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Post by Jugglerguy on Dec 2, 2015 21:08:23 GMT -5
Is it later yet?
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Deano
off to a rocking start
Member since November 2015
Posts: 10
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Post by Deano on Dec 2, 2015 21:29:40 GMT -5
Okay... here ya go... I love the luster I have been able to get. However, the photos reveal some very tiny holes that have polish in them and appear as small white spots. Any tricks on getting them out? Some of these I sanded using 400, then 1000 grit. Some I took straight from my tumbler that had been running 2 weeks with polish and I hit those with some 1500 grit sandpaper them hand polished. The result was pretty much the same. Thinking about buffing on a new buffing wheel I got today? Thoughts??
I still have a bucket full! I just love these stones and want to do them all!!
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Tom
fully equipped rock polisher
My dad Tom suddenly passed away yesterday, Just wanted his "rock" family to know.
Member since January 2013
Posts: 1,557
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Post by Tom on Dec 2, 2015 21:43:55 GMT -5
They are looking good, I still say Rob uses Ren wax:)
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Post by Jugglerguy on Dec 2, 2015 22:46:26 GMT -5
Them's fightin' words, Tom.
The Petoskeys look pretty good. Some are porous or have porous spots. I don't think there's much you can do about that. Zam is a polish in a paste form (not a wax!) that works well on Petoskeys. You might want to try it on your buff wheel.
I have some Petoskeys in polish in my Lot-O right now. I'll post pictures in a couple days when they're done.
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Dec 2, 2015 22:53:37 GMT -5
Zam is a polish in a paste form (not a wax!) that works well on Petoskeys. wax comes in paste form too. coincidence? Chuck
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Post by Jugglerguy on Dec 3, 2015 6:36:55 GMT -5
Yes.
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Dec 3, 2015 7:57:02 GMT -5
JugglerguyAll kidding aside I do use Zam on regular basis and have wondered if the polish it gives will wear off over time. My best example of this would be that when I tumble my wire wrapped petoskey stone pendants in stainless steel shot the stones have less shine when done and I often have to try to hit them with zam again without messing up the wire. I tease about using wax but the thought has sure crossed my mind for Fordite. I keep thinking some sort of car polish may be even better then Zam for those cabs. Chuck
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Post by Jugglerguy on Dec 3, 2015 8:20:50 GMT -5
You could polish a Petoskey with aluminum oxide and then tumble it in stainless steel shot to see if the finish is harmed. My guess is that the shot is scratching the stone slightly since the shot is much harder.
I guess the thought of Zam containing some sort of wax has crossed my mind too. But after hand polishing that one with aluminum oxide instead of using Zam, I'm convinced that a Petoskey can get just as shiny without wax, if Zam actually contains any.
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Deano
off to a rocking start
Member since November 2015
Posts: 10
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Post by Deano on Dec 3, 2015 8:57:02 GMT -5
I took thestones and buffed them by hand using a micro-fiber cloth and they did actually shine a bit better. Just FYI... I put two more batches in my tumblers to get them roughed-in. Having fun with this! Next, I want to talk Turquoise...
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Post by Jugglerguy on Dec 3, 2015 9:53:44 GMT -5
I was thinking more about your porous rocks. Some Petoskeys are porous to begin with. I try to leave those on the beach because they don't polish. Since you tumbled yours all the way through polish, some of your problem may have been created by tumbling them past 220. I find that the stone get worse past the 220 stage. The finer grits start to eat away at them unevenly. For your next batch, try only tumbling them to 220 and then use sandpaper. See if it makes a difference. You could do the batch after that to 500 and then hand sand to see what happens.
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Deano
off to a rocking start
Member since November 2015
Posts: 10
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Post by Deano on Dec 3, 2015 16:30:55 GMT -5
I was thinking more about your porous rocks. Some Petoskeys are porous to begin with. I try to leave those on the beach because they don't polish. Since you tumbled yours all the way through polish, some of your problem may have been created by tumbling them past 220. I find that the stone get worse past the 220 stage. The finer grits start to eat away at them unevenly. For your next batch, try only tumbling them to 220 and then use sandpaper. See if it makes a difference. You could do the batch after that to 500 and then hand sand to see what happens. Great suggestion. That is exactly what i am doing now. just started my next 2 batches.
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Tom
fully equipped rock polisher
My dad Tom suddenly passed away yesterday, Just wanted his "rock" family to know.
Member since January 2013
Posts: 1,557
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Post by Tom on Dec 3, 2015 18:28:09 GMT -5
you guys do know I am teasing you about using wax right:) I use Zam on soft stones like turquoise, works great IMHO
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Post by Jugglerguy on Dec 3, 2015 18:49:23 GMT -5
You're darn lucky you were just teasing. I was preparing for a stoning.
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Post by krazydiamond on Dec 3, 2015 18:54:39 GMT -5
Getting polish out of spots can be accomplished (sometimes) with a few hours tumbling with borax and water with clean pellets. I've also been know to take an old toothbrush to some, too. Well done on the Petoskey.
KD
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Tom
fully equipped rock polisher
My dad Tom suddenly passed away yesterday, Just wanted his "rock" family to know.
Member since January 2013
Posts: 1,557
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Post by Tom on Dec 3, 2015 22:05:19 GMT -5
You're darn lucky you were just teasing. I was preparing for a stoning. A stoning:) Very punny! I have been told an ultrasonic cleaner with soap and water will take polish out of pits.
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fossilpeeps
off to a rocking start
Member since October 2017
Posts: 14
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Post by fossilpeeps on Mar 4, 2019 9:06:35 GMT -5
You are not doing anything wrong. This is unavoidable. After I tumble polish my Petoskey stones they always have these tiny white spots. I coat them with a thin coat of Linseed oil - making sure to wipe any excess oil off the rest of the stone. The oil will seep into the holes, and make them disapper. Allow the oil to dry. You may want to repeat this process one more time. This is what works for me.
Good luck
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