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Post by miket on Aug 14, 2018 16:10:52 GMT -5
So, please remember I'm new to this... Just about three weeks in on my first batch, not sure if I'm being too picky or not. I'm thinking I need to get all of the tiny cracks and pits out and I understand that it takes time and the rougher shape the rocks are in the longer it will take. What do I do with rocks like the one below? I did a little rough justice this afternoon- because I couldn't help peeking- and got rid of a couple that weren't that great of rocks to begin with and had tons of pits, etc. But I really like this one and not sure if there's any purpose in keeping it in. Any advice would be more than welcome! Oh, and I put them all back in
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Post by Jugglerguy on Aug 14, 2018 17:26:23 GMT -5
Sometimes if you wait for them to get absolutely perfect, you end up with no rock at all. I’ve done that more times than I want to admit. In the second picture, that huge bug wouldn’t bother me. In fact, it could look pretty cool in the finished rock. Those little holes near the bottom of the picture, on the other hand, I don’t like so much. Since the rock is so nice, I might just clean them out really well and move the rock on to the next stage as it is. More likely, being as picky as I am, I’d either cut off the very end at the very last hole, that’s fairly big, or stick a chisel in that hole and break it off. I’d then either tumble it smooth or I use the edge of my saw blade to grind it down and remove the smaller hole nearby. You can use a lapidary saw or tile saw to do this. Without a saw you are left with breaking it off or living with it.
I have filled holes in rocks with candle wax to protect them or to keep ceramics out. I would do that with the big hole. Dip it in hot water to remove it after polishing.
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Post by gmitch067 on Aug 14, 2018 20:55:26 GMT -5
When I find an interesting characteristic I go with it. For me, it is difficult to impossible to get a perfectly shaped stone each time without (as Jugglerguy says) grinding the stone to nothing... a waste of beauty... and there can be real beauty in those imperfections. I utilize an old dental water-pic to blast a stream of water into the cracks and divots to get old grit and polish out - so it will not contaminate the next load. I also have a set of dental pics to assist in the removal of trapped ceramics or debris.
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tkvancil
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2011
Posts: 1,546
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Post by tkvancil on Aug 15, 2018 8:54:01 GMT -5
If you like that one as is you can pass it along. Just be sure to clean out the voids. Especially important to have clean before going into polish.
I run stuff like this all the time it's a matter of taste. If it's something that I consider part of the rock and I like the look it's a keeper.
So if the rock in question were mine I'd be keeping it in less than "perfect" condition. Nice colors and patterns on that one, well worth extra attention to keep clean in my opinion.
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Post by miket on Aug 15, 2018 9:11:33 GMT -5
Thanks for the tips, it sounds like it's a matter of personal preference. I really do like it, I stuck it back in with the rest of them and I think I'll give it one more week and move it along after making sure it's cleaned out well. I also had a few fairburn agates that weren't "spectacular" that I threw in yesterday to see how they'd turn out. I'm kind of excited to see what I get.
Besides, that gives me an excuse to get out and get more!
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rockcat11
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since August 2017
Posts: 176
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Post by rockcat11 on Aug 25, 2018 12:18:47 GMT -5
It depends. I am picky, but I will move on some rocks with pits. You just have to be very careful and clean them very good.
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Post by tims on Aug 25, 2018 14:31:45 GMT -5
What kind of agate is that? Beautiful colors and pattern.
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Post by miket on Aug 25, 2018 14:34:49 GMT -5
You'll have to ask someone smarter than me...
I just knew that I liked it!
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