boots901
off to a rocking start
Member since January 2009
Posts: 2
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Post by boots901 on Jan 27, 2009 18:35:33 GMT -5
Hi to all you good folk I'm a newbie from Hertfordshire in the UK, and I started with a tumbler early last year and done some tumbling to varying degrees of success. I've now progressed to trying to create cabochons with some Inland equipment, I can get the shape but not always the polish. There's four boxes of slabs in the corner awaiting my attention when I get better at polishing. I have a 10" saw which I create cheap slabs to practice on and I got two second hand Gemteck machines just before Christmas that I'm playing with. Many questions to ask later on but I'll browse these pages first, wealth of information to be found. Regards to you all
Dave
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Post by frane on Jan 27, 2009 21:18:45 GMT -5
Welcome to the board Dave! Do you have an inland swap top? I do and I have decided that it is harder to use that the wheels that everyone else has. I have gone through so many felt pads for polish before I realized the machine does not want anything with points. Even so I am determined to get to a good skill level on this machine. I am glad to have someone else along. just really take things through their paces and even when you think you are done, make sure you give the stone a little extra time on each disc. it will pay off. Dip your stones in "warm" water frequently when you are trying to polish. Reduces the fractures from too much heat without fracturing due to a temperature shock. I have done both. These folks here can really be of help. They sure help me! Make sure you show us what you have been working on. I am really looking forward to seeing them! Fran
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huffstuff
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since August 2007
Posts: 1,222
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Post by huffstuff on Jan 28, 2009 20:27:11 GMT -5
Welcome! I've been on the board over a year, and you have more equipment than I do!
We love pictures, but take your time. There's a LOT of information to absorb!
Amy
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Post by sparkles on Jan 29, 2009 12:28:43 GMT -5
Hi There Hertfordshire Dave, Welcome to the Forum! Your going to have a lot of fun here - I’m sure! ;D I’m Norfolk Harry - although known as Sparkles for the most part. I LOVE my little Inland Machine (I couldn’t afford nor locate an alternative). I agree with Frane that the felt pad was a lot of grief, I couldn’t get a polish on my cabs with the supplied set-up either - so I modified and made do... Have a look here if you’d like a budget solution to straight through Diamond Polishing. forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/index.cgi?board=hmequip&action=display&thread=26785That said... I have achieved some respectable results with my set-up - my recent postings in wire wrapping section were cut and polished on my swap-top. Sounds like you have plenty of rough to play with though, and a keen interest too - can’t wait to see what you produce! Welcome once more and Have Fun! Great to see another UK’er too! ;D Cheers, Sparkles.
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boots901
off to a rocking start
Member since January 2009
Posts: 2
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Post by boots901 on Jan 30, 2009 20:43:17 GMT -5
Hi Folks Yes Fran I have a swap top and I find it OK working on the flat laps now bit hard in the beginning used to get a neckache cos I was all scrunched up trying to see the point of contact. I have trouble with the grinder I get to impatient and now done a bearing in thru to much pressure. I had the same problem as Sparkles I could not find an alternative unless I imported from the States but I'm happy with the units. Fran your suggestion of extra time has been said to me before and a suggestion of looking at the cab with magnifying glass before polishing but I still get a dull spot on the top of the cab, lower down on the cab polish ok. I've tried hand finishing the top of the cab with wet and dry paper going from 600 to 1500 grit, then I polish on the felt sometimes it works, tried diamond on leather disk no sure I was using it right will seek some ideas on that later How wet should the felt be once the polish has been applied to the felt do you need to keep the felt wet I've tried both ways adding water and letting it dry out slightly both ways work sometimes so many variables. Will get some photos may be obvious to you as to what I'm doing wrong.
Regards Dave
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Post by frane on Feb 3, 2009 20:04:43 GMT -5
The only way I found success with polishing on the swap top was to slow the speed down, opposite what the instructions said, and the pad stays fairly dry but I keep "warm" water next to the machine to dip the cab in every couple of seconds. The warm water seems to lower the amount of cabs I fracture or have fly off the dop stick. At first I used cold water and if they weren't flying off everywhere, they were cracking when they touched the water after getting too warm on the polishing pad. I have lost some pads due to sharp edges or points on my cabs. I have rounded them off and had better results. When all else fails, I throw the cabs in the polish phase of the vibe I have. That works every time! Fran
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Mudshark
fully equipped rock polisher
Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock. Will Rogers
Member since December 2008
Posts: 1,083
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Post by Mudshark on Feb 4, 2009 16:37:10 GMT -5
Welcome!There are some great people here with a staggering amount of expertise.And we all love pictures! Mike
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