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Post by fernwood on Mar 27, 2019 12:19:02 GMT -5
Took these out of 120/220. Then a 24 hour Borax cleaning. Decided they looked good enough for 1200 AO pre-polish. Trying to get it right this time. They are now in a 1 lb. rotary barrel with new 1200 and new plastic rock tumbling pellets. Mix is about 50% pellets to Tears. Used 2 TBS of the 1200. Filled water just to where I could see it below the Tears/pellets. Added nothing else. I am looking for a nice gloss on these, as many have flat backs and could be used for jewelry. I will be very happy if 50% are high gloss. Did I jump in too fast with the 1200? Should I have added any other media? Any other suggestions? About 3/4 are perfectly smooth under the loop. Plan on letting the 1200 run for at least a week, maybe 2 weeks. For final polish should I just use the tumbling pellets and either 14,000 AO or Rapid Polish? Run a 48 hour Borax cleaning between stages? Would an Ivory bar soap cleaning run be better? Add anything to the 14,000/Rapid Polish, such as sugar? Photo was taken under natural light and camera phone flash. Thanks for looking.
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Post by Rockoonz on Mar 27, 2019 13:00:06 GMT -5
jamesp tumbles glass, he surely has a recipe. I also have about a 12# batch of tears finishing up the 3rd step. Was thinking about a little clay kitty litter for a slurry maker.
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Post by fernwood on Mar 27, 2019 16:09:42 GMT -5
Jim's recipe calls for syrup or sugar, if I remember correct. He does vibe and these are in rotary.
Last round I used kitty litter and they had a semi gloss after 2.5 months. All had already gone through rough and next stage before I got them. I tried Karo syrup and it did not do much.
I am being very careful this time.
Hope you have great success with yours.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on Mar 29, 2019 6:30:57 GMT -5
jamesp tumbles glass, he surely has a recipe. I also have about a 12# batch of tears finishing up the 3rd step. Was thinking about a little clay kitty litter for a slurry maker. The rotary can polish tears and glass. Lot-o vibes can do it too. My trick pre and polishing is a modified Vibrasonic vibe made gentle Lee. Using AO 220 and AO polish with sugar slurry at just the right viscosity. Finally reduced the media to about 25% quartz pea gravel media and balance 75% glass less than 25 grams in size.
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Post by fernwood on Apr 3, 2019 4:36:17 GMT -5
These went in final polish yesterday, 4-2. 50-50 mix of stage specific tumbling pellets and Tears. Added nothing else but AO 14,000 and water to just below rock surface.
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jimaz
spending too much on rocks
Member since July 2018
Posts: 460
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Post by jimaz on Apr 3, 2019 11:55:18 GMT -5
Those are looking good.
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Post by fernwood on Apr 4, 2019 5:57:53 GMT -5
Thanks. Plan on checking progress Sunday.
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Post by Starguy on Apr 5, 2019 18:57:55 GMT -5
Obsidian is some tough stuff to tumble. I can’t wait to see more photos.
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