lindalouise
off to a rocking start
Member since September 2014
Posts: 9
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Post by lindalouise on Oct 1, 2014 19:10:45 GMT -5
Hi everyone! I am brand new at rock tumbling so I am really enjoying this site. My question is I have some sodalite that I want to tumble and was hoping to get some advise. I was wondering how long in the coarse grind. Any info would be much appreciated. Thank you....Linda
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Post by Pat on Oct 1, 2014 21:37:25 GMT -5
I don't know about tumbling rocks, but welcome. Lots of pros here.
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Post by captbob on Oct 1, 2014 22:20:02 GMT -5
Hello Double L and welcome to the forum. I'd justa soon that you don't think me a wiseguy for this answer. But, truth is, the coarse grind will be done when it's done. There is really nothing exact about tumbling when talking about the time element of the process. You may read several good instructional guides on this forum on how to tumble stones. But, that's just what they are - guides. Every batch of tumbles is different. Sure, there are some directions that are pretty easy to follow regarding things like how much grit per pound of rock, how much water should be in the barrel, and things like that. How long each grit cycle lasts depends on the rocks. You wouldn't just pull a cake out of the oven after 25 minutes because that's how long it said on the box of mix and figure it was perfect would you? No, you would probably stick a tooth pick in to test it or use some other tried and true method letting you know when it's done. Same with rocks. You can check to see if they are "done" at a recommended time, but if someone were to say "in 14 days they will be ready to move on to stage 2", I'd be taking that with a grain of salt. Nothing about tumbling rocks is set in stone. So, you have some sodalite you want to tumble. I really like sodalite, it's a beautiful stone! Here's some I had going last year after one week... Well, what size tumbler are you using? Is it a rotary or vib? How big are the rocks you are starting with? What is your starting grit? We should know at least this information before trying to advise you. Posting pictures of your rocks wouldn't hurt - it would give us a better idea of what you're dealing with and give you a visual journal to look back on. You may already have them tumbling, in which case I'd check on them after a couple weeks to see how they are shaping up and whether you may want to add more of your coarse grit to the batch. There are just too many variables to really give you a good answer knowing what we know. Come back and fill us in and we'll get ya through this with flying colors! Hope you're a patient gal, tumbling takes quite a bit of time. Again, welcome!
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whatamidoing
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since August 2014
Posts: 86
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Post by whatamidoing on Oct 1, 2014 22:46:46 GMT -5
Sorry to jump in here, but captbob, that sodalite is stunning!
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tkvancil
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2011
Posts: 1,546
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Post by tkvancil on Oct 2, 2014 9:51:27 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum. Great place to be if you have rocks in your head. Like me. I have done a little sodalite in the past. It is a relatively soft rock, 5.5 to 6 on the mohs scale. The issue I had with it in coarse grind was that it got these cross hatched scratches. It rounded but these surface scratches were not going away. Was using 80 grit. Switched over to 220 and the surface smoothed out nicely. I have a little roughing right now with some feldspars. I started with 220 grit this time and they are all doing well. As for how long it will take that is up to your taste. If you want them completely round and smooth it could take 6 to 8 weeks , maybe more. If you want them more "naturally" shaped then less. I took my first few pieces out of this batch at 4 weeks, a few more are running at week 6.
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rodeodan
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since January 2010
Posts: 213
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Post by rodeodan on Oct 3, 2014 14:52:04 GMT -5
I did a batch of sodalite last year and found that it shaped quickly in the first stage; I was using 46/40 in my Lortone QT6. I would guess that a couple of weeks would be enough but each batch is different, as mentioned above. Didn't have much luck at the polishing stage so moved the stones (and ceramics for fill) into a vibe for a few days and they came out nicely.
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lindalouise
off to a rocking start
Member since September 2014
Posts: 9
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Post by lindalouise on Oct 3, 2014 16:59:15 GMT -5
I've decided to wait a few weeks before tumbling the Sodalite. They are 1 to 1 1/2" in size and will be tumbling in a 3 lb rotary using the 60-90 grit. I know they are a softer rock so was wondering if they would be ready for the next stage after a week. From what I'm reading it sounds doubtful. LOL. Thanks everyone for your input, I truly appreciate it...Linda
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Post by deb193redux on Oct 3, 2014 21:01:35 GMT -5
those are largish for a 3lb barrel. you will need to have a balanced load with 60% smaller stones. Use something of similar hardness like obsidian.
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Post by roy on Oct 3, 2014 23:25:40 GMT -5
welcome ! sounds like there getting you lined out on what to do ! have fun!!
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Post by pghram on Oct 6, 2014 13:55:45 GMT -5
They will grind quicker than harder stones, so check the stones frequently. They are ready when most, if not all pits/cracks/etc are removed. Also, keep an eye on undercutting. Have fun.
Rich
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lindalouise
off to a rocking start
Member since September 2014
Posts: 9
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Post by lindalouise on Oct 7, 2014 8:19:36 GMT -5
What is undercutting? I''m still learning all the terms.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2014 9:30:05 GMT -5
Greetings [lindalouise] Linda firstly may i welcome you to RTH Forums, Undercutting is a term used when grinding rocks of mixed hardnesses, the softer material always grinds away quicker the the harder material thus creating a pit or hole, see undercut for more information. Please check out my Sticky's below. -- Please click images to open larger images in a new Tab, same with everything that is Underlined! I currently have a 3lb Beach (UK), Lortone QT 12/66 (USA) rotaries & 2x Viking Vibrasonic (Diamond Pacific) (USA) virbrating tumblers, with Silicon Carbide grit F80, F220, F600, F1200, with Tin Oxide (1.0 micron) & Aluminum Oxide (1.0 micron & 0.3 micron) polishes. I hail from (The Barony of Seabegs) Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire, U.K, where aliens (15mb) sometimes come for a visit & about 4 miles west from that monstrosity & 7 miles west of this new monstrosity! Sticky's: their contents are resource information 1#: Vendors worldwide (2mb), 2#: How to use the forum, 3#: How to identify rocks & minerals, 4#: Save money on expensive grits & polishes, 5#: Aussie Lapidary Forum: Rock Tumbling Guide!
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Post by captbob on Oct 7, 2014 10:14:54 GMT -5
Hey Lindalou, THIS is undercutting - also known as a Fail * a batch of red jasper and hematite left to run TOO long. The hematite is softer than the jasper and wore away faster than the jasper. I don't see that happening with your sodalite. * This material was so fractured from the extraction process that I doubt it would have ever amounted to much anyway. Chalked this one up to a learning experience.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,159
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Post by jamesp on Oct 7, 2014 10:26:26 GMT -5
This is learning Great illustration captbob.
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Post by catmandewe on Oct 7, 2014 11:04:54 GMT -5
Hey Lindalou, THIS is undercutting - also known as a Fail * a batch of red jasper and hematite left to run TOO long. The hematite is softer than the jasper and wore away faster than the jasper. I don't see that happening with your sodalite. * This material was so fractured from the extraction process that I doubt it would have ever amounted to much anyway. Chalked this one up to a learning experience. I don't think of that as a Fail. Those shapes are cool! Go ahead and polish it, I think it will come out great! Tony
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TIGER
starting to shine!
Member since August 2014
Posts: 46
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Post by TIGER on Oct 7, 2014 12:03:31 GMT -5
Hi linda, welcome. I'm new too, and everyone has been brilliant with help etc oh and captbob, i'll have your failed jasper, it's lovely
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Post by captbob on Oct 7, 2014 12:39:35 GMT -5
I don't think of that as a Fail. Those shapes are cool! Go ahead and polish it, I think it will come out great! Tony Life is too short to tumble mediocre rocks! With all the fractures, I'm thinkin' that grit would travel. I've got a bunch of this rough, maybe I'll give it a try again someday when I've got less quality rock waiting.
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whatamidoing
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since August 2014
Posts: 86
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Post by whatamidoing on Oct 7, 2014 13:44:42 GMT -5
tony, thanks for responding to captbob fail post. I didn't see them as fail. But I am new to this. Captbob thanks for explaining your reasoning for seeing it as a fail. I can now understand why you would consider it as such. Like Tiger, I think they are great and you could send them this way!
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SirRoxalot
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since October 2003
Posts: 790
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Post by SirRoxalot on Oct 26, 2014 13:00:31 GMT -5
I've tumbled a fair bit of sodalite-cancrinite mixtures, usually run it with feldspars. Two weeks in coarse grit seems to do it. Watch for thin pieces and knife-edges, the excellent cleavage will have this stuff breaking quite happily all the way past the final polish and "burnishing". Be vicious when grading, get the cracks out, hammer without mercy. Do not include anything harder. Watch the slurry, especially in a vibe, this stuff grinds fast and you'll have a bowl full of frozen mud overnight with a vibe in 600 if you don't keep the water level up. Baby it a bit and you'll get good results, it's a great mineral.
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