Who has had success with Rock Tumbling?

[Cappy Z.]

Just a quick post to see if anyone here has had success, and if they continue to rock tumble, have they made anything out of the finished stones?

Pics would be most appreciated.

HH

 

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[GL]

It took a month but my daughter now has some really neato stones.

 

[Cappy Z.]

It took a month but my daughter now has some really neato stones.

Thanks for posting. Would you mind posting a stone or two? Thanks.

 

[centfladigger]

I have a 12lb barrel for my tumbler and every 4 weeks put out about 10-12lbs of tumbled rocks. These are flakes/spalls from alot of my coral and the rest is rocks I have gotten in trade from knappers aropund the country, I sell my coral to knappers and I make jewelry out of my coral and other rocks I get. Some pieces I tumble I glue bails on them

 

[Cappy Z.]

Beautiful stuff.

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

Nice job.

I started making a larger one (have used a smaller type for years) and I was wondering how you change grit in a larger tumbler? Do you have a way to empty it, or what? (my smaller one came with 4 types of tumbling grit, and takes forever in each stage for a small amount of stone).
Or do you use just the fine grit and just tumble longer?

Once we get organized here, I want to drag my half-made tumbler out and finish it up (I will finally have another work-room for tumbling and faceter, and my photography )

B

 

[Cappy Z.]

Nice job.

I started making a larger one (have used a smaller type for years) and I was wondering how you change grit in a larger tumbler? Do you have a way to empty it, or what? (my smaller one came with 4 types of tumbling grit, and takes forever in each stage for a small amount of stone).
Or do you use just the fine grit and just tumble longer?

Once we get organized here, I want to drag my half-made tumbler out and finish it up (I will finally have another work-room for tumbling and faceter, and my photography )

B

Sounds exciting! Post some photos when things get rolling....(no pun intended lol)

 

[centfladigger]

I just started a new batch today, I start with 80 grit for a week then wash it out and dump the loadi n a big bowl that I drilled holes into and wash it all out, including the barrel then I wipe the barrel down and do a 220 grit same process then 600 then cerium. I always clean the rocks and barrel between grits . Hmmmm love grits........

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

Do you save the different grits after each use and wash out, or do you just use new when you start a new batch?

Thanks,

B

 

[centfladigger]

I use to to save it in coffee cans but quit that and use fresh every batch

 

[pronghorn]

Can anyone point me to a supplier of grit that is more affordable than others or are they all comparable in prices?

Thanks in advance!

 

[centfladigger]

I have used Jesco for years and so do most of the people at our gem and mineral society, never had a problem and like their prices

http://www.jescoproducts.com/html/rock_tumbling_supplies.html

 

[goldinmypan]

http://www.therockshed.com/grit.html

Thi is where I get my grit

 

[DanB]

Believe it or not HARBOR FREIGHT sells grit.....the box has all four grit sizes and each pack is enough for a 1 quart tumbler...1 pack per week....just follow the instructions on the box......best prices around my part of town.....and it works great....though I can't say the same about their tumblers.....the belt seem to wear out really fast (poor grade rubber belt) on their tumbler machines (CHEAP CHINESE JUNK)....the tumbler drums are of fair quality. I get the belts from a vacuum cleaner repair shop....better quality rubber belt. good luck hope this helps....

db

 

[Arid-Zone-A-seeker]

Kingsley North Catalog,,,, The more you buy the cheaper it is. I have been using the 40-60 grit for rough grind and go from there.
The best tip I have is rough tumble and check your stones, as some will grind good and some take longer, the rough grind is where you get the good shapes, and where most of your rock leaves you. Tumble a bunch of stones in the rough grind and pick about the best for the next step. 100 grit or Med. as some kits have labled. The most important thing is to keep a constant amount of stones in the barrel. 3/4 to a little more. You want the stones to grate on each other as they tumble, not to fall off the top of the pile down onto the ones that is where you get the chips from. Second wash very well between grits. Then don't limit your time to just 5 days. On some of the stuff I tumble it takes 11 days or more in the med grind for me to be satisfied with look of the stones, always check you stones wet to see better what they will look like when polished.
Good luck!

 

[Eu_citzen]

I did once do Rock tumbling but never really enjoyed it as much as cabbing.

 

[Arid-Zone-A-seeker]

So do you guys have good rock over there? Gold? Hey I have a verillie , Oh i can't remember the spelling, but nothing to put in it. I heard you guys still use them?

 

[Eu_citzen]

So do you guys have good rock over there? Gold? Hey I have a verillie , Oh i can't remember the spelling, but nothing to put in it. I heard you guys still use them?

Of course.. Just gotta search for it.
Especially the north of Sweden is very good for rocks..
Jasper, Quartzite, malachite, Azurite and a lot of other stuff has been found locally.
Yeah gold to.

I'm not sure what you mean.. A verillie?

 

[Cappy Z.]

I've got to be honest. I do agree cabbing is the next level where one can really be creative etc. I think in the future I'll use rock tumbling to clean and grade the rough. But after careful analysis I can use the gem like material to move on in the journey.

 

[centfladigger]

I cant tell you how many times I will start cabbing a stone and then 3 wheels into it I dont like it anymore. I`ll just toss it aside into a box for those and grab something elsde and start a new one, if I dont like that then in it goes. All these are domed at this time, so I do tumble those and thats what I usualy give out to the kids at the schools when I do the Great American Teach In each year. I do that on Florida history and artifacts but kids love rocks.

Here`s 1 I made for my daughter, its a piece of fossilized turtle bone I found diving in the summer, its the underside back piece and has these lines in it naturally. I just ground it down to this shape to make a peace sign, all the kids want 1 now.