wendet
off to a rocking start
Member since July 2024
Posts: 3
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Post by wendet on Jul 28, 2024 12:29:49 GMT -5
Really new to rock tumbling.
Have completed my first batch & it was fairly successful. 😉
I have been reading many posts here and found some that mention baking soda might be used for grit.
Is this true?
If so which stage would baking soda be used for?
I appreciate any advice.
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Post by rmf on Jul 28, 2024 16:08:17 GMT -5
Baking soda is used for grit in cleaning delicate fossils. It is used as grit in a sand blaster. Can't see how it would be used in a tumbler since it is water solubile.
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wendet
off to a rocking start
Member since July 2024
Posts: 3
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Post by wendet on Jul 28, 2024 19:04:21 GMT -5
Thanks for that reply! Makes perfect sense.
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Post by vegasjames on Jul 28, 2024 20:24:49 GMT -5
A debate cams up on this many years ago here about using basking soda in water tumbling.
Of course, being water soluble it definitely will not work as a grit.
Although, in water it will dissociate forming sodium and carbonate. The sodium can react with water forming traces of sodium hydroxide, which does dissolve silica. In this case though, this would be just a very superficial etching of the surface. Some people swear by the addition of baking soda to their tumbles, so maybe this is helping to create a surface that is helping with the polish.
This etching of the surface is the same principle as what happens with glass shower doors when the water is not removed afterward, or even the etching of concrete/cement walls and sidewalks from sprinkler water over time. As the water dissociates, the hydroxide group formed combines with metals of minerals formed producing mineral (metal) hydroxides such as calcium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, and potassium hydroxide that dissolve silica etching the shower glass of concrete/cement.
If you want to see a more radical example of this, take a tin can and put it on a camping stove outside. Put some sodium hydroxide powder in the can and hat it up to melt the sodium hydroxide. Whole molten, put a glass in the molten sodium hydroxide and the glass will dissolve forming sodium silicate.
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cthomas
off to a rocking start
Member since April 2023
Posts: 24
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Post by cthomas on Jul 29, 2024 19:12:48 GMT -5
I vaguely remember some of these baking soda threads, I think the Baking Soda was meant to help reduce gas build up in the barrel depending on what you were tumbling.
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Post by vegasjames on Jul 29, 2024 20:45:32 GMT -5
I vaguely remember some of these baking soda threads, I think the Baking Soda was meant to help reduce gas build up in the barrel depending on what you were tumbling. I don't see how baking soda could reduce gas formation in barrels. There are only two ways that I can see this being done. Either using a surfactant such as diemthicone or even a small amount of soap, or using a CO2 scavenger such as calcium oxide (caustic lime).
Otherwise, baking soda would react with any acids present releasing CO2 gas.
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