Enigman
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since December 2013
Posts: 163
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Post by Enigman on Sept 12, 2017 13:49:44 GMT -5
Hello,
I do all my final rock polishing in three Diamond Pacific MT4 vibe machines. So far I have been unable to get a glossy polish on any type of calcite. I have tried both aluminum oxide and cerium oxide and neither has ever yielded anything I would call a gloss. In fact I have the same problem with anything soft, such a apatite, fluorite, etc.
Has anyone found a way to get orange or any color of calcite to shine?
Thanks.
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Post by coloradocliff on Sept 12, 2017 13:58:45 GMT -5
Hello, I do all my final rock polishing in three Diamond Pacific MT4 vibe machines. So far I have been unable to get a glossy polish on any type of calcite. I have tried both aluminum oxide and cerium oxide and neither has ever yielded anything I would call a gloss. In fact I have the same problem with anything soft, such a apatite, fluorite, etc. Has anyone found a way to get orange or any color of calcite to shine? Thanks. Calcite can be quick dipped into a muriatic acid acid (HCl) for a few seconds and it will look like this banded one. The other calcite crystal is present being cleaned by a spray of water for about 3 weeks to maintain the texture of the original crystal and to remove the slight depositions of other calcite particles. . After that's done, I will "paint" on a small amount of the muriatic maybe 1/4 strength to a few of the broken crystals to give them a better finish, I don't tumble calcites. Hope this helps.
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Enigman
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since December 2013
Posts: 163
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Post by Enigman on Sept 12, 2017 14:43:29 GMT -5
Calcite can be quick dipped into a muriatic acid acid (HCl) for a few seconds
Soooo ... the goal would be to tumble it down to 500 grit and then just dip it in acid? I have some acid polished rough calcite, but never thought of doing that for tumbles.
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Post by coloradocliff on Sept 12, 2017 15:07:42 GMT -5
Calcite can be quick dipped into a muriatic acid acid (HCl) for a few seconds
Soooo ... the goal would be to tumble it down to 500 grit and then just dip it in acid? I have some acid polished rough calcite, but never thought of doing that for tumbles. No need to polish if you use this treatment. A purist tumbler probably wouldn't do it but a mad scientist type would... grin.. Just for a few seconds and then quickly pour off the acid into another piece of glass or plastic ware and drop ypur stones into the clean rinse watrer to stop further etching. Comes out pretty cool for calcites. Try it on a couple and see what you think and how you can modify your process to suit you. . Remember to immediately wash with lots of water any acid accidently splashed on to any skin you want to keep. Follow all safety procedures when using an acid. Calcite is commonly removed from some specimens and since it doesn't effect an agate I find it handy to preclean an agate so I can window it without cutting or breaking it.
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Post by amygdule on Sept 12, 2017 16:08:13 GMT -5
If you use Acid, you should dunk in Soda. To neutralize the Ph.
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Post by fantastic5 on Sept 12, 2017 19:28:51 GMT -5
coloradocliff what sort of 3 week water spray are you doing? Continuous? Can't wrap my head around that one.
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Post by coloradocliff on Sept 13, 2017 1:24:29 GMT -5
coloradocliff what sort of 3 week water spray are you doing? Continuous? Can't wrap my head around that one. Will send you pictures when I get a chance. Am in Denver for rhe Gem and mineral show for a few days. I don't believe that it takes a high pressure, just a steady moisture and a small pressure. Yes continuous. I just have a hose with that big old crystal cluster on a moving dolly. Set up on a small lawn and every few hours I move the dolly to water another area of the lawn..grin. You guys get free water special delivery from Irma but we have to pay for our. The Mexican friends that I have been dealing with said just use a small pump but its easier for me to just put a sprayer on it. It seems to be working well after only a few days. He said it takes about 3 weeks and that looks about right from the progress it's making. Don't have access to one of my big puters where I stash pictures, only have a tablet. I will see if I can save them from my email and post them. C
1st picture is the set up and just beginning. Really thick crusts.
Second picture is the water showing some progress and crystals showing clean in some areas. Some chunkier can be pickedoff by hand .
Third picture is more of the slick crystals emerging from under the crust.
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Post by fantastic5 on Sept 13, 2017 6:33:49 GMT -5
coloradocliff what sort of 3 week water spray are you doing? Continuous? Can't wrap my head around that one. Will send you pictures when I get a chance. Am in Denver for rhe Gem and mineral show for a few days. I don't believe that it takes a high pressure, just a steady moisture and a small pressure. Yes continuous. I just have a hose with that big old crystal cluster on a moving dolly. Set up on a small lawn and every few hours I move the dolly to water another area of the lawn..grin. You guys get free water special delivery from Irma but we have to pay for our. The Mexican friends that I have been dealing with said just use a small pump but its easier for me to just put a sprayer on it. It seems to be working well after only a few days. He said it takes about 3 weeks and that looks about right from the progress it's making. Don't have access to one of my big puters where I stash pictures, only have a tablet. I will see if I can save them from my email and post them. C
1st picture is the set up and just beginning. Really thick crusts. Second picture is the water showing some progress and crystals showing clean in some areas. Some chunkier can be pickedoff by hand .
Third picture is more of the slick crystals emerging from under the crust.
Wouldn't a textile spot gun be quicker and use a heck of a lot less water? I pay a pretty penny each month for water (mostly because it has to be piped up our mountain) and would expect that Colorado water bills are more than mine. Or is calcite too soft? I use one on quartz plates and it works great.
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Enigman
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since December 2013
Posts: 163
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Post by Enigman on Sept 13, 2017 14:08:46 GMT -5
We're losing focus a bit, folks. Aside from acid wash, does anyone know how to get a good polish on calcite in a vibe tumbler?
Thanks.
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rubixgemco
off to a rocking start
Member since October 2023
Posts: 2
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Post by rubixgemco on Oct 5, 2023 1:40:03 GMT -5
Hello, I do all my final rock polishing in three Diamond Pacific MT4 vibe machines. So far I have been unable to get a glossy polish on any type of calcite. I have tried both aluminum oxide and cerium oxide and neither has ever yielded anything I would call a gloss. In fact I have the same problem with anything soft, such a apatite, fluorite, etc. Has anyone found a way to get orange or any color of calcite to shine? Thanks. You need to order the diamond Pacific 7,000 15,000 grit also you need 50,000 grit for final and it's nice to have their 25,000 if your in the states it cheaper than getting it to Canada. Step 1-3 tumble usual all the way to pre polish 7000grit. - 18-24 hours 15,000grit 12-18 hours 25000grit - 12hours 50,000grit - 12 hours And viola you have super high quality polished calcite tumbles. I can also tell you a way that to my knowledge is the only way to get 90% of the way to the polish you'll achieve with your ultrasonic except mine is done 100% rotary tumbled. I'm not sure of anyone else who's discovered how to do this without the pitting and damage everyone who tries encounters in any of the forums I've seen.
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Post by rockjunquie on Oct 5, 2023 5:27:10 GMT -5
Hello, I do all my final rock polishing in three Diamond Pacific MT4 vibe machines. So far I have been unable to get a glossy polish on any type of calcite. I have tried both aluminum oxide and cerium oxide and neither has ever yielded anything I would call a gloss. In fact I have the same problem with anything soft, such a apatite, fluorite, etc. Has anyone found a way to get orange or any color of calcite to shine? Thanks. You need to order the diamond Pacific 7,000 15,000 grit also you need 50,000 grit for final and it's nice to have their 25,000 if your in the states it cheaper than getting it to Canada. Step 1-3 tumble usual all the way to pre polish 7000grit. - 18-24 hours 15,000grit 12-18 hours 25000grit - 12hours 50,000grit - 12 hours And viola you have super high quality polished calcite tumbles. I can also tell you a way that to my knowledge is the only way to get 90% of the way to the polish you'll achieve with your ultrasonic except mine is done 100% rotary tumbled. I'm not sure of anyone else who's discovered how to do this without the pitting and damage everyone who tries encounters in any of the forums I've seen.
Welcome from Virginia! Very helpful!
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