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Post by HankRocks on Sept 5, 2017 20:26:27 GMT -5
Is there any reason to add, or not add, Borax to the Polish Stage on a Vibrating Lap. It occurred to me that it might help the process by breaking down the surface tension between the rock and the pad. Anyone ever tried this? Thanks
Henry
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Post by captbob on Sept 6, 2017 12:49:30 GMT -5
Is the rock(s) sticking in one spot on the polishing pad Henry?
If so, doesn't a few mist sprays from a water bottle get everything moving again?
If not, and it is moving around and/or rotating, I'm not sure why you would want to lessen the rock to polishing pad force. My thinking would be that the harder the rock presses against the polishing pad the better.
Never thought about wanting to ease that pressure.
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Post by HankRocks on Sept 6, 2017 14:24:59 GMT -5
Wasn't trying to lessen the drag/pressure the rock puts on the pad. Was thinking along the lines that the Borax would breakdown any surface tension and allow the Micro-Alumina to polish better. Now that you mention it, the Borax would allow the rocks glide along the Pad better. I did add about a tablespoon to a 18" pan and the rocks do seem to move just a bit faster. Checking the rocks they do seem to be polishing faster. These are all subjective observations and the only way would be identical rocks polishing in two different laps and measure the results.
So if they were to move a bit faster would that help or hurt the polishing?
It definitely hasn't slowed the polishing process.
(hope you are taking the necessary precautions for whatever might come your way)
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Post by HankRocks on Sept 27, 2017 19:46:50 GMT -5
Captbob, what Polish do you use in the Vibrating Lap?
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Post by orrum on Sept 27, 2017 21:08:05 GMT -5
Hey Bob could you give us the recipe you use for the lap? Also do you use weights on the rock?
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Post by captbob on Sept 28, 2017 13:56:55 GMT -5
Sorry, just saw this.
Henry, usually just AO. Sometimes depends on the rock being polished. Like when I was doing faced chunks of snowflake obsidian, I recharged the polish pad with Tin Oxide. When I first started, I was using Raybrite A (a Raytech polish) just because it was what I had picked up from Kingsley. Don't think it was any different from just regular AO polish.
Bill, I don't really have a recipe per se. Just like with rock tumbling, I just fly by the seat of my pants. I never measure ANYTHING. With the vibrating lap, I just sprinkle grit around the pan (maybe a half cup(ish), add water, and rocks and let it run. I add grit or water as needed through out the process. Water, or course, is easy to tell when needed. Grit I usually go by the sound.
As far as steps... it's different every time! Usually start with a medium coarse grit - either 60/90 or 80 depending what I got on sale. Save the 30 or 46/70 grit for the tumblers.
From there, it just depends on the rock and the progress it is making. If the coarse grit runs a long time (days) and the rock is ready, I may go straight to 500 if something is needed in between, so be it. 120/220 or just straight 220 - again depending on what is open.
I usually go to polish after the 500, because the 500 has broken down to 1000 or even finer by that point. If I'm really serious about a rock I may do a 1000 run.
Again, all depends on the rock and if I just want to polish it or really POLISH it. Sorry, but no rhyme or reason to what I do!
Weights - if needed, absolutely yes! MOST rocks I run on the vibe lap are so darn big and heavy that no weight is necessary. I like BIG rocks!! Facing and face polishing big rocks is what appeals most to me. A quality chunk of rough, so one can see where it started off with a polished face is my ideal rock.
When I do use weights, I use blue adhesive putty (Home Depot) to hold big honkin' fishing weights on top of the rock/slab. The blue putty works quite well for me, the weights stay in place and the putty can be used several times for different rocks.
It wasn't asked, but I do have separate pans for different grit steps. Beats having to make sure no coarser grit is carried over to the finer grit(s) run.
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Post by orrum on Sept 28, 2017 18:03:01 GMT -5
Great info Bob. I have had a 20 in one for years and never used it yet. I b am gonna tho, thanks again.
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