Nov 3, 2017 22:49:34 GMT -5
When I come across pieces to tumble that have obvious cracks in them, I use a wide blade chisel and a hammer with a fairly heavy head to repeatedly tap the crack; not beating the rock to pieces, but sort of persuading it to finish breaking. I don't try to break slabs, cut them.
|
|
|
Post by manofglass on Nov 4, 2017 1:09:42 GMT -5
|
|
likesdamusic
off to a rocking start
Member since November 2017
Posts: 2
|
Post by likesdamusic on Nov 4, 2017 10:44:58 GMT -5
Thank you, everyone. Looks like a crack hammer and pair of chisels is the next purchase.
|
|
|
Post by pauls on Nov 6, 2017 19:06:19 GMT -5
The mineral collectors at my club have a couple of rock splitting devices so they don't have to swing hammers at pricey specimen pieces.
Both are basically a square metal frame, one has a screw with a piece of cold chisel welded to it, put the rock in the frame line up the chisel point with a suitable crack and screw it up until the rock cracks. A heavier duty version of the same thing has a hydraulic car jack in the frame, put the rock on the jack and pump it against another chisel point, quite a few tons of pressure, guaranteed to crack any rock.
I do a similar thing in the bench vice in my shed, most rocks can't resist being squeezed in the vice.
|
|