celt40
noticing nice landscape pebbles
KNIGHTHOOD FOR JOCK STEIN.
Member since July 2009
Posts: 99
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Post by celt40 on Oct 2, 2009 17:55:32 GMT -5
I have been very successful the last couple of days in my search for Agates. I have found a dozen or more small nuggets some whole and some broken. As they are small i thought about not cutting some of the smaller ones. Will tumbling them in 80 grit be enough to remove the white outside case. Or will i need to do something more. Will i need to use a rougher grit like 20 gauge to get the outside off?  Dermot |
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Post by Toad on Oct 2, 2009 18:10:34 GMT -5
80 grit will be fine. Just takes time.
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Post by johnjsgems on Oct 2, 2009 21:33:18 GMT -5
Any chalky or softer matrix will tumble off pretty fast in 80 grit. I'd check it every day or two as the soft layer will make a thick slurry also. If you intend to tumble the agates also after the matrix is off just tumble normally.
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Post by rocklicker on Oct 2, 2009 23:22:22 GMT -5
Yes, tumbling the martix off agates just takes a little longer if it's hard or not much time at all as John says. If the matrix comes off with a pocket knife then it will be quick. If it's hard and doesn't you know you're in for the long haul.
Steve
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celt40
noticing nice landscape pebbles
KNIGHTHOOD FOR JOCK STEIN.
Member since July 2009
Posts: 99
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Post by celt40 on Oct 3, 2009 6:11:37 GMT -5
Thanks John & Steve, i will do as you advise as soon as i get an empty tumbler. The one i have is turning away just now with my first batch. I will need to get another tumbler!!!! Ohh this hobby is starting to grow!!
What is the difference between a tumbler and a Vibe ?? I know no rotates and the other vibrates but where can i find out more about the Vibe method.
Thanks Again
Dermot.
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Post by johnjsgems on Oct 3, 2009 9:05:17 GMT -5
You'll find many posts on vibe tumbling here on RTH.
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Post by Jack ( Yorkshire) on Oct 4, 2009 3:49:36 GMT -5
Hi Dermot . Send me a Email to john@matco.me.uk and I will send you some corespondance and a recepie Tom (conrock) sent me it has a link to the rockshed where I got mine the best thing I ever did Tom goes through all the whys and whereforths of the vibe system have a good day, Jack Yorkshire UK Ps Heres a link to the rockshed and the same type I got www.therockshed.com/tumbler1.htmlJack |
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Post by connrock on Oct 4, 2009 5:47:12 GMT -5
In some cases the outer areas of an agate will come out looking like the surface of the moon with all sorts of "craters' in them.
nothing wrong with that,,,I just wanted to give you a heads up.
connrock
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celt40
noticing nice landscape pebbles
KNIGHTHOOD FOR JOCK STEIN.
Member since July 2009
Posts: 99
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Post by celt40 on Oct 4, 2009 10:08:09 GMT -5
These are the Agates i found on the beach during the week. About 2 x 3/4 hour search (till my wife got boared).  |
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karock
has rocks in the head
Member since November 2007
Posts: 667
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Post by karock on Oct 4, 2009 10:21:18 GMT -5
Sometimes pre-grinding them on the edge of a Workforce blade or a 60 grit flat lap will speed the process up quite a bit. If you have the moon pits and you want a totally smooth batch it will take a long time with many loads of grit
Karock
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Post by superioragates on Oct 4, 2009 10:25:26 GMT -5
The one thing I learned over the past few months is this: grind them down until there are no pits on the outside of them The tumbling process goes much much faster! You still have to go through the steps, but it's a lot less frustrating as far as how much time, and grit you put in to them. When grinding though, must make sure that any grooves, or sharp places are ground down in to a smooth gradual slope, or they will crack pretty bad. It's time consuming to do it this way, but faster in the tumbling, and more gratifying in the end. Everyone has their own way of doing this, but this is the way I like best. For me, it was just taking WAY too long in the tumblers to get the pits out of them. And I guess too it depends on how you want them to look ultimately. I used my dremel and a diamond blade, others use grinders & wheels. Marie
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carloscinco
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2008
Posts: 1,639
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Post by carloscinco on Oct 4, 2009 13:56:39 GMT -5
I use the side of the blade on my tile saw. It saves me weeks of coarse tumbling.
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celt40
noticing nice landscape pebbles
KNIGHTHOOD FOR JOCK STEIN.
Member since July 2009
Posts: 99
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Post by celt40 on Oct 4, 2009 16:52:34 GMT -5
Marie
When you say use a Dremel diamond blade, do you mean the small diamond disc cutters. If the large flat surface is used as a mini grinder instead of the edge of the disc which cuts a slice. Is this what you mean?
I have been looking for larger diamond disc's as this is a bit tricky with a disc no bigger than 20mm.
Also i guess i should be wearing a dust mask as the dust might
be a bit toxic!!!
I don't mind the moon pits, but i would like to remove the rough or white outside material
Will the tumbling process be quicker if i were to use 20 grit. I will try the side of the tile saw as carloscinco mentioned.
Thanks
Dermot.
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Post by Jack ( Yorkshire) on Oct 5, 2009 4:09:13 GMT -5
My Great batch them lot.
How come I missed them !!!!!!!!
have a good week
jack
Yorkshire uk
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celt40
noticing nice landscape pebbles
KNIGHTHOOD FOR JOCK STEIN.
Member since July 2009
Posts: 99
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Post by celt40 on Oct 5, 2009 8:00:51 GMT -5
John You went to a different beach. Although the beach you went to was just as good as the other one  I will keep looking as these wee Agates must have a "Big Daddy" and i am looking for him!!!! ;D Dermot. |
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Post by Toad on Oct 5, 2009 8:05:27 GMT -5
Looks like a great batch of rocks.
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Post by superioragates on Oct 5, 2009 8:20:18 GMT -5
celt - you can get bigger diamond cut off wheels on ebay. Not sure how good they are, but they look the same as the ones I have been using. Just do a keyword search for dremel diamond cut off blades. I bought mine at a discount tool place, and they work pretty good for me, and they are quite a bit bigger than those tiny little things that come in kits. (although I have some of those too) Dremel actually has their own, but they are like 20.00 each blade at home depot, so I don't buy those! Marie
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