inflight22
has rocks in the head
Member since January 2006
Posts: 710
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Post by inflight22 on Apr 5, 2006 18:40:21 GMT -5
Back when I first started tumbling, I bought up stuff like malachite, calcite and flourite, rubies, sapphires, etc. on eBay. It didn't take long after joining this board to learn that these are not your ordinary rocks for tumbling, as they are so soft. I couldn't resist experimenting with some of them, and thought I'd share the results with you. All the rocks shaped up really nice, really fast. I'd say they were pulled out of 90 cycle in a matter of two or three days, then saved for the 220 and 500 cycles. They were all pulled out of these stages early, as well. I kept them in the polish cycle for two weeks. It may be hard to tell from the photos, but they all have a satin vs. glossy shine, and do look rather nice to the naked eye. Flourite (green) and calcite (orange).  Malachite.  although I have a few remaining chunks of malachite running through the cycles right now, the only stone I'll probably ever want to do again is the flourite. Jolene |
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inflight22
has rocks in the head
Member since January 2006
Posts: 710
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Post by inflight22 on Apr 5, 2006 18:41:17 GMT -5
P.S. Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that rubies and sapphires were soft! I only meant the malachite, flourite, and calcite.
jj
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Post by Cher on Apr 5, 2006 18:45:38 GMT -5
Those look very nice, I really like the flourite and calcite, pretty colors.
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rollingstone
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since July 2009
Posts: 236
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Post by rollingstone on Apr 5, 2006 20:12:35 GMT -5
Those came out much better than I would have imagined -- I'd have to call that a big success. My fave is the orange calcite, with the fluorite a close second. I think the transparent/translucent nature of these two materials really makes them look appealing even if the shine isn't super high-gloss. I think they are harder than malachite too, which maybe gives them a better shine. Well done.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller 
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,503
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Post by Sabre52 on Apr 5, 2006 20:22:26 GMT -5
Wow for soft, material they look real good to me. Love the fluorite. really nice color and actually the satin finish looks kinda nice.....mel
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Post by stoner on Apr 5, 2006 20:31:38 GMT -5
Those look nice Jolene. I'd call that a success. All you need now is a grinder to put a high gloss polish on them.
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inflight22
has rocks in the head
Member since January 2006
Posts: 710
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Post by inflight22 on Apr 5, 2006 20:38:21 GMT -5
Thanks, guys. They are all going to make a nice little piece to glue a bell cap on or to glue on something else.
jj
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Post by Alice on Apr 5, 2006 21:11:00 GMT -5
those came out great Jolene Where's the rest of the batch? Surely you didn't throw just those 4 rocks into the tumbler. I wanna see, I wanna see  |
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Post by Toad on Apr 5, 2006 21:21:47 GMT -5
Nice job on difficult material.
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inflight22
has rocks in the head
Member since January 2006
Posts: 710
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Post by inflight22 on Apr 5, 2006 22:10:11 GMT -5
Alice, you are too smart for me! I do have the rest of the batch, which I should show photos of. The shine came out nice, but I think I should have let them stay in rough a little longer. I will take a photo though, since you called me on it!
jj
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Post by joe on Apr 5, 2006 22:41:25 GMT -5
Those look good Jolene. One of the green ones looks like a translucent Easter egg. I like it.
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Post by LCARS on Apr 5, 2006 23:02:06 GMT -5
Does the flourite glow at all under a black light?
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Post by rocklicker on Apr 6, 2006 0:20:56 GMT -5
You picked a tough bunch to start with, but they came out very nicely! Tumbling fluorite is an artform, one I am really not good at. So you are already a step ahead. I like also the orange calcite. I agree with wanting to see the rest of the batch, especially the rest of those Malachites!
Steve
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Post by rockyraccoon on Apr 6, 2006 0:25:17 GMT -5
very impressed with that. you did good!
kim
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
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Post by stefan on Apr 6, 2006 14:18:39 GMT -5
Nothing wrong with those- Congrates on a challanging tumble!
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SirRoxalot
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since October 2003
Posts: 790
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Post by SirRoxalot on Jan 11, 2014 9:09:47 GMT -5
Apologies for unearthing an eight year old thread, but this appears to be the only mention on the entire forum of anybody having success bringing calcite and fluorite to even some degree of a tumbled polish.
If inflight22 is still around, or if anybody has replicated this feat, I'd very much like to know the particulars.
I have a couple boxes of nice local calcite and fluorite without specimen potential that I'd loooove to tumble polish!
Thanks for any help!!!
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Jan 11, 2014 10:25:24 GMT -5
Flourite is soft and tumbles fast. Makes for quick results. Great for impatient people.Then you can finish the polish on a buff.
It is a pretty stone. Looks like you got the recipe down . Congrats.
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