jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Dec 23, 2018 7:13:35 GMT -5
Alloy wheel being polished in a vibe using 3 grades of ceramic media. Might also be the way for soft rocks since it worked on soft metal. May only take a few hours for each step when applied to soft rocks... Keep in mind that most ceramic media is fused aluminum oxide. Video from 1:00 to 2:00 - before coarse finishing step - probably 500 to 1000 grit ceramics medium finishing step - probably 2000 to 4000 grit ceramics final polish probably using about 10,000 grit ceramic balls Finished finish
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Dec 23, 2018 7:38:55 GMT -5
So if you used 50% ceramic media and 50% soft rocks you would have plenty of padding.
And a lot of abrasive surface area working on the rocks.
Guessing large chunks of media(aluminum oxide) abrasive verses a Borax or sugar aluminum oxide slurry creating more scrubbing ? Quicker abrading like a wheel ?
Food for thought...
Be aware that 100 grit and 220 grit ceramic media may eat away at your vibe hopper because abrasive media is highly aggressive. Possibly 500 grit media may also. But if each step only takes a an hour or two it may not be an issue.
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Post by fernwood on Dec 23, 2018 7:40:28 GMT -5
Thanks for sharing. I am very new to using ceramics. Where does one get the ceramics you used? Thanks.
I have been using some ceramics in the tumbler, but have no idea what grade they are.
What do you think of "blasting" type glass beads? Could those also be used for softer rocks? I tried once, but stopped the process after 3 days.
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Dec 23, 2018 7:55:14 GMT -5
Thanks for sharing. I am very new to using ceramics. Where does one get the ceramics you used? Thanks. Most ceramic media manufacturers sell the various grades of ceramic media fernwood. They are usually color coded for their aggressiveness level. Aluminum oxide media is often used for polishing because it is lighter at about 4 grams per cubic centimeter Zirconium oxide media is often used for coarse finishing because it is super heavy at 6 grams per cubic centimeter. High density media is much more aggressive in a vibe because it has higher grinding forces. But it can damage rocks too. Keep in mind quartz averages 2.7 grams per square centimeter so aluminum oxide ceramic media is already 50% heavier than quartz. That is why quartz pea gravel media is less aggressive than ceramic media. It would take some 'tuning' to get 3 ceramic medias to do rocks. The Rock Shed already sells polishing ceramic media.
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Dec 23, 2018 8:05:18 GMT -5
Kramer Industries ceramic media identification chart. Maybe they know the grit numbers for these medias.
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Post by fernwood on Dec 23, 2018 8:05:27 GMT -5
Thanks. I just need to determine what I have for ceramics as it as in unlabeled, secondary packaging. Some new, some well used.
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Dec 23, 2018 8:08:09 GMT -5
Thanks. I just need to determine what I have for ceramics as it as in unlabeled, secondary packaging. Some new, some well used. That might be a problem. Same problem with unlabeled powdered abrasive...what could it be ?
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Post by fernwood on Dec 23, 2018 8:10:28 GMT -5
Will try to get a couple photos today and post here.
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Dec 23, 2018 8:11:23 GMT -5
If I was given the challenge to polish soft stones I would use an adjustable amplitude vibe(with polyurethane hopper) and various ceramic media.
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Dec 23, 2018 8:15:58 GMT -5
Will try to get a couple photos today and post here. I have the white polishing ball ceramic media. They are shiny. I also have some high density tan zirconium oxide media but the grit is unknown, guessing 220 to 500. I have no way of being certain though other than how it feels to the touch and this is a problem.
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Post by fernwood on Dec 23, 2018 8:18:07 GMT -5
If I was given the challenge to polish soft stones I would use an adjustable amplitude vibe(with polyurethane hopper) and various ceramic media. Unfortunately, I need to use what I have. Still trying to figure out how to best use the 18 lb. vibe and what type of media I have. Know it will take about 3 months in tumblers just to run through coarse to get enough rocks for vibe. Some rocks/cabs will be pre-shaped with Dremel before going into rotary. This could change if I determine what my larger ceramic media is. Them, maybe only a month in rotaries.
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Dec 23, 2018 8:30:56 GMT -5
If I was given the challenge to polish soft stones I would use an adjustable amplitude vibe(with polyurethane hopper) and various ceramic media. Unfortunately, I need to use what I have. Still trying to figure out how to best use the 18 lb. vibe and what type of media I have. Know it will take about 3 months in tumblers just to run through coarse to get enough rocks for vibe. Some rocks/cabs will be pre-shaped with Dremel before going into rotary. This could change if I determine what my larger ceramic media is. Them, maybe only a month in rotaries. I get the 1 to 3 month rotary runs. Soft rocks can be shaped in a week. But getting them polished has not been figured out. Go on EBAY and you can buy wet polished fluorite grrrr. From out dear oversea tumbling masters. Us USA folks don't have this part figured. It takes about 4 days to shape fluorite in a rotary but none of us RTH folks can polish it. And that is not kosher.
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Post by fernwood on Dec 23, 2018 8:52:56 GMT -5
Hmmmm. I have lots of Flourite chip beads They are about 3/4" in size. Have a satin finish. Challenge accepted. This is something I want to polish and share results with others here.
Here is my thought process. Do a week in 1200 pre-polish. Another week in 12000 AO. Then as long as it takes in Rapid Polish. 1 lb. barrel. 60-75% plastic pellets and the rest the beads.
Does this sound like it might work? In a couple weeks I might have tome to start this, as all barrels are now filled with other items.
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quartz
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Post by quartz on Dec 23, 2018 12:16:04 GMT -5
I'm thinking as with the above wheel polishing pics., total immersion of product to be polished is the way to do it, rather than a 50/50 or something of that sort. Other deburr and polish vibe processes I've seen have been that way too, lots and lots of media surrounding the subject being polished, most with a fairly high frequency/low amplitude vibe.
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mooresean68
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Post by mooresean68 on Dec 23, 2018 13:36:14 GMT -5
jamesp forgive the dumb question but is it my understanding that there's ceramic media imbued with grit vs being a neutral carrier material?
Thanks -Sean
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Dec 24, 2018 4:37:15 GMT -5
jamesp forgive the dumb question but is it my understanding that there's ceramic media imbued with grit vs being a neutral carrier material? Thanks -Sean
I am not aware of a ceramic media that is a neutral carrier. Ceramic media either polishes, cuts lightly or cuts fast. Some of the fast cutting ceramic media has silicon carbide imbedded in it.
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Dec 24, 2018 4:47:55 GMT -5
I'm thinking as with the above wheel polishing pics., total immersion of product to be polished is the way to do it, rather than a 50/50 or something of that sort. Other deburr and polish vibe processes I've seen have been that way too, lots and lots of media surrounding the subject being polished, most with a fairly high frequency/low amplitude vibe. I want to try running a load of 50% soft rocks with 3 different grades of ceramic media without adding powdered abrasive like they did in the wheel video. Rotary shape first, then in the vibe: step 1 - 50% KM general purpose(gray) step 2 - 50% KLC light cutting(tan) step 3 - 50% KP polish(white)
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Dec 24, 2018 5:36:15 GMT -5
Hmmmm. I have lots of Flourite chip beads They are about 3/4" in size. Have a satin finish. Challenge accepted. This is something I want to polish and share results with others here. Here is my thought process. Do a week in 1200 pre-polish. Another week in 12000 AO. Then as long as it takes in Rapid Polish. 1 lb. barrel. 60-75% plastic pellets and the rest the beads. Does this sound like it might work? In a couple weeks I might have tome to start this, as all barrels are now filled with other items. Wishing you luck fernwood. Fluorite is a wily critter.
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Dec 24, 2018 5:38:16 GMT -5
Wheel done with 3 different grades of ceramic media with liquid.
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mooresean68
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Post by mooresean68 on Dec 24, 2018 9:34:16 GMT -5
jamesp forgive the dumb question but is it my understanding that there's ceramic media imbued with grit vs being a neutral carrier material? Thanks -Sean
I am not aware of a ceramic media that is a neutral carrier. Ceramic media either polishes, cuts lightly or cuts fast. Some of the fast cutting ceramic media has silicon carbide imbedded in it.
Hmm interesting, the ceramics from TRS say they're non-abrasive, I couldn't think of the word vs neutral. I'd guess these are two different "ceramics" then?
Thanks -Sean
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