Luminin
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2017
Posts: 400
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Post by Luminin on Jan 1, 2018 13:38:02 GMT -5
So, I've ran my first batch for a week in Cerium Oxide and wow the edges look fantastic! Perfect shine! But the rocks' faces...hardly polished at all. So, I added them back to the old slurry, removed some of the plastic pellets and added quite a bit more cerium oxide. Figure I'll give them another week and then see what's what, maybe ceramic media would do the trick? Here is one of my favorites so far:
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Post by MsAli on Jan 1, 2018 13:40:33 GMT -5
Looking good Cody. Further along than I am What is the rock?
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Luminin
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2017
Posts: 400
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Post by Luminin on Jan 1, 2018 13:41:00 GMT -5
A piece of my flint MsAli.
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Post by MsAli on Jan 1, 2018 13:49:12 GMT -5
A piece of my flint MsAli . Thats what I thought it was.....Very pretty. manofglass sent me some, I'll get it started one of these days
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Post by manofglass on Jan 1, 2018 13:58:44 GMT -5
Looks good Cody
Walt
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Jan 1, 2018 15:48:43 GMT -5
The normal answer for that problem is more smalls. In the vibe tumbler I run a minimum of 50 percent ceramic media in batches with flats. In a rotary with plastic beads that may not be the answer.
Chuck
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tkvancil
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2011
Posts: 1,546
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Post by tkvancil on Jan 1, 2018 16:09:30 GMT -5
I never had any luck with cerium in the rotary. Aluminum oxides did better for me. I also did not like plastic pellets much. Used ceramic media and thought I got better results. For cushion I would fill the barrel to about 85% full rocks and ceramic (ceramic roughly 30%). Also would tumble in polish a minimum of 3 weeks.
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vwfence
has rocks in the head
Member since January 2013
Posts: 557
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Post by vwfence on Jan 8, 2018 10:51:52 GMT -5
Is that flint natural or heat treated
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,466
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Post by Sabre52 on Jan 8, 2018 11:00:05 GMT -5
Yep. what Chuck said, more smalls means more surface to surface contact. I also agree, AO or Tin Oxide as polish are better than cerium in my book. Cerium comes in various grades though and I do like optical grade cerium on pads when polishing cabs...Mel
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Luminin
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2017
Posts: 400
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Post by Luminin on Jan 8, 2018 11:11:24 GMT -5
Is that flint natural or heat treated Natural, though I'm thinking about heat treating some next time.
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Luminin
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2017
Posts: 400
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Post by Luminin on Jan 8, 2018 11:15:33 GMT -5
I'll order some ceramic media then. I didn't have time to open them up this weekend, so they'll be rolling for another week as is.
As to more smalls, most of what I'm running is around a half inch or less in diameter, I'd say at least 50% by weight. I'll give the cerium some more opportunities before I give up on it, at least work through what little I have.
I really think the ceramic is going to do the trick though.
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Wooferhound
Cave Dweller
Lortone QT66 and 3A
Member since December 2016
Posts: 1,423
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Post by Wooferhound on Jan 8, 2018 11:35:02 GMT -5
I was having trouble in my 6-pound barrels getting a polish using some polish that came in a Grit Kit from Kingsley North, thinking it was some unknown AO. Got 2 pounds of Cerium Oxide also from Kingsley, the pink stuff. Got great results with just a couple of teaspoons in the barrel. I have reused it with small recharges up to 4 times and it still works very well. Barrels are 80% full with 50% Plastic Beads. www.kingsleynorth.com/skshop/product.php?id=46509&catID=189
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Post by spiceman on Jan 8, 2018 15:49:34 GMT -5
The flint looks like it has some blue in it, or blueish gray. Nice flint. So that's a piece you found or bought? I bought some with sky blue in it It was expensive but cool looking.
I would like to see green, someone had some once But it was sold in minutes.
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Luminin
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2017
Posts: 400
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Post by Luminin on Jan 9, 2018 22:33:50 GMT -5
The flint looks like it has some blue in it, or blueish gray. Nice flint. So that's a piece you found or bought? I bought some with sky blue in it It was expensive but cool looking. I would like to see green, someone had some once But it was sold in minutes. I found it. Roy Miller has the green flint. Private quarry, but I'm pretty sure he heat treats it to get the rich green color.
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Luminin
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2017
Posts: 400
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Post by Luminin on Jan 9, 2018 22:35:18 GMT -5
Had to go back and look, the blueish looking streaks are actually solid quartz druzy. Opaque.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,159
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Post by jamesp on Jan 9, 2018 23:19:34 GMT -5
Go with aluminum oxide. Must be the cerium. Glass people use cerium. Better for softer material.
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Wooferhound
Cave Dweller
Lortone QT66 and 3A
Member since December 2016
Posts: 1,423
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Post by Wooferhound on Jan 16, 2018 18:48:11 GMT -5
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