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Post by catladylovesrocks on Dec 30, 2018 20:15:30 GMT -5
I can't seem to get my rhodonite to polish. I'm using a Gy-roc with a "white grit polish" (I can't remember the name) with ceramic pellets. What am I doing wrong?
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Post by aDave on Dec 30, 2018 20:59:42 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum.
Frankly that's a pretty vague question with limited information for folks to help you out. A quick look seems to indicate it's a pretty soft stone, so it won't be so easy to finish.
It would be nice for you to detail all of your steps from start to finish. That's probably the least amount of information that would be needed to assist you.
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Post by catladylovesrocks on Dec 30, 2018 21:12:15 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum. Frankly that's a pretty vague question with limited information for folks to help you out. A quick look seems to indicate it's a pretty soft stone, so it won't be so easy to finish. It would be nice for you to detail all of your steps from start to finish. That's probably the least amount of information that would be needed to assist you. Okay... I'm not sure what information I can give except it's a material that was collected in Wrightwood CA, it was rotary tumbled with 60/90, then 220 in my Gy-roc, then 600, then polish. Does this help?
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Post by vegasjames on Dec 30, 2018 21:12:25 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum.
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minerken
Cave Dweller
Member since August 2013
Posts: 466
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Post by minerken on Dec 30, 2018 21:46:36 GMT -5
Rhodonite is notoriously hard to polish to a wet shine if that is what your expecting in fact I don't think I have ever seen any. Possibly some of the royal Rodonite from Australia.
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Post by catladylovesrocks on Dec 30, 2018 21:53:15 GMT -5
Rhodonite is notoriously hard to polish to a wet shine if that is what your expecting in fact I don't think I have ever seen any. Possibly some of the royal Rodonite from Australia. I was just reading about Linde A added to the polish stage.. Thoughts?
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minerken
Cave Dweller
Member since August 2013
Posts: 466
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Post by minerken on Dec 30, 2018 22:03:20 GMT -5
Rhodonite is notoriously hard to polish to a wet shine if that is what your expecting in fact I don't think I have ever seen any. Possibly some of the royal Rodonite from Australia. I was just reading about Linde A added to the polish stage.. Thoughts? Don't have a clue never used it just know it is expensive
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Dec 30, 2018 22:13:31 GMT -5
Welcome to RTH
You mentioned a little bit about your process. Are you an veteran tumbler and that is your normal batch process or are you new to tumbling and just happened to try rhodonite?
I have never had much luck with rhodonite myself. I often find a piece or two in my mixed rock batches and every rock but those will be shiny. I would recommend tumbling them in a dedicated batch and with a very high percentage of ceramics like 60-75% by volume for maximum cushioning. Having too many of them in the barrel can actually cause damage just from them rubbing against each other.
Even cabbing rhodonite can be challenging and that is with having complete control of the process.
Best of luck with your project. Chuck
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Post by aDave on Dec 30, 2018 22:28:00 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum. Frankly that's a pretty vague question with limited information for folks to help you out. A quick look seems to indicate it's a pretty soft stone, so it won't be so easy to finish. It would be nice for you to detail all of your steps from start to finish. That's probably the least amount of information that would be needed to assist you. Okay... I'm not sure what information I can give except it's a material that was collected in Wrightwood CA, it was rotary tumbled with 60/90, then 220 in my Gy-roc, then 600, then polish. Does this help? I think, based on your answers, you're closer to getting information that might help you. I have not used the material you're speaking to, but you've gotten some great insight thus far. Good luck.
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mossyrockhound
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2011
Posts: 1,278
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Post by mossyrockhound on Dec 30, 2018 22:32:38 GMT -5
Rhodonite is notoriously hard to polish to a wet shine if that is what your expecting in fact I don't think I have ever seen any. Possibly some of the royal Rodonite from Australia. I was just reading about Linde A added to the polish stage.. Thoughts? The Linde A I bought was super expensive. I added it to my cerium oxide for polishing cabs. It didn't seem to make any difference. Based on that, I wouldn't waste my money on it for the off-chance that you could get a better polish on your rhodonite. As mentioned above, most rhodonite will not take a great polish, but it will take a polish. My suggestion for you would be to dump the ceramic pellets, do a burnish roll with clean water & Borax and then one more polish without the ceramic pellets. If you need pellets for fill during your polish, use plastic/nylon ones and don't use ones that have been used with grit. Make sure everything is very clean before your final polish.
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Dec 30, 2018 22:42:42 GMT -5
I was just reading about Linde A added to the polish stage.. Thoughts? The Linde A I bought was super expensive. I added it to my cerium oxide for polishing cabs. It didn't seem to make any difference. Based on that, I wouldn't waste my money on it for the off-chance that you could get a better polish on your rhodonite. As mentioned above, most rhodonite will not take a great polish, but it will take a polish. My suggestion for you would be to dump the ceramic pellets, do a burnish roll with clean water & Borax and then one more polish without the ceramic pellets. If you need pellets for fill during your polish, use plastic/nylon ones and don't use ones that have been used with grit. Make sure everything is very clean before your final polish. I agree about the Linde A being an expensive long shot. The GYROC mentioned above is a vibe tumbler though. I have never used a GYROC model but in the loto vibe plastic pellets are not recommended. They do not weigh enough to get the proper motion going in the barrel. Chuck
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mossyrockhound
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2011
Posts: 1,278
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Post by mossyrockhound on Dec 30, 2018 23:23:43 GMT -5
The Linde A I bought was super expensive. I added it to my cerium oxide for polishing cabs. It didn't seem to make any difference. Based on that, I wouldn't waste my money on it for the off-chance that you could get a better polish on your rhodonite. As mentioned above, most rhodonite will not take a great polish, but it will take a polish. My suggestion for you would be to dump the ceramic pellets, do a burnish roll with clean water & Borax and then one more polish without the ceramic pellets. If you need pellets for fill during your polish, use plastic/nylon ones and don't use ones that have been used with grit. Make sure everything is very clean before your final polish. I agree about the Linde A being an expensive long shot. The GYROC mentioned above is a vibe tumbler though. I have never used a GYROC model but in the loto vibe plastic pellets are not recommended. They do not weigh enough to get the proper motion going in the barrel. Chucke I agree with what Chuck says - I assumed your tumbler was a rotary.
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Post by pauls on Dec 31, 2018 18:16:40 GMT -5
Rhodonite is very variable stuff, some is dense and polishes OK, other is grainy and has a sugary structure and is terrible, sometimes both in the same rock. I have got an OK polish on the occasional piece, even cabs are a battle, I have tried every type of polish on every type of buff for cabs but some pieces just refuse to polish. I think Linde A is super fine grade of Al Oxide.
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NRG
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2018
Posts: 1,630
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Rhodonite
Dec 31, 2018 18:43:43 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by NRG on Dec 31, 2018 18:43:43 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum. Frankly that's a pretty vague question with limited information for folks to help you out. A quick look seems to indicate it's a pretty soft stone, so it won't be so easy to finish. It would be nice for you to detail all of your steps from start to finish. That's probably the least amount of information that would be needed to assist you. Okay... I'm not sure what information I can give except it's a material that was collected in Wrightwood CA, it was rotary tumbled with 60/90, then 220 in my Gy-roc, then 600, then polish. Does this help? Recently collected? In the wash? Soft rocks = hard to polish
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Post by pauls on Dec 31, 2018 19:14:25 GMT -5
My experience of Rhodonite is that it is not that soft, so I had a look and it's 5.5 to 6. I still wasn't convinced so went and tried a piece, pretty close I'd say. Scratchable by Quartz but not an easy scratch. My bet would be just the sugary nature of most of the massive stuff is what's causing problems.
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