Wooferhound
Cave Dweller 
Lortone QT66 and 3A
Member since December 2016
Posts: 1,432 
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Post by Wooferhound on Sept 28, 2018 11:59:51 GMT -5
I got my first tumbler on Christmas Eve 2 years ago and had it rolling that night. I've had a tumbler running nonstop during that time. Did cleanouts weekly without fail. Been having too much fun and enjoy this forum intensely.
But now I have 50 pounds of polished rocks and my wife groans everytime a new batch comes out of polish. My smaller 3A tumbler has not been plugged in for months. I did a cleanout today after 4 weeks rolling in stage-1. Haven't done much collecting lately, mostly easy to get landscaping stones.
I'm thinking that if I had a way to use or sell the rocks that the interest could be stronger again ?
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Post by captbob on Sept 28, 2018 12:09:25 GMT -5
Tumble better rocks.
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surreality
starting to spend too much on rocks
is picking up too many rocks at the beach again
Member since January 2012
Posts: 217
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Post by surreality on Sept 28, 2018 12:18:02 GMT -5
We got this way with 'we have too many of certain kinds of shells to justify keeping them all'. We're making some little gift bags with them this year for the parents taking kids around for Halloween to use for crafts or decor or what-have-you. (Some are tiny, like most of our rocks, so I don't necessarily recommend these for kids directly.)
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inbtb
Cave Dweller
Member since May 2016
Posts: 351
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Post by inbtb on Sept 28, 2018 12:35:21 GMT -5
I sold a bunch of tumbled rocks last year at a craft show.
Not trying to get money back or to be a business, just trying to get rid of rocks.
Will try again this year.
Les
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Sept 28, 2018 13:46:57 GMT -5
I'm thinking that if I had a way to use or sell the rocks that the interest could be stronger again ? There are lots of uses for tumbled rocks. Some I can recall... - your best small pieces can be used for jewels (capped for pendants, drilled for beads, set in bezels)
- take a sturdy old hanging light fixture from the Habitat for Humanity store, some wire, and turn it into a real crystal chandelier
- set flatter pieces into epoxy to make a tabletop
- for less attractive pieces, set them to form the outer, exposed surfaces when molding garden pathway stepping stones or concrete planters
- separate them into batches by color for mosaics (craft stores sell such by the ounce) - difficult to do a design if you also have to pick out matching colors
- flower arrangers use them in clear glass vases to hold artificial and dried flower arrangements
- need new flooring? I once set tumbled agates into wet concrete and once it began to set, scrubbed the concrete off the top = beautiful foyer floor that didn't show dirty footprints. You could do the same with tile thinset cement (the kind you mix with water) over a solid, non-flexing existing floor
- thin tumbled agate slabs can make wonderful lampshades (leaded or glued onto a glass shade) and inserts for stained glass windows
If you are going to sell locally, sort them by color and type (e.g., red agates; green jasper, etc.) into 1 and/or 5 lb. bags and sell them on craigslist in the arts+crafts, collectibles and materials categories with good representative photos. I'd price them higher than the "decorative rock" tumbles in local craft stores that usually have terrible polishes, if they ever got to the polish stage at all. They should sell. Rock shops usually have trays that they sell either by the piece or x number for $x, which you might consider doing for really interesting pieces. Or, you could start a rock garden like this. |
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Post by MsAli on Sept 28, 2018 14:25:03 GMT -5
I'm thinking that if I had a way to use or sell the rocks that the interest could be stronger again ? There are lots of uses for tumbled rocks. Some I can recall... - your best small pieces can be used for jewels (capped for pendants, drilled for beads, set in bezels)
- take a sturdy old hanging light fixture from the Habitat for Humanity store, some wire, and turn it into a real crystal chandelier
- set flatter pieces into epoxy to make a tabletop
- for less attractive pieces, set them to form the outer, exposed surfaces when molding garden pathway stepping stones or concrete planters
- separate them into batches by color for mosaics (craft stores sell such by the ounce) - difficult to do a design if you also have to pick out matching colors
- flower arrangers use them in clear glass vases to hold artificial and dried flower arrangements
- need new flooring? I once set tumbled agates into wet concrete and once it began to set, scrubbed the concrete off the top = beautiful foyer floor that didn't show dirty footprints. You could do the same with tile thinset cement (the kind you mix with water) over a solid, non-flexing existing floor
- thin tumbled agate slabs can make wonderful lampshades (leaded or glued onto a glass shade) and inserts for stained glass windows
If you are going to sell locally, sort them by color and type (e.g., red agates; green jasper, etc.) into 1 and/or 5 lb. bags and sell them on craigslist in the arts+crafts, collectibles and materials categories with good representative photos. I'd price them higher than the "decorative rock" tumbles in local craft stores that usually have terrible polishes, if they ever got to the polish stage at all. They should sell. Rock shops usually have trays that they sell either by the piece or x number for $x, which you might consider doing for really interesting pieces. Or, you could start a rock garden like this. All great ideas! |
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,717
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Post by Fossilman on Sept 28, 2018 14:59:19 GMT -5
Time to just shut them down and walk away, for awhile.....
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Sept 28, 2018 15:17:58 GMT -5
I do sell my tumbles but not nearly as fast as I finish them. I also get into ruts at times but when I do I just order something really cool/exotic to tumble to get me going again.
Chuck
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Post by victor1941 on Sept 28, 2018 15:54:22 GMT -5
I make cabs and quite often have material that is not attractive to me after it is vibe tumbled. I donate the cabs and the side cuts to a local children's science/nature center and also give to a friend that uses them in an elementary school nature exchange.
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Post by stephan on Sept 28, 2018 17:12:34 GMT -5
1. See if a local pet store is willing to carry them as aquarium/terrarium fill.
2. Practice "creative vandalism" of local flower pots or community gardens
3. If you get really desperate, Beadazzle something large. :-)
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NRG
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2018
Posts: 1,687
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Post by NRG on Sept 28, 2018 17:56:47 GMT -5
Christmas is coming and your friends and family deserve bowls and glasses full of your beauties!
No better thing for ones spirit than gifting!
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surreality
starting to spend too much on rocks
is picking up too many rocks at the beach again
Member since January 2012
Posts: 217
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Post by surreality on Sept 28, 2018 22:32:50 GMT -5
This is an option, too. Kinda eh on the colors/design they chose for the demo there, but the idea is neat!
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Post by aDave on Sept 28, 2018 22:38:48 GMT -5
Wait...who is this guy? Welcome back. |
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peachfront
fully equipped rock polisher
Stones have begun to speak, because an ear is there to hear them.
Member since August 2010
Posts: 1,745
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Post by peachfront on Sept 29, 2018 0:31:13 GMT -5
I got my first tumbler on Christmas Eve 2 years ago and had it rolling that night. I've had a tumbler running nonstop during that time. Did cleanouts weekly without fail. Been having too much fun and enjoy this forum intensely. But now I have 50 pounds of polished rocks and my wife groans everytime a new batch comes out of polish. My smaller 3A tumbler has not been plugged in for months. I did a cleanout today after 4 weeks rolling in stage-1. Haven't done much collecting lately, mostly easy to get landscaping stones. I'm thinking that if I had a way to use or sell the rocks that the interest could be stronger again ?
I don't have time to sell my tumbles right now or to work on my beloved mosaic projects. HOWEVER, what keeps the excitement alive is that I am only running the higher quality material now. All that material I was afraid I would screw up... I'm starting to run it through. I did some Lakers and Bots recently. What fun! I ran some garnets I collected in Franklin, NC (I presume in a salted mine) as a child! They're gorgeous. Right I'm running a load of neon apatite. If you are challenging yourself and there's a chance of making a mistake, it creates excitement + a sense of satisfaction when the new tumbles run out. If you are becoming bored, don't run any more landscaping stones. Challenge yourself. Take a risk. I do have a lot of tumbles accumulated during this time when I am too busy to resell or work the extra... oh well... they are rocks, they are patient. I can sell or work them later when I have more time. I don't collect anymore, I still have hundreds of pounds, more than I can tumble in a lifetime. But you can still go out in the field and just observe the geology where it is. We do different things at different stages of life but there is still a lot of pleasure to be had in the hobby. |
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lostinthought
off to a rocking start
Member since March 2018
Posts: 11
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Post by lostinthought on Sept 30, 2018 14:18:32 GMT -5
We keep the ones we like and then give the others to kids in the neighborhood or send a box with my daughter to school. Even if you don't have kids you could probably call the office and see if they have interest. Might inspire the next generation of tumblers and rock hounds.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Sept 30, 2018 14:23:49 GMT -5
Even if you don't have kids you could probably call the office and see if they have interest. Might inspire the next generation of tumblers and rock hounds. Great idea. Not only that, but I expect any elementary school teacher would be more than delighted for you to bring a box into class to distribute, answer questions and maybe point out some rocks in the local area that the kids should keep an eye out to start them collecting. I would have been a thrilled kid if someone had done that for one of my classes. |
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Post by Pat on Sept 30, 2018 14:35:07 GMT -5
Tumbling isn’t the only thing you can do with rocks.
I’ve always loved rocks, but didn’t even like tumbling after the first day.
I still love rocks😀
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Post by TheRock on Sept 30, 2018 20:04:49 GMT -5
WoW after all the $$$ I have spent I hate hearing this. I hope it doesn't happen to me. I have been known to change directions at the drop of a Hat. Luckily my Wife is who I built it for so it would have to a catastrophic event to put me out of the Rock Business.  |
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Post by johnw on Oct 5, 2018 23:58:44 GMT -5
Tumbling isn’t the only thing you can do with rocks. I’ve always loved rocks, but didn’t even like tumbling after the first day. I still love rocks😀 Hi Pat, just looking at this tumbling site and saw these posts which are really enlightening for me. Kind of a break from the what do you see in a stone site. So, if you don't tumble, what do you do with the rocks? Or is it just the chase of finding the right rock? Just curious. Cheers, johnw |
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Post by Pat on Oct 6, 2018 7:55:58 GMT -5
johnw Enjoy and admire them! Also cab them and put them in jewelry. Some are just for display; some serve as coasters. Used to enjoy the chase in the wilds, but just easy chasing now.
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