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Post by Garage Rocker on Mar 19, 2019 21:41:37 GMT -5
If you start getting scarce around here we'll know why. Because the carnivorous plants got him. Glad to see you're still at it, Jim. Good luck with this venture!
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Post by Garage Rocker on Mar 17, 2019 12:39:11 GMT -5
Anyone that's married knows humans are capable of tuning out certain 'noises'. But really, my tumblers are in the garage (hence the screen name) and once you are just inside the door to the house, you can't even notice any sound.
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Post by Garage Rocker on Mar 13, 2019 22:04:21 GMT -5
I like the third option best. Might as well see those Petoskey's in their full glory.
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Post by Garage Rocker on Mar 13, 2019 18:20:07 GMT -5
Maybe there's a tutorial on the Michigan Rocks channel I can check out, but how in the hell do you get that heavy head up on top of your giant snowman!? Great work, though. Who would have thought that Northerners would have cornered the market on the Awesome Snowman?
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Post by Garage Rocker on Mar 5, 2019 18:02:07 GMT -5
I bought this a while back and I'm just getting into position to use it. I've got a load of flat pieces that I shaped then ran through 200 grit in my old Gemstone tumbler before it broke and now I want to move them on to the Lot-O at 400 grit stage and I don't want to screw this up because there are some nice pieces that will make a really great batch of gifts. My main question is - do you guys add cushioning material, ceramic etc. to the Lot-O or is there not a need for that now? Fill it right up to the top, right? half a teaspoon of grit and good to go? Tommy, you'll definitely want ceramic filler in the barrel. With the flat pre-forms, you'll want at least 1/3 ceramic. That's the best way to get those flat surfaces shined up. Some folks have luck with small pea gravel as a filler, but it would be best if already run through a few cycles to round it off. Your measurements look good though, fill it up and 1/2 teaspoon.
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Post by Garage Rocker on Mar 1, 2019 21:34:12 GMT -5
Love, love, love rolling some baby Brazilians. Great job, of course, on the tumble. I've probably missed a batch or two or three, but always glad to see some shiny rocks out of your barrel. 2, 4, 6, 8, they're all great!
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Post by Garage Rocker on Feb 27, 2019 9:06:41 GMT -5
Bravo, Dave! That's a great batch of tumbles, rotary or vibe or whatever. Some great tumbling material too. I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with those Condors. Also, we'll expect to see pics more often, now that you have that new Lot-O to speed things up.
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Post by Garage Rocker on Feb 12, 2019 22:21:21 GMT -5
All informative, thanks
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Post by Garage Rocker on Feb 12, 2019 22:20:35 GMT -5
No one I know of adds cat litter to a vibe tumbler. This advice should never be floated out there.
That said, and in reference to the original post, I now use a two-step process in the vibe tumbler (Lot-O). My preference is for (close as possible to) flawless rocks going into the vibe from coarse grind, then AO 220 for 4-5 days, then polish for 1.5-2 days. I have developed a feel for it though, after a few years practice, and results may vary. Ceramics at 25-30%.
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Post by Garage Rocker on Feb 12, 2019 22:05:24 GMT -5
Thanks for the glimpse into your operation, there's a lot of admiration around the board for your work. Not a cabber here, and probably never will be, but this is the kind of post that makes a person wonder, what if...
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Post by Garage Rocker on Feb 9, 2019 18:59:57 GMT -5
The greatest benefit of moving from film to digital is the instant feedback you get from viewing images as they are taken. Film requires developing and waiting to see the results of your work. Digital allows feedback instantly and adjustment can be made to improve image quality on the spot. This helps you learn what adjustments are necessary under different circumstances. You have a good start on lenses for a broad application, but I bet you will be looking for a true macro lens before long, if rock pics are a top priority.
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Post by Garage Rocker on Jan 25, 2019 23:53:34 GMT -5
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Post by Garage Rocker on Jan 18, 2019 20:17:24 GMT -5
Found it funny that the song above was inspired by the character on the show 'Dexter".
This kid (22) is getting noticed. Going to see him in a couple weeks.
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Post by Garage Rocker on Jan 9, 2019 13:56:26 GMT -5
Great material and photos. I've been looking for some nice baby Brazilian agate, too.
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Post by Garage Rocker on Jan 5, 2019 15:09:55 GMT -5
Great material. The prairie and bubblegum agates are something I'd like to try. Yours make me think that should be sooner than later. Nice work on the tumbles.
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Post by Garage Rocker on Jan 5, 2019 14:33:55 GMT -5
Usually around 3/4's full is the rule... Good luck.. Should I pop some more in then? Yes. The excess noise you hear is rock crashing into rock. You want more of a rolling action inside your barrel.
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Post by Garage Rocker on Jan 4, 2019 6:43:24 GMT -5
Other India agate, Yellow Skin! / next door Black Skin Bingo. Reminds me, I have some more of that to be cut. If only the water hose wasn't frozen, I'd drag out the tile saw.
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Post by Garage Rocker on Jan 1, 2019 9:54:01 GMT -5
Wow! Very productive trip, you've got some boulders there. Nice looking material.
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Post by Garage Rocker on Jan 1, 2019 9:46:15 GMT -5
Man, I've tried wire wrapping and I'm convinced that when done well, like these, it's due to some kind of sorcery. I cannot figure out how mere mortals can make wire do things like that. Beautiful work!
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Post by Garage Rocker on Jan 1, 2019 9:38:02 GMT -5
I think I've said it before, but your Tiger Eye tumbles always come out great. You get nice material from somewhere. Speaking of, that #10 is special. Brilliant colors and a tidy little pattern. I'd say it's a keeper. Having tumbled a fair share of Mexican material with that rough outer surface, I know the difficulty in deciding how to get the most out of each rock. They're so pretty and expensive I hate to grind them down to practically nothing. May have to try what you've done on some of the rest. Thanks for sharing.
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