Post by Brenda on Sept 4, 2004 11:17:30 GMT -5
HI THERE!! ;D
I am brand new to the tumbling stage of rocks....but not new to collecting!!! I have been fascinated by rocks basically as long as I can remember - bringing home rocks from the local creek to sit on my shelf when I was 5 years old
I am 35 and have been collecting rocks on a steady basis for over 5 years, becoming involved in them while looking for "alternative medicine" ideas when I became disabled with Fibromyalgia 7+ years ago. I started using them for their metaphysical properties - which I know among alot of collectors is a controversial topic
In the past few months, I have been adding to my collection (having sold alot of my previous pieces during my moves from California to Nebraska) and the rocks I have been most fascinated with and focusing on are rubies, sapphires and emeralds.
I now have alot of ruby, sapphire and emerald pieces that I am wanting to tumble. Don't worry - I have kept alot of them for specimens....but I have alot of little pieces, too.
Here is where my question comes in....and why I was so happy to find this group existed this morning!!!
What I have done with some of the neater pieces is take my Dremel and Diamond Point bits (120 grit) and smoothed out all but one face of the ruby - leaving that face rough and showing the neat growth pattern - but then having the smoothed sides showing the growth patterns and silk but more obvious than with the rough. (Does that make sense? LOL!!)
Now, I have purchased a 5 pound kit of grits. I got a "Rolling Stones" tumbler at a local garage sale for $5 - after searching online and finding out that even to ship a used one was at least $10!!!!
What I am wondering....if I put these pieces that I have used the Dremel but left one face rough in my Rock Tumbler with the FINE (Silicone Carbide 500 grit) and then then "Tripoli" and finally Polish (1000 grit tin oxide).....will it put a shine on the smoothed sides WITHOUT REMOVING THE ROUGH PART??
I bought Tripoli seperate, too - thinking it would probably be better to add this step between the "Fine" and "Polish" stages since rubies and sapphires are so hard. Is this proper thinking, or am I adding unnecessary expense and time with the Tripoli??
Also, the "Kit" comes with Aluminum Oxide Polish - but I purchased seperately the Tin Oxide polish (from all of my research, this is the 'best', right??) Is the Tin Oxide going to make that much of a difference when being used on Rubies and Sapphires??
What about on Emeralds?? Will the Aluminum Oxide be better on the softer emeralds??
One more question.....I bought both the plastic pellets and a Ceramic Media (angle cut cylinders that are non-abrasive, but you probably knew that already, right??) Would it be better to use the pellets with the emeralds and the ceramic media with the rubies and sapphires - or is the ceramic media better to use all the time with any stones??
I know this is a TON of information and questions.....but I am so excited to hear what you EXPERTS have to say!!!!
THANK YOU!!
Brenda
I am brand new to the tumbling stage of rocks....but not new to collecting!!! I have been fascinated by rocks basically as long as I can remember - bringing home rocks from the local creek to sit on my shelf when I was 5 years old
I am 35 and have been collecting rocks on a steady basis for over 5 years, becoming involved in them while looking for "alternative medicine" ideas when I became disabled with Fibromyalgia 7+ years ago. I started using them for their metaphysical properties - which I know among alot of collectors is a controversial topic
In the past few months, I have been adding to my collection (having sold alot of my previous pieces during my moves from California to Nebraska) and the rocks I have been most fascinated with and focusing on are rubies, sapphires and emeralds.
I now have alot of ruby, sapphire and emerald pieces that I am wanting to tumble. Don't worry - I have kept alot of them for specimens....but I have alot of little pieces, too.
Here is where my question comes in....and why I was so happy to find this group existed this morning!!!
What I have done with some of the neater pieces is take my Dremel and Diamond Point bits (120 grit) and smoothed out all but one face of the ruby - leaving that face rough and showing the neat growth pattern - but then having the smoothed sides showing the growth patterns and silk but more obvious than with the rough. (Does that make sense? LOL!!)
Now, I have purchased a 5 pound kit of grits. I got a "Rolling Stones" tumbler at a local garage sale for $5 - after searching online and finding out that even to ship a used one was at least $10!!!!
What I am wondering....if I put these pieces that I have used the Dremel but left one face rough in my Rock Tumbler with the FINE (Silicone Carbide 500 grit) and then then "Tripoli" and finally Polish (1000 grit tin oxide).....will it put a shine on the smoothed sides WITHOUT REMOVING THE ROUGH PART??
I bought Tripoli seperate, too - thinking it would probably be better to add this step between the "Fine" and "Polish" stages since rubies and sapphires are so hard. Is this proper thinking, or am I adding unnecessary expense and time with the Tripoli??
Also, the "Kit" comes with Aluminum Oxide Polish - but I purchased seperately the Tin Oxide polish (from all of my research, this is the 'best', right??) Is the Tin Oxide going to make that much of a difference when being used on Rubies and Sapphires??
What about on Emeralds?? Will the Aluminum Oxide be better on the softer emeralds??
One more question.....I bought both the plastic pellets and a Ceramic Media (angle cut cylinders that are non-abrasive, but you probably knew that already, right??) Would it be better to use the pellets with the emeralds and the ceramic media with the rubies and sapphires - or is the ceramic media better to use all the time with any stones??
I know this is a TON of information and questions.....but I am so excited to hear what you EXPERTS have to say!!!!
THANK YOU!!
Brenda