Snakes and Stones

[Lord Sorril]

I'm new to the site and new to this thread, but I'm head over heels.

As a rock junkie I was already planning on using some locally collected rocks as part of the backing of the 4X3X2 I plan to build Noodle when he gets bigger. We hit the local mines, climb the mountains, collect all the interesting things. Hubby was even president of our local rock club for a couple years. You are so right about New England being a great place to be a rock junkie. Maine-iac myself.

I haven't tumbled in a very long time and would love to know what you have for a rig. Now I want to play again.

Thank you for showing me I'm not the only rock/snake crazy around here.

Hahaha, it is always good to find someone else interested in rocks and minerals!
My specific profile has always been towards stones I can tumble/polish successfully.
Maine is a great place to rockhound due to your depleted/detonated supervolcanoes.
I have rarely ventured very far into Maine as an adult. As a child my parents brought me to many rural mines and collection areas in the state...I was too young to effectively wield any tools though...

My tumbling setup is 7 Lortone QT12 tumblers, 1 Thumler's UV-18 Vibratory, and 1 Thumler's UV-45.
If I am feeling ambitious I can run them all and have ~150 lbs. of stone processing at any given time. The UV-45 requires frequent attention though...so I only use it periodically.
I go through about 300lbs. of #46 Silicon Carbide/year and much lesser volumes of finer Aluminum Oxide.
What do I do with the stones? The nice ones I make a pile under my bed and sleep above them like a dragon. The poor ones I use to make little art designs/displays in the woods.

Oh my God! There's two of them.

Lol! There are a surprisingly large amount of people into geology.
People in my area love to show me their 'finds', but, rough stone (excluding crystals) are often unimpressive until they have been cut/treated/tumbled/polished and/or faceted...

Photo #334

Brazilian Agate + Another Het Clown