rockingthenorth
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2012
Posts: 1,637
|
Post by rockingthenorth on Apr 24, 2012 18:31:21 GMT -5
How do you get a good polish on it the green moss on it doesnt seem to polish well but the rest takes an average shine. :help:
|
|
|
Post by Bikerrandy on Apr 24, 2012 19:50:18 GMT -5
I use the canvas pad on the Genie with 14,000 diamond paste, it shines like new glass.
|
|
rockingthenorth
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2012
Posts: 1,637
|
Post by rockingthenorth on Apr 24, 2012 20:41:09 GMT -5
I don't have a Geni yet.....
|
|
|
Post by Jugglerguy on Apr 24, 2012 20:47:20 GMT -5
Are you tumbling it? I found some a couple weeks ago that I'm going to tumble when I get an open barrel.
|
|
Minnesota Daniel
freely admits to licking rocks
A COUPLE LAKERS
Member since August 2011
Posts: 891
|
Post by Minnesota Daniel on Apr 24, 2012 21:39:50 GMT -5
I've tumbled it. It shines, but the epidote and feldspar (the green and orange) being different, do not tumble "equally" (best way to put it), so the resulting surface is dimpled like an orange peel. Not as much as an orange peel by a long shot, but very obviously not a smooth continuous surface. Both parts get quite shiny though, so it comes out nice enough. I should say, the quality and characteristics of the feldspar and epidote in a piece of Unakite depend on the source, and varies considerably, so tumbling results are likely to vary also. The stuff I tumbled worked, yours might do better, might do worse.
The bottom line, I eventually got the epidote to shine by using good polish (the Rock Shed's AO polish) and leaving it in the polish a long time.
|
|
rockingthenorth
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2012
Posts: 1,637
|
Post by rockingthenorth on Apr 25, 2012 0:10:18 GMT -5
Yes I do tumble it.. and I do have AO from the rockshed maybe I will try just the polish again and see if that works the unakite I have has lots of epidote on my stones and that is whats not taking the polish. I love this stone and would like to get at least one to turn out completely shiny or close to it. thanks for the info.
|
|
Minnesota Daniel
freely admits to licking rocks
A COUPLE LAKERS
Member since August 2011
Posts: 891
|
Post by Minnesota Daniel on Apr 25, 2012 0:27:38 GMT -5
This time leave it in a week at least, then take a piece out to see what it looks like. If it's not shiny enough, put it back in and run it another 4 or 5 days. Keep doing that. Don't add more polish or start fresh, just leave it all in the barrel 'til they are shiny.
|
|
rockingthenorth
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2012
Posts: 1,637
|
Post by rockingthenorth on Apr 25, 2012 0:31:53 GMT -5
Thanks Danial I do leave the polish stage a week already, but I would have changed the polish that saves me money thanks
|
|
herchenx
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,360
|
Post by herchenx on May 5, 2012 23:20:27 GMT -5
i tumble a lot of epidosite, some with feldspar, some with the right mix to call it "Unakite" (epidote + feldspar + quartz = unakite most of the time)
anyhow, the green epidosite (epidote in rock form) can have a wide range of quality. Some is uniform and hard, some is almost sandy or grainy. For me it is a numbers game. If I tumble 5 pieces, 2 or 3 may be nice, the rest may not be so nice.
Fortunately for me, it is relatively abundant near here and I can tumble a lot of it and have a decent amount come out nice. I don't think there is a real secret though - if you get some that is all dense and hard it will tumble nice. If it has varied hardness and/or density it won't tumble really well.
I have seen some come apart in the vibe, which is strange. It survives the rotary well enough ,then a big chip comes out in the vibe, or a vein of apparently softer material disintegrates in the vibe.
It can be pretty, but it there are potential issues with it.
|
|