dakotabirder
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since July 2017
Posts: 77
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Post by dakotabirder on Nov 29, 2017 11:39:04 GMT -5
Hat's off for luck, more than anything! Given it's my first batch through the 6-lb, first batch with some bigger pieces. And given I wasn't even aware of any kind of issue with "bruising" quartz!!
No, not just luck...worked because as a newbie, I read a LOT of threads out here. Helped immensely in coming up with the "recipe". Very glad I found this site. Otherwise I don't think I'd have had any clue about times, using the plastic pellets, burnishing with ivory soap, etc.
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Post by HankRocks on Nov 29, 2017 11:49:56 GMT -5
Very nice batch(and very nice pictures). How long did you run them in pre-polish and polish? Have a batch of Ark quartz, many clear, that I decided to polish in the Rotary as the UV-18 just seems to aggressive. Put in about 2 cups of plastic pellets along with extra used polish slurry. Been in 4 days now, will probably look at them in a couple of days and decide if more is necessary. Most of the quartz I am tumbling is broken crystals and they tend to frost real easy.
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dakotabirder
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since July 2017
Posts: 77
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Post by dakotabirder on Nov 29, 2017 11:58:05 GMT -5
Very nice batch(and very nice pictures). How long did you run them in pre-polish and polish? Have a batch of Ark quartz, many clear, that I decided to polish in the Rotary as the UV-18 just seems to aggressive. Put in about 2 cups of plastic pellets along with extra used polish slurry. Been in 4 days now, will probably look at them in a couple of days and decide if more is necessary. Most of the quartz I am tumbling is broken crystals and they tend to frost real easy. I ran for 2 weeks each, for both pre-polish and polish. First time doing this we only did 1 week each. With the hard agates and the like that we're running, things were so much better with 2 weeks. I think I see now what you guys mean about "bruising". Looking at a couple of pieces from our first tries at this, over the summer. Didn't use any plastic pellets or anything at any stage of the process, and there's a couple of pieces that look "cloudy" in spots.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,159
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Post by jamesp on Nov 29, 2017 20:01:32 GMT -5
Hat's off for luck, more than anything! Given it's my first batch through the 6-lb, first batch with some bigger pieces. And given I wasn't even aware of any kind of issue with "bruising" quartz!! No, not just luck...worked because as a newbie, I read a LOT of threads out here. Helped immensely in coming up with the "recipe". Very glad I found this site. Otherwise I don't think I'd have had any clue about times, using the plastic pellets, burnishing with ivory soap, etc. There is many ways to tumble. Apparently those particular plastics in the amount you used in 2-3-4 were a great choice for the rotary. Shaping rocks in coarse grind is easy. Bruise them, so what, run them another coarse grit run. Steps 500 and polish is a one way road. Any damage incurred in those steps stays with the rock. 220 step can can leave bruises behind too. Did you run the pellets at burnish ? How long did you burnish ?
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Post by HankRocks on Nov 29, 2017 20:35:32 GMT -5
I was thinking that if my Quartz batch came out nice from the Rotary polish, I would burnish them in the UV-18 without pellets. Should be gentle with the water level to top of rocks.
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dakotabirder
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since July 2017
Posts: 77
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Post by dakotabirder on Nov 29, 2017 20:43:15 GMT -5
Hat's off for luck, more than anything! Given it's my first batch through the 6-lb, first batch with some bigger pieces. And given I wasn't even aware of any kind of issue with "bruising" quartz!! No, not just luck...worked because as a newbie, I read a LOT of threads out here. Helped immensely in coming up with the "recipe". Very glad I found this site. Otherwise I don't think I'd have had any clue about times, using the plastic pellets, burnishing with ivory soap, etc. There is many ways to tumble. Apparently those particular plastics in the amount you used in 2-3-4 were a great choice for the rotary. Shaping rocks in coarse grind is easy. Bruise them, so what, run them another coarse grit run. Steps 500 and polish is a one way road. Any damage incurred in those steps stays with the rock. 220 step can can leave bruises behind too. Did you run the pellets at burnish ? How long did you burnish ? Yes, pellets at burnish. Was just going to do a few hours but ended up doing a full day.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,159
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Post by jamesp on Nov 30, 2017 6:36:57 GMT -5
I was thinking that if my Quartz batch came out nice from the Rotary polish, I would burnish them in the UV-18 without pellets. Should be gentle with the water level to top of rocks. I think I am going to follow dakotabirder's lead on the next rotary run. Burnished a day in rotary with pellets.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,159
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Post by jamesp on Nov 30, 2017 6:37:21 GMT -5
There is many ways to tumble. Apparently those particular plastics in the amount you used in 2-3-4 were a great choice for the rotary. Shaping rocks in coarse grind is easy. Bruise them, so what, run them another coarse grit run. Steps 500 and polish is a one way road. Any damage incurred in those steps stays with the rock. 220 step can can leave bruises behind too. Did you run the pellets at burnish ? How long did you burnish ? Yes, pellets at burnish. Was just going to do a few hours but ended up doing a full day. With soap ?
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dakotabirder
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since July 2017
Posts: 77
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Post by dakotabirder on Nov 30, 2017 6:59:21 GMT -5
Yes, pellets at burnish. Was just going to do a few hours but ended up doing a full day. With soap ? Yeah, Ivory soap. They were glossy right out of polish, but the burnish did make them pop.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,159
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Post by jamesp on Nov 30, 2017 7:07:28 GMT -5
Yeah, Ivory soap. They were glossy right out of polish, but the burnish did make them pop. Thanks for all your help dakota. I got your process screwed into my brain now.
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illusionist
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since August 2017
Posts: 137
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Post by illusionist on Nov 30, 2017 14:26:57 GMT -5
They are beautiful! Excellent job!
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Post by Garage Rocker on Dec 1, 2017 6:23:54 GMT -5
Wow! Wonderful bunch of tumbles. And self collected! And rotary shined! Kudos!! Love numbers 5, 14, 15 and of course, the Dolly Parton rock.
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qroger
off to a rocking start
Member since February 2018
Posts: 9
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Post by qroger on Feb 10, 2018 12:14:23 GMT -5
Dakota Birder, #7 looks like some Banded Iron Formation that I've seen. The red is hematite plus silica. The metallic vein filling may be specular hematite. If I'm right, this sort of rock is very old, possibly Precambrian, arriving from Canada with the ice.
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Post by rockjunquie on Feb 10, 2018 12:23:27 GMT -5
Dakota Birder, #7 looks like some Banded Iron Formation that I've seen. The red is hematite plus silica. The metallic vein filling may be specular hematite. If I'm right, this sort of rock is very old, possibly Precambrian, arriving from Canada with the ice. Welcome to the forum! When you want to tag someone add the @ symbol in front of the person's forum name. You can find the forum name by mousing over their name in their avatar. Some people have different screen names than their forum names. dakotabirder
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Post by mohs on Feb 10, 2018 14:18:30 GMT -5
& that a lovely batch nicely displayed overwhelming technique ! edmohs
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rjbud1
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2015
Posts: 100
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Post by rjbud1 on Feb 10, 2018 16:56:58 GMT -5
Thats a great batch right there. Love the quartz, but everything in general us amazing!
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