Back to the Yellowstone River

 

      We have been 'Rockhounds' for years.  It is a great activity for walking, relaxing, and just plain taking in all nature has to offer.  Initially we had them polished for us, but after a year or two we invested in our own equipment.  We now have a double barrel 4-pound outfit as well as a much larger 12-pound model.  We have displayed some of our work on here before, but I recently came across a great deal on about 25 pounds of some very good 'rough stock'. 

      This project will certainly test the limits of my setup due to sheer weight.  In fact, I had to delay start for 10 days as I had to order new barrels as these old rubber barrels would no longer hold a seal.

      This entire process takes 8 weeks with stages of rough grit, medium fine grit, pre-polish, and final polish.  Each cycle runs 24/7 for 2 weeks.  Additionally, I had some large pieces that I want to cab and polish while still on the 'rough'.  This may take some additional equipment, but I'm retired, right.  What the hell.  

Day 1:  Rough into the tumblers

After 2 weeks, Stage 3 coming

After 8 weeks and 4 stages, final product

Polished, sliced, and repolished cabochon

Another sliced polished cabochon

3 beautiful uncut agates cabs approx. 1 lb. each

Cut, unpolished

Faced and polished

The dendrites are very 3D in this one 

       If just tumbling for polished stones this is an 8-week process.  Cutting rough and hand polishing as is can be a different timetable.  This is the process of slicing rough cut rocks exposing what's inside and then not polishing the entire stone, but just the sliced face. I like these as it shows all faces of the original rock, sliced face in polished display still intact yet part of the original 60-million-year pieces.  

      What are the uses for this?  I keep most of them displayed on an entire wall in my home on shelves or in jars.  Some I give away and I always have a favorite I keep in my pocket; a touchstone that feels good to hold it, sooths me, and provides me good luck.  Upon completion of this I am in the midst of another bucket 8-week cycle to go before our fall departure.    

"Leave no stone unturned" 

Mother Nature

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