Top Hounds— An Interview with Rob Abram of Michigan Rocks
The thumbnails for most of the close to 407 Michigan Rocks videos are designed to catch your eye. Photo by Rob Abram
Of all the treasures to be found on Michigan beaches, Rob Abram is one of the easiest to identify. With YouTube now serving as any hobbyist’s best friend, chances are good you have seen at least a few of his 400 videos. So when Rob heads to the beach, he gets noticed.
“People recognize me all the time when I am out there,” Rob said. “They will shout and wave, and I have no idea who they are. It’s great. I love talking to fellow hobbyists and sharing whatever knowledge I might have.”
Michigan Rocks
Rob’s Michigan Rocks is one of the top Michigan rockhounding and lapidary channels out there. Whatever analytic Youtube uses to supply rock fans, especially those just starting out, with channel suggestions, it is very likely to suggest one of Rob’s around 400 videos.
The Michigan Rocks videos, published at least once a week, cover a range of topics and locations. Sometimes he’s showing a family beach hunt, sometimes he’s hunting Devonian fossils with a geologist, sometimes he’s trying to tumble his own beach glass and sometimes he’s simply opening boxes of gorgeous shining rocks he has polished over the years. Most recently, he’s started traveling across state lines. Some of his newest videos find him hanging out with other rock-focused Youtubers in places like Minnesota and Montana.
When the channel reached 100,000 subscribers on Christmas Day, 2022, Rob posted a special thank-you video. In looking back on the four years since the channel was born, he decided to do some math. He’s a retired math teacher and actually enjoys it. At the time of his calculations, his videos had been viewed over 16 million times. Total watch time was over 1.7 million hours.
As part of that “thank you” episode, Rob asks viewers to leave a comment telling him what they think of the show and if there is anything they would like to see him add or change.
“Please don’t stop the videos at the beaches. These videos help me get through tough days. I appreciate the time you’ve spent to bring us all the wonders of nature.”
Teacher and Family Man
While many Michigan rockhounds can identify Rob by sight, some may not know much about how he ended up as the most-recognizable guy on the beach.
Rob Abram is 55 years old and grew up in Hubbard Lake, about 20 miles south of Alpena. He went to college at the University of Michigan and proudly wears the maize and blue in many videos. He taught eighth-grade math in Alpena for 30 years before retiring in 2020.
“I had always intended on getting a second job after I retired,” Rob said. “As it turned out, the Youtube channel has turned into that second job. I could probably make more money working at McDonald’s but I really enjoy doing exactly what I am doing now.”
Rob Abram often brings someone along on his beach rock-hunting trips. He’s shown here with grandson Joe, who is almost two years old. Joe found his first Petoskey stone in this video posted in June. According to Rob, Joe takes after grandpa and can already spot Hexagonaria (the scientific name for a Petoskey stone) on a beach. Photo by Rob Abram
Rob and his wife Nancy, who has appeared in numerous videos, have been married 30 years and have two children, daughter Allison and son Bryan, and one grandchild, Joe. Allison is married to a geologist and Joe is their son. According to Rob, Joe is already showing signs of following in his dad’s and granddad’s footsteps.
“He’s not even two yet, and he can already spot a Petoskey stone on a beach.”
Rocks Came Later
Michigan Rocks officially got started in 2019. But Rob was actually a “YouTuber” before he ever tumbled a rock. He started a channel, for family videos, back in 2006. It was called “Juggler Guy” because he was really into juggling. Rocks didn’t enter the picture until his son Bryan got interested in polishing rocks, especially Petoskey stones. So they got him some equipment and dad Rob joined him in the hobby.
Eventually, his son lost interest. But Rob didn’t.
As Rob’s involvement in the hobby grew, he grew more and more active in online rock tumbling forums. The teacher in him soon came out and he found himself answering a lot of questions by newer hobbyists. Eventually, he decided it would save time to simply start recording his explanations.
When he decided to put some up on his YouTube channel, a friend in the forum suggested calling it “Michigan Rocks.”
“I was shocked the name was even available,” Rob said. “ But it was perfect — I went to Michigan (U of M), it was about Michigan rocks and, well, Michigan does ‘rock.’”
Rob performing one of his most hidden talents, juggling. Photo by Rob Abram
Why Such a Popular Rock Guy?
A quick read through comments left on Michigan Rocks videos clearly shows he has a loyal fan base.
“You are my favorite Rockhound, lapidary expert, cabochon making, pendant making, beach combing, friendly guy!”
It took Michigan Rocks four years to reach the 100,000 subscriber mark. But in the past 6 months, Rob’s gained over 40,000 more fans.
Jim B., a loyal viewer from Minnesota, thinks it’s because Rob focuses on the hobby as a whole.
“To me what makes you the King are the things you make out of your rocks. Our hobby seems to be a evolution — starting with picking up rocks, polishing rocks, and finally making things with our rocks. Your videos cover all levels of rockhounders. I enjoy every video you make. I enjoy the beach walking videos the most, just like i was there myself. Bring a geologist with, even better.”
Rob’s commitment to his viewers is undeniable.
“I read every comment left on my videos and do my best to answer every question,” he said. “That’s why I’m here. I guess it’s the teacher in me.”
Rob Abram has lived near the shores of Lake Huron (shown here) all of his life. He has walked many a beach and enjoys kayaking when the waves are cooperating. He also hunts Lake Michigan and Lake Superior. Photo by Carla Antico
Picky Picker
Anyone who has seen Rob’s beach hunting episodes has likely noticed how selective he is when deciding what to drop in his bucket. He said some viewers do find it hard to understand why and how he can leave so many beauties behind.
“I’m not so much a rock collector as I am someone who likes to make things out of rocks,” he said. “I do this to share the beauty of Michigan and my appreciation of rocks. I’m not into collecting rocks just to have a rock. I am interested in finding a rock that would be good to use for lapidary purposes. It’s about the final product. I’m always thinking “what am I going to do with it when I get it home?”
Still, with 400 episodes behind him, Rob has managed to amass a lot of rocks. What does he do with all his polished rocks? Many are in boxes, neatly stored in his basement. That’s actually where his “rocks in a box” episodes come from, the boxes in his basement.
Rob does make all kinds of cool things out of the rocks he collects, including jewelry, Christmas ornaments and “carved” bowls. He gives some as gifts to friends and family. But he doesn’t sell his creations, aside from a few things he has in a local Christian book store.
So all that tumbling, polishing, cutting and shaping? He’s doing most of it for his viewers, to show them how to make all those cool things.
Wisdom and Advice
When asked what kinds of wisdom he hopes viewers are able to get from Michigan Rocks, Rob said he simply hopes viewers will appreciate rocks, and all the cool things that you can make with them, as much as he does.
“After all, it’s a great hobby. You can do it with family and friends, it gets you out of the house and it’s great exercise.”
Rob does ask his viewers to keep in mind he is not a geologist. When it comes to beach hunting, there are lots of rocks he can’t identify. He knows what he likes. If he finds one of his favorites, and it would polish well, he brings it home. But he admits this means viewers have seen him toss plenty of beauties back on the sand.
As far as advice on how to have a successful beach hunt, Rob says collectors should move. When you hit a public beach, don’t stop as soon as you get down the steps. Stay away from the crowds, you’ll find better stuff.