2026 Rock Tumbling Contest (Part 10): Pin Hole Problem Children (Bonus: Finished Botswana Agates)

It's time for the week 9 cleanout of Stage 1 for the Worldwide Rock Tumbling Contest rocks. This week I'm continuing to make decisions about what moves on and what needs more time in the tumbler. To break up the monotony I take a look at a few Botswana Agates that recently finished their polish. *More of This Series* Part 9: https://youtu.be/_vcAX-NJwgg Part 11: https://youtu.be/595CxpIvwlw *Video Summary* We are officially entering Week 10 of Stage 1 for our stubborn contest rocks. In this update, we inspect how the remaining Dead Camel Jasper pieces are holding up. Many of them continue to open up new pinhole voids or reveal deep, fingernail-catching cracks upon drying. After doing more targeted grinding work with a Dremel to flatten out concave areas and remove problematic lips, we review the existing pile of Stage 2 graduates to ensure no flaws were missed. To break up the doldrums of endless Stage 1 cycles, we take a look at a beautiful shiny batch of Botswana Agates that I recently finished. *In This Video* • Week 9 Clean Out: Inspecting the wet and dry surfaces of our remaining Stage 1 stones. [00:00] • The Pinhole Inclusions Dilemma: Exploring the rampant issue of internal voids and pinholes that open up over time in this material. [01:19] • Targeted Dremel Modifications: Altering concave spots, grinding problem areas, and tackling chasing cracks with the Dremel. [05:15] • Auditing the Stage 2 Graduates: Reviewing the rocks waiting for the next phase, only to catch a few missed cracks and dips that need to go back to Stage 1. [07:53] • Bonus Showcase (Botswana Agates): Celebrating a finished lot of highly patterned, banded agates to prove that rocks can eventually get shiny! [10:40] *Join the Fun* Feather River Lapidary & Mineral Society: https://www.featherriverrocks.org/ *Equipment* - Rotary Tumbler: Dual 3lb Central Machinery tumbler from Harbor Freight - Stage 1 Grit: 60/90 Silicon Carbide from The Rock Shed - 20 Mule Team Borax - Ceramic Media: 3/4" Large Ceramic Cylinders Subscribe to follow my progress in the 2026 Worldwide Rock Tumbling Contest! #RockTumbling #FRLMS #Jasper #Lapidary #RockHounding #Stage2 #Geology More updates and past batches at https://www.instagram.com/eyetumbleforya