Rock tumbling and jewelry making (Not RC related)

[Velodromed]

I’ve always loved collecting rocks and so does my step daughter. We go out several times per week looking for good specimens. Yesterday we hit the Guadalupe river and found some fantastic stones as well as a few pieces of petrified wood. The river is gorgeous and only 25 min from us. Now that it’s cooling down we nearly had it all to ourselves. The kid even spotted an armadillo, first one she’s ever seen

Here’s the petrified wood we’ve found lately. Also some rocks on stage three and some that are finished. It takes 4-6 weeks to go from rough to beautiful. We spend hours togethor looking for rocks and fossils. It’s really nice to have found a common passion with my step daughter. Really really nice

 

[Doom!]

Man I wish I could go with you guys! I'd take a cool rock over precious gems any day. I have a bunch of rocks at home too, not just the ones in my head either!

 

[N.Mango]

I’ve always loved collecting rocks and so does my step daughter. We go out several times per week looking for good specimens. Yesterday we hit the Guadalupe river and found some fantastic stones as well as a few pieces of petrified wood. The river is gorgeous and only 25 min from us. Now that it’s cooling down we nearly had it all to ourselves. The kid even spotted an armadillo, first one she’s ever seen

View attachment 252736

View attachment 252738

View attachment 252752
Here’s the drift wood we’ve found lately. Also some rocks on stage three and some that are finished. It takes 4-6 weeks to go from rough to beautiful. We spend hours togethor looking for rocks and fossils. It’s really nice to have found a common passion with my step daughter. Really really nice

View attachment 252756

View attachment 252761

View attachment 252762

View attachment 252763

So very cool!
I've always been curious about rock polishing but never tried it.
Man this forum makes you spend money on more than just RC's!!!

 

[LicketySplit]

I’ve always loved collecting rocks and so does my step daughter. We go out several times per week looking for good specimens. Yesterday we hit the Guadalupe river and found some fantastic stones as well as a few pieces of petrified wood. The river is gorgeous and only 25 min from us. Now that it’s cooling down we nearly had it all to ourselves. The kid even spotted an armadillo, first one she’s ever seen

View attachment 252736

View attachment 252738

View attachment 252752
Here’s the drift wood we’ve found lately. Also some rocks on stage three and some that are finished. It takes 4-6 weeks to go from rough to beautiful. We spend hours togethor looking for rocks and fossils. It’s really nice to have found a common passion with my step daughter. Really really nice

View attachment 252756

View attachment 252761

View attachment 252762

View attachment 252763

Neat. We got a tumbler for the kids since we thought it would be cool. Realized we need a bigger house to do that in since it’s not exactly quiet.

 

[Tex Koder]

I’ve always loved collecting rocks and so does my step daughter. We go out several times per week looking for good specimens. Yesterday we hit the Guadalupe river and found some fantastic stones as well as a few pieces of petrified wood. The river is gorgeous and only 25 min from us. Now that it’s cooling down we nearly had it all to ourselves. The kid even spotted an armadillo, first one she’s ever seen

View attachment 252736

View attachment 252738

View attachment 252752
Here’s the drift wood we’ve found lately. Also some rocks on stage three and some that are finished. It takes 4-6 weeks to go from rough to beautiful. We spend hours togethor looking for rocks and fossils. It’s really nice to have found a common passion with my step daughter. Really really nice

View attachment 252756

View attachment 252761

View attachment 252762

View attachment 252763

Reminds me of those My-Pet-Rock days...

 

[Mikeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeal]

Very nice I hope the passion to create those pieces continues for both of you. Family is, and always has been number one.

 

[N.Mango]

Very nice I hope the passion to create those pieces continues for both of you. Family is, and always has been number one.

Well said!

 

[Doom!]

@Velodromed Have you guys tried to make any jewelry from you rocks yet? Even simple stuff like just drilling a hole and threading a string through it can be fun.

 

[Velodromed]

@Velodromed Have you guys tried to make any jewelry from you rocks yet? Even simple stuff like just drilling a hole and threading a string through it can be fun.

Yup we’re working towards that. With literally 4-6 week per batch it goes slow. Start with 3lb ugly rock and end up with a pound or less of pretty rock lol. But it’s fun and I can’t believe what some of these everyday rocks are like inside. A rock saw and drill are in our future I see.

 

[Velodromed]

I got my new green tumbler today. Dual 3lb barrels. It’ll work well for awhile till we can swing a 15lb, $300 ‘Thumbler’. I love it though… searching for rocks with the kid, I tumble them and she makes jewelry with the ones she likes.

They go in like this and 5-8 weeks later come out like that lol. Petrified wood is my favorite and we’ve found nearly 15lb of it so far.

 

[Doom!]

I got my new green tumbler today. Dual 3lb barrels. It’ll work well for awhile till we can swing a 15lb, $300 ‘Thumbler’. I love it though… searching for rocks with the kid, I tumble them and she makes jewelry with the ones she likes.

View attachment 258130
They go in like this and 5-8 weeks later come out like that lol. Petrified wood is my favorite and we’ve found nearly 15lb of it so far.

View attachment 258131

View attachment 258132

View attachment 258133

View attachment 258134

View attachment 258135

Yep, won't be long and you will be looking for an industrial cement mixer to tumble with.

Cool set up! I really do need to dig out my dinky little tumbler.

 

[Velodromed]

Yep, won't be long and you will be looking for an industrial cement mixer to tumble with.

Cool set up! I really do need to dig out my dinky little tumbler.

That dinky little one on the left has amused me since last Christmas! I’ve had a blast with it. The kid grabs half or more as they finish different stages. I’m in the polish stage with 1.5lbs of amethyst now in the little guy. Bout 8 more days left in the 6 week tumble session.

Have petrified wood in one of the 3 pounders with a bunch of smaller rocks to mainly clean it up. It looks better a little bit rough sometimes. In the other are different color quartzites, churts, tiger eye and jaspers. I’ve learned more about rocks and geology in this last year then I have my entire life and it’s pretty cool.

 

[Doom!]

I have always liked rocks, used to carry a polished stone in my pocket for years until I got a cell phone, then didn't think they should go in the same pocket. I have an odd assortment, don't know what most of them are, never even thought to look. I just know what I like when I see it. Mrs. Doom has some nice geodes and chrystals too.

That dinky little one on the left has amused me since last Christmas! I’ve had a blast with it. The kid grabs half or more as they finish different stages. I’m in the polish stage with 1.5lbs of amethyst now in the little guy. Bout 8 more days left in the 6 week tumble session.

Have petrified wood in one of the 3 pounders with a bunch of smaller rocks to mainly clean it up. It looks better a little bit rough sometimes. In the other are different color quartzites, churts, tiger eye and jaspers. I’ve learned more about rocks and geology in this last year then I have my entire life and it’s pretty cool.

 

[Velodromed]

I have always liked rocks, used to carry a polished stone in my pocket for years until I got a cell phone, then didn't think they should go in the same pocket. I have an odd assortment, don't know what most of them are, never even thought to look. I just know what I like when I see it. Mrs. Doom has some nice geodes and chrystals too.

Same here. They are just fascinating. We’re going to get a small wet tablesaw and diamond blade in the near future.

 

[Doom!]

Same here. They are just fascinating. We’re going to get a small wet tablesaw and diamond blade in the near future.

Sweet! That will be way cool.

 

[WrenchSense]

Would be fun to find some old river crossings with a metal detector. When you start finding chunks of horse shoes you can start sweeping the bottom for coin spills.

 

[Velodromed]

Would be fun to find some old river crossings with a metal detector. When you start finding chunks of horse shoes you can start sweeping the bottom for coin spills.

Interesting. That is a good idea and we have plenty of old river crossing here in Texas. We have a starter metal detector I got for my step daughter awhile back. I’ll get a better one down the line.

Yep, won't be long and you will be looking for an industrial cement mixer to tumble with.

Cool set up! I really do need to dig out my dinky little tumbler.

Here’s the one I want but at $325 it’ll wait till next year. They last forever at least and tumble 15lbs.

 

[WrenchSense]

Interesting. That is a good idea and we have plenty of old river crossing here in Texas. We have a starter metal detector I got for my step daughter awhile back. I’ll get a better one down the line.

Here’s the one I want but at $325 it’ll wait till next year. They last forever at least and tumble 15lbs.

Yup between San Antonio and Austin there should be hundreds of crossings on the Guadalupe river.

 

[WrenchSense]

Yep, won't be long and you will be looking for an industrial cement mixer to tumble with.

Cool set up! I really do need to dig out my dinky little tumbler.

My fiance has wanted a tumbler for a while. Is that 15lb Thumbler the one to get?

 

[Velodromed]

My fiance has wanted a tumbler for a while. Is that 15lb Thumbler the one to get?

I don’t know about starting out unless she is seriously into it. Might want to try one of the smaller dual 3 pound barrel models like below. Thumbler is a top and they last a long time. The one I got is a wire jewelry brand that supposed to be decent. It was $125. I know that the harbor freight ones and similar are crap.

There’s also the cost of the grit. Can you go through quite a bit of it especially the course grit. I’m going to start buying it in larger bulk amounts before long, I just need to do more research on it.
Thumler's Tumbler Model A-R2 Kit Rock Tumbler https://a.co/d/2A6L9Ve