gzed1500
starting to shine!
Member since February 2009
Posts: 31
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Post by gzed1500 on Mar 29, 2009 20:22:46 GMT -5
I ordered some green moss agate from the Rock Shed, and it has been in coarse grind for about three weeks. I'm using a 6 lb. Lortone and I have a good mix of small/med pieces and a few large ones. I placed the correct amount of grit and water and have made sure that the level is between 2/3 and 3/4 full. I have also recharged twice. This is a green moss agate batch only.
The problem is, they are not looking good at all. Many, many small pits. In fact, they look worse off than when I first put them in the barrell.
Should I just keep grinding away, or am I doing something wrong?
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rallyrocks
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2005
Posts: 1,507
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Post by rallyrocks on Mar 29, 2009 21:45:56 GMT -5
Green moss can range from kind of OK to simply unsuitable for tumbling, often the moss inclusions are soft enough that they undercut and leave the pits like you describe, post some pictures and folks here will have a better idea what your options are, it might be that you just put up with the pitting and go for a good polish on the material that is left, or you might need to trade it to someone for cabbing...
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Post by LCARS on Apr 2, 2009 1:05:24 GMT -5
Hmmm, that doesn't sound right...  The Rock Shed has a reputaion for selling only good quality tumbling material so I wouldn't want to blame the rock first. Once I tumbled a batch of assorted agates (mostly laces and mosses) for over two months only to have them come out looking just like you're describing, undercut and pitted. Turns out it was the grit I was using. When the rock shop didn't have any of the usual 60/90 bulk tumbling grit I normally buy, I bought the next closest thing they had, which was 50 grit blasting media. Well, big mistake, it almost ruined my batch and I have the photos to prove it. Just check out my Agates From Hell thread. The good news is, when I restarted the batch using the old tried and tested grit, the batch turned around inside of two weeks and I was on my way again with what turned out to be a great tumble.  |
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rollingstone
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since July 2009
Posts: 236
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Post by rollingstone on Apr 2, 2009 2:59:16 GMT -5
If you can rule out a possible grit problem such as Rob describes, then it could well be a rock problem. I've only done green moss agate once (actually I think I did green tree agate, so not sure if we're talking the same stuff or not) but I had terrible problems with pits (vugs) that just kept reappearing. I'd grind one out, and another would appear. In the end, I put the batch through to polish, and while the vuggy ones always seemed like failures, there were at least some that were blemish-free, and were extremely nice.
I don't remember where I bought my rough green tree agate. 'Tis true that the Rockshed is a quality company, and I would recommend them as a top choice. But even they aren't infallible -- I once bought some turritella agate tumbling rough from them that was very diappointing. So it's hard to rule out the source of your problem, you might just have to run it through to polish, keep the choice pieces, and try something different next batch.
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gzed1500
starting to shine!
Member since February 2009
Posts: 31
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Post by gzed1500 on Apr 2, 2009 10:34:41 GMT -5
I am using 60/90 and I am definitely not blaming the Rock Shed. I have had nothing but excellent service and quality from them. In fact, I have another order of supplies from the Rock Shed on its way.
I'll probably just send the rocks on through the other three stages and see what happens. Thanks.
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1rockhound
spending too much on rocks
Member since July 2008
Posts: 286
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Post by 1rockhound on Apr 2, 2009 14:14:31 GMT -5
Also 3 weeks is nothing for coarse grind. I have had some morrisonite in coarse for 6 months now and it is finally getting where I want it.
Jason
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docharber
has rocks in the head
Member since October 2008
Posts: 716
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Post by docharber on Apr 3, 2009 15:39:49 GMT -5
I have had exactly the same problem with this material. It DOES undercut badly. and can have areas that absolutely will not polish, with a gritty texture and a lot of fragmentation. I just saw this stuff off and tumble again. I think it's just the nature of the material. I have had some, though, that turned out OK, genberally the stuff with less dense inclusions.
Mark H.
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huffstuff
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since August 2007
Posts: 1,222
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Post by huffstuff on Apr 6, 2009 19:20:04 GMT -5
I have had the same problem, too. When I first received it, I rinsed it off and I could just see the porous places bubbling. Some pieces have tumbled well, but most keep getting thrown back into coarse. I also have no wish to blame the Rock Shed, I think maybe it's just an iffy material.
Amy
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10thumbs
spending too much on rocks
I want to be reincarnated as a dog.
Member since March 2009
Posts: 480
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Post by 10thumbs on Apr 7, 2009 11:56:16 GMT -5
I've had a Green Tree (not Moss) agate tumble going for 8 days now. I checked it yesterday and I have the same problems. A very small percentage of the stone looks like it might be ready for the next stage in three or four days. The rest is pitting, undercutting and generally mutating into really weird uneven shapes. I hate to quit on the material but I don't think the outlook is very good. This material just seems to refuse to conform to tumbling standards.
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Post by frane on Apr 7, 2009 12:53:10 GMT -5
Green tree and green moss will often have pits in them. It is the nature of the beast. In all truthfulness, any I have done needed to be in the course grind for at least 8 weeks. I recharged after 5 days and changed/rinced the slurry out/every 10 days. Only after that did I have some nice ones. Some remain pitted so with this material, it is really important to wash well between tumbles for a few hours in borax & water. Ocean jasper is just as bad but if you want some really good ones, you have to go through the pits  . It takes a long time but it is worth it. Fran |
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. It takes a long time but it is worth it.
