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Post by tkrueger3 on Aug 18, 2009 16:22:11 GMT -5
OK, I have an old Lortone model 3-1.5 that normally can handle up to 3 of their small 1.5-lb barrels. But I only have 2 barrels for it, so far. Anyway, I went from 46/70 grit, to 60/90 grit, to 120/220, to 500 grit with 2 different batches of sodalite, using these small barrels. Then I weeded out the crummy pieces and combined what I deemed to be the best of the bunch, and started these over as a new batch. A week in each of 46/70, 60/90, 120/200, then I added ceramics, did a week in 500 grit, a week in 1000 AO, and a week in M-5 polish. Finished today. Here are the results. The whole finished load:  Some up close and personals     And the stranger in the woodshed - I think this is a little garnet that somehow jumped in here from another batch of something else!  So, finally, I finished some sodalite with at least a halfway decent shine to them. I'm happy with that, but then, I'm pretty easy to please. ;D Thanks for looking! Tom |
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Post by tkrueger3 on Aug 19, 2009 16:59:59 GMT -5
Well, I was sorta hoping someone would give me a hint on how to get an even better shine on sodalite.    Tom |
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Post by frane on Aug 19, 2009 17:02:15 GMT -5
That is a very pretty batch of spotted sodalite! I am thinking that little one is a quartzite or jasper. Could even be a peach aventurine. It is hard to tell. No matter, it looks great too!
Fran
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Post by susand24224 on Aug 20, 2009 4:44:16 GMT -5
Hi--I just got a great shine on some sodalite, for the first time. I tried to take photos, but will have to wait until I can take them outside. I did not keep good notes, unfortunately, but what I did differently from before was use cerium oxide and a burnishing step after the polish.
I'm sure I did at least two weeks of 60/90, then at least a week of 120/220, week of 500 and week of 1000 before the polish. I always do a day of ivory snow super wash before the final polish (2 TB).
The burnishing *really* made a difference with these guys, much more so than with most rocks that I do. They looked like yours before the burnishing--I used 3 TB of borax. BTW, your sodalite looks better than my first several attempts.
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Post by 150FromFundy on Aug 20, 2009 6:26:32 GMT -5
I've had a mixed success with "spotted" sodalite. I beleive it is probably due to the differential hardness of the material. The blue component (sodalite) is a little harder than the white compnent (calcite?), I think. The white component tends to pit and chip leaving a rocgh surface.
If you can find some "true blue" sodalite with minimal white component, you will likely get a more uniform finish.
Darryl.
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Post by tkrueger3 on Aug 20, 2009 10:26:40 GMT -5
Susan, yep, I boraxed between steps also, just didn't add it to the description.
Darryl, I'd love to find some almost-pure-blue sodalite. Haven't found a source yet (at least none that I can afford!).
Fran, I think you're right - I think it's peach aventurine. I'm thinking it wouldn't be that nicely polished if it were garnet, and it didn't seem to have beat up the sodalite, which means it must not be that hard.
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Post by Bejewelme on Aug 21, 2009 5:31:08 GMT -5
Fundy is right the more darker the sodalite the better the shine! Cabbing it is hard to get a good shine on the white parts! But sodalite is a winner however you work it and these are beautiful, so good job!
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karock
has rocks in the head
Member since November 2007
Posts: 667
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Post by karock on Aug 22, 2009 11:11:22 GMT -5
Pretty stones! A reward for so much patience. I use the same tipe of ceramics on my last 3 stages. When I also added the little tile spacers and small round plastic beads (half of the volume of the load) it seemed to help with the gloss. I couldn't find Borax so I used Ivory Snow and let my last batch (Jaspers and Chalcedony) burnish for 24 hours. I will post these this weekend. Thanks for posting.
Karock
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