So a few days ago I bought a new tile cutter to cut smaller rocks with it, for tumbling and for - later on - cabbing.
Yesterday hubby bought me a sort of drawer to put on the back balcony, to put rocks inside, and my machines on top, so I don't have to cut in the house.
Today I've plugged it in and as I had a quartz rock that wouldn't tumble nice as it's too big and it has too many small crevices which the tumbler will never smoothen out, I took that piece to cut it in two. Put on my apron, and my ear muffs and got working in the balcony. It only took a couple of minutes, and although I was a bit worried about neighbours, soon I got so into it, that I forgot pretty much about everything else but fixing up that rock. It's amazing how alive I feel when I'm working with this machine. I truly enjoy it. I cut the rock in two pieces, and then polished up a bit both sides to smoothen them. Next time I'll open my Chicago tumbler, I'll pop both pieces in. I bet they'll tumble nicely this time.
In the meantime I've also ordered the Ameritool cabbing machine from John at Johns Gems, and as I am on the rock tumbling forum as well, he gave me a tiny bit of discount as well. Even so with shipping included and the 17% taxes I'll have to pay when the machine arrives here (hopefully in a couple of weeks), it will have cost me around $700. Ouch...I'll eat bread and butter for the next few months, and no chocolate icecream for me anymore :(
But still, I can't wait for the cabbing machine to arrive! I've ordered the 8" once, plus two sticks of dop wax, so I can have everything I need to get started with cabbing. If I'll enjoy it as much as I enjoy cutting rocks, I see myself with a new great hobby in the future :D
