teeroy
off to a rocking start
Member since January 2008
Posts: 7
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Post by teeroy on Dec 3, 2008 21:57:56 GMT -5
Hello,
I just cleaned up a batch of Mexican agates fresh out of a 3 day run with 600 grit. It's going to be below freezing up here in Michigan for the next few days & I won't be able to wash the stones outside. I know not to wash the slurry from the silicon carbide down my drains because it could harden in the pipes.
Will tin oxide do the same?
I'm ready to polish but I've been thinking of trying to dry polish the stones with tin oxide and plenty of plastic pellets to cushion them.
Actually, I've already started and it looks ok, in the past adding H2O really slowed the action down. Has anyone tried to dry polish stones with tin oxide in a vibe?
Just to clairify, I'm thinking that if I dry polish I won't have to wash the tin oxide down the drain or wait for the temp to get above freezing so I can wash outside.
Maybe just pluck the agates out & reuse the pellets & polish?
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Post by LCARS on Dec 3, 2008 22:50:05 GMT -5
Why would you want to discard perfectly good tin oxide polish anyway? That stuff's expensive, you should be straining & decanting the slurry to use on the next batch.  |
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navi
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2008
Posts: 229
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Post by navi on Dec 3, 2008 22:54:08 GMT -5
wont be able to wash the stones outside due to being below 32? tell me, are there any men where you live? ;D
rinse what you can outside (quickly). i put the hose into the barrel and let it run a while, then go inside to warm up. go back out, dump the stones into a plastic collander and zap it with the hose. then take it all inside. fill a bucket with warm water. cut a soda bottle in half for a small "rinse" bucket. do everything (clean stones and barrel) inside and dump it outside like normal. just limit your time in the cold. i put old newspaper down on our cellar floor and do it. my boys like to watch and 'help.'
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teeroy
off to a rocking start
Member since January 2008
Posts: 7
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Post by teeroy on Dec 3, 2008 23:00:34 GMT -5
You beat me to my edit  Straining & decanting? I did that to a tawny port once, well worth the effort. I recall a thread describing the reuse of tin oxide, I'll search & review it, seems that at the time the process was a bit intimidating. |
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teeroy
off to a rocking start
Member since January 2008
Posts: 7
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Post by teeroy on Dec 3, 2008 23:18:22 GMT -5
"wont be able to wash the stones outside due to being below 32? tell me, are there any men where you live?"
It's not me, it's my faucet, darn thing is a sissy, quits working @ 32. Torches? blow dryers? Ya, I got 'em. Could run a hose up from the basement out the back door & wash with hot H2O.
I'm thinking that if I dry polish I won't have to wash stones & pellets, just the stones, maybe reuse the tin oxide & pellets?
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CUL-Ann
spending too much on rocks
rock lover~
Member since September 2008
Posts: 380
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Post by CUL-Ann on Dec 3, 2008 23:21:13 GMT -5
I'm in cold cold snowy michigan and I use a pail to wash the stones then run outside and dump the pail with stones in a collander then run back inside repeat tell clean.;-))))
Then I get on here hopeing someone has posted more photos!!!!
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Post by johnjsgems on Dec 3, 2008 23:23:16 GMT -5
Diamond Pacific markets a "Vibradry" polish that works great. It apparently has diamond powder, some magic oil, and what looks like wild bird feed (rice, seeds, etc.). Your tin oxide should work in something like walnut shell or corn cob. I don't know what oil DP uses but the rejuvinator they sell calls for 1 tablespoon per lb. of Vibradry. If your mix doesn't work try a tablespoon of olive oil or food grade mineral oil per lb. mix.
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teeroy
off to a rocking start
Member since January 2008
Posts: 7
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Post by teeroy on Dec 4, 2008 0:08:29 GMT -5
Every time I start to polish with plastic pellets & T/O it has great action until I add H2O. Then it bogs down. What does the H2O do in the polish phase in a vibe? Make the polish stick to the stones a bit like silicon carbide in the earlier stages? I've thought about adding oil like johnsjmgems suggests. I'm thinking maybe start with dry T/O , run for a while then add oil. It's been a few hours with no H2O, may as well see what tomorrow brings. Maybe this cold thing runs in my family; I own a Boxer Pit bull mix that sits in front of the heater register & paws at me to turn the heat on, then follows me to the thermostat, waits for me to push the buttons & runs back to the register & waits for the heat. Then I go outside & wash stones . |
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Post by catmandewe on Dec 4, 2008 0:52:29 GMT -5
I use a 5 gallon bucket with a collander in the kitchen sink, dump and rinse the stones in the collander, and the 5 gal bucket catches all the slurry and waste water. When the bucket gets too full I take it outside and dump it. I have gotten so used to doing this, I do it all the time now, even in the summer.
Tony
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Post by NatureNut on Dec 4, 2008 6:42:10 GMT -5
My first vibe was a CE dry polisher from ebay. Anyway, I tried a dry prepolish and polish before I sent it back. I'm sorry to break it to you that the dry polish does stick to the rocks and you will still have to wash them. You could pluck them out and separate them from the polish when finished, and then wet burnish them with borax and water to clean everything. I found some decent information about dry vibe polishing rocks by googling it. Jo
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Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Dec 4, 2008 7:53:32 GMT -5
I'm with Catmandewe on the 5 gallon bucket method here in Minnesnowda, except I only do it in winter. I don't want to take the chance of freezing faucets or hoses.
I used to use a colander, but had a hard time with the small ceramic pellets falling through. I built 2 screen boxes, one with hardware cloth (1/4" screen) and one with window screen. I stack the hardware cloth screen box on top of the window screen box, which is on top of the bucket. I dump the load in the middle of the top box and wash the bulk of the rock snot off. I don't worry about catching the stuff from the pits and vugs when I spray them out.
Hope that helps,
Chuck
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teeroy
off to a rocking start
Member since January 2008
Posts: 7
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Post by teeroy on Dec 4, 2008 22:49:11 GMT -5
Thanks for all the advice, the dry T/O wasn't doing any good so I added some olive oil & I'll see what tomorrow brings. Looks like I'll be breaking out my 5 gallon bucket.
I have a two tier steamer that has large holes in one insert & smaller holes in another it should do the same thing as Hard Rock Cafe's gizmo.
Thanks again
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller 
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,496
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Post by Sabre52 on Dec 4, 2008 23:12:48 GMT -5
Yup, I use the five gallon bucket method even when it's warm because I like to dump slurry somewhere where I won't forget, walk through it and track it in the house. Done that and done that and man did I get in trouble with the wife *shudder* I wouldn't put slurry of any kind down the drain as that would be a mess of a magnitude that might mean exile!!!!!.....Mel
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tomcloss
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since October 2008
Posts: 158
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Post by tomcloss on Dec 5, 2008 0:32:54 GMT -5
I also live in MI, I use a large barrel which I drain the slur and wash the rocks over a screen. When I am finished I walk the Barrel outside and dump it. Seems to work for me. My biggest problem was keeping the tumblers abve freezing since I run them in my unheated garage.
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Straining & decanting? I did that to a tawny port once, well worth the effort. 
