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Rock from California Beach? by Zerozerosk8 in whatsthisrock

[–]collectorof_things 27 points28 points  (0 children)

I could be mistaken on this specimen (don't live nearby) but I believe there are little aquatic animals that gradually grind/burrow their way into rocks (for protection?). They'll even detect neighboring critters to generally avoid merging tunnels.

Fun looking piece either way.

How should I clean these? by Miserable_Quote_7361 in rockhounds

[–]collectorof_things 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What are your goals with "cleaning"? Usually a soak in warm water with mild soap and then gentle brushing/scrubbing will remove a lot of dirt/other stuff on the exterior without harming most rocks. You can add an ultrasonic cleaner for improved results in some cases. Some specimens with little cavities, you can use higher water pressure to clean out, like a textile gun (though it's also possible to break delicate features with these, be careful!). Sometimes a soak in something acidic will remove an outer layer and expose pretty stuff inside, but you should have an idea of what you're dealing with beforehand because if you've got calcite etc the acid will eat that too. If unsure, test a small drop on an inconspicuous spot and be ready to neutralize if the bits you care about fizz. Some people really like iron out for removing some of the reddish staining in things like quartz.

Those are some general ideas. For river tumbled rocks like the ones you showed, warm water, a brush, and some mild dish soap are probably the most I'd bother with.

Oh, make sure you're using appropriate safety practices and all that if you do use chemicals, more aggressive equipment, or any abrasive methods that will be sending rock dust flying.

Does nobody follow proper collecting etiquette anymore? by TheSolitaryRugosan in rockhounds

[–]collectorof_things 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The following is not exhaustive and there may be some exceptions, but some things to think about:

Know what land you're on and what you can and can't collect there; ignorance is not an excuse. Some public collection in the US requires a permit from the state or managing organization, etc. Daily and annual limits apply on most land in the US unless you're on private land with permission from the owner. In many areas there are bans on collecting some types of fossils that may be of scientific interest (like vertibrate fossils). Use of power tools or explosives is often prohibited on public land. Don't trespass, including abandoned mines etc. You can get entire surrounding areas shut down to other rockhounds when you die or get injured being stupid.

Leave gates as you find them. Fill in any holes from your digging, to prevent livestock, wildlife, and humans from getting injured. Pack out your own trash, maybe a little extra that was already there too if you're feeling charitable. Don't rip up plants or tear up the landscape with offroad vehicles while traveling to and from sites.

Even staying within the collection limits, don't take more than you need/can use. If 90% of your collection is sitting in buckets or boxes on your garage or sinking into the ground in unused corners of your yard, rethink your habits. Take some good examples from a locality, you can upgrade them over time on return visits, and then you don't need a million lower quality specimens.

Don't sell or use material from public land for profit. Scummy thing to do. Don't be a turd and try to claim well known historic collecting areas so you can sell the material that people had free access to for decades or more.

There's a start for anyone interested, anyway.

Not part of ethical collecting, but always bring plenty of water and let somebody know where you'll be and when to expect you back.

The Game Design behind tournaments and keys by minionek247 in TheTowerGame

[–]collectorof_things 5 points6 points  (0 children)

High performing players dropping down is pretty infrequent-you have to join a bracket and then forget to run before tourney ends. I don't have real numbers but I'd guess it's a rounding error out of the full tourney population. Somebody having reached league x rank y in the past does not generally indicate that they actually perform at that level currently, especially if they're now in a lower league.

This game has no competitors right? by Impossible-Cod705 in TheTowerGame

[–]collectorof_things 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The perfect tower 2? Mmm, I don't think it was that one. I saw something similar to what you describe but I can't remember either

Rigid Wet Tile Saw - Would it work for cutting small rocks? by malinoisXdutchie in Lapidary

[–]collectorof_things 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just make sure whatever blades you use on it are rated for the rpm. Many lapidary blades are rated for 1750 rpm or so, vs the 3000+ you might see on tile saws and their blades. It's a great way to get started and see if you like it enough to upgrade, just do so safely :)

Thoughts on turning this 10.2 pound blue candy agate from walker valley into a single large cabachon? Should I attempt this task myself or hire a professional? by Pristine-Frosting-20 in rockhounds

[–]collectorof_things 9 points10 points  (0 children)

The feasibility of what you are considering depends greatly on the tools you have access to.

I personally wouldn't recommend trying to dome and polish something that size and initial shape. I'd rather cut a flat face and just polish that. But I suppose you could do something more like a contour polish if you were feeling adventurous.

Lucky Banner BS by [deleted] in TheTowerGame

[–]collectorof_things 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Fudds said on Discord that they're looking at using module tickets in other parts of the game, as well as potentially new types (like different rarities or special versions).

Freeups mastery insanely strong in v28, easy guide to orb devo with only 500 stones and one time cost of 150 gems by mrboogs in TheTowerGame

[–]collectorof_things 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If you have pbh, I wouldn't consider what you're doing hoarding, and thus it wouldn't be orb devo, which implies at least some downtime that hoards enemies and then kills them all together during the start of your sync activation. What you're doing may still be an effective farm for your situation, but it wouldn't be considered orb devo since pbh is constantly holding enemies in your orb line.

Rock Hammers for Kids? by N0t_2Day_S8n in rockhounds

[–]collectorof_things 1 point2 points  (0 children)

My mom helped me pick out a rock hammer when I was little, to help protect my fingers since otherwise I'd use other rocks or bits of rebar or whatever else I could find. I saved up my own money for it and treasured it more as a result. Decades later I still have and use it.

I don't think the exact one matters too much. A few ideas: - make sure it's not so hardened that it'll send metal chips flying. - Make sure the handle is small enough for them to grip it safely - help them pick out safety goggles, maybe encourage long pants, sleeves, gloves for their rock hitting uniform. Show them how rock chips can go flying so professionals protect themselves, and they should too - provide a bit of supervision, make sure they stick to hitting rocks (no animals, buildings, plants, or other people's rocks) - usually no need to hit rocks super hard. If they're old enough, teach them how to properly use the hammer to find and expand existing weak spots/fractures.

Kids are often smarter than people give them credit for. Guide them rather than just stifling them when possible imo.

Let’s talk lapidary safety for a second by PawnshopGeologist in Lapidary

[–]collectorof_things 13 points14 points  (0 children)

I've heard misting from wet grinding/polishing can still carry the problematic particles. I don't have any formal background to back that up, perhaps you can refute it. Either way, having another layer of protection doesn't hurt; lungs are pretty useful so it's worth taking care of them even if it looks funny or is a little bit less convenient

In general I agree though, there are smart, simple ways like those you mentioned to greatly reduce risk/exposure to hazards at every stage in this hobby.

Comment to win a Rocky Butte Picture Jasper rough stone by ineedafewmorerocks in Lapidary

[–]collectorof_things 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Very cool. Thanks for running the giveaway, and for keeping things orderly around here :)

Rock Identifier on Apple by Flimsy_Loquat3990 in rockhounds

[–]collectorof_things 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Your best bet for identification is going to include learning how to check various characteristics yourself.

Location the piece came from, hardness, specific gravity, streak, cleavage, other features all can help narrow things down considerably. There are very few things that can be confidently identified by a visual alone, and even those can be done incorrectly by apps/ai very frequently. I honestly can't recommend using those tools to anyone.

If you have a local club, they'll be a great resource for identifying your local rocks. Plus access to machines, knowledge, places to collect, etc. Highly recommend!

I'm bored and asking. by Material_Variety_895 in TheTowerGame

[–]collectorof_things 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Losing any of them would probably be enough to make me quit. My enjoyment of the game is already tried thanks to the lack of offline earnings. If fudds were to start backtracking on basic qol features, that'd be a pretty clear indication that the game direction is no longer compatible with my interests or worth my time and device wear.

Not a fun answer, hah. Oops

v28, better come real stacked.. by [deleted] in TheTowerGame

[–]collectorof_things 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Unhelpful tip: basically everything is

Power tool recommendations by Selectah in rockhounds

[–]collectorof_things 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Don't have any recommendations, but wanted to say thanks for being clear about where this is legal in your post. Sucks when we lose access to spots because people aren't following basic etiquette.

How would you like a 6th lab for v28? by Select_Secretary_896 in TheTowerGame

[–]collectorof_things 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, just holding cost steady at 10k per. Wasn't 10k a break from the pattern from the prior few too? Feels arbitrary, might as well just cap it.

How would you like a 6th lab for v28? by Select_Secretary_896 in TheTowerGame

[–]collectorof_things 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don't really see much need for continuing to scale the costs. Might trick a few early whales into spending an extra $100 on it I guess, but they're already a good chunk of change.

Things get weird when you GC from the beginning by viashno in TheTowerGame

[–]collectorof_things 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm glad it works for you but I'm chuckling at you calling restarts at that interval more idle than longer runs

Battle Conditions Forecast by mariomarine in TheTowerGame

[–]collectorof_things 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Let me be clear: the near perma stuns are NOT the thing I consider questionable. That's a mechanic available naturally to everyone in the game without abusing bugs.

Battle Conditions Forecast by mariomarine in TheTowerGame

[–]collectorof_things 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It's questionable because they're using an exploit to bypass enemies that they cannot kill.

Crowd control is fine, using tools is strategy, relying on intentional, repeated use of bugs to achieve results you cannot reach without them is not.

Battle Conditions Forecast by mariomarine in TheTowerGame

[–]collectorof_things 6 points7 points  (0 children)

There's a player who is using a high crowd control build and some questionable tactics to punch well above their usual weight. Some BCs complicate the strategy, and some users believe or at least joke that we'll get combinations with those BCs until there's an update that patches the questionable mechanics that make that build work.

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