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Post by connrock on Sept 23, 2008 13:00:57 GMT -5
A fellow rockhound is getting married and wanted some tumbled amethyst to put at each table as favors. I started it on Sept 12 and finished it today Sept 23. It was in rough for 18 days,re-charging every 6 days using 46/70. One day each in a Lot-O-Tumbler (vibe) 220,500,Tripoli,Rapid Polish #61 and burnish in Borax for 2 hours. I offered to do it for him and here it is: Wet rough,  Close-up,,,wet rough  After 220,,,    Finished,,    connrock |
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adrian65
Cave Dweller 
Arch to golden memories and to great friends.
Member since February 2007
Posts: 10,790
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Post by adrian65 on Sept 23, 2008 13:38:33 GMT -5
Wish to your rock friend to have a wedding day as shiny and flawless as the stones you've tumbled for him!
Adrian
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Post by Bikerrandy on Sept 23, 2008 14:17:46 GMT -5
Beautiful stones!! Awesome job on the tumble  |
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garrett
having dreams about rocks
Member since August 2008
Posts: 62
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Post by garrett on Sept 23, 2008 14:31:34 GMT -5
Wow. That was really nice of you.
I want to thank you for describing the process. That really helps people like me who are relatively new and don’t know much.
The amethyst I have seems like it’s fractured all the way through. Do I just need to keep grinding them in the first phase until either the fractures are gone or the stones are?
Great stuff.
Garrett
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Post by frane on Sept 23, 2008 17:21:51 GMT -5
Beautiful Amethyst! I really like your red sox (bottle?)
Fran
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Post by sitnwrap on Sept 24, 2008 6:29:42 GMT -5
That is a great idea for wedding favors. Traditionally, the favors were those oval shaped white candies that sometimes were hard as rock.
Your tumbles are beautiful and will add so much to your friends wedding day.
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Post by connrock on Sept 24, 2008 7:22:29 GMT -5
Thanks all for the kind words.
Fran,,,,It's a lighter not a bottle!
There was another post on tumbling amethyst where I tried to impress that if you start with flawed material it's difficult if not impossible to get good results.
The amethyst here is about a 7 or 8 on a scale of 10 but it's the best I could find.
connrock
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Post by Tweetiepy on Sept 24, 2008 7:45:34 GMT -5
Wow that looks great - how can I get invited to this wedding? (I'm sure there are 7 degrees of separation between them & me somehow!)
Amethyst is Devil Rock no more! Even the rough is amazing - and would have looked awesome!
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Post by krazydiamond on Sept 24, 2008 7:58:53 GMT -5
great tumble, Tom. i had some chevron rough but gave it to a new tumbler. i'll have to order some more of it. where did you get it?
KD
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ace
starting to shine!
Member since August 2008
Posts: 39
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Post by ace on Sept 24, 2008 9:04:34 GMT -5
wow, that turned out great!!
Randy
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Post by connrock on Sept 24, 2008 14:33:42 GMT -5
tweet, Thanks,,,, Iffin ya think yer kin,you can just show up and be seated! KD' Thanks,,,, I got it from stoneageindustries but I think they're out of it. stoneageindustries.com/index.htmlace, thanks,,,,, It was fun dong it! connrock |
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Post by creativeminded on Sept 26, 2008 9:41:56 GMT -5
I love tumbling Amethyst, it always shines up beautifully. That is a beautiful batch you did.
Tami
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tombodc
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since August 2008
Posts: 88
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Post by tombodc on Sept 26, 2008 19:00:47 GMT -5
I love tumbling Amethyst, it always shines up beautifully. That is a beautiful batch you did. Tami Always??? That is not what I have been reading, lol... I am nervous about doing my first batch of Amethyst... I am going to follow Connrocks suggestions closely, lol. Ton |
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Post by Condor on Sept 26, 2008 22:08:16 GMT -5
That was really quick for such great tumbling. 40/70...hmmmm, gotta get me some of that stuff.
Condor
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Post by connrock on Sept 27, 2008 6:40:22 GMT -5
C'minded,
Thanks,,,,
It's good to hear that at least someone is having good luck with amethyst!! BRAVO!!!!
Ton,
Thanks,,,
Again.I have to say that the key to success with amethyst is the rough.
The rest is the same as polishing agate/jasper.
Condor,
Yes it was very fast and it really surprised me.
I think the main reason for it roughing that fast is due to the consistent size of the rough itself. There was a LOT of surface contact going on in there and I would think 60/90 would have done the same as the 46/70.
I bought a Thumler's Model B brass casing unit many years ago by mistake and the motor runs at about twice the speed of their rock tumblers.I didn't know any better at the time so I just kept it.
I don't remember exactly how it happened but I had some #30 grit that was just laying around and used it in a load in the fast tumbler.I don't know where my head was the day I loaded the barrel but I only put in about 1/4 cup of water instead of the normal amount.
Two days later the rocks started that clunkity clunk sound so I opened the barrel and low and behold I had a VERY thick slurry!I added a little water and in 3 more days all that #30 grit was reduced to a fine consistency!
I've been roughing that way for quite a while now with great results.I can't get the #30 grit in bulk now so I went to the 46/70 which works about the same.
In fact I like the way this technique works so well that my other Model B with the correct tumbling motor just sits there most of the time.
It's not often we make mistakes to our own benefit!!!
connrock
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buckwheat69
noticing nice landscape pebbles
How do we get out of here ??
Member since July 2008
Posts: 96
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Post by buckwheat69 on Sept 27, 2008 15:10:45 GMT -5
WOW!!! That stuff looks GREAT!!!!
I just got a few pounds of the Chevron from the rockshed.
hope mine looks that nice. Waiting for an empty barrel. have two full of mixed stuff going now Then their next. Any precautions or words of wisdom. i'm using dbl 3# Thumbler rotory.
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Post by connrock on Sept 30, 2008 5:51:53 GMT -5
b'w'69,
Sorry for the late reply.I thought this thread died!
Well I have a lot of "words" but I don't think I fit the "wisdom" category!
I don't use the technique for tumbling that's considered the "norm".
I like to get a slurry going as fast as I can so I start out using only enough water to not get that "clunkity clunk" sound as the rocks tumble in the barrels.
Usually by the next day or the 2nd day I hear that sound and add a "tad" of water.In most cases this will run OK until the grit is exhausted which is about 5-6 days.
My thinking is that the thick slurry helps to cushion the rocks to stop fracturing.
connrock
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Post by Jack ( Yorkshire) on Sept 30, 2008 7:45:49 GMT -5
Hi Tom,
A great batch that Tom & I will have to try the reduced water theory
You certainly got the shine on them little fellows
Jack
Yorkshire UK
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Post by connrock on Sept 30, 2008 14:39:01 GMT -5
Jack,
Thanks,,,,,
The tumblers do all the work so I can't take any credit for their results! LOL
connrock
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buckwheat69
noticing nice landscape pebbles
How do we get out of here ??
Member since July 2008
Posts: 96
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Post by buckwheat69 on Sept 30, 2008 21:08:19 GMT -5
Thanks Conrock I'll give it a try. I think I have been running them with to much water anyhow. I cant seem to get the right amount in i fill it oh to much dump some out oh to much. this goes on for awhile till i just put them back in motion LOL.
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