Mazanec
spending too much on rocks
Member since March 2004
Posts: 355
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Post by Mazanec on Oct 29, 2004 10:24:22 GMT -5
Any advice on this one? I know enough to bulk up the barrel with stuff cause it's so dense, any material or just pellets? I also know enough to wear gloves, any advice on anything else? I'll wait a few days and then start when you've had enough time to comment, then describe my progress here.
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Post by krazydiamond on Oct 29, 2004 11:43:45 GMT -5
i haven't tumbled a pure batch of the stuff, but i had some material that looked like it had hematite in it....i ground some the other day and...well...you are doing the right thing by wearing gloves! red everywhere!
let us know how you make out with it...
KD
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Post by Cher on Oct 29, 2004 11:46:39 GMT -5
Don't panic too much about getting it on your hands. I've played in iron ore a lot (which is what hematite is) and a good hard scrubbing will take the red off your hands. Worry more about getting it on your clothes, it does stain and that doesn't come out so easily.
Cher
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Mazanec
spending too much on rocks
Member since March 2004
Posts: 355
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Post by Mazanec on Oct 31, 2004 6:15:39 GMT -5
Well, my involves a lot of toilet cleaning, bleach using, working in dirty places, etc. so I should have some expendable clothes.
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Post by rockyraccoon on Oct 31, 2004 13:42:54 GMT -5
i've got some too mazanec. i was wondering since it is so dense and heavy how i'd fill a 6# barrel with it. are you saying i should put in like 3 lbs of hematite and then some gravel or something instead of running a pure load? did the guy at the rock shop suggest this?
kim
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Mazanec
spending too much on rocks
Member since March 2004
Posts: 355
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Post by Mazanec on Oct 31, 2004 14:49:36 GMT -5
I've read this suggestion. I got the hematite on-line.
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Post by Cher on Oct 31, 2004 15:04:54 GMT -5
FYI on the hematite weight, I grabbed my trusty digital scale and weighed some. 3.01 pounds filled a 3lb barrel to 3/4 full. I'm going to do a load of straight hematite, but it definitely won't be 3 pounds worth.
As far as the staining, I wonder if there's any possibility that it could stain other rocks? Guess if you want to add something else, you should be careful to use stuff that's not important in case staining does occur.
Cher
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Post by rockyraccoon on Oct 31, 2004 18:50:03 GMT -5
well help me out here. if 3.01 lbs got the barrel to proper level could you not just run only hematite? it wouldn't be overloaded or overweighted. am i missing something? does the density have more to do with it than the weight?
kim
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Post by cookie3rocks on Oct 31, 2004 21:45:54 GMT -5
Sure sounds like you could. Hematite is so dense, but very soft at the same time. I've never been able to bring any to polish in a mixed load. I would run it alone and see what happens. Come to think of it, as soft as it is, pellets couln't possibly hurt, might help. cookie
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Post by Cher on Oct 31, 2004 21:49:13 GMT -5
I wouldn't do a full 3 pounds though, isn't it better to have the barrel around 2/3 rds full?
Cher
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Mazanec
spending too much on rocks
Member since March 2004
Posts: 355
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Post by Mazanec on Nov 2, 2004 0:57:33 GMT -5
Seems I used up all my course grit on the jasper. I'll get some more soon...want to pay down the credit card first. Besides, I am preparing the house for sale , have jury duty coming up, and probably more little problems I don't even know about yet!
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Mazanec
spending too much on rocks
Member since March 2004
Posts: 355
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Post by Mazanec on Nov 30, 2004 13:12:44 GMT -5
Boy, that hematite is dense! Used the whole thing and still needed pellets. Grit from Rockshed...two tootsie rolls, one butterscotch, one cinnamon.
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Post by hermatite on Nov 30, 2004 16:00:54 GMT -5
How's it looking so far? Is it shiney yet? Are you getting good shape? And thanks for the candy update...it reminded me why I like the rockshed.
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JKowalski33
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2004
Posts: 451
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Post by JKowalski33 on Nov 30, 2004 16:01:05 GMT -5
well if about 3lbs filled a lb barrel 3/4 full, that is just the hematite. once water and grit have been added, it will be much more than 3lbs. i've been wanting to do some hematite for a while, think i might order some from the rockshed soon
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Mazanec
spending too much on rocks
Member since March 2004
Posts: 355
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Post by Mazanec on Nov 30, 2004 17:04:58 GMT -5
I just started the first cycle. I'll let you know as I progress. Real Life has been kinda hectic the last few weeks.
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Mazanec
spending too much on rocks
Member since March 2004
Posts: 355
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Post by Mazanec on Dec 6, 2004 10:30:38 GMT -5
HOLY PAINTPOT, BATMAN!! I thought I was prepared for what I would see when I opened the barrel for a quick recharge...but it is like smelling a skunk...no description can prepare you. If I did not know about hematite I would have dropped the barrel in shock! Anyway, I checked a few stones (using disposable gloves) and they seem round and smooth...I'll wash them off after this cycle and see if they are ready for fine grit. Is hematite softer than jasper? It seems to be progressing better, or maybe my initial stones were just better shaped.
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JC
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since September 2004
Posts: 107
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Post by JC on Dec 6, 2004 23:42:09 GMT -5
Hey Cher, is it hard to clean the barrels after a tumble of hematite?
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Post by Cher on Dec 7, 2004 8:51:21 GMT -5
Haven't tumbled any yet JC ... just a few small pieces that were mixed with jasper and those didn't leave any after effects. I really need to do a load so I know for sure.
Cher
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Mazanec
spending too much on rocks
Member since March 2004
Posts: 355
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Post by Mazanec on Dec 7, 2004 14:14:10 GMT -5
I'll let you know...
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Mazanec
spending too much on rocks
Member since March 2004
Posts: 355
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Post by Mazanec on Dec 12, 2004 6:49:27 GMT -5
Well, it sure was hard to clean the barrel for the fine grit! The stones look gray now, not rust brown. I am trying an experiment, since I don't have enough pellets "uncontaminated" by coarse grit. I am putting some leftover sodalite in with the hematite. Since sodalite is even softer than hematite, this should actually round the sodalite a bit and get me started on my next load (which I plan to be the leftover sodalite). It is amazing how dense that stuff is...most of the volume in the barrel is sodalite, but most of the weight is hematite! btw, it is awfully cloudy here in NE Ohio. Maybe someday I will get to take some more pictures in the sun? If the sun ever shows up again...
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