Rock Tumblers

Izz

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Anybody here have experience with rock tumblers?

I've wanted one since i was a wee fellah, but am only just now seriously considering buying one.

Are they the type of thing you get bored with after a few uses? What's the best type to buy (rotating tumber, vibratory tumbler)? What's the ratio of awesome finished goods to stones cracked or otherwise damaged after the first stage or two? Is it best to buy a proper hobbyist's model, or will one of those national geographic educational toys do?

Hmmm--that's a lot of questions about polishing rocks, isn't it...
 

Kitty Pryde

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I had a toy one when I was a little nerd child. It was the rotating kind. I thought it was super neat, but I only used it once. Everything came out looking really awesome and shiny. It was really really loud, so I had to keep it in the garage. I couldn't have one now because I live in an apartment and the noise would drive me nuts! If I did have one, I would make cool smoothed sea glass in pretty colors.
 

Fenika

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I used one once, when visiting some kid at some point and all I remember is their rock tumbler :D But hawt darn it was awesome. I so wanted to go back ;)

And yes, sea glass would be super awesome.

You do realize I'll want to visit you all the more now *stalks*
 

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I had a toy one as a child; my father had a mid-size one and we used it for years. If you get a rotating drum sort, get extra belts. You'll need them. An extra drum can be awfully convenient.

The rotating sort are very very loud. You want it in a garage or basement where it won't annoy people.

If you're careful about what you put in, you won't have much loss.

Do get one of the GIA pamphlets or booklets.

Different rocks require different polishes; don't mix soft rocks (based on the Moh's scale of hardness) with hard ones.

For some rocks you'll get spectacular results by doing a few hours before the final polish with plastic beads made for this purpose.
 

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I bought my son one of the tumbler ones a few years back because he thought it would be cool. I don't think he ever took it out of its box.

It's something you need to keep in the garage because, if I read the instructions correctly, you have to run it for several DAYS and I'm assuming its noisy.
 

Fenika

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I think I know what I'm getting for xmas now :D
 

Izz

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If I did have one, I would make cool smoothed sea glass in pretty colors.
ooh--what a good idea.

You do realize I'll want to visit you all the more now *stalks*
You do realize i only exist because the internet exists, right? I'm an ethereal interweb raven...

If you get a rotating drum sort, get extra belts. You'll need them. An extra drum can be awfully convenient.
Noted. *makes notes*

The rotating sort are very very loud. You want it in a garage or basement where it won't annoy people.
The vibratory sort are still noisy, but not to quite the same level, right? More expensive though.

Not to worry. I have a plan so *insert Blackadder quote here* to lessen the impact of the noise on me and neighbours.

If you're careful about what you put in, you won't have much loss.

Do get one of the GIA pamphlets or booklets.

Different rocks require different polishes; don't mix soft rocks (based on the Moh's scale of hardness) with hard ones.

For some rocks you'll get spectacular results by doing a few hours before the final polish with plastic beads made for this purpose.
All noted *makes more notes* Especial thanks for the Mohs scale tip.

I bought my son one of the tumbler ones a few years back because he thought it would be cool. I don't think he ever took it out of its box.
aww

It's something you need to keep in the garage because, if I read the instructions correctly, you have to run it for several DAYS and I'm assuming its noisy.
From what i've read, can take up to a month for a rotating tumbler, couple of weeks for a vibrating one.
 

Fenika

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Interweb raven entities don't need rock tumblers :tongue
 

Izz

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Interweb raven entities don't need rock tumblers :tongue
Oh, but we do. Marker pebbles stand out from the general grime of the interweb much better when they're polished up to shiny.
 

Izz

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Isn't a rock tumbler like a mixing glass for booze with ice included?

*backs away slowly*
If your mixing glass is made of rock, then yes :tongue.

*assaults Cliff Face with gravel*
 
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Fenika

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Pea gravel, I hope...
 

Izz

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Actually, I was wondering if anyone ever used gravel in a rock tumbler.

Surely there are more interesting rocks out there...
It might be useful as grit to help remove the rough edges off the other rocks. Or it might not be.
 

Izz

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You did *what* to trees?

*assaults Cliff Face with pebbles*
 

Caitlin Black

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Actually, come to think of it, I've hugged my fair share of trees when I was 18-21.

And then after a co-worker's birthday (at my last job) we were in the parking lot, and 4 middle-aged women were straddling and hugging a tree and taking photos. This when I was 24... I was drunk and laughing instead.

ETA: It looked like a lot of fun though.
 

Caitlin Black

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Well, I haven't thrown a rock at a tree in about 16 years. I have, as it happens, hurled rocks down a mountain while digging bike trails, though there were no trees (there used to be a horde of weeds, but first we had to pull them all out before we started digging the bike trail - in the South Australian summer... for 6 months... jeez, I can still feel the heat-headaches, and that was a good 7 years ago!)
 

Izz

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Methinks someone has deep-seated anger issues relating to rocks.

Did you ever get randomly hit in the head by a rock as a toddler?
 

Yeshanu

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Did you ever get randomly hit in the head by a rock as a toddler?

I'll answer that--no, I was the rock thrower. I threw it at a boy named Robbie who'd been bullying me for years. When the adults found out, the reaction was like, "It's about time..."

As for tumbling rocks, never had one, though I wanted one. I imagine it's like anything else--paying a little more for quality will get you a longer-lasting machine that gives better results.

What I did do when I was in middle school was rock polishing using a grinder. It was way better than tumbling, because we had control over the size and shape of the stone. It made a very cool ring, which I promptly lost...
 

Caitlin Black

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Methinks someone has deep-seated anger issues relating to rocks.

Did you ever get randomly hit in the head by a rock as a toddler?

No, but as a five year old I took a football to the head. The older kids yelled "Heads up!" and I didn't know what that meant, hence the ensuing bruise to the back of my head. And then the next day a bird pooped on my head.

Not a good year.



Of course, I *have* been hurt by rocks a number of times. Like the time I stacked my bike on some gravel and had cuts all up and down my arms, and bruising on my face.

What can I say? I'm accident-prone. Twice this week I've caught the toe of my shoe on the ground and nearly tripped. Yeah.
 

Izz

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What I did do when I was in middle school was rock polishing using a grinder. It was way better than tumbling, because we had control over the size and shape of the stone. It made a very cool ring, which I promptly lost...
Last night, I was watching a guy on youtube polish a rock with drill bits. Looked quite difficult.
 
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