Thanks, I checked the link to the previous video. I received the double barrel lot-o for my birthday and am slowly stumbling my way through. Not as much info on how to use it well as there is with rotary tumblers. Thanks for taking the time to point me in the right direction, I really appreciate it.
You're welcome. It takes a few hours to do the slideshow. That's why I don't do before and after shows all the time. I'm trying to get a few more started for the future.
Hi mr math teacher I was a student in 8 th grade last year Logan You have a very detailed video which is really good because it gives other people that don’t know what it is and make them know what to do in the future Keep it up🤘😎
Thank you so much for that slideshow. I've been using rotary tumblers but now seeing that, I think I prefer the vibratory. Those agates were all absolutely beautiful in all stages.
Even if you like rotary tumbling, the vibratory tumbler will finish the rocks up after the first stage much quicker. Instead of about five weeks that I usually take for the last three stages in a rotary tumbler, I can finish them in one week in a vibratory tumbler.
I’m shocked!!! The majority of the time I preferred them with just the vibration. Fantastic video! I really enjoyed this. Don’t get me wrong I appreciate the gorgeous shine you achieve. Great video! Thanks!
They are all wonderful but I strongly preferred the polish before they went on to the final. It's mind-bending to me the artistry in natural creation. Earth IS a treasure in its entirety; the closer you look, the more there is to appreciate. Thanks for all the effort you put into teaching and sharing.
I see why you like to get the dips and such out, the rocks are now a lot easier to see the banding. I really like seeing each individual rock as you show them. Each one different and each one it's own beauty. The shadowing banding is especially pretty. wish I could come and search for ones where you go. I do find some nice agates and such where I live next to the Oregon coast, just a short walk after a winter storm can turn up some beauties. So, not complaining. Thanks for showing your finds and taking us along on your searches.
They are beautiful, personally I liked them at the second stage just a little bit more edgy, as a painter they held my interest there but they would grace any display. You do have to be patient to get the results, for that you have my whole hearted admiration I couldn’t wait that long.
@@MichiganRocks For me, it seems like it's difficult to tell in advance when to quit at the second stage and when to press on to completion. Some of the colours really pop at second stage in the slideshow and the last stage although beautifully finished, seem to lose the higher contrasting colours from second stage. Nice all the same.
The more videos I watch, the more attractive rocks appear to me. I have never been sure why I have been so fascinated, but I was convinced that rocks told a story. It has taken a long time and a LOT of technology to get me here today, and I totally get being fascinated by just LOOKING! My appreciation for rocks has greatly increased, as has my awe at the things they tell about why they look the way the look - - like most of us: a lot of life and living going on in them thar hills! (or rivers, as the case may be.
I need to learn more geology because that's where the story of rocks is. When I've gone rock hunting with geologists, I have been impressed with all that a rock can tell them about its past.
I have thought that many times as I have watched your videos. One of the things that has influenced my attraction to rockhounding videos is because I have been learning a bit about geology, and I have wondered why you have not explained that many of the white lines we see in these rocks comes from water at some point of that rock's "life" ... I don't know much, but it has become quite evident to me that understanding geology would greatly enhance your videos. The process of how the rock got to where it has gotten and looks like it looks is apparently quite the study ... just makes me appreciate them more, to say the least@@MichiganRocks
Oh heavens, you are such a hoot, you crack me up! Don’t change a thing with your videos, great the way they are! I’ve learned a ton of stuff, like terminology, types of rocks, tumbling, and the best....I hate going to beaches with crowds too!!
I like the 4 month fully worked and polished look. They turned out spectacular. I can't help thinking that God left these for us to find, and bring out the beauty.
I think there was more of a difference in the two methods because these were Lake Superior agates. I think I tumbled right through the pattern on some of them.
That was a lovely box of agates. I love the quartz and fine banding in them. I agree with you Rob, they look much better shiny and smooth. Can't believe people miss the slide show. That's when you see them up close and the patterns. I like to watch it. Thank you
I like some of them better after more tumbling, but I really did like some better with less tumbling. I think it's all the fractures in these rocks that make some look better with less tumbling.
Love Tuesdays and rocks in a box. Rocks are so beautiful and no two are alike. As for which I prefer after tumbling, I tend to go for the really smooth ones that you tumble all the rough edges off. Terrific channel!
That's the way I usually like them too, which is obvious to anyone watching my Rocks in a Box videos. However, there were several in this batch that I thought looked better before I tumbled every flaw out of them.
Wow! I just gotta say you are a master tumbler. Next level shine. Some LSAs look their best in their working cloths, others in the vibratory while others look best after the rotary. The great thing about LSAs is they almost always look good no matter which you choose.
God sure does some amazing things. Whenever I start learning more about any science topic, I'm always amazed at how much more complicated it was that I realized. I think God made it so that the more we study something, the more we realize just how cool of a creation it actually is. He sure gave us a lot of fun things to discover.
I have a book mostly written. I started it several years ago and just lost interest in finishing it. It's one of the things on my list of stuff to do this winter.
@@MichiganRocks I can’t wait to buy it. I just love how your rocks turn out. I’ve never really liked pudding stones until I seen yours polished absolutely stunning. I love the shine and smoothness of your rocks. Thank you so much for your video’s.
Very cool video. This is very useful for people, especially beginners, to see what each tumbler does to the rocks. That way they can choose the tumbler based on their desired look. Very informative. The rocks looked great as well!! Nice job as always!
That was one of my goals here. The other reason I did it is because I really couldn't decide which way I should tumble these. They're so cool that I didn't want to mess it up. I think the answer is that depending on the particular rock, one way might be better than the other.
@@MichiganRocks i know what you mean. With agates I like a more natural shape, divets and pits are ok, but shiny. With jasper, chert and most other rocks I like all the imperfections gone.
This is one of my fav of the rock tumbling vids yet. I'm a newbie to hounding and tumbling and this video was very informative, especially the slideshow. Makes me want a vibratory tumbler next to achieve a more natural yet polished appearance in my stones.
I really like the slide shows at the end. I think I would have split the agates 50/50, did some just in the Lotto, and some the usual way. I love the great polish you get with your usual method, but it hurts to see them shrink so. It's so great to have your videos to refer to when we are getting ready to try rock tumbling. Thanks so much!
@@MichiganRocks I know you’re the master of rocks and love agates the most 😊 I’m just muttering to myself how I feel about the beauty of nature’s art , that’s all 💗
I so enjoy others with the same passion as I for rocks so watching your videos are such fun. The banding on agates are a real favorite of mine. But honestly, I love even chirt in all its gray spendor! I ordered one of your t-shirts recently; can't wait to get it.
Thanks for ordering a shirt! I have a couple really nice pieces of banded chert that I tumbled. They can be really pretty, but the really nice pieces are pretty rare. They don't tend to be as fractured as agates either.
I just finished a double batch of Panama and Blue Agate today. I went through them all twice, and I may go through them again after your slide show! Just love the way they turned out; yours and mine. I only use rotary tumblers, but my agate batches can spend up to 7 weeks in course grit and a little trimming as needed. I also add a step of 1000 grit. I don't like my tumbles too small so it's a delicate balance. Thanks for sharing, I enjoy your videos.
I used to do a 1000 grit step in my Lot-O, but I found that if I eliminated that and ran the 500 for three days instead of two, the results were the same. The 1000 stage might be more important in a rotary. I have heard that with softer stones, a 1000 step is a good idea, probably because softer stones take longer to break down the grit.
The hardest decision in life is when to move a rock onto the next stage when it is not perfect but it is getting too small. Keep making these great videos. I love watching to see where you will slip in the Michigan Rocks banner.
That sure is tough sometimes. I'm guilty of tumbling rocks away to nothing in the quest to get it perfect. I never thought of where I put the Michigan Rocks title in as being a game. I'm glad you're having fun with it.
This video was great! Thanks a ton for doing all of that & sharing with us. Apparently, I prefer the vibratory method- I liked about 90% of the rocks the most after that stage. So I appreciate you sharing the knowledge, the steps, & all the photos. Of course, now I need to buy a vibratory tumbler 😂😂
I felt the same way about these agates but I don't feel that way about most other rocks. I think I tumbled right through the bands on a lot of these. With many other rocks, you don't have to worry about tumbling away the good part so much.
I stumbled across your videos and I'm really enjoying them. I sat and watched all the rocks and the slide show (really dig that) and there were some that I thought lost some color contrast with the third tumble - and then there were others that really benefitted from it - the banding was more clear and the translucency was more visible. On the whole, it seems like a a bit of a guessing game when you are looking at the stones and trying to see what can be uncovered by removing another layer. One thing I would appreciate as a novice, is some scale - a ruler or an object so we can see the change in size from beginning to end. I would find that a helpful visual. I appreciate people that take the time to share their knowledge and hobbies this way - thank you for taking the time to make these videos!! Keep em up!
Hi Leif and Soren. I somehow missed this message and just now saw it. The amount that the rocks reduce in size varies a lot depending on how rough the rock was to start with. Some of these had pretty deep holes and ended up a lot smaller. I had a similar batch recently that I weighed before and after the tumble. I'm sure a few pieces didn't make it into the final weighing, but the end result was half the weight of what went in. When I'm tumbling beach worn rocks that are already partially tumbled by the lake, the weight loss is much smaller.
There are good things to say about all stages of polishing-different characteristics, etc, but I think I like the end results best. There’s just something soothing in the feel of a smooth stone in your hand.
I agree. There are advantages to all three ways I showed. I like the more smoothed out look too, but for some of these I liked natural or just vibratory tumbled.
I used to spend hours at a time looking for beach glass on Lake Michigan in the North Shore (Highland Park) area of Chicago, before we moved to Portage, Michigan.
Great video! I have watched a lot of your videos including your instructional tumbling videos. My wife kind of rekindled my fascination with rocks that I have had since early childhood. My wife and I are both tumbling our first batches of mostly beach rocks. I tried it once as a kid and it didn't go very well, but with your help I feel much better about this attempt. I would like to eventually get a vibratory rock tumbler, but for now we have rotary only. Mine is one that I built a long time ago for wet tumbling brass. I made a rock barrel for it and started a run. Thank you for your instructional videos. This video was very interesting. I watched the first one amd then this one including the slide show. Many, even maybe most of them I preferred done with the rotary first and final stages in the vibratory, but some of them I found more interesting before the rotary re-tumble. It's quite interesting to see how each method affects the final product. I can see the need for both types as well as at least some minimal lapidary grinding equipment. I have lots of hobbies and I'm nit sure I needed another one, but this is definitely one my wife and I enjoy doing together so that's a really nice thing. It's great to see you out with your family too. Thanks for sharing. My UA-cam channel is all boating and old outboard motors. I may have to start another channel for rocks now. 🤔
I have learned more about Lake Superior agates since doing this video. At that time, I didn't realize that the bands on them can be very shallow, so it's possible to tumble them away. I don't think this is the case for many other types of agates. I really think Lakers are better polished on a cab machine rather than in tumbler. I just checked out your channel. Holy cow, that's a lot of outboard motors! I grew up on an inland lake in Michigan near where I live now. When I was very young, my dad owned a marina on the lake and sold Johnson outboards. We had an 18 foot Starcraft boat with a 70 hp on the back and always wanted a bigger motor. I could just barely barefoot behind that boat, but I had to hold my head way up to keep from drowning. My dad always told me that was the most economical size motor. When I was in college, my grandpa died and we inherited his Sea Ray tri-hull with a 100 horse Johnson. I could finally go fast, but Dad sure was right about that motor using a whole lot more gas than the 70.
@@MichiganRocks I didn't realize you could tumble the bands away on LSA's either. That's valuable information that I kind of noticed from watching this video. I van see where a cab machine would be a nice way to go for polishing them. I have a long ways to go with my rock hobby before I get to that point, but it would be nice. I really don't have a good place to put one at this point anyway. I'll stick with my tumbler and maybe a saw. I can see a flat lap being worthy also. I have lots of interests and a bad habit of not doing anything on a small scale, so.i have to be careful. 😳 I'm sure you understand what I mean after checking out my outboard channel. Most of my outboards are 25hp and under with a few 35s and 40s and a 55hp Johnson on my pontoon. I have aluminum boats from 12 to 16ft and for the majority of my boating I like the 18-25hps. I have a few interesting antique motors as well. That stuff alone keeps me pretty busy since I still work full time too. Good times growing up on a lake. My grandpa had a lake cottage growing up and my dad lives on a lake now in his retirement. I'm glad lakes aren't too far away around here. Thanks for checking out my channel and taking the time to reply. Maybe we'll run into each other hunting rocks somewhere.
@@oldjohnnyrude8404 If you're just polishing rocks and not actually making cabs, I think a flat lap is a good way to go. That's what I started with. They are a lot slower than a cab machine, but the disks are cheaper than cab machine wheels. You say you don't have room for a cab machine, but I was wondering where you store all those motors! Have you considered collecting coins or stamps? They don't require adding a pole barn to your property. Cool collection though.
@@MichiganRocks That was my thought concerning the flat lap vs. The cab machine also. That would do a fine job for me for quite a while. If I got to where I felt the need to speed the process up that much more, I might be able to eventually make a place for a cab machine. I did, in fact, collect stamps for a time when I was younger. That kind of failed to hold my interest as I am a very mechanical minded person. I keep my motors on racks in my pole barn. I did add on to the barn once. I have a few other collections too including some antique electric fans and license plates. I built a hobby machine shop in my pole barn about 14 years ago. That's where my cab machine would probably have to go since the rest barn is not heated or insulated. I'd send you a picture of the outboard racks if I could. The ones in the videos are only the runners. I have many more that are projects and parts donors to build more runners. I sell off a couple now and then, but I have kept most of them.
@@oldjohnnyrude8404 I collected stamps as a kid too. I think I still have them somewhere. They didn't hold my attention either. Too passive. They are easier to store than outboard motors though. I've never heard of a stamp collection requiring a pole barn.
Спасибо вам за вашу работу, наша жизнь как неотшлифованныи камень но Тот кто нас сотворил хочет чтобы мы выглядели как эти шедевры, это наглядная проповедь мы лежим на дне океана и Кто-то нас поднимет и приблизительно так делает из нас драгоценные камни. Слава Ему за это. Спасибо вам за ваш мастер класс. 👍🤝
@@MichiganRocks я вам сердечно благодарен что вы потрудились мне ответить на мои комментарии пусть Божия милость прибудет над вами. А Ему за все слава.
@@MichiganRocks I am wore out. Walked 4 beaches on Lake Huron thumb area. Just got home. Found my parents last cabin they sold before they passed away, new owners trashed it. So sad.
@@DigginWithDeej I do have a video on chain coral, and I need to do another before it gets cold. I have some other corals I want to try. ua-cam.com/video/hjk3_KMLYXs/v-deo.html
Old disabled house bound dusty rusty Rockhound here:. I'm with you...how can you not love looking at rocks?!! They are the snowflakes of the geological world! Mathematics made solid
I like the slideshow and this one was very eye opening. The only change I would suggest is to have all three pictures in one so one could compare them side by side. Another great video that I enjoyed watching.
@@MichiganRocks my first heart has been in the tumble a few days now its turning out OK 😁... it's a quartzite with a red cloudy incursion semi transparent you can see down into it when back lit... it won't be stunning but it's cool and shows me I can do it... the dremel with the grey stone bits worked wonders... I'm having so much fun.. I found another rock that's really cool inside ill make a few hearts out of it...and some lettering... tumble a few pieces... and I have another idea should work out cool as a night light for my autistic daughter... I thank you soooo much... 🤗
@@MichiganRocks biggest thing I'm finding is make nice straight cuts off the hop... then I'm using a 90° plate... running the flat against it when I roll the rock on my little 7" saw it stays flat... less saw marks to rub out... im learning quickly I think... I've visualized it many times... 😀
Well done, you make the process look easier than it is, I’m an avid rock polisher/ collector, and I know how hard and how long it takes to get your results.
It looks easy because I really didn't show the process. I have shown exactly what I do in other videos though. I think the hardest part for most people is just having patience.
Cracks are always there is seems to me. The worst are the fractures at a sharp angle to the surface. I call them bear claws, i don't know if that is the correct term. I figure it is part of the beauty. Great finish on those agates.
Great video and your photography or close-ups of the rocks you found were astounding !!! I too love rock hounding all my life and I recently made 4 videos about the rocks I found along the Colorado river in California & Arizona but I just have a phone that I take my videos with so my videos of my finds are not very good. Take Care- Eagle Eric
I have seen some videos done with phones that are really good. Do you watch "Agate Dad"? He has a GoPro now, but all his earlier videos were done with a phone, including still photos and I think they looked really good.
I'm sending these back to Adam who gave them to me. He has been collecting Lakers for a long time and has never polished any. I thought he should have some that are polished. The other reason that I'm sending them back is probably shown pretty well in this video: ua-cam.com/video/jZ9Dns9ioX8/v-deo.html
Those eyes with the holes are actually tubes. Regular eyes on an agate are actually hemispheres and usually form on the surface, whereas the tubes form around long, thin crystal rods. A lot of times the original mineral that formed the tube wears away and you're left with a hole through your otherwise beautiful agate.
Greetings from the south shore! Fantastic video. The tumble portion really removed the contrast “pop” within the banding in my opinion, but adds the smother tactile experience. It’s a very fine line with our Lake Superior agates to achieve that subjective aesthetic. Almost a microbanded line? Happy hunting
For most agates, I prefer the more complete tumble. I think for Lakers, I prefer some rocks to be less tumbled. I really don't like fractures in my rocks and by completely tumbling these, it really accentuates the cracks. Serious LSA collectors seem to either leave rocks natural or polish a face. After this experiment, I think I understand why.
@@MichiganRocks I have a lot of lake superior agates. Many are nickle size and smaller. I worry if I run them in the rotary to long there will be nothing left.
They are beautiful, but as you noted, they lost a lot of mass. I liked them with a shine and the irregular shape didnt bother me. As you say, to each their own.
I normally like rocks as smooth as possible, even if they end up smaller. In this case though, there were some that I thought looked better before I re-tumbled them in the rotary tumbler, but others that I though improved with more tumbling.
Hi Rob. What's the make of that flat lap you're using at 2:30? Clearly a couple of cool modifications, but I'm wanting to buy one and that looks like a winner. Thanks in advance.
I bought that used and the guy I bought it from got it used before me. I’m pretty sure it’s homemade. I have never seen another one like it. It came without a water drip system, but had a spot to mount one. So I built the water system myself.
Man, I could really go either way with these. I think some looked better just vibed and some character was lost with rotary, but then others it was the opposite, where rotary won out. I guess that's the thing with rocks - not knowing if going deeper is going to bring out more pattern or just wear the existing pattern away. It's kind of like the lottery. Some duds turn into gems, some gems turn into duds. Something worth keeping in the back pocket though - I prefer the rotary until defect free, and BiL prefers the natural look, so there's a compromise to be had there when he hands me something to tumble.
That's the trick, knowing when to stop. I generally like rocks to be completely smooth, but I agree that some of these looked better with just vibratory tumbling.
I'm not 100% sure, but I think most of the fractures were there before tumbling. Lakers tend to have a lot of fractures in them. A lot of time people think that the tumbler causes fractures, but I think in most cases, polishing the rocks just makes fractures much easier to see.
That tumbler might not be built for the weight of rocks. I'd look to see if it's recommended for rocks. If not, it might work well, but wear out really quickly.
I need you to clarify your question. Do you mean top ten types of rocks that I like? For example, Lake Superior agate, Crazy Lace agate, etc. Or do you mean top ten specific specimens that I like the best from my collection. For example, I have a really nice piece of banded chert that I think tumbled really well. I don't have answers to either of those, but I could think about it and maybe give you a list or partial list.
I usually like them more rounded. Cracks don't bother me. I mostly like the ones with windows of embedded quartz with bands around the outside. Have you ever used an ultrasonic cleaner to clean out pockets of loose material? I think it might work.
I have not tried an ultrasonic cleaner. With more cracks in these rocks, I tumbled them between stages with just water and borax. This gives them a good cleaning. I'm not sure how an ultrasonic cleaner would compare.
After watching the slide show.... SOME look better after tumbling and SOME should have stopped after that first round. Specifically the first several you cut in half. Seems like they lost something getting ground more. Still others really look great after getting all the bumps out. Some even with bumps and flaws, seemed more interesting before they got ground smooth and for what ever reason turned dark and more boring. And here's a thought, with several "flaws" bumps etc, a crack is much less obvious. But tumbling all the bumps away to when all that is left is a crack? It shows up a lot more. Hard to know when to stop I suppose.
I agree with everything you said. It is very difficult to know when to stop. Good point about the cracks being less obvious when the rest of the rock isn't so perfect.
You haven't given me much to go on. If you have done everything right, then it would have to be the rocks themselves. Not all rocks will polish. Here's a link to two methods that work well for me: Rotary tumbler followed by vibratory tumbler: ua-cam.com/video/ksrmpPZrAuU/v-deo.html Rotary tumbler with ceramics: ua-cam.com/video/dYGFal0e1WY/v-deo.html
@@MichiganRocks Thank you so much for your response! After further investigation, Kingsley supplies called me back and they reached out to Lot-O Tumbler and they said the beautiful polish came from Rapid Polish 61. Amazing product! I don't if you tried it or compared it to what use, but it has made a hugh difference!! Thank you again for your help and your great videos!! Happy Tumbling!
@@MichiganRocks This is a new hobby for me. Can you recommend where to get reasonably priced and decent quality rocks? I live in an area that rock hunting in not very successful.
I'm not sure what zircons are. I found a wikipedia article, but that says that they're very small. You couldn't be tumbling those. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zircon Did you mean cubic zirconium?
Rob: How can you not love looking at rocks? I now find myself looking at rocks even in line at McDonald’s, their landscaping rocks. I’m hopelessly hooked on rock hounding. Thanks to your videos.
That's what I thought too. And it seems that some marbles with the internal ribbons mirror to a lesser degree what nature bakes into these banded agates. I always like looking at marbles rather than playing with them, and I get the same satisfaction with these rocks (albeit not in-hand on YT).
You and me: "I don't know how anyone could not love looking at rocks" Husband: LOL, LOL, LOL. I liked most of them after the first process better. Only a few after the second process. But I liked all the ones with the quarts pockets. Watching from NE Ohio. 30 miles from Lake Erie.
@@MichiganRocks I liked some of the raw ones so much, and I also liked some in the vibe-tumbler better than the last one, but I liked a lot of them in the last tumbler. I guess it is a personal choice then! p.s. Try not to worry when people complain too much or don't watch the last part of your videos. Some of us love the slideshow, and some just want to come for the lessons. You do a really nice job, in my opinion, and I've learned a lot from you.
@@wawabbit I don't mind when people don't watch the slideshow, but this one was different and I wanted people to at least see the before and after comparisons that I was doing before they decided not to watch.
Haha! 8:18 they’re toooooo shiny! Haha. Man this was really cool. I wasn’t too sure until the slide show which I preferred but I have to say the finished product after shaping and through the rotary tumbler is just beautiful. Really rad Rob! Really rad! And dude! You got shirts n hoodies!!!!!! Heck yeah! They look awesome mate!
They're never too shiny! I prefer them more finished myself, but there are plenty of people who prefer them more natural looking. Did you miss my awesome infomercial video? I'm at negative two subscribers because of it, but I've sold a few shirts. I sure had fun making this one. ua-cam.com/video/ZkYTYpfLHcc/v-deo.html.
If you missed the first video where I tumbled for nine days in the vibratory tumbler, here it is: ua-cam.com/video/Dg_jhcMYieE/v-deo.html
Thanks, I checked the link to the previous video. I received the double barrel lot-o for my birthday and am slowly stumbling my way through. Not as much info on how to use it well as there is with rotary tumblers. Thanks for taking the time to point me in the right direction, I really appreciate it.
@@betsyallen4821 Good luck!
I love the before and after slideshows. I’m sure that is very time consuming to put together. Thanks for doing that.
You're welcome. It takes a few hours to do the slideshow. That's why I don't do before and after shows all the time. I'm trying to get a few more started for the future.
Hi mr math teacher I was a student in 8 th grade last year Logan
You have a very detailed video which is really good because it gives other people that don’t know what it is and make them know what to do in the future
Keep it up🤘😎
Hi Logan! I see you took time out from truck videos to watch a rock video. How's your unusual school year going? Tell your sister I said hello.
Thank you so much for that slideshow. I've been using rotary tumblers but now seeing that, I think I prefer the vibratory. Those agates were all absolutely beautiful in all stages.
Even if you like rotary tumbling, the vibratory tumbler will finish the rocks up after the first stage much quicker. Instead of about five weeks that I usually take for the last three stages in a rotary tumbler, I can finish them in one week in a vibratory tumbler.
I’m shocked!!! The majority of the time I preferred them with just the vibration. Fantastic video! I really enjoyed this. Don’t get me wrong I appreciate the gorgeous shine you achieve. Great video! Thanks!
I knew from the start that some people would like them one way and others would like them the other way. Different strokes for different folks.
They are all wonderful but I strongly preferred the polish before they went on to the final. It's mind-bending to me the artistry in natural creation. Earth IS a treasure in its entirety; the closer you look, the more there is to appreciate. Thanks for all the effort you put into teaching and sharing.
I definitely over tumbled some of these. Hopefully we all learned something. I know I did.
I see why you like to get the dips and such out, the rocks are now a lot easier to see the banding. I really like seeing each individual rock as you show them. Each one different and each one it's own beauty. The shadowing banding is especially pretty. wish I could come and search for ones where you go. I do find some nice agates and such where I live next to the Oregon coast, just a short walk after a winter storm can turn up some beauties. So, not complaining. Thanks for showing your finds and taking us along on your searches.
and the slide show is amazing, to see the before and after.
I wish I had a spot to find these too. I find a few, but not many and not big ones. It sure is fun looking, though.
They are beautiful, personally I liked them at the second stage just a little bit more edgy, as a painter they held my interest there but they would grace any display. You do have to be patient to get the results, for that you have my whole hearted admiration I couldn’t wait that long.
It gets easier to wait the longer I do it. At first, I could hardly wait to open the barrel each week.
@@MichiganRocks For me, it seems like it's difficult to tell in advance when to quit at the second stage and when to press on to completion. Some of the colours really pop at second stage in the slideshow and the last stage although beautifully finished, seem to lose the higher contrasting colours from second stage. Nice all the same.
@@bobmcbob4399 Yep knowing when to quit is the trick. I can't say I have that figured out.
Awesome presentation, I watched till the end. Great to see the before and after shots.
Thanks!
The more videos I watch, the more attractive rocks appear to me. I have never been sure why I have been so fascinated, but I was convinced that rocks told a story. It has taken a long time and a LOT of technology to get me here today, and I totally get being fascinated by just LOOKING! My appreciation for rocks has greatly increased, as has my awe at the things they tell about why they look the way the look - - like most of us: a lot of life and living going on in them thar hills! (or rivers, as the case may be.
I need to learn more geology because that's where the story of rocks is. When I've gone rock hunting with geologists, I have been impressed with all that a rock can tell them about its past.
I have thought that many times as I have watched your videos. One of the things that has influenced my attraction to rockhounding videos is because I have been learning a bit about geology, and I have wondered why you have not explained that many of the white lines we see in these rocks comes from water at some point of that rock's "life" ... I don't know much, but it has become quite evident to me that understanding geology would greatly enhance your videos. The process of how the rock got to where it has gotten and looks like it looks is apparently quite the study ... just makes me appreciate them more, to say the least@@MichiganRocks
I like the more natural look, gives the rocks more character. Love bringing out thst character and beauty instead of manipulation
I agree for a lot of these. For most rocks, I prefer to make them perfectly smooth. I guess it’s all a matter of personal taste.
Kind of hard to say which I prefer. It depends on the rock. Great Video, Thank You.
I agree completely.
Oh heavens, you are such a hoot, you crack me up! Don’t change a thing with your videos, great the way they are! I’ve learned a ton of stuff, like terminology, types of rocks, tumbling, and the best....I hate going to beaches with crowds too!!
I just ordered a microphone to improve my audio, is that an acceptable change?
Michigan Rocks, ohhhh....I suppose, if you must. Lol!! Just be careful not to poke your eye out 🤣
I like the 4 month fully worked and polished look. They turned out spectacular. I can't help thinking that God left these for us to find, and bring out the beauty.
I liked some of these better with less tumbling and some with more. You're right, God made some amazing things for us.
Thanks Much for the side by of all 3 stones. Very eye opening. Just got a vibratory tumbler and it helps me decide my tumbling routine. Thanks
I think there was more of a difference in the two methods because these were Lake Superior agates. I think I tumbled right through the pattern on some of them.
That was a lovely box of agates. I love the quartz and fine banding in them. I agree with you Rob, they look much better shiny and smooth. Can't believe people miss the slide show. That's when you see them up close and the patterns. I like to watch it. Thank you
I like some of them better after more tumbling, but I really did like some better with less tumbling. I think it's all the fractures in these rocks that make some look better with less tumbling.
Love Tuesdays and rocks in a box. Rocks are so beautiful and no two are alike. As for which I prefer after tumbling, I tend to go for the really smooth ones that you tumble all the rough edges off. Terrific channel!
That's the way I usually like them too, which is obvious to anyone watching my Rocks in a Box videos. However, there were several in this batch that I thought looked better before I tumbled every flaw out of them.
Wow! I just gotta say you are a master tumbler. Next level shine.
Some LSAs look their best in their working cloths, others in the vibratory while others look best after the rotary. The great thing about LSAs is they almost always look good no matter which you choose.
I agree, they are some really cool rocks and they do look good all three ways.
Gosh those are beautiful. Next year I'm going hunting for agates. Thanks for the great info. Beautiful work by God and mother nature
God sure does some amazing things. Whenever I start learning more about any science topic, I'm always amazed at how much more complicated it was that I realized. I think God made it so that the more we study something, the more we realize just how cool of a creation it actually is. He sure gave us a lot of fun things to discover.
I know that not everyone likes the slideshows, but I love them!
I'm glad someone does!
That slideshow at the end is really neat.
I thought so, that's why I mentioned sticking around for it. Thanks for watching it.
I really love the slideshow. My favorite part. I pause and just staring at the screen for a long time.
Is anyone else in the house? They might worry about you.
@@MichiganRocks lol
I prefer rotary tumble too. I could look a at rocks all day and never get bored 😁 So beautiful. You need to write a book on how to polish rocks.
I have a book mostly written. I started it several years ago and just lost interest in finishing it. It's one of the things on my list of stuff to do this winter.
@@MichiganRocks I can’t wait to buy it. I just love how your rocks turn out. I’ve never really liked pudding stones until I seen yours polished absolutely stunning. I love the shine and smoothness of your rocks. Thank you so much for your video’s.
You are 100%...how can you not love looking at rocks?!!!
Got me. I love it.
Very cool video. This is very useful for people, especially beginners, to see what each tumbler does to the rocks. That way they can choose the tumbler based on their desired look. Very informative. The rocks looked great as well!! Nice job as always!
That was one of my goals here. The other reason I did it is because I really couldn't decide which way I should tumble these. They're so cool that I didn't want to mess it up. I think the answer is that depending on the particular rock, one way might be better than the other.
@@MichiganRocks i know what you mean. With agates I like a more natural shape, divets and pits are ok, but shiny. With jasper, chert and most other rocks I like all the imperfections gone.
This is one of my fav of the rock tumbling vids yet. I'm a newbie to hounding and tumbling and this video was very informative, especially the slideshow. Makes me want a vibratory tumbler next to achieve a more natural yet polished appearance in my stones.
I plan to do a video at some point explaining the difference between the two tumblers. I'm glad you found this one helpful.
I really like the slide shows at the end. I think I would have split the agates 50/50, did some just in the Lotto, and some the usual way. I love the great polish you get with your usual method, but it hurts to see them shrink so. It's so great to have your videos to refer to when we are getting ready to try rock tumbling. Thanks so much!
I liked a lot of these better when they were just done in the Lot-O. I think I tumbled right through the bands in some of them.
How could one not love these stunning treasures ! They’re.fascinating ! 🥰 ✨
You're preaching to the choir!
@@MichiganRocks I know you’re the master of rocks and love agates the most 😊 I’m just muttering to myself how I feel about the beauty of nature’s art , that’s all 💗
Great work, Rob! You are really helping a lot of new folks with videos like this. Great stuff.
That was the goal, so it’s nice to hear that I’m accomplishing it.
8:32 Looks like a side on view of a galaxy, very nice work
Love you channel, learn a lot. Thanks for your time and effort of sharing!!!!
You're welcome, Michael!
I love the final (3rd) view. I love the finished highly polished look. Good job.
I usually prefer that look too, but there were several of these that I think looked better after just the vibratory tumbling.
I so enjoy others with the same passion as I for rocks so watching your videos are such fun. The banding on agates are a real favorite of mine. But honestly, I love even chirt in all its gray spendor! I ordered one of your t-shirts recently; can't wait to get it.
Thanks for ordering a shirt! I have a couple really nice pieces of banded chert that I tumbled. They can be really pretty, but the really nice pieces are pretty rare. They don't tend to be as fractured as agates either.
You were very knowledgeable! I love your at the end rock show.
I just finished a double batch of Panama and Blue Agate today. I went through them all twice, and I may go through them again after your slide show! Just love the way they turned out; yours and mine. I only use rotary tumblers, but my agate batches can spend up to 7 weeks in course grit and a little trimming as needed. I also add a step of 1000 grit. I don't like my tumbles too small so it's a delicate balance. Thanks for sharing, I enjoy your videos.
I used to do a 1000 grit step in my Lot-O, but I found that if I eliminated that and ran the 500 for three days instead of two, the results were the same. The 1000 stage might be more important in a rotary. I have heard that with softer stones, a 1000 step is a good idea, probably because softer stones take longer to break down the grit.
Michigan has beautiful Stones.
These are from Minnesota where they also have beautiful stones.
The hardest decision in life is when to move a rock onto the next stage when it is not perfect but it is getting too small. Keep making these great videos. I love watching to see where you will slip in the Michigan Rocks banner.
That sure is tough sometimes. I'm guilty of tumbling rocks away to nothing in the quest to get it perfect.
I never thought of where I put the Michigan Rocks title in as being a game. I'm glad you're having fun with it.
T-shirt-“How can you NOT love looking at rocks?!”
This video was great! Thanks a ton for doing all of that & sharing with us. Apparently, I prefer the vibratory method- I liked about 90% of the rocks the most after that stage. So I appreciate you sharing the knowledge, the steps, & all the photos. Of course, now I need to buy a vibratory tumbler 😂😂
I felt the same way about these agates but I don't feel that way about most other rocks. I think I tumbled right through the bands on a lot of these. With many other rocks, you don't have to worry about tumbling away the good part so much.
I stumbled across your videos and I'm really enjoying them. I sat and watched all the rocks and the slide show (really dig that) and there were some that I thought lost some color contrast with the third tumble - and then there were others that really benefitted from it - the banding was more clear and the translucency was more visible. On the whole, it seems like a a bit of a guessing game when you are looking at the stones and trying to see what can be uncovered by removing another layer. One thing I would appreciate as a novice, is some scale - a ruler or an object so we can see the change in size from beginning to end. I would find that a helpful visual. I appreciate people that take the time to share their knowledge and hobbies this way - thank you for taking the time to make these videos!! Keep em up!
Hi Leif and Soren. I somehow missed this message and just now saw it. The amount that the rocks reduce in size varies a lot depending on how rough the rock was to start with. Some of these had pretty deep holes and ended up a lot smaller. I had a similar batch recently that I weighed before and after the tumble. I'm sure a few pieces didn't make it into the final weighing, but the end result was half the weight of what went in. When I'm tumbling beach worn rocks that are already partially tumbled by the lake, the weight loss is much smaller.
There are good things to say about all stages of polishing-different characteristics, etc, but I think I like the end results best. There’s just something soothing in the feel of a smooth stone in your hand.
I agree. There are advantages to all three ways I showed. I like the more smoothed out look too, but for some of these I liked natural or just vibratory tumbled.
Awesome before and after.
I used to spend hours at a time looking for beach glass on Lake Michigan in the North Shore (Highland Park) area of Chicago, before we moved to Portage, Michigan.
Very awesome, had alot of fun watchin. So beautiful i love them! Like em shiney too, GORGEOUS
Thanks Shannon!
Great video! I have watched a lot of your videos including your instructional tumbling videos. My wife kind of rekindled my fascination with rocks that I have had since early childhood. My wife and I are both tumbling our first batches of mostly beach rocks. I tried it once as a kid and it didn't go very well, but with your help I feel much better about this attempt. I would like to eventually get a vibratory rock tumbler, but for now we have rotary only. Mine is one that I built a long time ago for wet tumbling brass. I made a rock barrel for it and started a run. Thank you for your instructional videos.
This video was very interesting. I watched the first one amd then this one including the slide show. Many, even maybe most of them I preferred done with the rotary first and final stages in the vibratory, but some of them I found more interesting before the rotary re-tumble. It's quite interesting to see how each method affects the final product. I can see the need for both types as well as at least some minimal lapidary grinding equipment. I have lots of hobbies and I'm nit sure I needed another one, but this is definitely one my wife and I enjoy doing together so that's a really nice thing. It's great to see you out with your family too. Thanks for sharing. My UA-cam channel is all boating and old outboard motors. I may have to start another channel for rocks now. 🤔
I have learned more about Lake Superior agates since doing this video. At that time, I didn't realize that the bands on them can be very shallow, so it's possible to tumble them away. I don't think this is the case for many other types of agates. I really think Lakers are better polished on a cab machine rather than in tumbler.
I just checked out your channel. Holy cow, that's a lot of outboard motors! I grew up on an inland lake in Michigan near where I live now. When I was very young, my dad owned a marina on the lake and sold Johnson outboards. We had an 18 foot Starcraft boat with a 70 hp on the back and always wanted a bigger motor. I could just barely barefoot behind that boat, but I had to hold my head way up to keep from drowning. My dad always told me that was the most economical size motor. When I was in college, my grandpa died and we inherited his Sea Ray tri-hull with a 100 horse Johnson. I could finally go fast, but Dad sure was right about that motor using a whole lot more gas than the 70.
@@MichiganRocks I didn't realize you could tumble the bands away on LSA's either. That's valuable information that I kind of noticed from watching this video. I van see where a cab machine would be a nice way to go for polishing them. I have a long ways to go with my rock hobby before I get to that point, but it would be nice. I really don't have a good place to put one at this point anyway. I'll stick with my tumbler and maybe a saw. I can see a flat lap being worthy also. I have lots of interests and a bad habit of not doing anything on a small scale, so.i have to be careful. 😳 I'm sure you understand what I mean after checking out my outboard channel. Most of my outboards are 25hp and under with a few 35s and 40s and a 55hp Johnson on my pontoon. I have aluminum boats from 12 to 16ft and for the majority of my boating I like the 18-25hps. I have a few interesting antique motors as well. That stuff alone keeps me pretty busy since I still work full time too. Good times growing up on a lake. My grandpa had a lake cottage growing up and my dad lives on a lake now in his retirement. I'm glad lakes aren't too far away around here. Thanks for checking out my channel and taking the time to reply. Maybe we'll run into each other hunting rocks somewhere.
@@oldjohnnyrude8404 If you're just polishing rocks and not actually making cabs, I think a flat lap is a good way to go. That's what I started with. They are a lot slower than a cab machine, but the disks are cheaper than cab machine wheels.
You say you don't have room for a cab machine, but I was wondering where you store all those motors! Have you considered collecting coins or stamps? They don't require adding a pole barn to your property. Cool collection though.
@@MichiganRocks That was my thought concerning the flat lap vs. The cab machine also. That would do a fine job for me for quite a while. If I got to where I felt the need to speed the process up that much more, I might be able to eventually make a place for a cab machine.
I did, in fact, collect stamps for a time when I was younger. That kind of failed to hold my interest as I am a very mechanical minded person. I keep my motors on racks in my pole barn. I did add on to the barn once. I have a few other collections too including some antique electric fans and license plates. I built a hobby machine shop in my pole barn about 14 years ago. That's where my cab machine would probably have to go since the rest barn is not heated or insulated. I'd send you a picture of the outboard racks if I could. The ones in the videos are only the runners. I have many more that are projects and parts donors to build more runners. I sell off a couple now and then, but I have kept most of them.
@@oldjohnnyrude8404 I collected stamps as a kid too. I think I still have them somewhere. They didn't hold my attention either. Too passive. They are easier to store than outboard motors though. I've never heard of a stamp collection requiring a pole barn.
Спасибо вам за вашу работу, наша жизнь как неотшлифованныи камень но Тот кто нас сотворил хочет чтобы мы выглядели как эти шедевры, это наглядная проповедь мы лежим на дне океана и Кто-то нас поднимет и приблизительно так делает из нас драгоценные камни. Слава Ему за это. Спасибо вам за ваш мастер класс. 👍🤝
Хорошая аналогия. Бог довольно хорошо меня отполировал последние пару лет, но у меня все еще есть пути.
@@MichiganRocks я вам сердечно благодарен что вы потрудились мне ответить на мои комментарии пусть Божия милость прибудет над вами. А Ему за все слава.
I liked the slide show showing the differences at the end
Thanks, I'm glad you liked it. It took a surprising amount of time to put that together.
@@MichiganRocks I am wore out. Walked 4 beaches on Lake Huron thumb area. Just got home. Found my parents last cabin they sold before they passed away, new owners trashed it. So sad.
@@DigginWithDeej You left out the most important information. Did you find rocks?
@@MichiganRocks yes some petosky stone, lots of fossils and my 2nd ever chain coral. I need to find video on cleaning chain coral. Do you have one?
@@DigginWithDeej I do have a video on chain coral, and I need to do another before it gets cold. I have some other corals I want to try. ua-cam.com/video/hjk3_KMLYXs/v-deo.html
I love all the rocks cracks or no cracks i love all.👍👍
Cool, you're easy to please!
Damn right, how can you not love looking at those rocks?
There are some sick people out there who just don't get it. Poor people.
Old disabled house bound dusty rusty Rockhound here:. I'm with you...how can you not love looking at rocks?!! They are the snowflakes of the geological world! Mathematics made solid
And some people think rocks are boring. We know better.
Those are Beautiful. Love your video's.
Thanks!
I like the slideshow and this one was very eye opening. The only change I would suggest is to have all three pictures in one so one could compare them side by side. Another great video that I enjoyed watching.
A lot of people watch these videos on phones, so that wouldn't work well for them. The pictures would be tiny.
I am about to buy my first tumbler and just learned of these vibrator versions.
This might be a helpful video to watch. I explain the difference between rotary and vibratory tumblers. ua-cam.com/video/5V33xUTkmRM/v-deo.html
Rocks are soooo facinating... those are really cool... day 3 of first stage of my first tumble 😁
Hang in there, George. You have quite a few days to go. I think you're going to love this hobby.
@@MichiganRocks my first heart has been in the tumble a few days now its turning out OK 😁... it's a quartzite with a red cloudy incursion semi transparent you can see down into it when back lit... it won't be stunning but it's cool and shows me I can do it... the dremel with the grey stone bits worked wonders... I'm having so much fun.. I found another rock that's really cool inside ill make a few hearts out of it...and some lettering... tumble a few pieces... and I have another idea should work out cool as a night light for my autistic daughter... I thank you soooo much... 🤗
@@MichiganRocks biggest thing I'm finding is make nice straight cuts off the hop... then I'm using a 90° plate... running the flat against it when I roll the rock on my little 7" saw it stays flat... less saw marks to rub out... im learning quickly I think... I've visualized it many times... 😀
As you can tell I'm sooo excited... kid again 😊
I'm going to need about 12 tumbling barrels I could literally do this all day everyday and it would never get boring for me...
As always, beautiful work.
Thank you.
Well done, you make the process look easier than it is, I’m an avid rock polisher/ collector, and I know how hard and how long it takes to get your results.
It looks easy because I really didn't show the process. I have shown exactly what I do in other videos though. I think the hardest part for most people is just having patience.
“Isn’t this fun?” - you’re a sick man but I’m afraid to say that I too have your illness. Thanks for sharing!
I've been ill for awhile. I don't see it clearing up anytime soon, either.
Cracks are always there is seems to me. The worst are the fractures at a sharp angle to the surface. I call them bear claws, i don't know if that is the correct term. I figure it is part of the beauty. Great finish on those agates.
Yeah, some of them are just impossible to grind away without grinding the whole rock to dust.
I love the slide shows !
Great video and your photography or close-ups of the rocks you found were astounding !!!
I too love rock hounding all my life and I recently made 4 videos about the rocks I found along the Colorado river in California & Arizona but I just have a phone that I take my videos with so my videos of my finds are not very good.
Take Care- Eagle Eric
I have seen some videos done with phones that are really good. Do you watch "Agate Dad"? He has a GoPro now, but all his earlier videos were done with a phone, including still photos and I think they looked really good.
We watch our videos on a 60 inch sharp tv ,the rocks are beautiful !
Most people watch on phones, I think. I'm surprised they hold up on a big TV. Thanks for letting me know.
Gorgeous!!!! Just wondering what you do with them after all this work? Well other then just sit and enjoy them 😁 Checking out your other videos too.
I'm sending these back to Adam who gave them to me. He has been collecting Lakers for a long time and has never polished any. I thought he should have some that are polished.
The other reason that I'm sending them back is probably shown pretty well in this video: ua-cam.com/video/jZ9Dns9ioX8/v-deo.html
Those eyes with the holes are actually tubes. Regular eyes on an agate are actually hemispheres and usually form on the surface, whereas the tubes form around long, thin crystal rods. A lot of times the original mineral that formed the tube wears away and you're left with a hole through your otherwise beautiful agate.
I know about tube agates, but I guess I didn't recognize it here. Thanks for the education!
Greetings from the south shore! Fantastic video. The tumble portion really removed the contrast “pop” within the banding in my opinion, but adds the smother tactile experience. It’s a very fine line with our Lake Superior agates to achieve that subjective aesthetic. Almost a microbanded line? Happy hunting
I agree. Some of these improved with more tumbling and some got worse. I think it was a good lesson for me and hopefully for others watching.
For agates I usually like the the first process. I have some I will run through the rotary now that I have seen how some of these turned out.
For most agates, I prefer the more complete tumble. I think for Lakers, I prefer some rocks to be less tumbled. I really don't like fractures in my rocks and by completely tumbling these, it really accentuates the cracks. Serious LSA collectors seem to either leave rocks natural or polish a face. After this experiment, I think I understand why.
@@MichiganRocks I have a lot of lake superior agates. Many are nickle size and smaller. I worry if I run them in the rotary to long there will be nothing left.
@@CJR12212012 Yeah, you'd probably want to avoid the rotary tumbler with such small rocks.
They are beautiful, but as you noted, they lost a lot of mass. I liked them with a shine and the irregular shape didnt bother me. As you say, to each their own.
I normally like rocks as smooth as possible, even if they end up smaller. In this case though, there were some that I thought looked better before I re-tumbled them in the rotary tumbler, but others that I though improved with more tumbling.
That really enhan colors too!
I like most of them in original condition
I liked some of them that way best too.
Hi Rob. What's the make of that flat lap you're using at 2:30? Clearly a couple of cool modifications, but I'm wanting to buy one and that looks like a winner. Thanks in advance.
I bought that used and the guy I bought it from got it used before me. I’m pretty sure it’s homemade. I have never seen another one like it. It came without a water drip system, but had a spot to mount one. So I built the water system myself.
oh i think i like them better just after the first round in the vibratory tumbler. they have more faces and edges to catch the light
I think some were better that way and some looked better after more tumbling.
Man, I could really go either way with these. I think some looked better just vibed and some character was lost with rotary, but then others it was the opposite, where rotary won out. I guess that's the thing with rocks - not knowing if going deeper is going to bring out more pattern or just wear the existing pattern away. It's kind of like the lottery. Some duds turn into gems, some gems turn into duds. Something worth keeping in the back pocket though - I prefer the rotary until defect free, and BiL prefers the natural look, so there's a compromise to be had there when he hands me something to tumble.
That's the trick, knowing when to stop. I generally like rocks to be completely smooth, but I agree that some of these looked better with just vibratory tumbling.
WOW! Just WOW!
Almost forgot to say : Thank you for sharing, to all both of you guys!
You're welcome.
Thank you for sharing. One question: every rock is badly “bruised”. Did they start that way or get banged up in the tumbler?
I'm not 100% sure, but I think most of the fractures were there before tumbling. Lakers tend to have a lot of fractures in them. A lot of time people think that the tumbler causes fractures, but I think in most cases, polishing the rocks just makes fractures much easier to see.
I could easily spend hours per rock eyeballing. Could you possibly show some of your favorites in direct sunlight as it natural just like the rocks.
Direct sunlight is harder to control, so I usually do my filming in the basement. I'll keep it in mind for future videos though.
I may be 3yrs late but i love the after
Rocks don't really get old, so you're not really late.
Hey…thx for your video. Question…. Can I use a vibratory tumbler for my stones that was previously used for nuts and bolts?
That tumbler might not be built for the weight of rocks. I'd look to see if it's recommended for rocks. If not, it might work well, but wear out really quickly.
Hi hillo idol, God bless you
Hi Rob. Is this a good vibe formula for most rocks as well? Is there a link to your vibe formula for general rock tumbling?
This video shows exactly what I do for most rocks. It's the same as what I did for these Lake Superior agates. ua-cam.com/video/ksrmpPZrAuU/v-deo.html
Yea, I am totally partial to the short tumble with rougher looking rocks vs those ones after 4 months :)
I think you're the third vote for that method.
Do you have a top ten pick of your favorite rocks of yours that's just up there above the rest?
I need you to clarify your question. Do you mean top ten types of rocks that I like? For example, Lake Superior agate, Crazy Lace agate, etc. Or do you mean top ten specific specimens that I like the best from my collection. For example, I have a really nice piece of banded chert that I think tumbled really well. I don't have answers to either of those, but I could think about it and maybe give you a list or partial list.
At 22.04 that red one looked better to me at the lotto polish ,the reg tumbler took away from the quarts being a center .
It's hard to know how far to go on some of these. I definitely went too far with some.
I usually like them more rounded. Cracks don't bother me. I mostly like the ones with windows of embedded quartz with bands around the outside. Have you ever used an ultrasonic cleaner to clean out pockets of loose material? I think it might work.
I have not tried an ultrasonic cleaner. With more cracks in these rocks, I tumbled them between stages with just water and borax. This gives them a good cleaning. I'm not sure how an ultrasonic cleaner would compare.
@@MichiganRocks If I have a chance, I'll give it a try and let you know what I find out.
@@darkwood777 Great, thanks!
After watching the slide show.... SOME look better after tumbling and SOME should have stopped after that first round. Specifically the first several you cut in half. Seems like they lost something getting ground more. Still others really look great after getting all the bumps out. Some even with bumps and flaws, seemed more interesting before they got ground smooth and for what ever reason turned dark and more boring. And here's a thought, with several "flaws" bumps etc, a crack is much less obvious. But tumbling all the bumps away to when all that is left is a crack? It shows up a lot more. Hard to know when to stop I suppose.
I agree with everything you said. It is very difficult to know when to stop. Good point about the cracks being less obvious when the rest of the rock isn't so perfect.
I can not get my rocks that shiney. I have done everything right. Any suggestions.
You haven't given me much to go on. If you have done everything right, then it would have to be the rocks themselves. Not all rocks will polish. Here's a link to two methods that work well for me:
Rotary tumbler followed by vibratory tumbler: ua-cam.com/video/ksrmpPZrAuU/v-deo.html
Rotary tumbler with ceramics: ua-cam.com/video/dYGFal0e1WY/v-deo.html
What is the best polish for final stage with the vibratory ? Aluminum oxide not to shiny
I use aluminum oxide from the Rock Shed. It's one micron or about 14,000 grit. That's what I use on all of my rocks and it works great. rockshed.com
@@MichiganRocks Thank you so much for your response! After further investigation, Kingsley supplies called me back and they reached out to Lot-O Tumbler and they said the beautiful polish came from Rapid Polish 61. Amazing product! I don't if you tried it or compared it to what use, but it has made a hugh difference!! Thank you again for your help and your great videos!! Happy Tumbling!
@@MichiganRocks This is a new hobby for me. Can you recommend where to get reasonably priced and decent quality rocks? I live in an area that rock hunting in not very successful.
@@lisagiles1437 Here are a few places that I've ordered from:
Thanks again for sharing your knowledge, it has helped me so much!! How do you dispose of the used aluminum oxide and the other waste?
It seems to me that agates and opals are very similar to the eye. Are they related ?
I don't think they're very closely related at all.
amazing
At the moment I am tumbling zircons, it is taking forever. Any tips would be appreciated. LOVE you videos love from Australia.
I'm not sure what zircons are. I found a wikipedia article, but that says that they're very small. You couldn't be tumbling those. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zircon
Did you mean cubic zirconium?
You sold me on rotary tumbled LSA at least the smaller ones
My goal wasn’t to sell you on anything, but I’m glad I could help you decide which you like better.
are these stones on sale?
No, these are not for sale. I sent them back to the person who gave them to me.
Mantap
Terima kasih.
Good job
Thank you
🙋♂️💝🌹
Thanks!
God makes pretty stuff for you to have fun with, with us.
God sure does and I thank him every day for it.
Those rocks look wonderful and reminds of deep space galaxies or something. Keep up the good work.
Rob: How can you not love looking at rocks?
I now find myself looking at rocks even in line at McDonald’s, their landscaping rocks. I’m hopelessly hooked on rock hounding. Thanks to your videos.
You mean you didn't do that before? I thought that was normal.
Sometimes when I see a pretty rock when I am out, I bring it home. I cannot resist. 😊
I've even collected some from the McDonald's drive-thru hahaha
Half the rocks I tumble come from my secret rock spot in the harbor freight parking lot. It's the only place no one else is already looking.
Hahaha. I do that too…I’m always eyeballing the landscape rocks at my kids’ school haha
I love the sounds of the rocks after they have been polished they sound like marbles clacking together.
That's what I thought too. And it seems that some marbles with the internal ribbons mirror to a lesser degree what nature bakes into these banded agates. I always like looking at marbles rather than playing with them, and I get the same satisfaction with these rocks (albeit not in-hand on YT).
You and me: "I don't know how anyone could not love looking at rocks"
Husband: LOL, LOL, LOL.
I liked most of them after the first process better. Only a few after the second process. But I liked all the ones with the quarts pockets. Watching from NE Ohio. 30 miles from Lake Erie.
I agree that some looked better after just doing the quick vibe tumble. Others looked better after the longer rotary tumble to me.
ha ha. I'm the same. I love looking at rocks, and Mr. Michigan Rocks is an inspiration to me in my tumbling journey!
@@MichiganRocks I liked some of the raw ones so much, and I also liked some in the vibe-tumbler better than the last one, but I liked a lot of them in the last tumbler. I guess it is a personal choice then! p.s. Try not to worry when people complain too much or don't watch the last part of your videos. Some of us love the slideshow, and some just want to come for the lessons. You do a really nice job, in my opinion, and I've learned a lot from you.
Even my humble rocks are magical.
@@wawabbit I don't mind when people don't watch the slideshow, but this one was different and I wanted people to at least see the before and after comparisons that I was doing before they decided not to watch.
Wow... Amazing collection! The "before" and "after" slideshow was incredible. I watched all the way to the end. ;) Well done.
Thanks Dan, glad you liked it!
Haha! 8:18 they’re toooooo shiny! Haha. Man this was really cool. I wasn’t too sure until the slide show which I preferred but I have to say the finished product after shaping and through the rotary tumbler is just beautiful. Really rad Rob! Really rad!
And dude! You got shirts n hoodies!!!!!! Heck yeah! They look awesome mate!
They're never too shiny! I prefer them more finished myself, but there are plenty of people who prefer them more natural looking.
Did you miss my awesome infomercial video? I'm at negative two subscribers because of it, but I've sold a few shirts. I sure had fun making this one. ua-cam.com/video/ZkYTYpfLHcc/v-deo.html.
These turn out awesome, need to more research on agates, they're so cool.