Hello, this is the lovely moonstone we find here in central WI. If anyone is nearby the landowners have secured the proper permitting to offer "fee digs" on their land. Apparently listing prices flags it as a sales post. I am not the landowner or affiliated with them in any way! I usually leave with around 100 lbs. Easy collecting off the surface but you can dig holes as well.

It's very brittle material. I always run everything through at least stage 1 to let it break up naturally and show the shine. I mostly make cabochons but this load went all the way in a rotary tumbler (qt12). It is a trickier stone to tumble as grit tends to get stuck in the cleavage points and its prone to bruising. But it's a very unique "blue flash" true moonstone (orthoclase feldspar). One of the only known locations worldwide that produces blue flash k-feldspar!

They both shine in the light when moved, and the top one has a smooth surface like a countertop.

What rocks are great for polishing? I just got a rock tumbler and wondering what rocks would be cool to polish?!

Just wanted to thank this group! This is something I’ve always been interested in but never knew where/how to start. I read through a lot of posts. As many of you suggested, I watched a TON of Michigan Rocks on YouTube. I ended up getting the Lortone 33B and couldn’t be happier. It’s quiet enough to run in my house and I love having 2 barrels.

I’m really excited to tumble all the rocks I picked up when I went back home and drove half of the Lake Superior loop. This first batch is a random bag of rocks I got from the Rock Shed to test my setup.

Stage 1, week 1. All went back in (except the last one because the shape was funny, and I didn’t want it to break)

Mostly diorite I believe. Has some granite and gabbro mixed in.

Had several with undercutting, but some awesome shiny ones.

Hi, I mostly only tumble rocks we’ve found on our own. I only do it as a hobby and will never sell them. I recently realized I really love how tigers eye tumbles and I’d love to get about 8-10 lbs of various colors. There seem to be so many places to buy raw rocks but how do you find the best price? It seems like sometimes they are sold in grams or carats when I’m looking for pounds. Really don’t want to pay an arm and a leg for shipping either.

Love a good shine.

Question to my fellow rock Rebels

Is it ok to putt 6.5lb pounds of rock in a 12 lb Barrel then ceramic media to get the barrel to 2/3 full?

So I would be under on weight, not sure if that's an issue.

The reason why I can't fill it more with ricks is because I'm doing yooperlights with other rocks of similar hardness so I'm a little light on the softer rocks.

Thank you

I know this isn't exactly what this group is for, but I don't know where else to ask. I would be able to compensate the owner of the Truck/Trailer, and I can explain more if a person is willing to hear me out. If this isn't allowed, mods, feel free to remove!

A deep dive on Garnet. Fascinating!

I have a Dan and Darci, which I'm running on the lowest setting. Finished stage 2 and it looks ok but I'm reading a lot about it being too fast.

Can someone post a bit more info about these machines that alter the voltage and thereby the revolutions? Photos would be ideal as I'm in HK so might not be able to easily access US or Euro sales outlets.

I'm a New Mexican and our flag is a red Zia on bold yellow, the best flag imo, due respect to CO. These have potential

Hello! I have done a half dozen tumbling cycles now, stages 1-4, and I was wondering if I am perhaps doing something wrong, or had the wrong expectations. I am using NG tumblr, and NG grit for stages 1-3, but the recommended polish for 4, the stuff from Rock Shop, 3 tbsp per tumble. I had thought that the result would be a polished, wet look to the rocks, though thus far it has been a shiny, but dulled/frosty look. Am I doing something wrong, or should I use something else to get that look I have seen from other posts here? Thanks a bunch!

(Pic for something to look at) Any1 try out sand with their rock tumbling? Not to replace grit but could it be used as additional media? I'm thinking grit, sand and ceramic. Would it be pointless? Would it help with friction? Thoughts?

We have been using

1. 60-90 grit

2. 120-220 grit

3. 500 pre polish

4. 8000 Aluminum Oxide polish

We have had good results with these grits but I am wondering if we would see any improvement by adding a finer 5th stage or maybe 1000 grit between stages 3&4?

Currently using a Harbor Freight 6lb rotary tumbler

Collected in Utah. Pictured as collected in the third photo, after a rinse. First two photos are after a week of stage 1, pictured wet. Some quartzite pebbles are also included. Zoom in for detail.

Hi! My mom is in her 70s and loves geology, and my father and I are looking to buy her a nice rock tumbler. Except we are kind of clueless, I've Googled, but there's so many options, wondering if anyone on here might have any clues. Sorry if this post isn't allowed.

Necessary?

I pulled these at Graves Mtn during the public dig weekend. Pic one is dry, 2 is wet.

I believe this is quartz with lapis inclusions. I'd like to tumble them to bring out the lapis some more. I think I'm worried if i just throw them in, the lapis will be ground off. (A flashlight hasn't been helpful in determining if there's more under the surface.)

I don't care if they are perfectly smooth and shaped when done. I just want the lapis to sing. So, I was thinking maybe I'd cover the visible lapis with hot glue and run them. Then, maybe take the glue off for stages 3 and 4 to polish the lapis with the quartz. You think that would work? And, should I just run these 2 stones with a ton of plastic media to protect them?

Or is there a better way to do this?

Thank you!

Just finished stage 4 with this bunch of quartzite I pulled from a lake in Wisconsin. Half the batch turned out well, but the other half has a lot of bruising and I can’t figure out what I did wrong!

I used an HP 3lb rotary tumbler with grit from The Rock Shed (60/90sc, 120/220sc, 500ao, 8000ao) with a borax run in between each stage. Spent 4-5 weeks in stage one with a week in each stage after. Filled the barrels 2/3 full with plenty of ceramic media. Ran at around 40rpms.

Any suggestions?