★ Tips & Techniques
Lapidary, hunting spots, care guides
25 posts
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TIP
Hand cabbing basics: taking rough to a finished cabochon
by BasaltQueen29
Novice
· Posted Jul 07, 2026
· Active 1d ago
C
TIP
Rock tumbling for beginners: the real grit progression that works
by CopperRaider5
Novice
· Posted Jul 07, 2026
· Active 2d ago
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TIP
Vibratory versus rotary tumblers: which one actually fits your goals
by CopperMiner97
Novice
· Posted Jul 07, 2026
· Active 2d ago
O
TIP
What black sand actually is, and why you should save it
by ObsidianFox69
Novice
· Posted Jul 07, 2026
· Active 2d ago
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TIP
How to test specific gravity, and why it actually matters
by MicaChaser38
Novice
· Posted Jul 07, 2026
· Active 2d ago
5
TIP
How to actually pan for gold, step by step
by 503711
Novice
· Posted Jul 07, 2026
· Active 2d ago
M
TIP
The streak test: a simple way to narrow down an unknown mineral
by MineralKing12
Novice
· Posted Jul 07, 2026
· Active 2d ago
G
TIP
Choosing the right polish for your material
by GemRaider51
Novice
· Posted Jul 07, 2026
· Active 2d ago
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TIP
Understanding where gold actually concentrates in a stream
by OreWrangler50
Novice
· Posted Jul 07, 2026
· Active 2d ago
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TIP
The acid test: identifying carbonates safely in the field
by MineralMiner59
Novice
· Posted Jul 07, 2026
· Active 2d ago
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TIP
Handling fine flour gold without losing it
by MicaWolf42
Novice
· Posted Jul 12, 2026
· Active 2d ago
R
TIP
Desert rockhounding safety — extreme heat protocol for Southwest collectors
by rockfan_jake
Rock Hound
· Posted Jun 09, 2026
· Active 2d ago
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TIP
Why some stones keep showing pits no matter how long you tumble them
by RockRaider87
Novice
· Posted Jul 12, 2026
· Active 2d ago
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TIP
How to actually tell when a tumbling stage is done
by ObsidianBaron24
Novice
· Posted Jul 12, 2026
· Active 2d ago
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TIP
Why your tumbled stones came out hazy instead of shiny
by PyriteNomad90
Novice
· Posted Jul 12, 2026
· Active 2d ago
V
TIP
Dry washing: panning technique for truly waterless desert country
by VeinPicker7
Novice
· Posted Jul 12, 2026
· Active 2d ago
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TIP
Choosing what not to tumble together
by BasaltChaser68
Novice
· Posted Jul 07, 2026
· Active 2d ago
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TIP
What tumbling media and filler actually do, and when to use them
by MineralCracker98
Novice
· Posted Jul 12, 2026
· Active 2d ago
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TIP
Crevicing: cleaning gold out of exposed bedrock cracks
by CaveSeeker11
Novice
· Posted Jul 12, 2026
· Active 3d ago
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TIP
Should you reuse tumbling grit, and does it lose effectiveness
by BoulderCracker7
Novice
· Posted Jul 12, 2026
· Active 3d ago
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TIP
Classifying material properly before you ever put a pan in the water
by GoldFox29
Novice
· Posted Jul 12, 2026
· Active 3d ago
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TIP
Sluice box setup: getting the angle and flow right
by BasaltScout80
Novice
· Posted Jul 12, 2026
· Active 3d ago
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TIP
Cleaning between tumbling stages properly, and why it is not optional
by SlateBaron97
Novice
· Posted Jul 12, 2026
· Active 3d ago
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TIP
Real gold versus fool's gold and mica: a practical field guide
by OreHunter40
Novice
· Posted Jul 07, 2026
· Active 4d ago
S
TIP
Mohs hardness testing explained, with a field kit you can build yourself
by SlateWolf59
Novice
· Posted Jul 07, 2026
· Active 4d ago
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