beachcomber1
having dreams about rocks
Member since March 2009
Posts: 60
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Post by beachcomber1 on Apr 22, 2009 18:06:14 GMT -5
I am in my polish stage how much borax do I use in my 3lb drum.
Thanks John
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randy
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since August 2008
Posts: 117
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Post by randy on Apr 22, 2009 19:02:57 GMT -5
I have read (and use) one tablespoon.
Randy
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darrad
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2006
Posts: 1,636
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Post by darrad on Apr 22, 2009 19:28:31 GMT -5
Ditto. 1 TBS. As a final burnish I do let it run 3 days. The softer stones (Sodalite) shine up much better.
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beachcomber1
having dreams about rocks
Member since March 2009
Posts: 60
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Post by beachcomber1 on Apr 23, 2009 5:52:46 GMT -5
Thank you for the reply.
John
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on Apr 23, 2009 10:14:48 GMT -5
Yep, that sounds about right. Make sure and remember borax is an excellent herbicide and don't dump the cleanup water on your plants. It'll kill them dead. I switched to a teaspoon of Dreft biodegradable soap as a burnish as that can be safely dumped in the yard and works well as a burnish.....Mel
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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 24, 2009 13:55:10 GMT -5
Make sure and remember borax is an excellent herbicide and don't dump the cleanup water on your plants. It'll kill them dead. Oh CRAP! There is a storm drain in the corner of my backyard... right next to my vegetable garden. Guess where I've been dumping my sludge? If the Borax is non-abrasive and non-foaming is there a danger to using to much? Or is it just a matter of economy?
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Post by johnjsgems on Apr 24, 2009 15:57:10 GMT -5
Just economy. It is a "wash cycle" mainly so use more water also. I collected a form of borax at the huge Borax mine in CA once. I found out it was water soluble when the large specimens I placed in the yard started to dissolve. Then someone mentioned borax was the ant killer in the white powder people sprinkle around their motor homes in campgrounds. Being a genius I broke it up and put it in my rose beds to get rid of the ants. Within a week the ants were gone. By two weeks the roses were almost gone. By the third week the ants were back and on quiet days I swear I could hear them laughing at the genius with the free ant powder.
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garock
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
Posts: 1,168
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Post by garock on Apr 24, 2009 16:16:19 GMT -5
johnjsgems: Here in Georgia it is suggested that you put instant grits around a fire ant hill. Once they eat it, the ants swell up and die.............. Well, for me, I had some nice fat ants and growing ant hills............. Still Digging in the Dirt, Frank
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Post by creativeminded on Apr 27, 2009 7:32:32 GMT -5
I generally use 2 TBSP of borax in my 3# barrel. Most of the time I only let it run 1 to 3 hours depending on what I am doing that day. There have been a couple of times that I have let it run 24 hours and didn't notice a difference. Tami
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Post by Noosh9057 on Apr 27, 2009 7:54:19 GMT -5
I have never used borax befor. I have used pouderd dishwasher sope befor. Is borax better then other sope. What do all of you think.
Roger
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Post by johnjsgems on Apr 27, 2009 9:25:57 GMT -5
I use powdered Tide laundry detergent, I used the scientific method (it was in the garage already). It works just fine. I think any low suds detergent would work as long as it isn't abrasive.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on Apr 27, 2009 12:23:34 GMT -5
Just my opinion, but I've tried Borax, dishwasher soap and Dreft soap all for the burnish stage with similar results....Mel
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Post by creativeminded on Apr 28, 2009 10:23:37 GMT -5
I don't think it matters what you use. You pretty much use the burnishing stage to clean the final bit of polish off the stones. Tami
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ejs
spending too much on rocks
Member since July 2008
Posts: 478
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Post by ejs on Apr 28, 2009 19:06:19 GMT -5
I use either Borax or shaved pure Ivory soap bars. I only run the burnish for 2-4 hours (since the time I ran it for a weekend and totally damaged some of the rocks!).
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Post by Jack ( Yorkshire) on Apr 30, 2009 2:05:46 GMT -5
When I Burnish,
I Give the Borax and soap a good run 24 hours (Vibe 4 to 5 hours) and after that they have a fair good shine on Before they go into the polish .
In Burnishing this week I forgot to take the vibe off and gave them 12 hours on Tuesday and the shine was realy good ,I will post the results at the w/end
It always amazes me how much dirt comes of after a good burnishing/wash Even if you have washed them rocks 3 or 4 times already !!
Jack Yorkshire UK
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Geo-Ing Crazy
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2008
Posts: 238
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Post by Geo-Ing Crazy on Apr 30, 2009 6:18:10 GMT -5
Jack - you burnish before AND after the polish? Barb
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Post by Jack ( Yorkshire) on May 1, 2009 2:56:48 GMT -5
Hi Barb, Just before the pre polish stage( 1000G ) as I dont take them out (of the vibe) till they are polished, I then give them a final wash for a hour or 2 making sure ALL the small bits and broken bits are out (this is more of a wash than burnishing)
Jack Yorkshire UK
PS I have a batch out this w/end I will post pics in tumbling Photos (good OR bad!! )
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coasthunterjay
starting to spend too much on rocks
Carefull ive got a gun....and a closet full of rocks
Member since May 2009
Posts: 155
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Post by coasthunterjay on May 18, 2009 23:19:12 GMT -5
How much water do you use with the borax and rocks? and do you still use the rubber balls? or no?
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MikeS
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2009
Posts: 1,081
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Post by MikeS on May 20, 2009 8:30:58 GMT -5
I've had the best luck with Ivory bar soap shavings...one thing I've noticed with borax in the vibe is that the rocks don't seem to move around as well...but I don't seem to have that problem with Ivory, and I tend to get a better final shine....
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suzie
off to a rocking start
Member since January 2014
Posts: 2
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Post by suzie on Jan 2, 2014 9:07:11 GMT -5
Hey there - I'm a newbie trying to polish some Irish marble I brought back to the states. I was looking for a homemade solution for the final stage to give the rocks shine and someone suggested borax. Am I doing this right? I added a couple of tablespoons of borax, then covered the rocks with water (using a vibrator). I checked them after a couple of hours but they only seem to be shiny when wet. What else gives them that high shine? Did I miss a step? Many thanks!
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