1rockhound
spending too much on rocks
Member since July 2008
Posts: 286
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Post by 1rockhound on Oct 6, 2008 13:59:34 GMT -5
I just put my first batch into the final polish stage yesterday and when I checked it this morning it was full of frothy foam. I did not have any problems with foam in any of the other stages and it was kind of a shock to see it. Is it common to have this in the final stage? My load is 80% plume agate with some pet wood and jasper. I did put a tums in the barrel this morning and will check tomorrow to see if this helped.
Jason
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randy
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since August 2008
Posts: 117
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Post by randy on Oct 6, 2008 14:25:34 GMT -5
I got a lot of foam in my first batch too. I was using the polish that came with my Thumler's Tumbler. The batch that I have in polish now are using the Aluminum Oxide polish from The Rock Shed. We'll see if the results are the same or not.
Good luck with the Tums. Let us know if it helps or not.
Randy
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1rockhound
spending too much on rocks
Member since July 2008
Posts: 286
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Post by 1rockhound on Oct 6, 2008 16:40:24 GMT -5
I am using AO from the rock shed also.
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pebblepup
has rocks in the head
Succor Creek Thunder Egg
Member since July 2008
Posts: 515
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Post by pebblepup on Oct 6, 2008 17:20:56 GMT -5
I also use AO and yes it does make foam most of the time.
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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 Oct 6, 2008 17:21:03 GMT -5
The foam is a real nuisance. I get it in every polish batch. You load up the barrel with just the right amount of pellets to get the rocks tumbling gently, not crashing around, then 24 hours later a thick foam has developed and you can barely hear the rocks rumbling in the barrel.
If you leave it alone, then sometime around day 9 the foam completely collapses and becomes normal slurry. Instead, I usually intervene, carefully spooning a bunch of the foam into a strainer, then spraying it with water to wash the polish back into the barrel, in order to remove a bunch of pellets. That way I can get the right tumbling action back, but it is a really messy, unpleasant process. Then around day 9 the foam collapses and things can get too rough in the barrel, leaving you with the option of either opening the barrel and adding the pellets back in, or shutting the tumble down and hoping they are have a top-notch polish. If you are lucky, you remove just the right amount of pellets in the first few days that the polish is a bit too gentle at first, but not too rough when the foam collapses.
Anyway, it just happens. I use AO too, I don't know if other polishes have this issue too, but I'm guessing yes. I think it is just air being entrapped by the fine-grained polish, whipping it into a froth, kind of like beating egg whites. Not sure if that helps at all, but yes, foam is pretty normal.
-Don
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1rockhound
spending too much on rocks
Member since July 2008
Posts: 286
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Post by 1rockhound on Oct 6, 2008 17:25:40 GMT -5
Don
Thanks I was not sure if it was normal or not. I've been tumbling this batch for 12 weeks now and would be bumed out if it got messed up at the end.
Jason
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randy
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since August 2008
Posts: 117
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Post by randy on Oct 7, 2008 23:39:54 GMT -5
My thanks to everyone as well. I got some questions answered too.
Randy
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Post by Noosh9057 on Oct 8, 2008 9:47:26 GMT -5
Thanks to all also. I have the same problem.
Roger
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fanatic
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since October 2007
Posts: 233
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Post by fanatic on Oct 8, 2008 10:12:07 GMT -5
I always have foam but don't consider it a problem. The shinny rocks convinced me the foam is OK.
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randy
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since August 2008
Posts: 117
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Post by randy on Oct 8, 2008 23:18:52 GMT -5
I just checked mine earlier and I had lots of foam with my Rock Shed polish too.
Randy
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lynskyn1970
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since August 2008
Posts: 93
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Post by lynskyn1970 on Oct 12, 2008 16:25:07 GMT -5
i use cerrium oxide for polishing and i have had no foam problems with it. i have tried soooo many different things to polish my stones with and i don't think foam hurts any. maybe the foam is caused by having too much water?  ? i dunno.... i really am lazy when it comes to checking my rocks when they tumble. i sort of put them in there and forget about them!!!! i'm bad!!! |
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1rockhound
spending too much on rocks
Member since July 2008
Posts: 286
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Post by 1rockhound on Oct 13, 2008 13:44:16 GMT -5
I put some pellets in the barrel on Saturday and checked it this morning and the foam is gone and the batch is starting to get nice and shiny.
Jason
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? i dunno.... i really am lazy when it comes to checking my rocks when they tumble. i sort of put them in there and forget about them!!!! i'm bad!!! 
