rocknewb101
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2022
Posts: 1,368
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Post by rocknewb101 on Nov 5, 2022 18:45:19 GMT -5
Green opal. Just worked on rounding out and polishing and getting the feel of the dremel. Hubby told me after 1/2 day of working that my speed wasn't up enough.  Think this turned out ok for my first, but really underestimated the time it takes to shape lol...also, still not sure on the polish. If I can use my tumble polish, or if I have to buy something specific?  |
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Post by jasoninsd on Nov 5, 2022 21:25:50 GMT -5
Great first attempt!! I've cut cabs with a Dremel...but never "carved" with it. Same principle though. When I was doing the "polishing", I would use wet/dry sandpaper up to 2000 grit. Then I would use some of my tumbling polish made into a paste and a polishing pad to do the final polishing. I read on here somewhere that others had used the paste method... |
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rocknewb101
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2022
Posts: 1,368
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Post by rocknewb101 on Nov 6, 2022 7:32:41 GMT -5
Great first attempt!! I've cut cabs with a Dremel...but never "carved" with it. Same principle though. When I was doing the "polishing", I would use wet/dry sandpaper up to 2000 grit. Then I would use some of my tumbling polish made into a paste and a polishing pad to do the final polishing. I read on here somewhere that others had used the paste method... Thanks! I went ahead and tried the tumbling polish here and it seemed to do ok. I have the sandpaper pads that go up to 10000, wonder if that's overkill lol.. Do you recall what speed you used to polish with the dremel? Hubby says should be high speed, but it seems to shake the extension wand quite a bit, I wasn't sure. |
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Post by liveoak on Nov 6, 2022 7:43:45 GMT -5
Great first attempt!! I've cut cabs with a Dremel...but never "carved" with it. Same principle though. When I was doing the "polishing", I would use wet/dry sandpaper up to 2000 grit. Then I would use some of my tumbling polish made into a paste and a polishing pad to do the final polishing. I read on here somewhere that others had used the paste method... I also found silicone carbide (SIC) sandpaper very useful. For me I used diamond burs to carve, then SIC sandpaper, then diamond paste on hard buffs.
You cut the sandpaper into strips and have to make sure to keep cutting off the used outer paper so you have fresh grit all the time. I started with 220, then 400 sandpaper & then went to 220 diamond paste through all the grits to 50,000.
Note- Make sure you get Silicone Carbide Sandpaper NOT aluminum oxide.
Aluminum Oxide isn't as hard.
No matter what- I found out that any carving takes time.
Patty
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Post by jasoninsd on Nov 6, 2022 9:22:07 GMT -5
Great first attempt!! I've cut cabs with a Dremel...but never "carved" with it. Same principle though. When I was doing the "polishing", I would use wet/dry sandpaper up to 2000 grit. Then I would use some of my tumbling polish made into a paste and a polishing pad to do the final polishing. I read on here somewhere that others had used the paste method... Thanks! I went ahead and tried the tumbling polish here and it seemed to do ok. I have the sandpaper pads that go up to 10000, wonder if that's overkill lol.. Do you recall what speed you used to polish with the dremel? Hubby says should be high speed, but it seems to shake the extension wand quite a bit, I wasn't sure. I don't think up to 10K on the pads is overkill. I did forget to mention that I used diamond paste same as Patty. Forgive me...it's been so long since I used the Dremel, that I don't remember the exact speed. What I do remember is there's a "sweet spot" when it comes to the grinding. Too slow and it's not doing much...too fast and it's chattering on the rock. I believe each type of rock is different also. Softer rocks you can use slower speeds (and should as faster speeds and you can't fix any errors)...harder rocks kinda need a bit more speed. |
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rocknewb101
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2022
Posts: 1,368
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Post by rocknewb101 on Nov 6, 2022 10:14:43 GMT -5
Thanks! I went ahead and tried the tumbling polish here and it seemed to do ok. I have the sandpaper pads that go up to 10000, wonder if that's overkill lol.. Do you recall what speed you used to polish with the dremel? Hubby says should be high speed, but it seems to shake the extension wand quite a bit, I wasn't sure. I don't think up to 10K on the pads is overkill. I did forget to mention that I used diamond paste same as Patty. Forgive me...it's been so long since I used the Dremel, that I don't remember the exact speed. What I do remember is there's a "sweet spot" when it comes to the grinding. Too slow and it's not doing much...too fast and it's chattering on the rock. I believe each type of rock is different also. Softer rocks you can use slower speeds (and should as faster speeds and you can't fix any errors)...harder rocks kinda need a bit more speed. Thanks! I'll keep playing with the speeds. I did end up getting the diamond paste. excited to try that. |
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Post by jasoninsd on Nov 6, 2022 10:20:49 GMT -5
I don't think up to 10K on the pads is overkill. I did forget to mention that I used diamond paste same as Patty. Forgive me...it's been so long since I used the Dremel, that I don't remember the exact speed. What I do remember is there's a "sweet spot" when it comes to the grinding. Too slow and it's not doing much...too fast and it's chattering on the rock. I believe each type of rock is different also. Softer rocks you can use slower speeds (and should as faster speeds and you can't fix any errors)...harder rocks kinda need a bit more speed. Thanks! I'll keep playing with the speeds. I did end up getting the diamond paste. excited to try that. Make sure you spray your buffing pads with Silicone (works the same as Extender Fluid) before you apply the diamond paste to the pads...  Basically the Silicone or Extender Fluid is necessary to help the diamonds to their job... |
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rocknewb101
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2022
Posts: 1,368
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Post by rocknewb101 on Nov 6, 2022 10:22:07 GMT -5
Great first attempt!! I've cut cabs with a Dremel...but never "carved" with it. Same principle though. When I was doing the "polishing", I would use wet/dry sandpaper up to 2000 grit. Then I would use some of my tumbling polish made into a paste and a polishing pad to do the final polishing. I read on here somewhere that others had used the paste method... I also found silicone carbide (SIC) sandpaper very useful. For me I used diamond burs to carve, then SIC sandpaper, then diamond paste on hard buffs.
You cut the sandpaper into strips and have to make sure to keep cutting off the used outer paper so you have fresh grit all the time. I started with 220, then 400 sandpaper & then went to 220 diamond paste through all the grits to 50,000.
Note- Make sure you get Silicone Carbide Sandpaper NOT aluminum oxide.
Aluminum Oxide isn't as hard.
No matter what- I found out that any carving takes time.
Patty
Thank you!! Hmmm ..I checked my order on the sandpapers and it doesn't specify what type it is. Is there another way I can tell? It only lists the grit sizes. |
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Post by liveoak on Nov 6, 2022 10:25:33 GMT -5
Silicon Carbide paper is USUALLY black & would be described as "Wet/Dry".
Patty
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rocknewb101
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2022
Posts: 1,368
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Post by rocknewb101 on Nov 7, 2022 9:01:30 GMT -5
Silicon Carbide paper is USUALLY black & would be described as "Wet/Dry". Patty Thanks! That's what I have so perhaps Im fine. I did find others that specified as such - none of them are super expensive so good to have a variety on hand |
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dirtsifter
Cave Dweller 
Co to za kamyczek?
Member since September 2022
Posts: 402 
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Post by dirtsifter on Nov 9, 2022 22:00:19 GMT -5
Nice work and great questions!
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rocknewb101
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2022
Posts: 1,368
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Post by rocknewb101 on Nov 10, 2022 8:11:02 GMT -5
Nice work and great questions! Thank you!! |
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Think this turned out ok for my first, but really underestimated the time it takes to shape lol...also, still not sure on the polish. If I can use my tumble polish, or if I have to buy something specific?
