How to Get a Perfect Score in the Worldwide Rock Tumbling Contest

[@kenthorsen4558]

Congratulations Sam 👏 and good luck in college.

[@sreihart]

Congratulations Sam! I'm proud of you too! And being selfless by showing others how to "win" makes you ALWAYS a winner in my book.

[@kellyhollingsworth6100]

Nice job Sam it is amazing how the student has become the teacher, using the knowledge from your video to help them. I think that is a 100% in my book. Rob you will be a teacher until your last breath, you have a special relationship.

[@MichiganRocks]

It's fun to learn stuff and then pass it on to others. I think Sam is learning that too.

[@rebeccatelgenhoff3540]

Congratulations Sam, you did a wonderful job on those rocks!

[@LindaDunham-zh7pl]

Congratulations Sam and good luck in college.

[@allensaucier7071]

Congratulation Sam. Entered this contest for the first time, only been tumbling for about 1 year, and proud that i finished with 23 points. will be competing again next year.

[@MichiganRocks]

Procrastination is the key. There were many of those stages that we planned for about four days and ended up leaving them in longer.

[@CacklingChick]

How cool is that! Sharing techniques with potential competition, but being ok with it. That's how life should be. Congratulations, Sam! You did great. TUMBLE ON!! 😁👍🏻🪨💦

[@MichiganRocks]

We're either really generous or not that bright.

[@henriettavanderfloof8104]

No gatekeeping here! Love it! ❤😁

[@HettieJansenVanVuuren]

Congratulations with your stones Sam! They came out great! You are still the winner for the people on this channel! Enjoy college and remember to go rockhunting that side ❤❤❤🎉🎉🎉

[@RonBateman-vl2wz]

Love seeing young people getting in to lapidary. Congrats Sam.

[@soul_adventurist]

25/25 is fantastic and the rocks speak for themselves. It is very generous and kind of you to give away your technique to those who compete with you. In my book, that makes you the champion of champions. How great would this world be if everyone embraced that same attitude of encouragement and excellence! I look forward to seeing what you do with the rest of your life❤

[@MichiganRocks]

Obviously, sharing is good for me because I get to make a video out of it. But Sam never shied away from sharing right from the beginning. It would have been easy for him to change his mind after winning the first year but before I put out the video. That never came up.

[@soul_adventurist]

@@MichiganRocks both of you seem genuinely kind people. You seem to be an excellent role model for Sam and I hope he carries his humility and integrity into the future. I also hope we get to continue to be a small part of that journey. It’s like watching a family member grow. ♥️

[@jonathanyoung7785]

You notice how Rob won this same competition years ago and then stopped participating? If you ask me, he's afraid of getting beaten by Sam. 😯

[@soul_adventurist]

@@jonathanyoung7785 😂 could be! Or, maybe he achieved the goal he set forth and is humbly stepping aside to train and to allow the next generation to experience that same joy. 😊

[@MichiganRocks]

@@jonathanyoung7785 Exactly!

[@Metal-Detecting-NC]

I didn't realize the process took so long, but the amazing results speak for themselves. Congrats on the 25/25 score!

[@MichiganRocks]

To tumble rocks really well, it can take a very long time. Of course some rocks are quicker and some take longer, but they _can_ take months.

[@jonathanyoung7785]

@@MichiganRocks I'm not convinced that the extra Lot-O steps and prolonged Lot-O stages that Sam used make any difference. Some of your tumbles that went through your normal, 7-day Lot-O process are as highly polished as any rocks I have ever seen. I have experimented with longer run times at each stage, as well additional polish stages, and my eyes and fingers can't tell the difference. With that said, Sam had nothing to lose by running them longer in the Lot-O.

[@MichiganRocks]

@@jonathanyoung7785 Oh, I'm not convinced of that either. I just figure it can't hurt like you said. The exception would be if the rock was prone to undercutting.

[@German_Rock_Tumbler]

Awesome Job well done!! 🥳🥳👌😌 Greetings to you two Rock Buddy's ✌️😎

[@justjulee9135]

You are definitely a winner in my book, Sam! Your rocks were beautiful! Thanks for sharing with us!

[@MrsCan_Do]

Congratulations Sam have a great year at college Sam!

[@stellaandstone2348]

Congratulations!! Great job, Sam!!

[@kellywion1464]

Congratulations Sam on a job well done! Have a great time in college!

[@tott3457]

Congratulations Sam and enjoy your college experience!!!🙏🏼

[@SRLGemstone]

It is very nice to see such a competition organized and to see the participants. I congratulate you, Sam. It's a lot of patience and the result is amazing. ❤

[@LouisaLee63]

Congratulations Sam!

[@firechicken455adventures]

Congratulations to all the winners. Sam, your rocks looked amazing. Good luck at college this year.

[@TheManderfaye]

I never knew they had competitions for rock tumbling! So cool watching the journey.

[@MichiganRocks]

This is the only consistent one I know of.

[@wawabbit]

I had no idea there was such a contest. Fun!

[@MichiganRocks]

Yep, this one has been going on for many years.

[@katecarpenter7366]

Congratulations, Sam, you are a great sport! Good luck in college.

[@WarszawaScream]

We stan our King, Sam! Great job brother, kick some butt in college and tackle that contest again next year!

[@greatnorthernviews3052]

Congratulations Sam!🎉

[@mnamber]

WTG, Sam!, Good luck in college, have a great time!! ✌️❤️

[@nevetsrock]

I’ve learned the majority of what I know about rock tumbling right here. Took 2nd this year. I could only add the importance of burnishing (sometimes multiple times) between stages. Well done Sam!! You’ve entered the 220 stage of your education. With hard work you’ll become a polished gem. Corny but true.

[@MichiganRocks]

Yes, we did a lot of burnishing too. We only did multiple rinses after the polishes started. Congratulations on your win!

[@jonathanyoung7785]

@@MichiganRocks Just as I suspected, you have trained most of Sam's competition...

[@MichiganRocks]

@@jonathanyoung7785 Yep. I have heard from every top three winner from the past two years saying they watched my videos. I'm proud of my students!

[@songbirdscreations-MargaretS]

Congrats Sam! Those rocks turned out beautiful!

[@markreetz1001]

Always a champ in my book--especially finding agates!! Thanks for keeping us updated Rob!!

[@MichiganRocks]

He's definitely an agate hunting champ.

[@penelopefp]

Y'all are winners in my book!!! Thanks for generously showing us how it's done!!

[@sbeckwit]

We are all proud of Sam!

[@pattypaine]

Congratulations, Sam! A perfect score is win!

[@JeffWeymier]

Congrats Sam on some beautiful rocks. I got 21 out of 25 for my first time entering. I made the mistake of continuing in step 1 with some that ended up opening up some more imperfections I couldn't correct. I am pleased with my result but wished I had a few better stones to work with. A third of mine were like the ones you had at the beginning that were very porous and never tumbled well. I could almost pick out my 5 after a few weeks because the others were going to be way to undercut or have imperfections that would be there till the end. Maybe I'll have better luck next year.

[@MichiganRocks]

During the contest I heard of some other people who had new holes open up as they tumbled. I don't think Sam had problems like that with his, and it wasn't for a lack of tumbling. Unfortunately, there's no way they can give everyone the exact same rocks (although they're the same type of rock), so this contest comes down to some luck. Better luck next year!

[@silkeeberle8484]

Congratulations! You Guys Rock!

[@jeffholmes1362]

Nice job Sam, definitely an awesome job, win or not. Congrats

[@darkwood777]

Great job, Sam! We're all proud of what you've accomplished.

[@geoffjohnson6555]

Look forward to this every year! You guys are so much fun to watch, and I've been tumbling & rockhounding with my 10 year old boy, Jude, the last two years here in Utah thanks to you. Much love, and God bless!

[@MichiganRocks]

I'm glad you enjoy these. There won't be one next year though, since Sam isn't here anymore.

[@geoffjohnson6555]

@@MichiganRocks well shoot, makes sense, most good things eventually come to an end! have a great one

[@Brenda-sk6ev]

Congrats Sam!! They turned out beautiful!! 😍

[@goodvideos.113]

The gems you share are very diverse.

[@kirsiselei8703]

Congrats to Sam💕

[@josephcefalu176]

Great job Sammy!

[@manisteerocks7092]

Wow 👌...congratulations...i used to love tumbling.

[@vickilynn1204]

Great job on the rocks. Congratulations Sam.

[@meganrodger7282]

Congratulations Sam. We (Peter and I) only scored 23 points each. But we had a blast and learnt a lot.

[@MichiganRocks]

If you add those together, that's 46 though! I'd say 23 is still very good.

[@justgonnagetbetter1037]

Looks great! Congrats!

[@isaaclawson3126]

Excellent timing. My daughter sent a gallon ice cream bucket full of seam agates and assorted rocks from Missouri and I was trying to figure out how to break some of them without throwing shards everywhere. I'm stealing the Tupperware with a hole idea. Thank you for another awesome video.

[@MichiganRocks]

That method works great. Flying rock shards can be pretty dangerous.

[@Rockn-UV]

Congrats! And thank you for the education on creating beautiful polished rocks!

[@denisej4522]

Well done!! Excellent work!!

[@elizabethlewis3509]

Congrats on your hard work and Patience to present beautiful rock specimens.

[@cynthiarowley719]

You guys Rock 🎉

[@brianholcomb940]

Awesome job Sam! Sorry you didn't get first place but you did get in the top 8. Thanks for sharing!

[@laurieowen8696]

Wow! Way to go!

[@rodchallis8031]

Hey, Congrats!

[@conchicoste53]

Félicitations à Sam 😊

[@robinmayenfels9675]

Congratulations Sam, well done!!! Had no idea this contest existed. Would love to enter with my son but Yoda would get angry with him for lacking patience😂

[@MichiganRocks]

He has to learn patience somehow. This seems like as good a method as any.

[@robinmayenfels9675]

@@MichiganRocks Very true, he’s just 9 and I’m blessed that he has a very kind heart but patience is a virtue that needs work😂.

[@adventuresinmichiganwlisa9852]

Nice job 👍🤓

[@Rock-Nerds]

Congrats great Job 🎉

[@paulsimmons9579]

Nice job!

[@roboginger]

Nice Stormy Kromer!

[@MichiganRocks]

I think Sam has three of them. I have a couple, but I don't wear them around the house.

[@saralynn518]

They send you the rocks, right? Trying to remember from asking last year :) It looked like a lot, more this year than last. RIP Noel Runyon. I am sure your rocks turned out beautiful. And drumrolllllllllllll ---Congratulations Sam!!!

[@MichiganRocks]

Yes, they send you about three pounds of rocks so everyone gets the same kind. Then everyone tumbles them between January and August. When you're finished, you send back your five best rocks.

[@draco4540]

nice to watch a father, son team doing something interesting together that creates happy memories for both of you. there is another father/son duo youtube channel that i like to watch. it's a different subject matter (the southwest area). it's called, "sin city outdoors." both channels do what they enjoy doing and the father/son relationship seems to really shine through.

[@MichiganRocks]

In this case it's a father and a kid I've known for his whole life who lives across the road. My son and I did this, but he grew up and moved out, so I had to replace him with Sam.

[@draco4540]

@@MichiganRocks sorry for the mistake. the interaction just struck me as a father/son relationship. i guess it's just a testament of the relationship between the two of you. nice to see.

[@MichiganRocks]

@@draco4540 Lots of people assume he's my son. Makes sense.

[@davidbendall7919]

Thanks

[@kimdedominicis6893]

Congratulations! I entered for the first time this year! 23/25 for me! I’m kinda proud of that. I wish they shared the breakdown and where points were lost. Not my fave stone! Hopefully next year’s will be nicer!

[@MichiganRocks]

It's bad enough that the five judges took seven hours to judge all the entries this year, I can't imagine if they had to describe where each participant lost points. I do understand wanting to know though.

[@joniangelsrreal6262]

Congratulations …well done 🎉 9:20

[@gator83261]

Nice.

[@butchgarner3911]

Darn...Heck of a show tho! you didnt get 25 out of 25 for not doing a great job! I will root for you again next year, I have faith in ya!! Thanks for sharing!!

[@Mike-br8vb]

Great job getting 25! If Sam doesn't bring rocks home, there will be trouble😂

[@MichiganRocks]

But we don't want him to bring all the rocks home so there are still a few up there for us to find.

[@Mike-br8vb]

@@MichiganRocks lol

[@cindyhollinshead-barker597]

Sorry you didn’t get 1st. Good Luck at College… Keep looking for those Rocks.

[@suzettecalleja3122]

Congratulations Sam. Great job. The rocks look Beautiful. I would of pick you as one of the winners. ❤ What is your major in College? Rob, 4 out of 5 what prefer Michigan? Wolverines? 😊

[@MichiganRocks]

Sam is majoring in mechanical engineering. 4 out of 5 Great Lakes prefer Michigan. I don't think any actual wolverines prefer Michigan, although there was one roaming around southern Michigan a few years ago that probably escaped from captivity.

[@CowboyButler]

@MichiganRocks - have you ever visited Diamond Pacific's shop and their rock yard in Barstow CA?

[@MichiganRocks]

Nope. Last time I was in California, I was two years old.

[@RonBateman-vl2wz]

.3 micron A/O also called Linde "A" Benn using it for years for the highest polish. Especially on agate.

[@RonBateman-vl2wz]

Been.

[@MichiganRocks]

Yep, that's a pretty well known polish. I haven't used it, but I hear good things about it. Thanks for suggesting it.

[@ChrisR_4812]

Congrats Sam! They looked great! What is your major (major/minor) in college, Sam? Just curious if it was geology, mineralogy, or similar.

[@MichiganRocks]

I just texted Sam and he's currently on a mine tailings pile, that lucky guy. He's majoring in mechanical engineering, not anything geology related. He has been involved in robotics and before that in ROV (underwater robots) for a long time.

[@jonathanyoung7785]

The lawyer in me is uncomfortable with the notion of 8 people getting a perfect score, while three of them being (arbitrarily?) designated as 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place.

[@MichiganRocks]

On the website, it said that the five judges took half an hour deciding between just first and second place. So there's something going on, but it must be more subjective. Last year the top three scores were 100, 99, 98, and then eight people tied with 97 points. I'm guessing that was a similar situation where 11 people tied and then they somehow picked three of those to win prizes. I just know that I wouldn't want to be one of those judges. That has to be a very difficult job.

[@jonathanyoung7785]

@@MichiganRocks You have taught too many people to tumble polish rocks to perfection. Years ago, when most people only rotary tumbled, I bet judging was a lot easier. The Lot-O is an almost foolproof way to get a great polish if it is tuned right and too much water is not added. In any event, if winners are ultimately chosen based on subjective criteria, then they should explain the subjective criteria. Or add new objective criteria, like bonus points for bigger rocks? Or maybe they just need to make the competition more difficult. They could send fewer rocks and require you to return all of them. Or choose harder to polish rocks, like obsidian, some rhyolites, etc... I'm not being critical of the rock club who does this. But competition is competition, and the current scoring system is somehow failing.

[@MichiganRocks]

@@jonathanyoung7785 Those are good ideas to better differentiate between contestants. Did you call me a fool in that first paragraph?

[@jonathanyoung7785]

@@MichiganRocks No. I said even a fool can get shiny rocks if they learn from you.

[@MichiganRocks]

@@jonathanyoung7785 If they learn from me, does that make them foolish?

[@judymarkel8029]

25 points out of 25. I'd say that is a win🎉🎉🎉

[@MichiganRocks]

Sure seemed like a win to me.

[@staceymcmahan5016]

Congratulations Sam! They turned out beautifully! For the tumbling contests are there a certain type of rock you're suppose to tumble and how much time do you get for tumbling before judging day? Also thank you for all the info too.

[@MichiganRocks]

You send them money for the rocks. It's a fundraiser for their club. Then they send you about three pounds of rocks to tumble. Everyone gets the same kind of rock. You have from January to August to tumble them. You send back your best five rocks when you're finished.

[@realandroid8589]

China hollow picture jasper, or Biggs jasper. Local to my area and a great stone.

[@MichiganRocks]

China Hollow and Biggs are the same thing? I had no idea. This sure didn't look like the Biggs jasper I have seen before.

[@midlifetravelers6151]

Congrats to Sam. What college again?

[@MichiganRocks]

Michigan Tech in Houghton. Prime rock hunting spot.

[@billhouse1090]

Did you use filler rocks as the rocks got smaller? What kind did you use? One that were a bit softer so it would be gentler on the contest rocks?

[@MichiganRocks]

I just texted Sam to ask. He's on a mine pile right now in the Keweenaw, looking for greenstones, which makes me kind of jealous. I don't remember what he used for the coarse stage, but hardness doesn't matter there very much. In the Lot-O tumbler, he said he used some Botswana agates and some banded chert, and maybe some other stuff. Those are very hard rocks. In the Lot-O, I don't think varying hardness matters that much, as long as it's not an extreme difference. I think Sam was more concerned that they were rocks that wouldn't have any holes to catch grit.

[@Critical.Thinker]

Is there a particular place you recommend for ordering rocks to polish?

[@MichiganRocks]

I get mine from the Rock Shed most of the time, but I have gotten it from Kingsley North and that worked well too. Those are the two places I buy almost all of my supplies. They're both great businesses. You can find links in the description of this video.

[@KACn5582]

Maybe it was size of the finished rocks that determined first place.

[@MichiganRocks]

I thought of that. They don't list that as a requirement, but they have to do something in the end to pick a winner. I'm just glad that I don't have that job. It says on their webpage that it took five judges seven hours to judge these.

[@jimknarr]

Is Sam up at Michigan Tech or Northern?

[@MichiganRocks]

Tech. Better rocks in that area than in Marquette. My son went to Northern though.

[@jimknarr]

@@MichiganRocks I wonder if the proximity of the beaches that have the best rocks weighed on his decision. lol

[@MichiganRocks]

@@jimknarr I'd like to think so.