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Post by velodromed on Aug 19, 2023 14:10:30 GMT -5
Thank you for posting these, tims . I saw just in time to include some with my Richardson rocks order. The don’t look easy to polish but I love a challenge! Do you have any suggestions? Like is there anything you did during the process that you wish you hadn’t, or is there anything that you didn’t do that you wish you had? I see that you rolled them for three weeks in stage three grit, so no course or 2 stage? How do you think these would hold up and a vibratory tumbler? Many thanks! My suggestion would be to roll them as gently as possible, for as short a time as possible. 3# meant a 3 pound tumbler ... I rolled those in 80SiC for about 5 weeeks, then 10 days in 80 AO, a week in 500 AO, then a week in polish. Cracks and chips started developing at around 2 to 3 weeks in stage 1. I used small and medium ceramics (approx 1/5 of the load) from start up to polish, then swapped the ceramics for marbles i've used many times that have shrunk to 1/4" to 1/2" for polish stage. I have no idea how these would polish in a vibe ... it might be gentler than the rotary, or they might hate the vibratory action and fracture even worse. Curious to see your process and results.
I've thrown many tepees in with previous 12# loads and lost many to breakage, but a few have tumbled in loads with fairly large rocks (3"+) and came through unscathed. Some look completely free of fractures to start and literally come apart in the tumbler. Some look iffy but turn out fine (a very few). They're difficult to predict.
FWIW a friend of mine is currently running her first ever load, a batch of tepees we hounded together. She got a Natl Geo tumbler used from some rando at a gas station for $20 and started the batch week before last. That thing runs a fast speed for stage 1 and i thought it would just destroy her load, but she only ran stage 1 a few days and from pics it looked like her stones had smoothed out pretty well (not rounded out completely but smoothed) and the chip / fracture issues seemed far less severe than mine after a month plus. Really curious to see how her batch shapes up and polishes, and if she nails it on her first try i'll make her give me detailed notes after i cry in shame for an appropriate time.
Best of luck, and hope to hear how your batch progresses.
Thank you very much! Since I will have 5 pounds of the stuff I will be able to experiment a bit. I’m excited because yours sure are beautiful.
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Post by tims on Aug 19, 2023 15:23:24 GMT -5
Thanks velodromed . Like Jason i'm really curious to see the rough as well as your progress and results. They say you learn more from failure, so here are some pics of my fails from this load:
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pebblesky
fully equipped rock polisher
Purchased another UV mini bowl for tumbling
Member since September 2022
Posts: 1,424
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Post by pebblesky on Aug 19, 2023 15:26:19 GMT -5
These deep fractures must have been there before you tumbled them, and I don't see a way to get rid of them by tumbling without using a saw.
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Post by velodromed on Aug 19, 2023 16:05:52 GMT -5
timsIf I learned from failure every time I’d be brilliant, yet I’m only bright at this time. I was the kid that touched the stove after my mom told me it was hot, then touched it again just to confirm. But yeah, I’m excited about trying and will enjoy the challenge.
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Post by jasoninsd on Aug 19, 2023 21:53:32 GMT -5
Thanks velodromed . Like Jason i'm really curious to see the rough as well as your progress and results. They say you learn more from failure, so here are some pics of my fails from this load:
Tim, I don't see these as "fails" in the tumbling process. These are great examples as to why Teepee Canyon Agates are SO SO SO difficult to tumble...all the existing fractures within the material. They're just SO prone to fractures because of the amount of weight that's been pressing down on them for millennia (at least that's why I believe they are fractured!). I don't know how many times I've cut a preform and realize there's a dang fracture! I guess what I'm trying to say is, if these are "failures"....it's the materials failure...not yours!
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Post by jasoninsd on Aug 19, 2023 21:54:20 GMT -5
tims If I learned from failure every time I’d be brilliant, yet I’m only bright at this time. I was the kid that touched the stove after my mom told me it was hot, then touched it again just to confirm. But yeah, I’m excited about trying and will enjoy the challenge. OMG! I knew I couldn't be the only one who did crap like this! LOL
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Post by Starguy on Aug 20, 2023 10:18:53 GMT -5
Thanks velodromed . Like Jason i'm really curious to see the rough as well as your progress and results. They say you learn more from failure, so here are some pics of my fails from this load:
Tim, I don't see these as "fails" in the tumbling process. These are great examples as to why Teepee Canyon Agates are SO SO SO difficult to tumble...all the existing fractures within the material. They're just SO prone to fractures because of the amount of weight that's been pressing down on them for millennia (at least that's why I believe they are fractured!). I don't know how many times I've cut a preform and realize there's a dang fracture! I guess what I'm trying to say is, if these are "failures"....it's the materials failure...not yours! I agree 100%. It’s tough to tumble.
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Post by velodromed on Aug 21, 2023 8:36:40 GMT -5
tims If I learned from failure every time I’d be brilliant, yet I’m only bright at this time. I was the kid that touched the stove after my mom told me it was hot, then touched it again just to confirm. But yeah, I’m excited about trying and will enjoy the challenge. OMG! I knew I couldn't be the only one who did crap like this! LOL
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