earthdog
Cave Dweller
Don't eat yellow snow
Member since June 2006
Posts: 2,731
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Post by earthdog on Feb 20, 2005 21:15:55 GMT -5
I just bought some black basalt, African queen jasper, arroyo picture jasper, red jasper/hematite, and some green moss agate. Can I tumble these together or not? I tried finding the hardness for these, with no luck. The wife also got me some pink opal, which I understand to be pretty soft. Since I am pretty new to all of this, can any of you give me some tips on tumbling them? Oh, one more question, I started a load of pet. Wood and tiger eye, those two are safe to tumble together, right? ![???](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/huh.png)
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Post by Cher on Feb 20, 2005 22:35:10 GMT -5
I believe the pet wood and tiger eye should be ok together, if I'm wrong, someone will correct me. As far as the others, check in tips, I think someone posted some hardness info there and how to test them. You can also do a search for MOH's hardness and you'll find the info.
Cher
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Post by rockyraccoon on Feb 20, 2005 23:41:17 GMT -5
you should be able to tumble the jaspers, agates, pet. wood and tiger eye together possibly even the red jasper with hematite. i know with the hematite it is recommended to tumble it separately because the red or the iron can stain the other rocks so i don't know about that one. somebody who has done it will tell us. bearcreek does alot of opal work and i haven't seen him on lately but he could answer about the opal and doc can also. i know nothing about the basalt. i saw your pics and they all look great especially the opal.
i think donwrob did some african picture jasper awhile back - is it the same as the african queen? you might look way back for his post and pics on it.
kim
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Post by creativeminded on Feb 21, 2005 9:05:52 GMT -5
The black basalt is probably the same hardness as obsidian because they come from the same source valcanos. www.naturallstones.com/VOLCANIC_STONES/Basalt/basalt.htmlThis says Black basalt has a Mohs of 5. I checked another site for obsidian and it said that obsidian also had a hardness of 5 as well as apache tears. Tami
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Post by Cher on Feb 21, 2005 9:30:42 GMT -5
I've tumbled red jasper striped with hematite in with my agate and other jaspers, didn't have any trouble and with only a little bit the red from iron ore isn't a problem.
Cher
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earthdog
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Don't eat yellow snow
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Post by earthdog on Feb 21, 2005 9:33:31 GMT -5
Thank you very muck for the help. The african queen is a very diff. looking rock from the arroyo pic. jasper. So basiclly I can tumble all jaspers together and all agates together?
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stefan
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Member since January 2005
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Post by stefan on Feb 21, 2005 9:35:25 GMT -5
mee too on the jasper/hematite- I pulled it for prepolish and polish as the hematite kept leaving silver streaks on the other rocks ( this polishes off real easily) Not sure on the basalt- Should work the same as obsidian- be careful with the opal- It tends to be very soft and can turn into notheing real quick( I read somewhere about working opal by itself with lots of pellets to cusion it as it is more prone to fractures)
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earthdog
Cave Dweller
Don't eat yellow snow
Member since June 2006
Posts: 2,731
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Post by earthdog on Feb 21, 2005 11:09:27 GMT -5
After I cut the opal to the shape I want, can I start out with a finer grit for the first stage, like 220, or should I start with 80 and check it in a day or so? I have :46/70, 80, 60/90, 220, 120/220, 500, 1000, tripoli and some others.
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stefan
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Member since January 2005
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Post by stefan on Feb 21, 2005 13:24:03 GMT -5
The problem is that some opal is harder than others- I would probably start the cut stuff in 120/220 then move on from there- but keep a close eye on it- I have some opal I wanted to work with (mostly precious in matrix) but I'm just to scared to do anything until I learn more!
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earthdog
Cave Dweller
Don't eat yellow snow
Member since June 2006
Posts: 2,731
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Post by earthdog on Feb 21, 2005 16:24:20 GMT -5
Thanks Stefan. I think thats what I'll do. I hope to cut it in a nice shape, then just to smooth it out. BTW, I already ate up my blade that came with the saw... ![:o](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/shocked.png)
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Post by sandsman1 on Feb 21, 2005 17:32:25 GMT -5
earthdog if you already killed a blade your pushing too hard you gotta let the blade do the work dont try and cut so fast --i killed acouple before i realized what i was doin wrong on my 8inch saw --just give it a steady slow push its gonna take longer but its worth not havein to buy a blade every two weeks hahaha -----i was buyin one about every two to three weeks and i thought it was because i was buyin cheaper blades but it was me you cant force the cut
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Post by krazydiamond on Feb 21, 2005 17:52:05 GMT -5
amen, Sands.
i went through a few good blades before i realized i was forcing the stone. i still have to be easy, cuz i am just so impatient.
i need an auto feed.
KD
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earthdog
Cave Dweller
Don't eat yellow snow
Member since June 2006
Posts: 2,731
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Post by earthdog on Feb 21, 2005 20:38:11 GMT -5
Thats what I was doing. To fast on cutting the tiger eye. Thanks everyone. This place is pretty darn helpful.
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Post by cookie3rocks on Feb 21, 2005 20:47:28 GMT -5
Hell, I killed 2 motors in a month. I'm assuming the blades are toast. How did I kill the motors? Was I really pushing the stones that hard, or were the motors defective or what? Agrivating ![>:(](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/angry.png) cookie
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stefan
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Member since January 2005
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Post by stefan on Feb 22, 2005 10:35:17 GMT -5
Earth was that the home depot tile saw? Man my blade is still in great shape (I've only made 20 or so cuts) Cookie- first motor- probably defective, 2nd motor- Well How to put this nicely- User error- One thing I learned a long time ago about electric motors- They should NEVER sound like they are straining or slowing down- They are not made to have a lot of torque put on them- if you baby them and work them slowly and let the RPMs do the work they will last forever- Horse them and they puke! I had a 15 yr old Dremel tool that I was horsing pretty hard- The damn thing stalled and caught fire in my hands- NOT FUN- My new dremel is babied little cuts with NO PRESSURE! Same for rock saws!
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