hoolligan1938
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2022
Posts: 253
|
Post by hoolligan1938 on Apr 25, 2023 17:47:44 GMT -5
For my final polish I use Rock Shed's polishing compound, or Kingsley Norths Raybrite polishing compound. I use these in a Lot-O vibe with a 1/2 teaspoon of polish and after the rocks are wetted and the excess water drained off. I also use an appropriate amount of either the small ceramic filler or the large ceramic filler. I have about 2 pounds of the Rock Shed's polish so I would prefer to use it but I get so much foaming when I do. The "Raybrite" does not foam so I don't know what the difference is. I contacted Shawn at the Rock Shed and he said they do NOT get any foaming when polishing with their material. Does anyone know why this happens? Is there a cure for the foaming that will NOT ruin the polishing? I've searched the forum and others mention the foaming but I can't seem to find an absolute cure for this.
If anyone has had this same experience, let me know what you did to cure the problem. With all the foam, I can't see the rocks to see how they are doing.
Thanks
Jim
|
|
|
Post by jasoninsd on Apr 26, 2023 5:31:24 GMT -5
That's interesting Jim. I'm not sure I'd have an answer for you...but I'm betting someone who might have an answer is going to want to know what kind of rocks you have in the Lot-O when this is happening.
|
|
rocknewb101
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2022
Posts: 1,368
|
Post by rocknewb101 on Apr 26, 2023 8:00:13 GMT -5
That is strange - I use their polish too and never get foaming. Do you use borax or any soap in your polish stage? Seems obvious but maybe even left over? I just got a loratone 3A and have only used for coarse, but every single time I open it everything is super bubbly and foamy - none of my other tumblers do that. I use the rocksheds grit for all tumblers and no soap - very weird. Reaction to something maybe?
|
|
|
Post by Starguy on Apr 26, 2023 10:11:54 GMT -5
I’ve had the random foamy batch over the years. It’s never been consistent. I always chalked it up to residual soap in the barrel after a clean out.
|
|
hoolligan1938
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2022
Posts: 253
|
Post by hoolligan1938 on Apr 26, 2023 10:16:44 GMT -5
The foaming that I get is only in the final polish stage. Never get it in the first five stages. The only difference is in the polish. This happens on all rocks that I final polish. I haven't used any Borax because I don't know anything about it, like how much to use, what it does, and if it will interfere with the polish. All opinions are welcomed.
Jim
|
|
stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
|
Post by stefan on Apr 29, 2023 17:56:39 GMT -5
Borax "MAY" prevent the foaming. I use 1/2 of a tbsp in my MT-4. I am using Rock Shed AO and no foaming issues. I have a similiar problem with 500 SiC grit. It foams no matter what I try. The foam is almost oily and leaves a residue (like carbon black almost). I only have problems with this grit and have tried everything (including baking soda, tums, borax, jet dry, cat litter dust, talcum powder, sugar, salt, vinegar, plastic pellets, ceramic pellets) and I get foam. Only thing I can think of is some kind of contamination.
|
|
hplcman
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2022
Posts: 460
|
Post by hplcman on May 1, 2023 11:21:10 GMT -5
Borax "MAY" prevent the foaming. I use 1/2 of a tbsp in my MT-4. I am using Rock Shed AO and no foaming issues. I have a similiar problem with 500 SiC grit. It foams no matter what I try. The foam is almost oily and leaves a residue (like carbon black almost). I only have problems with this grit and have tried everything (including baking soda, tums, borax, jet dry, cat litter dust, talcum powder, sugar, salt, vinegar, plastic pellets, ceramic pellets) and I get foam. Only thing I can think of is some kind of contamination. Contamination from the rocks? Contamination from the grit? Contamination from the barrel? Contamination from some other source? Troubleshooting this would be interesting... Start with a thorough clean of the barrels. I would scrub with Dawn, rinse well, then a good rubbing with a weak polar solvent, like ethanol or methanol. That should get rid of any barrel residue. Then I would try tumbling a load of inert ceramics. If you get foaming from the ceramics I think I would start to suspect the grit... But all of this may be moot if the foaming isn't really affecting the tumbles at all...
|
|
hplcman
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2022
Posts: 460
|
Post by hplcman on May 1, 2023 11:24:09 GMT -5
For my final polish I use Rock Shed's polishing compound, or Kingsley Norths Raybrite polishing compound. I use these in a Lot-O vibe with a 1/2 teaspoon of polish and after the rocks are wetted and the excess water drained off. I also use an appropriate amount of either the small ceramic filler or the large ceramic filler. I have about 2 pounds of the Rock Shed's polish so I would prefer to use it but I get so much foaming when I do. The "Raybrite" does not foam so I don't know what the difference is. I contacted Shawn at the Rock Shed and he said they do NOT get any foaming when polishing with their material. Does anyone know why this happens? Is there a cure for the foaming that will NOT ruin the polishing? I've searched the forum and others mention the foaming but I can't seem to find an absolute cure for this. If anyone has had this same experience, let me know what you did to cure the problem. With all the foam, I can't see the rocks to see how they are doing. Thanks Jim In my lab, when we get severe foaming of a sample preparation, we usually break the foam through the addition of a solvent. What I would try if I were you is put some isopropyl alcohol or ethanol in a spray bottle and lightly spray the foam with that. The solvent will break the foam and shouldn't hurt the polishing at all...
|
|
|
Post by Rockoonz on May 1, 2023 13:00:38 GMT -5
If we put marble rocks in a tumble batch we can get foaming and gas pressure as well in a rotary, some kind of reaction between rocks or between rocks and grit/polish during the process, so we don't tumble marble.
|
|