gregw
off to a rocking start
Member since December 2011
Posts: 21
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Post by gregw on Mar 7, 2012 9:11:26 GMT -5
OK this may be old hat to many, but new to me. Cut a new bar of Ivory (bar soap) into chunks, put about 1/4 of those on a large plate and microwave for about 80 seconds. The chunks balloon out to many times their size. Take the plate out and let it cool for several minutes. Then just crush the blobs through a strainer and wa-la, soap powder. Kinda fun too.
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Post by johnjsgems on Mar 7, 2012 10:17:23 GMT -5
Powdered Tide comes already in powder form.
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Post by geoff on Mar 7, 2012 10:22:22 GMT -5
I actually found ivory snow at the commissary on Elmendorf AFB. Makes since I guess, the military tends to be stuck in the past lol!
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Post by FrogAndBearCreations on Mar 7, 2012 10:35:12 GMT -5
cheese/veggie grater works too for those that want the extra work!
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blessed
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2010
Posts: 329
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Post by blessed on Mar 7, 2012 12:13:48 GMT -5
I also found Ivory Snow at the commissary on Tinker AFB in Oklahoma. James
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Steve
has rocks in the head
Member since June 2005
Posts: 506
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Post by Steve on Mar 7, 2012 12:32:51 GMT -5
I was told to not use detergent at the rock shop where I bought my first tumbler - don't remember why (bad for the barrel? bad for the rocks? bad for the environment?). Whatever the case, the injunction has stuck. I used to set bars of Ivory soap out in the sun for a week or two - hope for dry days - and then shave the bar with a pocket knive into powder. Now I just shave a new bar with the pocket knife - I don't get powder, but the flakes work just as well in the tumbler. It's also restful to sit in the sun and carve soap. I'll have to try the mircowave thing - science experiment.
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chassroc
Cave Dweller
Rocks are abundant when you have rocktumblinghobby pals
Member since January 2005
Posts: 3,586
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Post by chassroc on Mar 8, 2012 12:35:45 GMT -5
Does sound like fun
charlie
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billg22
spending too much on rocks
Member since November 2011
Posts: 451
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Post by billg22 on Mar 8, 2012 15:34:36 GMT -5
How much does this step improve the look of the rocks? I've yet to try it. Am I missing something great?
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rallyrocks
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2005
Posts: 1,507
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Post by rallyrocks on Mar 8, 2012 16:08:05 GMT -5
yes more aggressive detergents like tide can attack barrel material and lid liners so they should be avoided. Ivory or another mild soap helps with the "burnish" or washing stage, acting to suspend particles and carry them away in the rinse, much like borax does, but in my experience neither are really a hard requirement for good tumbling results, they mostly help make clean-up between stages and at the end a little easier and more thorough.
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Post by talkingstones on Mar 8, 2012 19:51:20 GMT -5
Microwave? Cathy
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blessed
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2010
Posts: 329
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Post by blessed on Mar 8, 2012 21:08:50 GMT -5
Cathy, I do like the stove. James
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gregw
off to a rocking start
Member since December 2011
Posts: 21
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Post by gregw on Mar 9, 2012 8:07:45 GMT -5
OK, I added 1/2 teaspoon of the powder into the polish stage of my lot-o vib. It coated the inside of the barrel and all the rocks with a white film that I can't get off! So DON'T US THIS STUFF ON YOUR ROCKS. A scrub pad can not remove it from the barrel, I'm runing more polish in hopes that it will remove it. Any suggestions?? I may have to run a rough course in my finish barrel to get it out??
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rallyrocks
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2005
Posts: 1,507
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Post by rallyrocks on Mar 9, 2012 17:17:36 GMT -5
Soap should run with just water or with a spoon or two of borax in the rinse/burnish cycle, I wouldn't add it to the polish, although the other factor might be your microwave exfoliation process...
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Post by geoff on Mar 9, 2012 18:34:25 GMT -5
Cathy, your picture reminded me I need to buy more diet pepsi lol!
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Post by talkingstones on Mar 9, 2012 18:45:40 GMT -5
Go for it, Geoff! I'm still not going for the microwave though! LOL! Does this work if I ut the soap flakes on the back burner?
Cathy
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Post by Jack ( Yorkshire) on Mar 11, 2012 4:01:06 GMT -5
Hi
I find Bar soap helps in sticking the grit to the rocks in the first stage (90grit ) if you havent seeded it with a little "Goop" from a previous stage
It realy gets the grit working quickly
The Microwave idea sound like a interesting experiment I will have to have a go this week when the wife is out working ;D
Jack Yorkshire uk
Ps if I dont post again she caught me !
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