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Post by Tonyterner on Jan 12, 2009 9:18:05 GMT -5
I got some time to cab over the last week and finished eight new cabs. I tried cerium on these and while it didn't do anything for most of them it did have an great effect on one of them. I will experiment more with it until I get it down. Does anyone know how cerium works? Its obviously not an abrasive but a chemical polish. Something bluey and greeny. I'm not sure what this is but it might be man made. Maybe goldstone with big flakes. This is the one that the cerium did its trick on. It made it much shinier. Iolite. This isn't as purple as some I've done in the past. Morrisonite. This was a nub left from trimming on the saw but I just couldn't throw it in the tumbler. Picture jasper, not sure what type. It has a small pity area at the bottom and I'm not real fond of the black in it. Unknown agate. Not sure what this is but its pretty. I bought a large slab of it at a show so I have enough for several more. West texas plume. This is my second doublet, the backing material is howlite. I worked this one for a month, scratches kept showing up, and it has a pit in the middle that I should probably fill with CA glue. Lace obsidian doublet. I thought the lines in the obsidian were pretty but wouldn't show up unless I made it a doublet. This one looks better in person. Thanks for looking.
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Post by texaswoodie on Jan 12, 2009 9:39:05 GMT -5
Mighty nice Tony! I like all of them. The obsidian kinda grabs me the most though.
Curt
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Post by NatureNut on Jan 12, 2009 9:51:23 GMT -5
Tony, you are the doublet guru. They are so clean and popping. The pic jasper reminds me of the Badlands. Love the colors, shapes and shine! Thanks for sharing these with us! Jo
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,466
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Post by Sabre52 on Jan 12, 2009 9:55:55 GMT -5
Tony: I polish with optical grade Cerium on wet leather and it's a good final polish, especially on softer materials. You do need proper moisture though, just enough to make the stone drag a bit on the pad and it pulls up a nice shine. I thought it was an abrasive type polish though as it's non acidic....Mel
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jan 12, 2009 9:57:13 GMT -5
Tony,
Cerium oxide is a rare earth compound consisting of multiple rare earth metals. It and other polishes do have abrasive qualities........just much finer than what you use when sanding your cabs. Cerium is also very popular for removing scratches from glass, like windshields, aquariums, telescope and microscope lenses etc. Although with that said, Im not quite sure how it works because it only has a moh's hardness of around 6 so why it works so well on stones that are harder than this is beyond me.
I like your bluey/greeny cab!
Shannon
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highplainsdrifter
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since December 2008
Posts: 1,266
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Post by highplainsdrifter on Jan 12, 2009 10:01:48 GMT -5
Very nice work. The picture jasper looks like Cripple Creek and the agate looks like Cathedral Agate, which is a pretty uncommon material. It forms in caves in Mexico somewhere and the rough has little stalagtites. The tight purple, translucent banding gives it away.
HPD
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Post by Bejewelme on Jan 12, 2009 21:50:34 GMT -5
Nice work hon.
I like the sparkley piece, and the picture jasper and the doublets are turning out great, nice job, I am anxious to try that cerium!!
Amber
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Post by beefjello on Jan 12, 2009 22:12:00 GMT -5
That's a sweet set Tony, the unknown agate is superb! Very nice job on the doublets too, something I have yet to try. Nice!
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SteveHolmes
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2009
Posts: 1,900
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Post by SteveHolmes on Jan 12, 2009 22:22:49 GMT -5
Nice cabs Tony! I like your Unknown best. I haven't tried a doublet yet either...but am anxious to. Just needs to warm up a bit. Lookin' Great! Steve
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Post by sitnwrap on Jan 12, 2009 23:23:02 GMT -5
Tony, every one of those cabs are gorgeous. That green unknown cab, if it is not man made, looks a lot like Fuschite. I love the black (may be dendrites?) in the Picture Jasper. Imho it adds texture to the scenery.
I have to say that with the color, variety, and class A workmanship they are all my favorites.
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Post by Michael John on Jan 13, 2009 3:36:09 GMT -5
You DO know that "somone" is going to want two of those, right? LOL
I really like that first one. It kinda looks like Chrysocolla, but I don't think it is.
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Post by Tonyterner on Jan 13, 2009 10:47:18 GMT -5
Thanks all for the comments.
HPD, thanks for the ID's.
MJ, who is that "someone" you talking about? ;D
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Post by BuiltonRock on Jan 13, 2009 14:07:24 GMT -5
Good job Tony! I like the unknown agate best. I have found cerium to work on some stones better than others too, not sure why. I have noticed it works best on hard dense stones. John
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Post by Bikerrandy on Jan 13, 2009 15:25:33 GMT -5
Those look great bud, I especially like the unknown agate!
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49er
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since February 2008
Posts: 753
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Post by 49er on Jan 13, 2009 17:59:03 GMT -5
Great cabbing and doublet work there Tony.
On using Cerium for polishing your stones, what are you applying the cerium to? Are you using leather or synthetic material? Leather is best. What is your motor or pad speed? A slow speed is recommended. What are you using for your pre-polish grit or material? When polishing hard stones, i.e., agate/jasper/pet wood I use a 1200 grit wheel before I polish and made sure all visible scratches are gone. Hope this helps. 49er
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Post by stonesthatrock on Jan 13, 2009 20:10:14 GMT -5
great job tony, they all look great. its hard to say which one i like best. Maybe the purple.
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Post by Tonyterner on Jan 13, 2009 21:59:47 GMT -5
49er, I work the stones to 14,000 on wet diamond belts. If it doesn't shine up then I try the cerium. I use it on a piece of short nap office carpet disc on an end plate. My machine spins at 1,800 rpm but I hold the stone close to the middle of the disc. I've only tried it a couple of times so far but have high hopes that it will work well for me.
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turnedstone
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since January 2006
Posts: 766
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Post by turnedstone on Jan 13, 2009 22:06:11 GMT -5
Nice shapes the plume is fantastic love west texas rock. George
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MidNight~Rocksi3
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2008
Posts: 1,716
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Post by MidNight~Rocksi3 on Jan 13, 2009 22:39:31 GMT -5
OH WOW!!! You got the coolest shapes too!!!! man I dig those blazing colors too!! excellent shine yo!
*smiles* Roxy
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