Post by lilkitties on Nov 9, 2009 9:08:21 GMT -5
Hi, I am just starting out, and have gotten into tumbling because I would love to learn how to polish quahog/clam shell pieces. I have a Lortone 3a tumbler on the way and have not started tumbling yet. (Can't wait!)
What I have been doing until now is using my Dremel to shape and smooth the shell pieces. This has worked nicely, but I don't know how to put a nice polish on the back side of the shell, since it seems to be a different hardness (softer) than the interior purple/white side.
I read a post that said the purple/white interior is shiny from nacre, but from what I've read about the shell, this is not nacre, but similar. The purple color is formed when the habitant of the shell goes to the bathroom! It takes sometimes 60 or more years for the shell to develop the thickness and beautiful striations of purple. The interior of the shell looks naturally polished, and is smooth and hard.
Here's a pic of the wampum/clam shell exterior and the interior is the jewelry piece.
wildaboutwampum.com/images/photos2/bold%20freeform.jpg
After researching the Moh's hardness scale, I would guess that the hardness of the outside shell might be comparable to 3.0. The interior seems so shiny and polished already, that I would like only to polish that up.
:help:
My questions to you knowledgeable folks:
1. Do I just do a polish in the tumbler after using my Dremel on the exterior shell to smooth it down? (I use a #60 sandpaper, then 220, then 600.) Or can I just tumble the shell piece (scratch up the naturally polished surface on the inside) following the Moh's scale of 3.0?
2. When polishing, I need some sort of polish that is clear, not tinted in color, since that may translate to the shell. Is cerium oxide good for this?
3. Do I drill a hole in the shell before tumbling or afterwards?
Sorry for all the questions, but I'm a real newbie here! Any help or direction you could give me would be greatly appreciated. I want to spend my money wisely. Thanks in advance.
What I have been doing until now is using my Dremel to shape and smooth the shell pieces. This has worked nicely, but I don't know how to put a nice polish on the back side of the shell, since it seems to be a different hardness (softer) than the interior purple/white side.
I read a post that said the purple/white interior is shiny from nacre, but from what I've read about the shell, this is not nacre, but similar. The purple color is formed when the habitant of the shell goes to the bathroom! It takes sometimes 60 or more years for the shell to develop the thickness and beautiful striations of purple. The interior of the shell looks naturally polished, and is smooth and hard.
Here's a pic of the wampum/clam shell exterior and the interior is the jewelry piece.
wildaboutwampum.com/images/photos2/bold%20freeform.jpg
After researching the Moh's hardness scale, I would guess that the hardness of the outside shell might be comparable to 3.0. The interior seems so shiny and polished already, that I would like only to polish that up.
:help:
My questions to you knowledgeable folks:
1. Do I just do a polish in the tumbler after using my Dremel on the exterior shell to smooth it down? (I use a #60 sandpaper, then 220, then 600.) Or can I just tumble the shell piece (scratch up the naturally polished surface on the inside) following the Moh's scale of 3.0?
2. When polishing, I need some sort of polish that is clear, not tinted in color, since that may translate to the shell. Is cerium oxide good for this?
3. Do I drill a hole in the shell before tumbling or afterwards?
Sorry for all the questions, but I'm a real newbie here! Any help or direction you could give me would be greatly appreciated. I want to spend my money wisely. Thanks in advance.