facedown
off to a rocking start
Member since October 2017
Posts: 4
|
Post by facedown on Oct 9, 2017 20:09:18 GMT -5
Okay, my new community here's my first inquiry: I have explored the beaches south of me in Big Sur. Incredible. I've learned how to properly field identify Nephrite Jade. I was stoked to come home with about 3/4 lb. of treasures. The jade stones are of course rough. Their sizes range from the size of a dime to about a quarter, some 1/16" thick and others about 1/4". I want to tumble the whole batch. There may be 'victims' of the grit but it doesn't really matter. I really just want the sweet survivors since this will be my first try at awesomness. I have a Lortone 4lb. (?) barrel tumbler and I have no idea what to buy, like beads(??) to run this batch from rough to glossy gems. I only have the machine, no filler. Just dump it in, set it and return later. I literally need the advice to be easy, like: 1. Buy this amount of beads and #(?) grit and tumble for this many weeks... 2. Then buy this amount of this #(?) grit and use it for this many weeks.. 3. and then this... #(?) grit and.... and then this.. grit-ish... and... 4. And then buy this polishing agent and use it for this many weeks... Only Pros know, and you're all Pros to me. Thanks! Happy to hear the collective voice!
|
|
Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,456
|
Post by Sabre52 on Oct 9, 2017 20:29:28 GMT -5
OK, based on my experience with trying to tumble Wyoming, CA, and Washington nephrite, nephrite is a tough one to tumble. Many nephrite types are multi hardness stones. Many have inclusions of softer material like magnetite, serpentine, tremolite etc. It really varies from one nephrite type to another as nephrite is very fibrous. Jade Cove jade tends to undercut some. Porterville Jade has black magnetite inclusions that undercut. Wyoming and Washington stuff can really undercut badly. (undercutting in case you do not know, is where the softer areas are gouged out by the grit and it become difficult or impossible to achieve a uniformly smooth finish on the surface). This problem can even vary from piece to piece from the same location. Best polish I've seen on nephrite was on the Mariposa, CA material. It finished pretty well but is relatively homogeneous and inclusion free too. For me, jade is better worked on wheels with very worn sanding wheels used for the sanding to control the undercutting. You might want to start with a small batch with lots of ceramic filler and check the rough after a few days n coarse to see how it is doing. If it comes out all bumpy or wood grainy, you might try starting with a sorted fine grind grit rather than cheaper split grit, and see how that does. Hope for the best and be prepared for the worst.....Mel
|
|
facedown
off to a rocking start
Member since October 2017
Posts: 4
|
Post by facedown on Oct 10, 2017 10:33:06 GMT -5
Okay Mel! Thanks!! It's a beginning. I will do a small batch of "lesser" favorites in the jar and see how it goes.
|
|
Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,456
|
Post by Sabre52 on Oct 10, 2017 16:24:41 GMT -5
Way better to start with agate and jasper in the beginning. Much easier to tumble...Mel
|
|
|
Post by 1dave on Oct 11, 2017 5:40:29 GMT -5
|
|
Luminin
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2017
Posts: 400
|
Post by Luminin on Oct 14, 2017 21:01:38 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum! I'd also suggest starting with the typical materials. Agates I find to be a pain (all those pits!), but Tiger Eye is a good one (so far anyways, I have yet to get it to polish).
Good luck with whatever you choose!
|
|