transcendental
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2014
Posts: 459
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Post by transcendental on Aug 11, 2014 17:38:26 GMT -5
....that is the question. Amethyst and quartz in matrix. I'm concerned the matrix will wear away much faster than the quartz and amethyst and all I'll end up with is purple, and white grains of sand essentially. Steel knife won't scratch the matrix.
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transcendental
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2014
Posts: 459
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Post by transcendental on Aug 11, 2014 17:41:22 GMT -5
Here's a close up of one of them
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Aug 11, 2014 17:42:28 GMT -5
Thats a tough call.. The matrix would not tumbler as well as the Amethyst/Quartz.. there would be seams, cracks and pits which could contaminated or carry over to the next tumble cycle.
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Post by braders on Aug 11, 2014 18:16:39 GMT -5
Throw just one in and find out . Crystal structure will flaten n smooth over tho ...and a chance one could break free leaving a hole ! Whisper is right on all the hidden spots for grit tho . But iv done lots like that u just gotta spend some one on one buddy time with it and a toothbrush
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transcendental
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2014
Posts: 459
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Post by transcendental on Aug 11, 2014 18:35:04 GMT -5
Yeah my 2 batches so far have been beach rocks with pits etc, toothbrush works well and extended time in borax between grits helps get anything the toothbrush misses. I'm more worried about the crystals breaking free of the matrix (even tho they appear pretty stuck on there I'm not sure what a month worth of rotation in the tumbler will do. I guess I'll throw one in the next batch I run and see what happens. Good idea
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Post by connrock on Aug 13, 2014 9:35:04 GMT -5
Unless you really want to tumble this,,,for what ever reason ,,,I wouldn't bother with it! You're going to spend a lot of time doing something that will only end up with fairly bad results when you could be spending that time doing rocks that you know you'll have good results with.
You loose 1/3 of most rocks during the tumbling process and even more with rocks that have deep areas that have to be tumbled out in the rough stage.Look at a rock that has the deepest bad areas and think to yourself that this rock HAS to be ground down completely to that deepest area!How long will it take me to tumble that rock and is it worth the time and effort to do it? connrock
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