- Видео 44
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Rock On Utah
Добавлен 24 фев 2024
This channel is used to promote a family friendly and budget friendly way to find and polish rocks and geologic treasures. This will be primarily focused on rock tumbling as this is a hobby I enjoy with my young kids. All of my equipment and methods will be done in a budget friendly way that every day people like us can get out and have a great time. I have found a system that works great for me and I have gotten great results and will share the tricks of the trade I have learned from trial and error. I have a full time job and 3 kids so this channel will be used as a way to show that this hobby can be done with the little time in between to get some great memories and make some fun treasures. We will review equipment, buy rocks, dig up our own rocks, and learn different ways to cut, break, polish, and clean different things we find.
How to get great results with a National Geographic Tumbler
This is a tutorial of how I use a National Geographic rock tumbler for all 4 steps to get very shiny rocks. I have really enjoyed using 3 different versions of this tumbler. I have a lot of experience with it and feel like I know them well. I tumbled very hard agates which takes a long time. I started these rocks in late February 2024 and did not finish until September. (Some of the first rocks added never did get finished in time and will have to be added to a future batch) For purposes of the length of the video I did not include every single check I did during stage 1. Instead I included a lot to show the process. I would love to hear what you guys think about my routine, the tumblers ...
Просмотров: 182
Видео
Tumbling Fluorite - What To Do (and not do)
Просмотров 882Месяц назад
This is a video of my first attempt at tumbling fluorite. Its a beautiful stone that proved to be a tough tumble. I did some right and some wrong and you can probably learn something from both. I did some things a little different than other I have seen and ended up with some really pretty pieces. I'd love to hear what you have done differently that did or didn't work and perhaps I can implemen...
Roadside Rock Hounding for Birdseye Marble in Utah
Просмотров 2562 месяца назад
This is a short video of a short pitstop we made on a recent trip. There is a gully that flash floods often and when it does you can find a lot of Birdseye marble. Its not as high of quality as the well known claim but still makes for some good family fun!
Tumbling Dumortierite - Full Tutorial
Просмотров 4112 месяца назад
This was a 2 pound batch of Dumortierite I bought from Meekos Mine. They cut their rocks into blocks and so it tumbled pretty quickly. I had never seen this rock before and I think I got some really cool results!
Rock Hounding for Pigeon Blood Agate in Utah
Просмотров 6913 месяца назад
This was an afternoon spent deep in the desert of Utah hunting for the beautiful Pigeon Blood Agate. This is a popular area that has been picked through for decades so there aren't many large pieces left but there is a limitless supply of good pieces for tumbling. It's a remote and hot area but worth a visit for a gorgeous rock! Sorry about the terrible sound it was a very windy day!
Tumbling Quartz - Full Tutorial
Просмотров 1,3 тыс.4 месяца назад
This was a batch of mixed quartz that I tumbled. Quartz is a hard rock and takes a long time to tumble. For this reason and the length of video I did not show every check and reload during stage 1. I showed the steps and the process I used. This batch was tumbled for about 3.5 months. I am very happy with the results! Thanks for watching! Rocks tumbled were quartz, Smoky quartz, Rose Quartz, Ch...
Tumbling Obsidian - Full Tutorial
Просмотров 1,4 тыс.5 месяцев назад
This is a recent batch of Obsidian that I tumbled and the process I use to get a pretty shine out of it. I really love working with this rock and the finished product is gorgeous. Due to length of video I did not include every weekly check in this video but did include several to give you an idea of the process used.
Tumbling Lemon Quartz - Full Tutorial
Просмотров 4086 месяцев назад
This is a full 2 pound set of Lemon Quartz that I bought on Ebay. This isn't the man made Lemon Quartz. This is a natural rock brought in from Brazil. It wasn't quite a normal tumble but I really like how it turned out and they are unique rocks. Here is a link to the rough in this video: www.ebay.com/itm/325496778816?itmmeta=01HV850HTZ6BVEWXF0XFYW9HZQ&hash=item4bc91eb040:g:gY8AAOSw3f5jwJ17&itmp...
How I cut rocks for tumbling for cheap! Harbor Freight Tile Saw
Просмотров 3,6 тыс.6 месяцев назад
I found a used harbor freight tile saw on Facebook marketplace for 10 dollars! (Still only 50 brand new) I decided it would be great for cutting small rocks before rock tumbling. This is my review of the saw for tumbling purposes. For what I need its worked great once I got a decent lapidary blade! Any input would be great to see how others do it differently!
How to get a great shine with the Raytech Tumble Vibe - Full Tutorial start to finish
Просмотров 9 тыс.6 месяцев назад
This is a full tutorial of how I use my Raytech Tumble Vibe. I use this for rock tumbling from stage 2 through polish. I get really nice results and almost never change the recipe. If you find my info helpful I would love to know and always appreciate a like and subscribe. If you do things different or would like to add more details I would love to hear them
Rock Tumbling Labradorite and Rainbow Moonstone Full Tutorial Start to Finish
Просмотров 3 тыс.7 месяцев назад
This is a video showing the first batch of Labradorite I have ever attempted. This is a notoriously tough rock to tumble as the fracturing can get out of control but it's also a really gorgeous rock. I think I got some pretty good results overall. I also had some Rainbow Moonstone in the batch which is just a different kind of Labradorite. I'd love to hear how you have gotten good results with ...
How to slow down your Nat Geo Tumbler for cheap!
Просмотров 1,9 тыс.7 месяцев назад
This is a review of a cheap adjustable voltage power cable for the National Geographic Tumblers. It allows you to slow the tumbler down to the speed of any professional tumblers like a Lortone. This will work on any of their models but the one in the video is the Nat Geo Hobby Tumbler. I also tried it out on my Nat Geo Pro tumblers and it worked the exact same. Here is the Amazon link for the p...
Rock Tumbling Tiger's Eye - Full tutorial start to finish
Просмотров 1,6 тыс.7 месяцев назад
This is my method for rock tumbling Tiger's Eye from rough to final polish. I ran stage 1 for 16 cycles before I had enough to fill my vibratory tumbler for stage 2, 3, 4. I only show a few cycles of stage one because they are all very repetitive. Thanks for watching and let me know how you think they turned out! Like's, questions, and subscribes are always appreciated! Here are some specific r...
Harbor Freight Rock Tumbler Review
Просмотров 4,9 тыс.7 месяцев назад
Harbor Freight Rock Tumbler Review
National Geographic Rock Tumbler Review
Просмотров 2,9 тыс.7 месяцев назад
National Geographic Rock Tumbler Review
Raytech TV-5 Vibratory Rock Tumbler Review
Просмотров 2,9 тыс.7 месяцев назад
Raytech TV-5 Vibratory Rock Tumbler Review
Rock tumbling Amethyst and Quartz Final Polish
Просмотров 3937 месяцев назад
Rock tumbling Amethyst and Quartz Final Polish
How I organize my rock tumbling shop and what equipment I keep on hand
Просмотров 2147 месяцев назад
How I organize my rock tumbling shop and what equipment I keep on hand
Welcome to my rock tumbling channel. What I hope to accomplish
Просмотров 1467 месяцев назад
Welcome to my rock tumbling channel. What I hope to accomplish
I got a NatGeo Tumbler for Xmas 2023 and it doesn't look like yours... it is in a gray plastic thing with a flip up lid...are yours older I'm guessing? Also my speed 3 looks about like your Speed 1. I wonder what your speed 2 and 3 look like....
@@randomgrinn I have not tried their new models yet but it sounds like they listened and gave people slower speeds. All of the techniques here will work on slower speed as well. Just do 7 day intervals instead of 3
Very cool. Not sure why you check after 3 days, when others go a week....but you got fun results. I've hunted in Utah about 4 times, but you have better stuff!
@@randomgrinn Utah is a treasure trove of minerals for sure! And I do 3 days at a time because this particular tumbler spins faster than others and I have found a full 7 days isn’t beneficial as the grit is gone after 3. It’s a love hate. It makes the whole process quicker but can be harder on soft rocks without some precautions
Wow, perfect! Thanks a lot! 👍👍😁
So I've had great luck with my Chicago Electric tumbler which I purchased for $59. I've run mine nonstop from June 2023 to October 2024 and just replacing the belt for the first time this evening. Conversely, I bought a Lortone 33B in July 2023 for $139, and the motor burned out in July 2024 (it's been a pain to find a new one...). The Chicago Electric company has been bought out by Central Machinery (but it is the exact same tumbler, and I just purchased a new one for $79 last month). Great way to start in the rock tumbling hobby!!
Thank you for the video. It pushed me over the edge and I just purchased the TV-10.
Helpful video ... thanks. How many pounds of rock and media do you put in the tumbler? or do you just go by volume ? I have a RT10 but things look pretty much the same.
I never, ever weight anything. Just fill 2/3 to 3/4 and call it good
It seems like you don't weigh your rocks before polishing. For the RTVibe10 the limit is listed at 8 pounds. I always worry about "overloading" the machine. Have you found that weight is not all that critical?
I have never one time weighed any and have never had an issue. Im more worried about the machine being properly loaded to polish well than the weight. I think it would be pretty hard to get a true 8 pounds in there though
This is so helpful, I was just looking up pulley replacement parts and found your video! Thank you for posting!
Thanks for watching!
Good videos, thank you. Deciding which to buy to get started. On the Tumble Vibe would it help to put a lock washer between the rubber gasket and nut? Is your Tumble Vibe a 0.5 cu ft model?
As long as you install the nuts correctly I really don't have issues and don't think it would be necessary
Thank you. I've been on the fence about buying one of these to cut rocks. For $69 at Harbor Freight, it's a great solution.
Any time! For tumbling purposes it works just fine
I had looked at a lapidary saw on Amazon for for $169 that had a flexible shaft on the side for polishing and ext I wonder which would be the better route to go
Just found your channel. My wife bought me a nat geo platinum tumbler. Thanks for all the good info. We really appreciate it.
Thank you! Glad you are watching!
Beautiful work. I believe the 'grey' pieces are 'silver sheen' obsidian.
Thank you! My knowledge of it basically begins and ends with "I think they are really pretty." Haha
Thanks for sharing this. I'm doing very well with mine.
I would love an update when you're done what worked. Thanks for watching!
Send me a pm and I'll give you a hot spot!!!
So cool. Great job.
Stay tuned! The rocks from this day are about half done in the tumbler
Can't the 2nd stage remove the minor nicks? If so, might lose less stone to the rougher grit in stage 1 by moving to stage 2.
Unless the rocks are really soft I have never found that stage two removes any additional imperfections but I'm sure with the right time it could
Totally agree!! My Nat Geos work perfectly fine! Love that they are a more affordable option. I have the 2-lb and the 3-lb, and a Tumblebee with (2) 2-lb barrels. I love having the variety! And I couldn't agree more regarding the grit! I was pretty bummed when my first batch came out all bruised and dull. But with all the advice online, I ordered polish from Kingsley North, and used the grit that came with my Tumblebee, and they've been turning out so much better!!! 😄
So glad I'm not alone. Still getting great results with mine
Nice piece of Amethyst!
Thank you! Its one of my favorites
Is Utah a good place to live for rockhounding? Where else?
I think that Utah and Nevada are about as good as it gets! We have tons of mineral resources here
I like your presentation. It's calming, which is what you want from a hobby! Going to watch all your videos from the beginning to current day. Thanks!
Thank you for watching! Got several more videos in the works
Thanks for starting your channel!
Thanks for the support!
New subscriber. I appreciate your video.
Thank you so much! Very much appreciated
GREAT VIDEO! VERY EASY TO LISTEN TO BECAUSE OF YOUR CALM AND VERY UNDERSTANDABLE VOICE. I LOVE THE RESULTS THIS MACHINE HAS GIVEN TO ME. HOWEVER TIGHTENING THE LID HAS BEEN AN ISSUE. I CAN SEE THAT THE TIPS OF USING FOAM SEALER ON THE LID AND THE RUBBER GASKET ARE GREAT TIPS. WHAT ARE THE DIMENTIONS OF THE FOAM SEALER THAT YOU USED AROUND THE LID? WOULD 1/2'' WIDE BY 1/8'' THICK WORK? ALSO WHAT ARE THE DIMENTIONS (HOW THICK AND HOW WIDE) OF THE RUBBER GASKET YOU USED UNDER THE RUBBER NUT? THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR A RESPONSE TO THESE QUESTIONS.
That size foam should work great! Even if its a little too big it wouldn't be a big deal at all. I don't remember on the washer but I just took the bowl in with me and matched it at the hardware store. Rubber gasket is still working perfect and after 6 months I need to do a new lid seal but that's not a big deal at all
@@RockOnUtah THANK YOU FOR YOUR RESPONSE AND GREAT SUGGESTIONS. EVERYTHING IS WORKING GREAT NOW!
For stage 1, it looks like a small barrel, pretty heavily loaded, cushioned with media, reduced grit, and patience. For later stages, resist the urge to use the ultrasonic cleaner. Thanks for sharing your mixed results.
You're welcome! Thanks for watching!
Thank you! I'm going to try this with Script Rock. Great idea!
Thank you!
Those look fantastic! Where could I go to purchase one of these from you?
When I am done working them I would be happy to send some out
@@RockOnUtah Please do! They are beautiful!
Nice setup!
Thank you! Its nothing special but that's kind of the point. It doesn't have to be to have fun
Nice video. Thanks for posting! I did just order this exact Raytech Polishing Kit from Amazon for $154. I'd prefer a Lot-O, but they seem to be continuously out of stock!
I'm still happy with mine and still going strong. My biggest advice is just to make sure the rubber washer is tight!
Pull the rocks into the saw instead of pushing them. Change sides so you dont get soaked and keep a hose running in the side on a trickle.
All great advice! I'll have to give them a try. Not getting soaked would be great
Ive been using that same tile saw and it works good. Its a great option when you cant afford much. Just a good blade costs more than the whole saw. I paid $40 new.
Mine is still going strong!
Nice 311 shirt!
Love it! Not many people on a channel like this would get the reference haha.
When I saw it.. I was like NoWay. This dude is down with the hive andddd he's cutting rocks? Super badass 😎
Where in Utah is this? I live in northern Utah so I’m super interested!
The town is called Birdseye. Haha. Its close to thistle. Very well known area with lots of info online but most of the good stuff is now claimed so be sure to research that carefully
Thanks for this great tip. I'm now using your idea on 4 of my Komestone tumblers. Experimenting, I found that: 1) They will run at 7.5V and above, but not 6V and below. 2) They previously ran at 84 RPM on the slowest speed and 105 RPM on the highest. On 7.5V they run now at 50, 60 and 70 RPM. Also, they only draw 6W, so the smallest (& cheapest) 12W adjustable DC power supply will work.
Yep! Mine are still going strong without overheating (which theoretically is possible) even in a room that's been 100 degrees for 3 months.
Thanks for testing this and posting it. I just ordered one, so I can slow down for stages 3 and 4.
Thanks for watching and good luck!
The stock rubber nuts have worked loose a couple of times even after I tightened them with pliers. A big mess to clean up. I went to the hardware store and got some neoprene washers and a couple of coupling nuts. I'm adding some metal and lock washers. I'll be using a wrench to tighten everything from now on. It will be a little tricky to keep from damaging the bowl.. I'm mainly using my Highland Park 4.5lb rotary tumbler and I've ordered a mini-sonic since I mostly do small loads. I also cut 1.5" off the center rod.
I have had it happen twice too but both times it was obvious I hadn't tightened enough. I don't use pliers and it didn't make a mess but the slurry dried completely and I had to redo stage two to get it all off the rocks. Now I am extra careful to get the washers tight
Looked pretty full.
Awesome
Thank you!
Thanks for the nice introduction to Dumortierite. I haven't noticed running across it before. Where did you get your tumbling rough? I haven't found any rough in my few moments of searching so far. Regarding the tutorial aspects of your video, I especially enjoyed the quick back and forth between tumbling runs, but I was surprised that you only usually run for three days given how much grit's remaining to show up on the bottom of your sink. I usually run my fast barrels for five or six days by which time the 60-90 grit is pretty much gone. The cheapest I can find it these days is $3/lb, so I want to get all the work I can out of it. I was also surprised by your running your 220 grit in the vibratory tumbler, especially with so much ceramic media rather than other types of slightly softer or harder rocks which seems to work just fine for me. But your way clearly works and might be a bit less risky with less chance of breakage potentially slowing down the process, since even in a homogenous rotary batch sometimes it's the (overused) ceramic media that breaks. Finally, I've never tried running my vibratory batches so dry. I'm anxious to try that. Thanks again for sharing your methods!
Glad you enjoyed! This rough came from the online store called Meekos Mine. While there is a lot of gray slurry left over there is not gritty feeling to it so I have found that with hard rocks its all used up by 3 days and I get so excited its nice to push it along. Haha. I definitely err on the side of lots of ceramics whether I'm using the vibratory or rotary for stages 2-4. I just find its cheap insurance for breakage. I rarely have issues with broken rocks ruining the rest of a batch. I have found if I run them much more wet than this I don't seem to be getting the same results so I like to keep it just enough to keep moving. Thanks for sharing!
That looks great! I just started a batch of my own from Meeko's Mine. Hope I get the same shine!
If you can handle their cube cuts they really do sell some nice rough
Is it bad form to ask where you collected the Obsidian?
I have collected most of this from the West Desert of Utah but the snow flake stuff I bought from a rock shop in Ogden, Utah
some of the material looks like it could be Petrified wood, and I think the green one could be Epidote. Great video, wish I was closer, really great material right on the surface.
Now you have me excited. I have always liked the look of Epidote but never have tumbled it myself so I hope that's what it is
Hello! Just got one of these tumblers to try and get in to tumbling my own rocks! What do I do if I don't have a rotary tumbler to do "stage 1" (which I am not even sure what that is)? Can I do "stage 1" in my tumble vibe?
I honestly have never tried it myself but you can absolutely do stage one in a vibratory tumbler. You will get more natural looking results because they don't round the rocks. It basically will cut off the sharp edges and then move to stage two.
Beautiful colors!
Thank you! I love them too
WOW!!
Beautiful!
Beautiful!!!
Is this still holding up and running?
Yep! Runs 24 hours a day
@RockOnUtah the timer board still works though? I only asked bc another youtube video posted by a gentleman explaining how he ran a multi speed controller sorta like yours but it eventually gave him the "E" error code on his display but could not clear it... he's running the nat geo professional 3lb kit. He ended up cutting and spliced the motor and power, by passing the speed/timer display board. I'm running nat geo professional 2lb tumbler.
@@justinslife8898 sorry I didn't see this comment earlier. I have not had an issue with my tumbler having any error codes. I have worn out one motor that was replaced under warranty but that wasn't one that had ever been run at lower voltage. I have had 0 issues with this system.
I USE WD-40/3-N-1 OIL OR ANY LUBRICANT?
I use 3 in 1 oil on the bearings for mine. About once a month
I use WD-40 when I change out my rocks every other week
So much awesome stuff on the surface to collect!
There are many trips worth of fun stuff!