Post by 10thumbs on Mar 20, 2009 16:32:29 GMT -5
Never let it be said that I let a day go by with noob-ing up this forum with rookie questions. Here goes today's multi-part question: I have several kinds of grit and polish.
Course Silicon Carbide 60/90
Fine Silicon Carbide 120/220
Finer Aluminum Oxide 500
Pre-Polish Tripoli ??
Polish Aluminum Polish ??
Finer Polish Cerium Oxide ?? (some white, some pink)
Some came from the Rock Shed with the tumbler. Some came from an Ebay auction that I though was a really good deal (4x 3lbs Tumbler grit) because I thought it meant 4x3=12 pounds of grit; not grit for four full runs in a 3lbs tumbler. (I told you I was a noob!) Anyway, I am not all together positive how rocks qualify for the next successive run. I have a book (again from the Rock Shed) but there are no pictures; just text.
1) Should the rock be basically pristine after the course grind with no visible chips or rough spots? Or will the fine grind clean some of that up?
2) How come some of the cerium oxide is white and some is pink? I assume they are too grades and I screwed harder than I thought on that Ebay auction. The pink stuff and the Tripoli came from Ebay.
3) I there a quantifiable process for promotion to the next run?:
Looks good to naked eye - Fine SiC
Looks good under 1x magnification - Alumina 500
Looks good under 3x magnification - Pre-Polish
...etc...etc.
I don't trust any gut feel methods because I'm becoming so impatient now. I think I'm getting ready to settle.
4) Is it common to think that a couple of stones may be cab-able? There a couple of jaspers, sodalites, and a puddingstone that are really interesting and have a pleasing natural shape. I think I'd just need to flatten the backs on a lap and they would be instant rough cabs.
5) Finally is it common for people to retain recipes for different types of stone. The books all say keep a journal so hopefully some of you do because by now you may be able to imagine the amount of trial and error that I'm capable of. It could be Christmas before I complete a decent batch.
Thanks in advance for your sage advice,
Scott
Course Silicon Carbide 60/90
Fine Silicon Carbide 120/220
Finer Aluminum Oxide 500
Pre-Polish Tripoli ??
Polish Aluminum Polish ??
Finer Polish Cerium Oxide ?? (some white, some pink)
Some came from the Rock Shed with the tumbler. Some came from an Ebay auction that I though was a really good deal (4x 3lbs Tumbler grit) because I thought it meant 4x3=12 pounds of grit; not grit for four full runs in a 3lbs tumbler. (I told you I was a noob!) Anyway, I am not all together positive how rocks qualify for the next successive run. I have a book (again from the Rock Shed) but there are no pictures; just text.
1) Should the rock be basically pristine after the course grind with no visible chips or rough spots? Or will the fine grind clean some of that up?
2) How come some of the cerium oxide is white and some is pink? I assume they are too grades and I screwed harder than I thought on that Ebay auction. The pink stuff and the Tripoli came from Ebay.
3) I there a quantifiable process for promotion to the next run?:
Looks good to naked eye - Fine SiC
Looks good under 1x magnification - Alumina 500
Looks good under 3x magnification - Pre-Polish
...etc...etc.
I don't trust any gut feel methods because I'm becoming so impatient now. I think I'm getting ready to settle.
4) Is it common to think that a couple of stones may be cab-able? There a couple of jaspers, sodalites, and a puddingstone that are really interesting and have a pleasing natural shape. I think I'd just need to flatten the backs on a lap and they would be instant rough cabs.
5) Finally is it common for people to retain recipes for different types of stone. The books all say keep a journal so hopefully some of you do because by now you may be able to imagine the amount of trial and error that I'm capable of. It could be Christmas before I complete a decent batch.
Thanks in advance for your sage advice,
Scott
