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Post by jasoninsd on Aug 25, 2023 21:20:33 GMT -5
I totally agree with letting them ride the 220 train for awhile longer.  |
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Post by Lazy Perfectionist on Aug 28, 2023 11:16:33 GMT -5
Looking forward to watching the progress!
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hplcman
spending too much on rocks
Looking forward to my Friday Night Barrel Clean out!
Member since August 2022
Posts: 494
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Post by hplcman on Aug 28, 2023 13:49:32 GMT -5
Looking forward to watching the progress! I'm looking forward to posting the progress!! I have never tumbled obsidian before, and am really looking forward to the results! |
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waterboysh
spending too much on rocks
Member since April 2021
Posts: 386
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Post by waterboysh on Sept 1, 2023 9:11:51 GMT -5
I have never tumbled obsidian before, and am really looking forward to the results! My biggest advice is to use lots of media. I use probably around a 50/50 mix with Obsidian. |
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hplcman
spending too much on rocks
Looking forward to my Friday Night Barrel Clean out!
Member since August 2022
Posts: 494
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Post by hplcman on Sept 1, 2023 11:08:27 GMT -5
I have never tumbled obsidian before, and am really looking forward to the results! My biggest advice is to use lots of media. I use probably around a 50/50 mix with Obsidian. Thanks for that! This piece is the only rock in the barrel, the rest of the volume (up to about 75% of the barrel, is mixed medium and small ceramics). I wanted to baby this rock though all the tumbler stages! |
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Post by jasoninsd on Sept 1, 2023 20:43:39 GMT -5
I don't think one more week in 220 is going to be enough to get rid of those pits...but I would love it if you proved me wrong!  |
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hplcman
spending too much on rocks
Looking forward to my Friday Night Barrel Clean out!
Member since August 2022
Posts: 494
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Post by hplcman on Sept 2, 2023 12:29:56 GMT -5
I don't think one more week in 220 is going to be enough to get rid of those pits...but I would love it if you proved me wrong! I agree. I’ve already made the decision to move them along to 500 AO after another 7 days here! Thanks! |
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Post by jasoninsd on Sept 2, 2023 22:43:02 GMT -5
I don't think one more week in 220 is going to be enough to get rid of those pits...but I would love it if you proved me wrong! I agree. I’ve already made the decision to move them along to 500 AO after another 7 days here! Thanks! Yeah...I've done that with several rocks...accepted a few "spots" just so I don't lose the overall look of the rock. Just be sure to get all the grit/crud out of those pits before moving them onto the next stage. |
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hplcman
spending too much on rocks
Looking forward to my Friday Night Barrel Clean out!
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Posts: 494
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Post by hplcman on Sept 8, 2023 10:36:46 GMT -5
So I updated this post to include the 21-day results in 220 grit (with a bunch of ceramics). jasoninsd - you were totally right about the pitting! At this point I don't want to spend any more time grinding this rock down to try to remove them, so off to 500 grit it goes! At this point is where I could use some advice. I don't have a vibratory tumbler, so am finishing this in a rotary. I'll try to usual process, 500 AO for a week then AO polish for a week or two (with loads of ceramics, of course). Is that appropriate for obsidian? Thanks! Justin |
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waterboysh
spending too much on rocks
Member since April 2021
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Post by waterboysh on Sept 8, 2023 13:01:44 GMT -5
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hplcman
spending too much on rocks
Looking forward to my Friday Night Barrel Clean out!
Member since August 2022
Posts: 494
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Post by hplcman on Sept 8, 2023 18:24:16 GMT -5
This is great, thanks! I only have 1 piece of obsidian in there (the one photographed) and the rest of the volume (about 75%) is ceramics. I'm running 500 AO now, and will let that go about 2 weeks before checking, based on your write up! |
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Post by jasoninsd on Sept 8, 2023 20:50:58 GMT -5
This is great, thanks! I only have 1 piece of obsidian in there (the one photographed) and the rest of the volume (about 75%) is ceramics. I'm running 500 AO now, and will let that go about 2 weeks before checking, based on your write up! I'm stoked about seeing how this turns out! I've had issues in the past with not enough cushion...but with this being the only stone in the tumbler besides the ceramics, I can't see as where there's going to be any bruising or chipping. Do whatever is necessary to "flush" out those pits...just so there's no grit or crud trapped in there. If you've got a dental pick, those work great...otherwise flush it out the best way you can. |
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hplcman
spending too much on rocks
Looking forward to my Friday Night Barrel Clean out!
Member since August 2022
Posts: 494
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Post by hplcman on Sept 11, 2023 11:57:24 GMT -5
This is great, thanks! I only have 1 piece of obsidian in there (the one photographed) and the rest of the volume (about 75%) is ceramics. I'm running 500 AO now, and will let that go about 2 weeks before checking, based on your write up! I'm stoked about seeing how this turns out! I've had issues in the past with not enough cushion...but with this being the only stone in the tumbler besides the ceramics, I can't see as where there's going to be any bruising or chipping. Do whatever is necessary to "flush" out those pits...just so there's no grit or crud trapped in there. If you've got a dental pick, those work great...otherwise flush it out the best way you can. Thanks again for that! I pulled the hunk out of the barrel on Saturday and went over those pits with a sewing needle and old toothbrush to remove most of the impacted gunk in those pits. I'll be sure to carefully do that between stage 3 and 4 as well! |
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Post by velodromed on Sept 11, 2023 12:18:09 GMT -5
Indeed! I think that’s what I love about this hobby is watching these rocks transform over time. I haven’t ever photographed the process, so this will he nice for me to go back and reference in the future. It’s all looking really nice! I’m enjoying the updates also. |
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rixrocks
having dreams about rocks
Member since September 2019
Posts: 51
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Post by rixrocks on Sept 19, 2023 14:11:51 GMT -5
I don't have much experience tumbling obsidian so I am curious why you didn't start out with 60-90 grit in the first stage in order to grind down those pits and round the edges faster.
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller 
Member since January 2009
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Post by Fossilman on Sept 19, 2023 15:14:10 GMT -5
I've rolled a lot of obsidian; it does great through all the rotary cycles but just doesn't polish up as well as a vibe tumbler.
I put mine on a sanding wheel before I start tumbling them, it gets the pits out..
Can't wait to see your end results.. Looking good so far.
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Sept 19, 2023 15:57:26 GMT -5
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hplcman
spending too much on rocks
Looking forward to my Friday Night Barrel Clean out!
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Posts: 494
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Post by hplcman on Sept 20, 2023 14:52:12 GMT -5
I don't have much experience tumbling obsidian so I am curious why you didn't start out with 60-90 grit in the first stage in order to grind down those pits and round the edges faster. Obsidian is pretty soft, at about 5 on the MOHS scale? For that reason I didn't want to grind it down too quickly with 60-90 grit. Also, this is my first attempt at obsidian, so I wanted to go slow with it! If I were to do it again I think, with how rough this rock started out, I would feel inclined to start at stage 1 grit... Live and learn! |
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hplcman
spending too much on rocks
Looking forward to my Friday Night Barrel Clean out!
Member since August 2022
Posts: 494
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Post by hplcman on Sept 20, 2023 14:54:11 GMT -5
I've rolled a lot of obsidian; it does great through all the rotary cycles but just doesn't polish up as well as a vibe tumbler. I put mine on a sanding wheel before I start tumbling them, it gets the pits out.. Can't wait to see your end results.. Looking good so far. Thank you! Honestly, I'll be happy if it takes a shine at all in my rotary! I wish I had taken a dremel to parts of it beforehand, but I'm happy I didn't. This has been a great learning experience for me, and I'll apply the lessons learned when I try tumbling some velvet obsidian I have coming in the mail! |
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hplcman
spending too much on rocks
Looking forward to my Friday Night Barrel Clean out!
Member since August 2022
Posts: 494
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Post by hplcman on Sept 20, 2023 14:57:49 GMT -5
Dude, if my hunk has even a fraction of that shine I'll be totally stoked. Those tumbled obsidian pieces look just AMAZING! I'm finishing up my second week in 500 AO (no recharging) and am planning on moving on to a couple weeks tumbling in AO polish. I hope I can get that level of shine after that treatment! Thanks Chuck! Justin |
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