Rock Tumbling Hobby - Tumbler Enthusiasts.

WELCOME TO THE ALL FREE ROCK TUMBLING HOBBY SITE

You can use this site to find out all you need to know about rock tumbling in general. I hope that both the beginner and experienced rock tumbling enthusiast will find the information herein useful, making your hobby more rewarding as time goes on.

Whats New at Rock Tumbling Hobby?

14th June 2009 Theres now over 2460 members on the tumbling enthusiasts forum and a wealth of knowledge in OVER THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND MESSAGES which is unsurpassed on the internet in this area. If you are interested in talking about specifics - then there is definately someone there you can chat with.

19th August 2005 - A new place for members and visitors to trade the items they produce in their hobby. Visit the Rock Tumblers Trading Section for current items on show. If you would like to add your own items to this list - then please visit the message board to learn more - its free to advertise.

15 APRIL 2004 - There is now a growing archive of member photos containing over 100 HQ images of our favorite rocks. Click here to visit the Samples Photo Section

31th Dec 2003 - Due to the popularity of the message board, we now have quite a collection of fantastic pics from fellow tumbling enthusiasts from around the globe. The rock tumbling visitors section has now been completely restructured to bring some initial order to the growing collection of images - they have been separated onto different pages for better downloading.

Keep on Tumbling!!!! - and don't forget to bookmark so you can carry on sharing tips with other enthusiasts from around the world!

Thanks - Mark.


	INTRODUCTION.


		What is rock tumbling all about? Rock tumbling is a process whereby rough stone is taken as a raw material, and rotated inside a barrel with a selection of harder "grits", until all the rough edges have been removed. Once the stone has been shaped, it is polished in a final phase until perfectly smooth, creating a beautiful finished article which can be used for gifts, ornamental/decorative purposes or simply added to your personal ever growing collection.....

	Who can find enjoyment from tumbling rocks? This kind of hobby is suitable for anybody from the age of 14 who has an interest in exposing the natural shine and color of various types of semi-precious gemstones. It takes a lot of care and a lot of patience - but can provide years of enjoyment and the rewards in the form of the finished stones well worth the effort. I would suggest that anybody younger than 14 years should take a spectator role as there is electrical tumbler machinery invovled and some chemical aspect.


	Click below to purchase a rock tumbler and get your hobby up and running. They make fantastic birthday gifts for kids - plus you are giving the gift of a hobby aswell!!


	Black Cat Mining provide all the equipment required for Tumbling Rocks - for both beginners and small industrialists. Also - shipping anywhere in the U.S. - they supply grits, polish and mixed sample bags. Click on the images above for the Rock Tumbling Hobby Rock Tumbler Supplies page for more detail and choosing your own startup kit.


	Please use the options below to start your journey on the rock tumbling experience!

Where do I begin? What do I need?	This section explains what equipment you will need like a tumbler and accessories, along with the materials you will be using.
Choosing your stones.	Here are some examples of finished stones which may help you decide which type you would like to polish.
A complete 4 Phase Cycle or Project.	Here I explain the process of a single "cycle" from start to finish - from rough cut rock through to the shining completed article.
Pitfalls to watch out for!	There are many things which can go wrong - and you need to keep a sharp eye on each project as it progresses!!
Top Tips	A few tips and tricks to help you through the process - some are more speculative than others!
Our Own Message Board.	See what others are posting about, what works, what doesn't. There are some real experts on there giving tips on everything concerning Rock Tumbling. Feel free to join in and ask a question - there are over 2100 members in there and it's free to join in.
Rock Tumblers Trading Section	A place for fellow tumblers to sell some of the items they have made.
Rock Tumbling Photos.	Pictures which show how the rocks look at various stages - so that you know what to expect as the cycle progresses.
Rock Tumbling Visitor Section	Why not send in some pictures to the email address below and I will be happy to publish them on the site. Here are some sent in so far.
Sample Photos From Visitors - Large Archive	Identify your samples and see how they turn out if you do them correctly. Also use this section to choose rocks which you might like to add to your collection. Or try something different like virgin casino or a mobile phone review.
Links Page	Other sites related to rock tumbling.
Link to Us	How to link to this website from your site.

Visitor Comments :-

I started out not expecting such interest, here are a few of the many responses I have had to date.

"...... 4 Phase Cycle is excellent, it's a comprehensive lesson I couldn't have got by without. Until I read it my gems were more like coal, I've printed it and double take when I start a new load ...." Harvey K - Sydney.

Thanks Harvey - It's great to know that people from as far away as Australia read my site. Thanks for your comments.

"...... My son Jake gives me this present - a bit of polished rose quartz. He thinks I know everything (but it's thanks to the Net and this site!) ...." Phil - UK.

Thanks Phil - keep him at it - I don't have kids but many people I know often ask for items from my collection that they can give to theirs!!

"...... I was using the same barrel for the lot. Oooooops - thanks ...." J. Croon - Ontario.

Thanks J. Croon - Yes - you can't get away with it for long .......................... :)


		Why not send in your comments, questions or tips so that I can put them on this site - more rock tumbling comments. Just send them to andrew@rocktumblinghobby.com and I will reply.

	Feel free to use my pictures, just give me a link back and give me a shout to show me what you have done with them.


Thanks to my good friend Desmond for giving me a place to put this, and also his un-ending patience with my questions about writing the site.


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