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Post by MyNewHobby on Nov 8, 2009 14:26:53 GMT -5
Good Morning!!
After 35 days, this batch (quartzite mix from Joanne) is shining up!!!
Now, with any rock that has mixed properties (I have learned to accept this now), there may appear to be very small little holes.
This time, the entire surface mass of these pieces are shiny!! I am tickled!!
Now ... it appears I may still have that notorious issue of polish deeply embedded into some of the tiny fracture lines or holes. Hopefully this burnish will help out.
I a running a burnish right and I am using 3 tablespoons Borax and 3 tablespoons polish. I am going to let it go for 2-3 hours and then depending on how shiny they are, I may continue to run a cycle of polish for another 3-4 days.
After I check the burnish, I will take pictures and will post them.
As always ... I want and need your input.
My humble thanks
Julie
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Post by Toad on Nov 8, 2009 14:45:47 GMT -5
Julie, I thought burnish was done after polish - with just water and borax and/or soap. Aren't you defeating the purpose of removing the polish by adding more?
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Post by MyNewHobby on Nov 8, 2009 14:56:33 GMT -5
Hi There!
My understanding (and as if I know it all) is that the burnish cleans the stones and hopefully can get polish out of cracks.
The second thing is that I have seen in other posts where others have added polish to the burnish. Why this is I am not sure.
If the Borax stage is an ONLY post polish and once stage .... please let me know ... I am stopping the burnish right now and will wait to hear from all of you.
Crap ........ if this is the case, that would explain why when I am finished, I have a duller that wanted finish.
As always
Julie
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Post by Toad on Nov 8, 2009 14:58:41 GMT -5
I'm not an expert either, but I've always burnished without polish - just didn't seem logical to add polish. Hopefully someone will chime in and set us both straight.
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Post by MyNewHobby on Nov 8, 2009 15:02:09 GMT -5
Thanks for bringing this up .... I would not have thought of it.
You're right .... I am going to wait until I get a good round of replies.
It almost makes me want to cry if I am doing this wrong and have been taking away from the real beauty of these rocks. Wooooof
Julie
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Post by tkrueger3 on Nov 8, 2009 17:30:23 GMT -5
Julie, what I thought I read from folks like Randy and Mel, is that they add a little Borax to the final polish stage, I think to help the polish get everywhere, and to help keep it from sticking in the pits and cracks. I don't know, really - but seems to me to be worth a shot, right?
Tom
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Post by Toad on Nov 8, 2009 17:32:37 GMT -5
Right, Tom. I add borax to every stage. But I think the question is - should you add polish to the burnish cycle. I'm thinking no.
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Post by NatureNut on Nov 8, 2009 19:00:12 GMT -5
Hi Sweetie,
Hopefully I can shed some light on this, and Randy, please correct me if I'm wrong.
Randy adds a little bit of polish to the borax burnish after the prepolish and before the polish. After the polish is finished, I believe he burnishes with borax and water. If you have a little bit of polish in it, it won't hurt things, so let it roll. If you need to do another burnish with just borax and water, you still can.
I also believe that others add a pinch of borax in with the polish step, to help them slide. Hope I helped things. You're doing awesome! Jo
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Post by frane on Nov 8, 2009 20:21:17 GMT -5
I usually use a little ivory snow, just a pinch to coat the stones in the vibe before adding the grit and later the polish. Seems to lower the amount of grit that sticks deeply in pits and crevices. When I am burnishing, I put in the ivory snow to coat the stones with the little bit of water run a few seconds to a minute and then I put in the borax. The reason I only put a pinch in is because you do not want too many bubbles. just a tiny bit of foam to make things a bit slippery. Borax is an anti emergent for plants and can damage them so if you rinse near plants ,the ivory snow is safer for them. When I have borax in the load, I funnel it into a milk jug to throw in the garbage.
Fran
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Thunder69
Cave Dweller 
Thunder 2000-2015
Member since January 2009
Posts: 3,105
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Post by Thunder69 on Nov 8, 2009 21:18:15 GMT -5
I just burnish on its own.....no polish....In the polish stage you can add borax to it to help the polish glide over the stone..not alot..but some...The burnish is supposed help remove any residue from the polish...haze mainly...I also only burnish between the pre polish and polish and after polish...  ..John |
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Post by MyNewHobby on Nov 9, 2009 15:48:15 GMT -5
Morning All!!
Boy .... am I glad that I asked ...
I will wait then until I am completely done and then will not use but pinches here and there. Then I will gradually work my way into what turns out to be best for my stuff.
Thanks guys ... as always ....
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