I got LOTS of good feedback and advice on my previous post - and well… yeah… it does work better when you do it the right way😂

This was a batch i had rolling in S2 when I posted the other one, so i’ve been able to use the advise I got!

Much better results, not all of them are perfect but definitely a lot more shiny ✨

Edit: These are all beach finds!

These are the ones ready to move on to stage 2!

These coastal Maine finds are moving on to be polished! I’m excited for this batch as there are a couple of little agates I drove a ways to collect!

I think I like leaving them with a few imperfections.

This is from my first batch after 2 weeks in stage 1. I know it’s very smooth for only 2 weeks, but it started as a pretty smooth beach rock. Found on a beach in New Hampshire- so I’m guessing it’s a type of quartz maybe?

My question is - is the “crackly” look just the way the rock looks, or did I bruise it? I included what I’m pretty sure was the before picture.

These are the first rocks to come out of my DIY tumbler. They have been going for around 12 days so far in 20 grit silicon carbide.

I know the grit is more aggressive than what is typically used for stage 1, but it's what I had and I figured it would only only help to do the initial material removal quicker.

I do now have a more typical range of grits ready to cover stage 1-4.

Some I think are ready to move on, particularly the pink quartz and jade. But I am not sure on the others. Would you carry these on for a while longer?

I ran another batch of mostly agates for stage 2-4 in the vibratory tumbler. The carnelian was stunning!

I also have a pile of tiny agate chips that I decided to polish too.

All and all these turned out pretty darn good!

It's pretty small but it's so cool

Buddy at had to acquiesce to his wife's "request" (lol!) to get rid of his albeit small, rock collection... guess who scored!!! Variety city!!!

And then my wife surprised me me with a bag of Charleviox!

Sweet!

I’m just going to useI found this at the creek today and I’m curious if it would do well in the tumbler. What’s got me unsure is its “crystal looking wall.” (New to tumbling here) Parts of it is smooth but other parts are jagged and I’m wondering if the grit will just continue to chip away at it instead of smoothing it out. 🤷‍♂️ Hopefully y’all are able to understand what I’m trying to say. It can be frustrating trying to discuss a subject you’re just getting into because you don’t know all the correct terms or names for everything yet.🫤

Bloodstone Rotary stage 1 Vibe 180 2 days

500 ao 2 days Micro alumina 1 day

Can anyone help with rock identification and if they can be put in the rock tumbler? I'm still learning :) also what do people do after the first stage and the second stage is not as full because the rocks grounded down?

Has anyone ordered from rock and tumble and had good results?

What are your favorite places to order rock for tumbling?

Thank you in advance!

EDITED: misread as rough and tumble when it’s actually rock and tumble

I've seen a lot of people (rightly) complain about the lids on the Highland Park barrels. I myself had a hard time dealing with them. Attached photos show my solution. This is a shim of medium density hardwood (cherry). I cut it so that it just fits between the edge of the aluminum lid and the lip on the rubber barrel. I chose this over a metal strip because the aluminum lid will dig into the wood just enough for the wood to grip and not slip off. The wood also won't bugger up the lip of the lid. Softwood will also work but will get chewed up over time.

I stick the shim in the groove and gently twist. I do this in a few places around the rim--don't pry all the way up in one spot alone.

This solution works a treat and leaves my delicate baby hands unfettered.

Purchased a koolstone timber a few weeks back and acquired a few rocks locally as well as purchased a few random ones offline. So here is the start of my first batch. I will try to update next week as well as order more grit to run a few weeks of stage 1. As time goes on I will try to match stones by hardness and types but I just wanted to run it now as I've been impatient. Wish me luck. Eventually I want to acquire a larger machine and do it more often but this was just to try it out.

So decided to get back into the hobby and why not start with one of the most difficult rocks to tumble... This is stage one after 7 days, thinking I put in way too much ceramic media at it's barely changed shape at all.

This batch of banded iron turned our surprisingly well. There was a bit of bruising when they came out of stage 3, but overall they took a nice shine. Seeing the pyrite was a susprise, it wasn't visible on the rough rocks. These came from the Temagami region of Ontario.

I'd love to reveal the crystal inclusion inside this schist type rock found in south Dakota. I'm afraid tumbling such a rock would just destroy it? Any ideas?

Finished this batch of Bloodstone and Friends. This bloodstone rough was kind of a bust. It has a lot of internal fractures and these areas that would not smooth out even after months in stage 1. It also didn’t have much of any of the signature red inclusions.

I’m happy with how it came out, and some of the other rocks from previous batches that I added in successive weeks of stage 1 came out great.