nansaidh
spending too much on rocks
Jewelry artist, graphic designer, dog lover, car nut (etc.)
Member since August 2008
Posts: 311
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Post by nansaidh on Dec 26, 2008 18:05:14 GMT -5
Here is a photo of one of my new toys taken with my other new toy! The big brother <relatively speaking> 33B joins the little 33a...  (why doesn't the 33B have the barrel guides that the A does?) And the second new toy...  The "upgrade" to my previous camera (was an S2-is), the Canon SX10-is - 10 mp, 20x optical zoom, all kinds of sweet features. ... and my question. Which since I've been at this a little while now is probably going to sound reeeeeally stupid. I'm having trouble telling the results of a scratch test. Whether using a nail or a quartz point, I can't quite tell if the quartz/nail is leaving material on the test rock (which would mean the rock is harder than the quartz), or is leaving a scratch (obviously meaning that the quartz is harder). Using the nail, I almost always see lines where I have scratched the rock - but I think a lot of the time, it's metal left behind by the softer steel nail. Does anyone have any pointers that would help me make sense of rock hardnesses and the results of my tests more understandable? Thank you!!! Nancy |
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drjo
fully equipped rock polisher
Honduran Opal & DIY Nut
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,581
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Post by drjo on Dec 26, 2008 18:25:30 GMT -5
Nice toys, what did you bribe Santa with? ;D Scratch test...scratches don't wipe away  Use a magnifying glass/jeweler's loop to inspect the test area, it is sometimes hard to tel, but dragging a finger nail or a piece of paper along the scratch you should be able to feel it. Dr Joe . |
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ejs
spending too much on rocks
Member since July 2008
Posts: 478
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Post by ejs on Dec 26, 2008 18:54:56 GMT -5
A merry Christmas for you indeed! While I did give some rocks as gifts, I did not receive anything rock-related as gifts. The 33B is a great addition to your 3A.
As for the scratch test, if you wipe the scratch well, any left-behind material will be wiped away, while a true scratch will remain.
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Post by Condor on Dec 26, 2008 19:32:51 GMT -5
You got a Canon?  Lucky you. More and more I've seen Canon being used more by pros than Nikon. Condor |
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nansaidh
spending too much on rocks
Jewelry artist, graphic designer, dog lover, car nut (etc.)
Member since August 2008
Posts: 311
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Post by nansaidh on Dec 26, 2008 19:40:13 GMT -5
You got a Canon? Lucky you. More and more I've seen Canon being used more by pros than Nikon. Condor This is something like my 5th Canon, actually.... I cut my teeth, so to speak, on their 35 mm SLRs but by the time I went digital, I was sick of toting lenses around so I got (my previous camera) an S2-IS which was great - since this SX10-IS is a few generations' improvement on the S2, I'm sure it will be awesome. Never been a Nikon fan although they have excellent optics, I've always preferred Canon's electronics (and their L lenses are to-die-for) so I have stayed with them despite many attempts by friends to sway me to the dark side. ;-) Nancy  |
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nansaidh
spending too much on rocks
Jewelry artist, graphic designer, dog lover, car nut (etc.)
Member since August 2008
Posts: 311
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Post by nansaidh on Dec 26, 2008 19:41:30 GMT -5
Thank you guys for the instruction on scratch testing - I'll leave one of my loupes out by the rocks so I'll remember to look more closely. Nancy |
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Post by sitnwrap on Dec 26, 2008 22:16:42 GMT -5
Looks like Santa was real good to you.
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Post by sparkles on Dec 27, 2008 8:45:04 GMT -5
Woo-Hoo! That's a happy looking Christmas! Santa Rocks! In response to your test problems, do you have a magnifier or loupe? It helps to see the scratches if you've got a glass and can see up close, the other trick is to line it up against a reflection to see if it's a scratch or a shiny metal streak on the stone. Hope this helps! Can't wait to see the photos when the tumblers done it's magic! Good Luck! Cheers, Sparkles. |
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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 27, 2008 21:04:20 GMT -5
Cool camera. I love my Canon I got for Xmas! To answer your other question, you don't need the same type barrel guide on the 33B because you are supposed to put the barrels on butt to butt, not like you have them pictured. If you put them on that way, you only need the washer bumpers to keep from having metal to metal contact between the lid and frame. You will have to rotate or replace the washer bumper now and then though because they do wear away with time....Mel
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ejs
spending too much on rocks
Member since July 2008
Posts: 478
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Post by ejs on Dec 27, 2008 21:25:00 GMT -5
Ahhhh! I never figured that out about my 33B. The barrel not on the guide gets a groove worn into it, and I could never figure out what I was doing wrong. Duh!
I assume the same is true of my QT66.
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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 27, 2008 23:00:13 GMT -5
Yep. Same for the QT66....Mel
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docharber
has rocks in the head
Member since October 2008
Posts: 716
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Post by docharber on Dec 28, 2008 18:01:09 GMT -5
You can't tell from this picture, but does the 33A (single barrel) have a guide that engages the lid nut? My 33B has barrel guides on both enda. Sometimes it's hard to see a scratch on a rough surface. Maybe powdering the dry surface with talc or flour, cornstarch, etc. might show a scratch.
I loked up hardness in Wikpedia and there is some interesting reading there. Tey said materials science uses seven distinct categories of hardness related to things like point penetration, scratch hardness (Moh's), and other categories to take into account cleavage, stiffness, brittleness, etc. So if anyone out there is intellectually disturbed by the implications of the many facets of hardness (almost pun not intended), or just simply disturbed, this is a good article.
Merry Christmas!
Mark H.
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ejs
spending too much on rocks
Member since July 2008
Posts: 478
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Post by ejs on Dec 28, 2008 18:44:29 GMT -5
docharber: your 33B has a metal guide that receives the barrel lid nut on *both* ends? I have two 33Bs and each one has only a single guide. Ditto with my QT66.
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Post by frane on Dec 29, 2008 21:38:49 GMT -5
What great gifts!
I have the same ones as you and they are great! keep the double facing away from each other and they run just fine. The little plastic guide does slowly wear down. My tumblers have been running about 6 months now and I still don't need to replace anything so over all, they will last a while.
Have fun tumbling! Now next you need the 3-1 1/2 size and you will have exactly what I have. All running all the time. It's so much fun!!!
Fran
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morticiamonroe
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since October 2008
Posts: 147
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Post by morticiamonroe on Dec 29, 2008 22:39:17 GMT -5
Aww I'm so jealous. I want your tumblers AND your camera!
Can't wait to see the pictures!
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Post by Noosh9057 on Dec 30, 2008 9:15:11 GMT -5
Nice
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nansaidh
spending too much on rocks
Jewelry artist, graphic designer, dog lover, car nut (etc.)
Member since August 2008
Posts: 311
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Post by nansaidh on Dec 30, 2008 12:11:01 GMT -5
You can't tell from this picture, but does the 33A (single barrel) have a guide that engages the lid nut? My 33B has barrel guides on both ends... Merry Christmas! Mark H. Mark - the 33a has a metal "U" shaped guide that the knob on top of the barrel sits in, but the 33b doesn't have this guide at all, it's a plastic bumper thing on both ends - apparently the barrels are free to move about on the rollers on this model. Huh! Nancy |
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Use a magnifying glass/jeweler's loop to inspect the test area, it is sometimes hard to tel, but dragging a finger nail or a piece of paper along the scratch you should be able to feel it.
Lucky you. More and more I've seen Canon being used more by pros than Nikon. 
