|
Post by HankRocks on Apr 14, 2017 4:18:06 GMT -5
My 4th attempt to polish clear Quartz has failed. My suspicions are that using the Vibrating Tumbler is the culprit. Everything was fine after all the stages in the Rotary up through pre-polish with no dings or frosting. After 40 hours in the Vib Tumbler that had changed, there was frosting and dings on most all of the material. I did use plastic in the Rotary and lots of slurry.
Will take everything back through, but this time I will not use the Vib Tumbler(UV-18), and will opt for the Rotary. I have had good success with the Vib unit for everything else. I think it's just too violent for the quartz.
H
|
|
|
Post by Jugglerguy on Apr 14, 2017 7:21:18 GMT -5
Hey Hank,
I don't have a UV-18, I have a Lot-O. I've polished local quartz from Michigan and amethyst in my Lot-O. Both turned out fine. I have trouble believing that your problem is the vibe. Are you using lots of ceramic media? I always use borax in my vibe also, which thickens up the slurry a bit.
|
|
ChicagoDave
has rocks in the head
Member since June 2016
Posts: 720
|
Post by ChicagoDave on Apr 14, 2017 7:31:32 GMT -5
I've done a fair bit of clear quartz and haven't really had any issue, but this was in a Lot-O so I'm not sure if they can compare. I use maybe 20-30% ceramics and add Borax to all my stages except 120/220.
|
|
Wooferhound
Cave Dweller
Lortone QT66 and 3A
Member since December 2016
Posts: 1,426
|
Post by Wooferhound on Apr 14, 2017 7:48:56 GMT -5
I am currently running 19 pounds of quartz through stage 1 course. Should end up looking similar to the bottom stone in the above picture. Should have my results in 5 weeks or so. Expecting good results after my success with some glass I recently polished. I like that Cerium Oxide polish a lot.
|
|
|
Post by HankRocks on Apr 14, 2017 7:49:25 GMT -5
I will need to try adding ceramics. Do you use it from the first stage? or just in the polish? A lot of mine were glass clear collected from Arkansas. There are now internal fractures and chips missing. The glass clear pieces are easy to inspect and any internal fractures stand out. None of this was visible before putting then in the Vibe for polish. I did use plastic pellets in the rotary stages.
It's a bit frustrating as I have about 10 gallons of good Arkansas quartz to tumble and I have seen pictures posted out here with very nice smooth polished quartz. Over the years I picked up every broken piece of clear that I saw and it adds up. Not even trying the 2 and 3 inch pieces I have.
H
|
|
ChicagoDave
has rocks in the head
Member since June 2016
Posts: 720
|
Post by ChicagoDave on Apr 14, 2017 8:15:56 GMT -5
I use my rotary tumbler only for the coarse grind stage. I don't use any ceramics or plastic beads during this step. I then run everything thru the Lot-O at 120/220, 500, 1000, polish using ceramics.
|
|
|
Post by HankRocks on Apr 14, 2017 10:00:00 GMT -5
What size and shape ceramics do you use?
It seems odd to me that ceramics would help with the frosting and the chipping. Suppose it could be the cushioning effect of hitting smaller pieces in the ceramics. It could be the same as using pea gravel in my slabs and preforms, cushioning and helping with more grinding contact on the flat surfaces. Don't think I want to use pea gravel with the Quartz.
Thanks
H
|
|
|
Post by captbob on Apr 14, 2017 10:04:57 GMT -5
Henry, have you tumbled obsidian finishing it in your vibe? Just thinking that if you can put out a killer batch of obsidian that you should be able to do the same with the quartz. Just a matter of experimenting on how much babying (read: cushioning) the obsidian takes to keep from frosting, Obsidian is cheap as dirt and using as your learning curve may be helpful. I'm not a vibe guy, but the internal fractures in your quartz from a run in the vibe seems to be the key. Gotta be a sweet spot, based on added ceramics (cushioning), where you won't get such damage.
ETA: Haven't I read somewhere that some folks use those tile spacers for cushioning in a vibe?
|
|
|
Post by HankRocks on Apr 14, 2017 10:42:25 GMT -5
Captbob, Haven't tried Obsidian yet as I was waiting to master Quartz first. The Tile Spacer idea sounds interesting. May pick up some down at Lowes.
Unfortunately the Quartz has moved to the back of the Tumble Queue, with Preforms and 3 loads of small nodules from my Big Bend trip.
Thanks
Henry
|
|
ChicagoDave
has rocks in the head
Member since June 2016
Posts: 720
|
Post by ChicagoDave on Apr 14, 2017 12:31:54 GMT -5
I get my ceramics from The Rock Shed. I use mostly the large cylinders, but I also throw in a handful of the small cylinders. It's the same process I use for obsidian (and every other rock I've ever tumbled/vibed).
|
|
ChicagoDave
has rocks in the head
Member since June 2016
Posts: 720
|
Post by ChicagoDave on Apr 14, 2017 12:33:38 GMT -5
Also wanted to mention using the tile spacers. They just caused a huge mess in my rotary and in the vibe. They are now resting in a landfill somewhere!
|
|
|
Post by Jugglerguy on Apr 14, 2017 18:59:36 GMT -5
I use a half and half mixture of large and small ceramics from the rock shed. I use at least 30%, more if doing flat items or fragile rocks.
|
|
victor1941
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2011
Posts: 1,982
|
Post by victor1941 on Apr 14, 2017 21:14:05 GMT -5
I have used a uv-18 for quartz caps and rose quartz mixed with other material in a 50/50 mixture with small ceramic pellets vs rock pieces and have had great success. The media allows the material to slide and not bump when mixed properly in my observations. The media and polishing materials are purchased from the Rock Shed.
|
|
SirRoxalot
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since October 2003
Posts: 790
|
Post by SirRoxalot on Apr 19, 2017 10:11:24 GMT -5
You've got to watch and then modify the speed and action of your vibe. Sounds like yours is pretty aggressive. You can:
Add more material, add more filler, or add a thickener.
Have that bowl full! Having to include lots of smalls is the curse of the vibe. For thickening, Metamucil works for me, but you have to go easy on it and watch it a bit more closely, adding water if it gets too thick. Must check daily.
You'll figure it out, just have to dial down the action and it'll work fine.
|
|
metalsmith
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
|
Post by metalsmith on Apr 19, 2017 11:01:18 GMT -5
I use a half and half mixture of large and small ceramics from the rock shed. I use at least 30%, more if doing flat items or fragile rocks. Sorry, not clear: 30% more large; more small or more 50:50 large & small? Thanks
|
|
|
Post by Jugglerguy on Apr 19, 2017 15:35:07 GMT -5
I use a half and half mixture of large and small ceramics from the rock shed. I use at least 30%, more if doing flat items or fragile rocks. Sorry, not clear: 30% more large; more small or more 50:50 large & small? Thanks Sorry about that. I order half and half of the large and small ceramics and mix them all together. Then I fill the barrel with at least 30% of that ceramic mixture and no more than 70% rocks. Did it make sense that time?
|
|
metalsmith
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
|
Post by metalsmith on Apr 20, 2017 1:18:49 GMT -5
I get my ceramics from The Rock Shed. I use mostly the large cylinders, but I also throw in a handful of the small cylinders. It's the same process I use for obsidian (and every other rock I've ever tumbled/vibed). Wow, the finishes on those obsidian are stunning!
|
|
|
Post by fantastic5 on Apr 20, 2017 11:55:40 GMT -5
I have a Lot-O, so again, perhaps not completely transferable information. I have bought ceramics from the Rock Shed (both small and large), but I have found that I really like using Home Depots landscape/pond rock. I don't think every area stocks the same bags, but mine ran about $4 for a 40 or 50 pound bag. I sorted the bag initially to remove cracked, pitted, damaged or limestone looking rocks. That left me with about 50% of the initial bag. Then I ran those in batches through the Lot-O. My husband took the pretty ones (and there were quite a bit) to his elementary school for his kids and I kept all the drab colors as fill. The sizes are variable and they are very solid. I have had good luck using this as fill for everything from agate to quartz and glass. And unlike the ceramic fill, I don't see my money being ground away at the same rate. The ceramics can be pricey in comparison. Here is the only example of what they look like polished. I just used a little handful to fill a space in a newly planted succulent garden.
|
|