dereklayne
off to a rocking start
Member since August 2014
Posts: 4
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Post by dereklayne on Aug 7, 2014 12:13:31 GMT -5
Looking at tumbling obsidian two different ways.....Cut cab preforms and smaller whole stones. I will be using Lortone QT12 and Lortone QT66 rotary tumblers for the grind stages and a vibrator tumble for the polish. I have researched the subject quite a bit and I'm hoping to get some real results following the suggestions in tis forum. Using leather pieces as a grit carrier as a buffer an grit carrier and thickening the slurry with sugar or "thick-it"......All good stuff. What I am wondering is whether anybody has used .... say peanut oil ..... instead of water.....I have even heard of slightly thinned corn syrup being used. I have also heard of hardwood ash and even toothpaste being used in the later polish stages.
Input would be appreciated......I have quite a collection of obsidian samples to play with.....Just about every type known in California and Oregon at least.....Except for the really rare stuff.
I believe the standard protocol is to start with grit no coarser than 220 to avoid bad scratches. I also intend to round off all sharp edges to avoid any chipping.
This is going to be FUN!
DerekLayne
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Aug 7, 2014 12:22:58 GMT -5
I tumble plenty of obsidian and never had any issue tumbling just like any other rock. The only real difference is that when I get to the loto stages I use a mix of about 50 percent obsidian to 50 percent ceramics. I run each loto stage a full 48-60 hours and I do use the extra step of 1000 pre-polish. I rough all my obsidian in 60/90 and never have issues with scratches from that. I think all the stuff you reading about sugar and thickeners is for the rotary folks. Here's my last batch of all obsidian. forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/thread/66056/last-batch-before-big-contestAnd here's a batch of obsidian that I ran with agates jaspers and other stuff in the mix. The loto really is an amazing tool. forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/thread/65451/4-27-obsidianThere's a good obsidian tutorial on the board (from RTH member TNTMOM) and I still use a lot of the tips form that. heres the tutorial Chuck
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dereklayne
off to a rocking start
Member since August 2014
Posts: 4
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Post by dereklayne on Aug 7, 2014 17:33:53 GMT -5
I am going to be using rotary tumblers for the grinding stages of my process in the very least
The Lortone QT12 is a single barrel 12# tumbler
The Lortone QT66 is a 2 barrel 6# tumbler
I am very interested in your results with the mixed batch of material......May well have to give that a try
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Aug 7, 2014 17:56:50 GMT -5
I am going to be using rotary tumblers for the grinding stages of my process in the very least The Lortone QT12 is a single barrel 12# tumbler The Lortone QT66 is a 2 barrel 6# tumbler I am very interested in your results with the mixed batch of material......May well have to give that a try I am pretty familiar with the lortone barrels, lol. It takes all of these roughing to keep two loto vibe tumblers busy. I highly suggest you follow that tutorial step by step for your first time. Its pretty darn fool proof. Chuck
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dereklayne
off to a rocking start
Member since August 2014
Posts: 4
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Post by dereklayne on Aug 8, 2014 11:05:09 GMT -5
Damn....I want to play in YOUR man cave......That is a sweet set up
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dereklayne
off to a rocking start
Member since August 2014
Posts: 4
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Post by dereklayne on Aug 8, 2014 11:11:23 GMT -5
Just threw a couple of batches of obsidian preforms into my Cheapo Harbor Freight Rotary Tumblers.....Just to get a fix.....Mixed buffer of plastic pelles and leather pieces as I have access to really cheap leather...I have on old times swearing by using vegetable oil for the slurry on obsidian and other softer stones.....He claims he used to filter the oil through paper bags after use so the oil could be RE-used.....Might want to give a test batch a try.....Same thing with the suggestion of using slightly thinned corn syrup.....Experimentation to keep things rom getting boring.....Even like the Borax idea.....Right now I am just getting the edges rounded off on these pieces before I get really serious with the new tumblers when they arrive
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tkvancil
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2011
Posts: 1,546
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Post by tkvancil on Aug 9, 2014 10:46:20 GMT -5
I have some snowflake, mahogany, apache tears and old glass in rough now. 12 # lortone barrel. The first 10 day run with a recharge and another 10 days went well. Had to burp the barrel several times and added some borax the first time the barrel swelled and needed a burp. As often happens when adding borax the slurry got thick enough that the rocks were sticking to the side of the barrel. A little water added to thin it out a bit and all was good.
After the first 20 days I was able to pull out a couple pounds that were ready for step two. After that things went a little off. I don't have anything to grind out imperfections so I began another rough cycle after a clean out. Since the borax worked to somewhat mitigate the gas issue I added it at the start of the cycle. Trying to avoid a too thick slurry again I started with an extra 1/2 cup of water. Normally in a 12# I use 2 cups water. The extra water was a mistake. I kept getting a lot of foam and bubbles. The obsidian was not smoothing as in the first run. Instead the surface was more like a series of grit particle sized pits. I am about as sure as I can be that the extra water was the culprit.
Another clean out and starting over again. On day three the barrel end was beginning to swell. Opened it up for a burp and checked a few pieces. Looks like the pits are beginning to smooth out, good news at least after losing some time already.
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