unclefrank
off to a rocking start
Member since September 2019
Posts: 7
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Post by unclefrank on Oct 13, 2019 14:00:26 GMT -5
Hi all hope somebody can help me, i have just started rock tumbling and this is my first attempt.
I have 2 x 3lb beach tumbling machines with 2 x 1.5lb barrels for each machine, also a 3lb machine with a 3lb barrel, all beach.
1st Stage 80 grit for 7 days using 1 Htbsp of grit for 1.5lb barrel, done this for all 4 1.5lb barrels.
2nd Stage 220 grit for 7 days using 1 Htbsp of grit for 1.5lb barrel, done this for all 4 1.5lb barrels.
3rd Stage 400 grit for 7 days using 1 htbsp of grit for 1.5lb, done this for all 4 1.5lb barrels.
4th Stage Zinc Oxide for 3 days using 1 tbsp for 1.5lb barrels, done this for all 4 1.5lb barrels.
Burnishing used Aldi Simple Soap, same as Ivory Soap, using 1 tbsp and running machine for 24 hours, done this for all 4 barrels.
Now they have come out absolutely awesome with shape, curves, sizes and smoothness but i haven't got that glass shine, what have i done wrong or what else do i need to do next. Thanks.
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Post by captbob on Oct 13, 2019 14:18:14 GMT -5
First off, welcome to the forum.
What type of rocks are you tumbling? Many rocks will NEVER take a shine and the best possible outcome is a matte finish. Depends on the type of rock.
I'm not sure what a "beach tumbling machine" is. Is that a brand name?
Zinc Oxide for polish? You sure about that?
Amazing that you are getting any results as far as shaping and smoothness with these extremely short run times and in such small barrels. Are you tumbling already rounded river or beach rocks?
We need more information on what you are tumbling please.
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unclefrank
off to a rocking start
Member since September 2019
Posts: 7
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Post by unclefrank on Oct 13, 2019 14:29:36 GMT -5
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Post by rockpickerforever on Oct 13, 2019 14:45:00 GMT -5
Hi all hope somebody can help me, i have just started rock tumbling and this is my first attempt. I have 2 x 3lb beach tumbling machines with 2 x 1.5lb barrels for each machine, also a 3lb machine with a 3lb barrel, all beach. 1st Stage 80 grit for 7 days using 1 Htbsp of grit for 1.5lb barrel, done this for all 4 1.5lb barrels. 2nd Stage 220 grit for 7 days using 1 Htbsp of grit for 1.5lb barrel, done this for all 4 1.5lb barrels. 3rd Stage 400 grit for 7 days using 1 htbsp of grit for 1.5lb, done this for all 4 1.5lb barrels. 4th Stage Zinc Oxide for 3 days using 1 tbsp for 1.5lb barrels, done this for all 4 1.5lb barrels. Burnishing used Aldi Simple Soap, same as Ivory Soap, using 1 tbsp and running machine for 24 hours, done this for all 4 barrels. Now they have come out absolutely awesome with shape, curves, sizes and smoothness but i haven't got that glass shine, what have i done wrong or what else do i need to do next. Thanks. From Scotland, huh? Well, that's a wee bit of information that would have been helpful to know. You know what they say - location, location, location. We try our best, but are not familiar with all machines produced world wide. Keep asking questions, we'll keep listening - and asking questions of our own of you to clarify. Listen to captbob (and many other tumblers here), he's got a good bit of tumbling experience under his belt. Welcome to the forum, and good luck.
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Post by captbob on Oct 13, 2019 14:52:57 GMT -5
Oh, okay. Thanks for the link.
I will start by saying that Scottish agates ought to take a fine shine - from those that I have seen posted here. I forget the members name, Ian maybe?, and he has posted some lovely Scottish agates. Maybe someone can recall and link a thread or two of his agate pictures.
My first suggestion would be changing your polish medium. An aluminum oxide AO is what you might want to be looking for. Tin oxide or cerium oxide are alternatives but probably more costly than AO.
Secondly, please disregard most everything you read in a beginners instruction manual. You may find that run times for each step may need to be MUCH longer than a few days to a week per step.
Depends on what final results you are looking for, but quality tumbled rocks take time - and patience! Your polish step run of 3 days just isn't long enough, even with the different polishes mentioned above.
Good luck and keep at it. Practice makes perfect!
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Post by captbob on Oct 13, 2019 14:54:29 GMT -5
aside: Things you will NEVER hear my wife say: "Listen to captbob" *sigh*
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Post by captbob on Oct 13, 2019 14:56:32 GMT -5
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unclefrank
off to a rocking start
Member since September 2019
Posts: 7
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Post by unclefrank on Oct 13, 2019 15:07:14 GMT -5
This is my first run so i thought i would do what they suggest in their manual and then alter as of when i need to. Thanks for the advice and the link.
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Post by captbob on Oct 13, 2019 15:13:53 GMT -5
Run your rocks another week in the zinc oxide you have, and see if that helps. Couldn't hurt anything.
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unclefrank
off to a rocking start
Member since September 2019
Posts: 7
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Post by unclefrank on Oct 13, 2019 15:24:41 GMT -5
Will do
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Post by rockpickerforever on Oct 13, 2019 15:52:11 GMT -5
aside: Things you will NEVER hear my wife say: "Listen to captbob" *sigh* Good thing I wasn't drinking something when I read that, would have had a geyser erupt from my nose, lol. Bob, thanks for coming up with iant 's name, it was eluding me. I remembered his beautiful agates, but not his name. I think we may have a couple more members in Scotland.
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Post by rockpickerforever on Oct 13, 2019 15:57:40 GMT -5
This is my first run so i thought i would do what they suggest in their manual and then alter as of when i need to. Thanks for the advice and the link. For all intents and purposes, you can throw their misleading instructions away, or line the budgy cage with them. They are selling a product, why would they want people to know the process will take much longer than they say? Keep at it, it gets better. In the meantime, you have a bunch on new friends here at RTH to learn things from, and share with. Jean
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unclefrank
off to a rocking start
Member since September 2019
Posts: 7
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Post by unclefrank on Oct 13, 2019 16:02:21 GMT -5
The instructions i have followed are what the museum use for the rocks in the shop and at the museum, the instructions given with the machines themselves wasn't very good.
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gatorflash1
spending too much on rocks
Active in Delaware Mineralogical Society, Cabchon Grinding and Polishing, 2 Thumlers B's and a UV-18
Member since October 2018
Posts: 375
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Post by gatorflash1 on Oct 13, 2019 21:46:54 GMT -5
Hi Frank - Try the suggestions from the website listed below, and maybe read the book Modern Rock Tumbling. rocktumbler.com/questions.shtmlThese suggestion, and those from the great tumblers on this website should give you some beautiful shiny sparkling tumbled Scottish Agates. When I first starting tumbling I had to learn about not rushing from one stage to the next, putting most of my rocks through stage 1 several times to get the shape and eventual basic appearance I wanted from them. Cleaning everything very well between stages is very important. You don't want the old stage grit to contaminate your new stage. Letting the rock tell me when it was ready to move on was my goal at each stage. No rock moves on unless it gets a good grade from the current stage. Probably 90-95% of the tumbling process takes place in stage 1, the course grit tumble stage. I also use a good amount of mixed size ceramic media at each stage. From my experience it buffers and works the grit all over the rocks efficiently. Good luck and post some pictures.
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Post by rockpickerforever on Oct 14, 2019 9:20:05 GMT -5
aside: Things you will NEVER hear my wife say: "Listen to captbob" *sigh* Good thing I wasn't drinking something when I read that, would have had a geyser erupt from my nose, lol. Bob, thanks for coming up with iant 's name, it was eluding me. I remembered his beautiful agates, but not his name. I think we may have a couple more members in Scotland. I knew there was someone else. I had forgotten Andrew of ASI Industries As I in does tries! . He hails from Bonnybridge, Scotland.
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MommaGem
spending too much on rocks
Member since April 2019
Posts: 312
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Post by MommaGem on Oct 15, 2019 10:19:05 GMT -5
I always, always run a finer grit pre-polish, for instance 1000 AO grit, before polish. It has fixed all of my polishing issues! Going straight from 400 grit to polish is quite a big jump and likely the stones are smooth enough to take a polish.
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jody79
off to a rocking start
Member since October 2019
Posts: 2
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Post by jody79 on Oct 16, 2019 18:18:44 GMT -5
I have an original diamond demon i need help with on value, demand or any information possible. Thanks
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scottyh
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2007
Posts: 181
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Post by scottyh on Oct 17, 2019 15:57:38 GMT -5
Zinc oxide will be the problem. Try tin oxide as a final polish. Cheers Scott
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Post by aDave on Oct 17, 2019 19:47:06 GMT -5
I have an original diamond demon i need help with on value, demand or any information possible. Thanks Please start a new thread somewhere to address your issue.
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Post by TheRock on Oct 17, 2019 21:15:10 GMT -5
Hi all hope somebody can help me, i have just started rock tumbling and this is my first attempt. I have 2 x 3lb beach tumbling machines with 2 x 1.5lb barrels for each machine, also a 3lb machine with a 3lb barrel, all beach. 1st Stage 80 grit for 7 days using 1 Htbsp of grit for 1.5lb barrel, done this for all 4 1.5lb barrels. 2nd Stage 220 grit for 7 days using 1 Htbsp of grit for 1.5lb barrel, done this for all 4 1.5lb barrels. 3rd Stage 400 grit for 7 days using 1 htbsp of grit for 1.5lb, done this for all 4 1.5lb barrels. 4th Stage Zinc Oxide for 3 days using 1 tbsp for 1.5lb barrels, done this for all 4 1.5lb barrels. Burnishing used Aldi Simple Soap, same as Ivory Soap, using 1 tbsp and running machine for 24 hours, done this for all 4 barrels. Now they have come out absolutely awesome with shape, curves, sizes and smoothness but i haven't got that glass shine, what have i done wrong or what else do i need to do next. Thanks. unclefrank do you have a VIBE? If not you may want to try one. You can do in 3 days of the polish stage what it takes weeks to do in a Rotary tumbler. If Rotary is your game, CaptBob is the best we have. Do what he says.
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