Rock display and suggestions

[Burdie]

I had polished rocks identified and on shelves. They were in jars. Wife (boss) said it looked bad. So the grandkids and her took them down. I have to admit it didn't look very good. Any way she had plastic drawer containers for me which isn't to bad and takes less room. Any other way of displaying? Your thoughts appreciated.
Here are pics of a few and some I am in the process of polishing. I will lable where they come from.




Some are from Michigan, New Mexico, and working on some from North Dakota. I got interested after I tried to get my grandson interested in tumbling rocks.
Can't tell you what kind they are.

Burdie

 

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[djabend]

Very cool. This helps out a lot. Now I know the kind of rocks to look for at the lake and what sizes you wanted better. I will let you know when I get them
HH,
Donny

 

[Burdie]

Very cool. This helps out a lot. Now I know the kind of rocks to look for at the lake and what sizes you wanted better. I will let you know when I get them
HH,
Donny

Thanks dear friend.

 

[Ozzygold]

One of my other hobbies is lapidary, been at it for two years now and really enjoy it. Maybe you could get a display case (timber and glass) and then you can bring it out for viewing as you need to, lots of people love rocks, maybe with some of the smaller tumbled stones you can make keyrings out of, I've seen them and they look great! I've also seen others where they have stuck little eyes on them and set them out for decoration.

 

[Burdie]

One of my other hobbies is lapidary, been at it for two years now and really enjoy it. Maybe you could get a display case (timber and glass) and then you can bring it out for viewing as you need to, lots of people love rocks, maybe with some of the smaller tumbled stones you can make keyrings out of, I've seen them and they look great! I've also seen others where they have stuck little eyes on them and set them out for decoration.

That is cool Ozzy I am very new to this hobby. I think I have a rock from your country some where around here. That reminds me I will ask you this question. I was told that nature will not make glass with bubbles in it. Is that true?
Burdie

 

[River Rat]

Burdie,

I've been collecting rocks for years. All my military deployments/vacations/trips I have a rock from those places. I have a cactus garden where most of the rocks are located. I do not have a tumbler, I believe most of these rocks are bigger than a tumbler/polisher anyway. I buy "river rocks" to put in my flower pots to keep those Carolina wrens from digging in and trying to nest.

Another good way to show your pretty rocks is to get a aquarium and put one of Caldwell's own little box turtles in there.

RR

 

[Ozzygold]

I once picked up a specimen from the salt water that was of a nice green colour but it was full of tiny little holes, I couldn't work with it at all, but had it been solid it would have come up nice. You obviously have an interest in rocks, maybe you have a lapidary club near where you live, see if they will let you go for a few times before you become a full member of their club, can't hurt to try?

 

[Burdie]

Thanks RR that is a good idea.
Ozz I live in an area where people look at you in a wierd way if you collect rocks. . I will do more research on the Internet. Thanks everyone.
Burdie

 

[rmptr]

Nice stones Burdie!

They have lots of different shapes of glass jars you could display them in.
Use a clear plastic space saver down through the center, put the rocks around outer part.
If not polished real well, fill w water before closing jar..

Always nice to do like my friend with the (tons of rock) collection...
He'll bring out a bowl full, or a bucket full, and tell young kids who come over that they can each pick out two.

A lot of fun for kids, looking at the interesting patterns.

Best

 

[AZ-Mtnman]

As far as the bubbles in the glass question, I've found Apache Tears (obsidian) with small air pockets. If you need some, let me know, I have a five gallon bucket full.

Randy

 

[wildrider]

I have mine sitting out in my landscaping. But they are considerably bigger than your's...more like a potato.

 

[kbrocks]

This is probably similar to what you had before, but I use all of my old spaghettie sauce jars for displays. Sometimes, I try to get creative and fill the jars based on the color of rocks and so on. I did make a nice display out of the jars once. I went to radio shack and picked up 2 clear LEDS. I used a hot glue gun and stuck LED to the bottom of the jar, and the other on the lid. Then I wired them up to a 9 volt battery. It made a nice simple light display, but only really looked good with white, rose, and smokey quartzs.
I've been collecting rocks for probably 15 years, and tumbling maybe 3 or so. My collection has gotten a bit large. Sadly, many of the more common types and not so pretty ones are in a large bowl on my work bench next to the tumblers.

If you are interested in doing something creative with them, you should look into wire wrapping or something similar. I've tried it a few times and don't have a talent for it, but they do look nice.

If you need a good resource, the forum I frequent for Rock tumbling is at www.rocktumblinghobby.com
Lots of good info there.