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Post by cabby on Jul 20, 2024 16:42:26 GMT -5
Time for a bunch of pictures of powders! How exciting! I can’t read most of the labels or I don’t understand what they mean… if you recognize any, please let me know when/how to use it! Not sure which are for tumbling, which for cabbing, or if they are general purpose… mystery powder 1, levitated alumina? Read another post that says it’s a “pre-polish” but don’t know if that means lapping or tumbling, or even when the heck to use a prepolish! Would have assumed that the finest grit before the polish was “pre” but guess not lol prepolish for tumbling, used between fine and polish. Thanks herb![](https://res.cloudinary.com/forum-rocktumblinghobby-com/image/upload/v1721510570/u0ea7roztrpxze6jr6hu.jpg) mystery powder 2: brick red something possibly iron oxide polish, thanks herb![](https://res.cloudinary.com/forum-rocktumblinghobby-com/image/upload/v1721510733/lx4y4ntnxfjs4o8niofv.jpg) mystery powder 3: orangey red something possibly more iron oxide, thanks herb![](https://res.cloudinary.com/forum-rocktumblinghobby-com/image/upload/v1721510802/tmnjnquvxdtvb3kyenw3.jpg) mystery powder 4: 600 (something) carbon (something)? ![](https://res.cloudinary.com/forum-rocktumblinghobby-com/image/upload/v1721510911/ncdffgsal6xrfhu5qxk7.jpg) ![](https://res.cloudinary.com/forum-rocktumblinghobby-com/image/upload/v1721510907/ufdsylhkbni5xgckrtrm.jpg) mystery powder 5: (something) powder. I don't know enough to puzzle out ![](https://res.cloudinary.com/forum-rocktumblinghobby-com/image/upload/v1721510982/lyhq83i7vuhrkkgrveh0.jpg) mystery powder 6: B+L corundum (something) +or minol K? 😳 wtf is that? ![](https://res.cloudinary.com/forum-rocktumblinghobby-com/image/upload/v1721511192/nkpgz2iwmi38r9nyvtsj.jpg) mystery powder 7: tripor? Triper? No clue Tripoli prepolish. Thank you, amygdule ![](https://res.cloudinary.com/forum-rocktumblinghobby-com/image/upload/v1721511371/xcozat0w4a5uwcsgqouw.jpg) mystery powder 8: I think it says cerium oxide? Peach colored and badly clumped. Still usable for something or toss it? Usable if breaks up easily, thanks herb![](https://res.cloudinary.com/forum-rocktumblinghobby-com/image/upload/v1721511670/bzgqv293sbdel6lqov5x.jpg) mystery powder 9: I think it says “first lapping compound”. It’s a very fine light grey powder. ![](https://res.cloudinary.com/forum-rocktumblinghobby-com/image/upload/v1721511731/zbtfv16eecegthf8r81l.jpg)
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Post by cabby on Jul 20, 2024 16:54:48 GMT -5
I also have a bunch of cans and boxes (not pictured) of whatever grits. Assuming those are for tumbling and still perfectly fine to use? Will be tossing out the cups with sawdust and spider webs! ![](https://res.cloudinary.com/forum-rocktumblinghobby-com/image/upload/v1721512118/ztxkulc5rbhaajorssfb.jpg) ![](https://res.cloudinary.com/forum-rocktumblinghobby-com/image/upload/v1721512114/rdtdnnzf20ue5l1vxo9w.jpg) found some old coolant additive and wheel grease… assuming that 40+ years is a bit much to hope for shelf life? ![](https://res.cloudinary.com/forum-rocktumblinghobby-com/image/upload/v1721512218/dldey97dr8risvevqzdc.jpg) ![](https://res.cloudinary.com/forum-rocktumblinghobby-com/image/upload/v1721512220/ah7pbdmcddnlat1rfhyb.jpg) had another mystery bag of powder but without any label to puzzle out I doubt anyone can tell me what it is… it’s beige and fine… yeah, that’s all I got. Assuming it isn’t besan 😆 ![](https://res.cloudinary.com/forum-rocktumblinghobby-com/image/upload/v1721512314/lda7o2hcyuou3roh9pcv.jpg) final pic shows why he had multiple copies of dvds, cds, books, etc ![](https://res.cloudinary.com/forum-rocktumblinghobby-com/image/upload/v1721512479/lj8isi1h2097j8dfmctg.jpg)
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chris1956
fully equipped rock polisher
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Post by chris1956 on Jul 20, 2024 18:48:30 GMT -5
Can't tell you too much but the old tins are great!
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Post by cabby on Jul 20, 2024 18:51:50 GMT -5
Can't tell you too much but the old tins are great! I agree! Especially “the hardest and sharpest abrasive material”! The combo of that tin and the mystery powders in stoppered bottles feels like snake oil
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Post by amygdule on Jul 20, 2024 19:47:15 GMT -5
That's probably Tripoli
A Silica based pre-polish at 1200 fine
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Post by cabby on Jul 20, 2024 20:54:12 GMT -5
That's probably Tripoli A Silica based pre-polish at 1200 fine Thank you! Hadn’t even considered that the “r” may have been “li”! You rock!
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herb
spending too much on rocks
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Post by herb on Jul 21, 2024 9:34:23 GMT -5
Mystery powder 1: levitated alumina. You might be refering to my post asking about it months ago. Normally for tumbling you use corse, medium, fine grits and then a polish. Prepolish is just finer than the fine grit. I have a jar of it. I tried it in a vibrating tumbler. It improved the polish of the stones compare to the 1000 grit fine stage, but didnt polish as well as an actual polish. Not sure it is really a needed step, but prepolish might be useful foe stones that are hard to get a good polish on.
Mystery powder 2 and 3: might be iron oxide. I have some jars of that too. Didn't look into it too much but it is apparently used as a polish. For what and how, i dont know. Maybe on a wheel or buff. I seem to remember it was for polishing metals but i could be wrong.
Mystery powder 4: 600 mesh Carborundum is my guess. Basically 600 grit silicon carbide grit for tumbling
Mystery powder 8: i think the cerium oxide is still usable as long as you can easily break up the clumps. Usually mixed with water as sprayed on a buffing wheel or disc for polishing cabs etc.
I really like the old tins! The powders should still be fine.
The coolent, i dont know. I have several quarts of raytech ray-cool (from memory, i think thats what it was labeled) that i always wondered about. Mine are probably from the 80s.
Im no expert but i think the grease is still ok, assuming it still has the texture and consistency of grease. I still have a big tin of grease that my dad had since at least the 70s and still seems to work fine
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Post by cabby on Jul 21, 2024 10:24:21 GMT -5
Mystery powder 1: levitated alumina. You might be refering to my post asking about it months ago. Normally for tumbling you use corse, medium, fine grits and then a polish. Prepolish is just finer than the fine grit. I have a jar of it. I tried it in a vibrating tumbler. It improved the polish of the stones compare to the 1000 grit fine stage, but didnt polish as well as an actual polish. Not sure it is really a needed step, but prepolish might be useful foe stones that are hard to get a good polish on. Mystery powder 2 and 3: might be iron oxide. I have some jars of that too. Didn't look into it too much but it is apparently used as a polish. For what and how, i dont know. Maybe on a wheel or buff. I seem to remember it was for polishing metals but i could be wrong. Mystery powder 4: 600 mesh Carborundum is my guess. Basically 600 grit silicon carbide grit for tumbling Mystery powder 8: i think the cerium oxide is still usable as long as you can easily break up the clumps. Usually mixed with water as sprayed on a buffing wheel or disc for polishing cabs etc. I really like the old tins! The powders should still be fine. The coolent, i dont know. I have several quarts of raytech ray-cool (from memory, i think thats what it was labeled) that i always wondered about. Mine are probably from the 80s. Im no expert but i think the grease is still ok, assuming it still has the texture and consistency of grease. I still have a big tin of grease that my dad had since at least the 70s and still seems to work fine I haven’t found any grits finer than 600, so I think you are spot on for how to use the levigated alumina! This guy was a chemist so I am not even 100% positive that these are all for lapidary, and the basement had been his father’s and grandfather’s cabinetry workshop… but since they were together I am assuming they got used for lapidary. I’ve noticed that some of the labels appear to say “corundum”… should I assume it should have been carborundum? the coolant bottles appear 80s, to me, which makes them one of the newest things I’ve found! Have seen some receipts for rough from the 80s, but all of the grinding wheels, sandpaper, saws etc seem older.
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herb
spending too much on rocks
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Post by herb on Jul 21, 2024 12:44:41 GMT -5
Mystery powder 1: levitated alumina. You might be refering to my post asking about it months ago. Normally for tumbling you use corse, medium, fine grits and then a polish. Prepolish is just finer than the fine grit. I have a jar of it. I tried it in a vibrating tumbler. It improved the polish of the stones compare to the 1000 grit fine stage, but didnt polish as well as an actual polish. Not sure it is really a needed step, but prepolish might be useful foe stones that are hard to get a good polish on. Mystery powder 2 and 3: might be iron oxide. I have some jars of that too. Didn't look into it too much but it is apparently used as a polish. For what and how, i dont know. Maybe on a wheel or buff. I seem to remember it was for polishing metals but i could be wrong. Mystery powder 4: 600 mesh Carborundum is my guess. Basically 600 grit silicon carbide grit for tumbling Mystery powder 8: i think the cerium oxide is still usable as long as you can easily break up the clumps. Usually mixed with water as sprayed on a buffing wheel or disc for polishing cabs etc. I really like the old tins! The powders should still be fine. The coolent, i dont know. I have several quarts of raytech ray-cool (from memory, i think thats what it was labeled) that i always wondered about. Mine are probably from the 80s. Im no expert but i think the grease is still ok, assuming it still has the texture and consistency of grease. I still have a big tin of grease that my dad had since at least the 70s and still seems to work fine I haven’t found any grits finer than 600, so I think you are spot on for how to use the levigated alumina! This guy was a chemist so I am not even 100% positive that these are all for lapidary, and the basement had been his father’s and grandfather’s cabinetry workshop… but since they were together I am assuming they got used for lapidary. I’ve noticed that some of the labels appear to say “corundum”… should I assume it should have been carborundum? the coolant bottles appear 80s, to me, which makes them one of the newest things I’ve found! Have seen some receipts for rough from the 80s, but all of the grinding wheels, sandpaper, saws etc seem older. I hadn't even thought of corundum! The labels that say corundum are probably correct. Corundum is another type of abrasive. The label on your mystery powder looks like it has too many letters for corundom so I'll stick with my guess of carborundum.
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Fossilman
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Post by Fossilman on Jul 27, 2024 15:33:43 GMT -5
Those containers are worth more than the products that are in them...😎
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demihuman
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Post by demihuman on Aug 13, 2024 10:33:14 GMT -5
Carborundum conundrum?
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herb
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Post by herb on Aug 13, 2024 11:50:19 GMT -5
Or it xould also be a corundum conundrum!
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demihuman
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Post by demihuman on Aug 13, 2024 22:15:28 GMT -5
Or it could also be a corundum conundrum! Well that's the rub isn't it?
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