beaddot
spending too much on rocks
Member since March 2008
Posts: 266
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Post by beaddot on Apr 4, 2008 6:38:08 GMT -5
We cut some geodes and one of them has brown crystals in it. Hubby was polishing one half of it last night and alof of the little crystals starting falling out. How do you all polish them and keep the crystals in tact? I told him to step down to a finer wheel but he's afraid to.
Thanks
Dot
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Post by deb193redux on Apr 4, 2008 12:09:51 GMT -5
Is it a flat lap, or a regular wheel? While some crystals may be dislodged on a lap because the saw weakened them, most will stay in place. I think a wheel would be more problematic.
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beaddot
spending too much on rocks
Member since March 2008
Posts: 266
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Post by beaddot on Apr 4, 2008 13:01:33 GMT -5
It's on a flat lap. What shook out was really tiny stuff. He was able to get the saw marks off and it's really smooth. His main concern, besides losing the little crystals is contaminating the final polish wheel with bits of rock and crystal. I'm thinking if he doesn't want to finish, maybe use a piece of muslin with the polish and do it by hand. But it's really hard stuff and it will probably take me forever to do it by hand.
Dot
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adrian65
Cave Dweller 
Arch to golden memories and to great friends.
Member since February 2007
Posts: 10,792
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Post by adrian65 on Apr 4, 2008 15:15:49 GMT -5
You're optimist when you say for ever ;D
Try to brush the surface with a strong, short hair brush in all directions before smooth grinding. Maybe this way you will get rid of the unstable crystals.
Adrian
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Steve
has rocks in the head
Member since June 2005
Posts: 506
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Post by Steve on Apr 4, 2008 17:10:27 GMT -5
I haven't tried it myself - but I've seen really good results when the hole in a geode is filled with beeswax before lapping it. This not only protects the crystals, but decreases the chances of contamination. Replace the wax between stages. Use hot water to soften the wax to remove it.
Steve
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Post by Woodyrock on Apr 4, 2008 21:32:29 GMT -5
You can also fill the cavity with bar soap if you melt it a double boiler. The soap is a whole lot easier to remove than would be wax. The soap will not gum up a wheel, or sander belt like wax. To remove the soap, a stream of hot water after a days soak in water will get it out. To speed up the process carefully carve out as much of the soap as you feel comfortable with first.
Woody
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DeanW
has rocks in the head
Member since December 2007
Posts: 721
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Post by DeanW on Apr 7, 2008 14:41:27 GMT -5
Another option is simple parafin wax to substitute for bees wax. I've talked to folks that make spheres out of septarian nodules and that is how they fill in the holes before putting into sphere machine.
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