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Post by Toad on Sept 19, 2004 20:33:19 GMT -5
I noticed that Kingsley's site lists ten different grits ranging from 30 to 1000. But I see that most of you use ony 3-4 grind stages before polish. Why do they have so many others. Are certain grits needed for specific stone processing?
Thanks
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Post by docone31 on Sept 19, 2004 20:45:00 GMT -5
There are many degrees of grit. I use 60,180,320,600, and either pre-polish or 900, then polish, either aluminum oxide cerium oxide, and I have yet to try tin oxide. A lot of degrees of grit is for us faceters, and people who use specialty laps. The grit is rolled into a tin or copper lap. I have used 60 grit for a four week period, without recharging, gone to prepolish, and done final polish and had decent results. Better results come from changing grits on a four week schedule. The primary grit will breakdown and become finer and finer as the tumble progresses. If you are asking these questions, I suggest you get the Loretone tumbling pack, or something like it. It has four packs of grit, one prepolish, one polish. I have gotten four loads out of the polish pack and have gotten great results. Enjoy and welcome aboard the tumblers ball.
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Post by creativeminded on Sept 21, 2004 9:08:53 GMT -5
I was doing 4 stages on my rocks and wasn't 100% happy with the results so I put a Tripoli Stage and a 1000 grit stage after my 500 grit stage. I have been very happy with the results. I get a very fluid shine on the rocks. The only ones that didn't polish well were the Sodalite that I tumbled. Tami
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Post by cookie3rocks on Sept 21, 2004 18:48:55 GMT -5
Hi Toad, Here's a web sit that might help with polishes www.utahrockhounds.com/tooelegem/tips/stonepolish.htmlI use 120/220 to start (I have a vibe) then 600, then cerium. I only use 3 stages because 80 won't work in the vibe. I've been thinking I probably need to throw in a 1000 stage for that reason. And, using that web site, I may buy additional polishes for stones that would benefit from it. Sometimes I use optical grade cerium. Don't know why it's better on harder stones, but it helps. . cookie
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Post by krazydiamond on Sept 21, 2004 19:43:13 GMT -5
thanks for that link again, Cookie, i'd lost it.....(i'm losing it?)
you know what i mean.............. KD
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birdseed
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since September 2004
Posts: 167
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Post by birdseed on Sept 22, 2004 4:31:10 GMT -5
DOC- As you know -the finer the grit the longer it takes to break down- My process includes: 1. 25 days with 60 graded grit(no recharge in between) 2. 5 days in 600 graded grit 3. 5 days in 100 graded grit 4. 7 days in TXP 5. burnish optional(usually not necessary) if you add 1 TPS of ivory snow to the TXP stage The reason I always use graded grit it that ungraded grit breaks down at a faster rate than graded--Ungraded grit acts upon itself and produces the dynamic self-interaction as well as with the rock..I have never purchased a (2nd stage) 220 grit in my 40+ years of tumbling..
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Post by Toad on Sept 22, 2004 11:37:29 GMT -5
Cookie, I was not aware that the coarser grits didn't work in a vibratory tumbler. Maybe that's why I was having problems with my mini-sonic years ago.
Would you recommend a 60 grit stage in a rotary. Then move to a 220 in a vibratory...?
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Post by cookie3rocks on Sept 22, 2004 20:36:25 GMT -5
Actually, since I start with 120/220 and then move to 600, you can probably skip 220 all together. It takes a little longer in the rotary in coarse, but the stones shape better. The vibe works so much faster that, once they are shaped, go to 600 (or 500, I think most people here don't use 600 like I do) Good luck!
cookie
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