norcaltumbler
off to a rocking start
Member since August 2018
Posts: 2
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Post by norcaltumbler on Aug 4, 2018 20:00:53 GMT -5
New to the coast and getting into tumbling and I have a question or two about grit.
I know the best results come from working each batch of stones through various stages of tumble grit (1-4?), before moving to the polish grit, but I'm finding rocks here on the North Cali Coast that are already very very smooth and my feeling is they are probably ready to polish. I did a 3 week tumble with them with the polish that came with the kit and they look/feel amazing (I kept some as a control and the difference is significant), far better even than some of the other rocks I got with the kit that I tumbled twice (a week each time) with the 3rd and 4th stage grit.
I'm looking into buying more grit and just wondering if anyone has tips on what to use?
Anybody confident I could get even better shine from these stones with a few rounds of lower stage grit before I polish for 3-4 weeks?
Anyone got a go-to brand for polish grit to use on already smooth ocean stones?
Thanks!
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Post by MsAli on Aug 4, 2018 20:13:45 GMT -5
Hi and welcome to the forum from Fresno I just made a stop at moonstone beach and found some that I just threw into polish Haven't looked at them yet, but I dont see why they wouldnt take a polish without going thru all the other stages. They were pretty well ready to go naturally For my polish I use micro alumina I bought kinsley north There are other really great and way more experienced than I am that will probably provide some help as well Also there is a member here that is selling grit with a very good price if your interested
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norcaltumbler
off to a rocking start
Member since August 2018
Posts: 2
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Post by norcaltumbler on Aug 4, 2018 20:34:52 GMT -5
Thanks for the welcome and for the tips. Moonstone is a great beach but the best stones I've found (so far) have been at Centerville Beach (just out of Frendale).
Any links to the person selling grit?
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Post by MsAli on Aug 4, 2018 21:36:12 GMT -5
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Post by TheRock on Aug 5, 2018 3:32:03 GMT -5
Howdy norcaltumbler to RTH Forum from Duke in SW Michigan Most people start with 80 grit silicone carbide in a rotary tumbler (which is best for rounding the rock) then when the rock is rounded switch to 220 SIC and then after a couple weeks switch to a vibratory tumbler which is way faster in the polishing stages like 2-3 days with 500 grit Aluminum Oxide, then 1000 Grit AO Pre Polish then 1 micron 14,000 grit Polish. Where the rocks you are finding are at in this polishing process is hard to tell without seeing them. You can take some of these rocks and examine them then try 220 grit and see if they are better or worse after a few days that will tell you. Good luck ~Duke
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Post by Jugglerguy on Aug 5, 2018 7:09:32 GMT -5
Welcom to the forum. I tumble a lot of rocks from the Great Lakes. They all start in coarse grit (46/70 or 60/90 or 80) and go through all the stages. I have never hunted California beaches, so I don’t know how my rocks compare to yours, but my beach rocks almost always have a small pit or crack that I want to remove for perfect finished rocks. Even rocks without bigger flaws are usually not nearly as smooth before going through some of the earlier stages as after. The good thing about beach rocks is that they usually don’t have to spend so long in the coarse grit stage. Mine might spend one to five weeks in the first stage compared to rough, broken rocks that tend to take months. So from my experience, running all the stages is worthwhile.
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Aug 5, 2018 7:49:03 GMT -5
Welcome from Northern Arizona!
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Tommy
Administrator
Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,652
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Post by Tommy on Aug 9, 2018 9:54:50 GMT -5
I'm finding rocks here on the North Cali Coast that are already very very smooth and my feeling is they are probably ready to polish. Welcome to the board norcaltumbler! What area of CA are you from?
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Post by TheRock on Sept 5, 2018 22:22:46 GMT -5
Did you get your answer?
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