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Post by Bejewelme on Nov 15, 2009 17:52:34 GMT -5
Ughghgghg, I thought I would get a Lot-O tumbler throw some water and grit in, and have perfectly shiny stones in a week or two, NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Tumbling is a pain in the butt! Poor Tom has spent so much time helping me!!!!! Well the motor blew back in July so things were held up, waiting for a replacement motor. The first batch was so pity and awful, I couldn't even post it, so I picked out a few that had potential and ran them again with some of the material we collected in Utah. Now I have another batch almost done and have decided that Tony will tumble the rough first in his rotary tumblers and then I will use the Lot O for stones that have already been rounded and smoothed out! Tumbling is much harder than I thought it would be and dirty, ughggh! Not having the outdoor hose for rinising is going to make it difficult now that Winter is coming! So here they are, not totally impressive, but I am hoping the next is more so! Tom thanks for being patient!!!! Find the most difficult problem being chipping in the pre polish and polish stages, even though I filled the barrel with a mixture of small and large material?  Amber     UT material, we even found Turritella, it was so covered with dirt and mud that we didn't know until we saw it come out of the tumbler! |
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wyobrian
fully equipped rock polisher
GO VIKINGS
Member since February 2009
Posts: 1,739
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Post by wyobrian on Nov 15, 2009 17:55:30 GMT -5
GREAT Batch Amber ;D
Brian
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gem97845
starting to shine!
Member since August 2009
Posts: 47
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Post by gem97845 on Nov 15, 2009 18:09:08 GMT -5
Hey, I don't see a thing wrong with that batch. Good job!
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Post by MyNewHobby on Nov 15, 2009 18:16:50 GMT -5
Serious shine Girl!!!!
That is one awesome batch ...
Julie
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Post by tkrueger3 on Nov 15, 2009 18:17:48 GMT -5
Amber, you got a really good shine on them, separate from the issue of chipping. Running them in rotaries for the first one or two coarse steps seems to be the norm - the vibe won't do any real shaping on them, so get them to the shape you want first, then put them in the vibe for the gleaming shine. As to the chipping - the vibe can be quite stressful on some types of stones - I always use a minimum of 1/3 of the amount of stuff in the vibe to be filler - ceramics etc. I think Julie or somebody has had some success using some inexpensive "flattened marbles" from the dollar store as filler. Some use a wee little bit of Dove soap shavings to get them to slide better (WARNING! More than just the smallest pinch of Dove will result in a vibe FULL of soap suds! I speak from experience here!). The point is to provide a little cushion so the brittle ones don't always crash together, which is what makes them chip. (Listen to this old white-haired fool - like he knows it all! LOL!) Although I do feel that I've ruined enough rocks in the vibe to have learned a bit about it.  All in all, you got a really good batch out, even if a few did get chipped. That gleaming shine is what you're after, basically. Tom |
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Post by tkrueger3 on Nov 15, 2009 18:22:34 GMT -5
I forgot to mention - it's best to make sure that everything in a batch is about the same MOH's hardness, or else the softer ones will get beat up like the playground bully's been on them. I've come to my own conclusion that the vibe is useless for the softer stuff - anything less than about 6 MOH's - at least for my level of inexperience. Those with many more batches under their belts will probably run most anything and have great success.
Thing is - don't give up - keep on trying - experiment - find your own favorite recipe. They'll just keep on getting better and better.
Tom
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Post by NatureNut on Nov 15, 2009 18:48:26 GMT -5
Yep, what everyone else has said. Don't give up, be patient, be observant and use the trial and error approach. Those look awesome Sweetie, and what a cool assortment of material. If you wanted to use saw cut material, it might help the beginning stages. Cut thick slabs, then shapes. Or you can just shave off the outsides and smooth your rocks before you start if you wanted to bypass the rotary stage totally. Great batch, Amber!
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Post by superioragates on Nov 15, 2009 18:51:45 GMT -5
Well....I agree, tumbling is a pain in the rear...but I sure don't see a lot wrong with this batch! I ALWAYS have a few rocks that just WILL NOT tumble without the fractures showing up somewhere on the rock....I personally just thro them back in, and try some more! LOL I figure one day they WILL do what I want them too....no matter what they think! LOL
Great batch Amber!
Marie
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Post by montanamuskrat on Nov 16, 2009 0:23:02 GMT -5
Awesome batch, great shine. Even with the trouble you have do you like the Lot-O tumbler or vib type tumbling?
Debby and Tom
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Post by Bikerrandy on Nov 16, 2009 4:46:33 GMT -5
Those look great!!  |
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Post by frane on Nov 16, 2009 6:48:58 GMT -5
Amber, that looks like a great batch! I think it is funny when I find something in the batch I didn't know was there. That turitella looks wonderful and the polish is excellent!
Fran
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NorthShore-Rocks
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since December 2008
Posts: 1,004
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Post by NorthShore-Rocks on Nov 16, 2009 7:14:21 GMT -5
That's a great looking batch Amber! Killer shine!
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Post by connrock on Nov 16, 2009 13:20:40 GMT -5
Well after about 6248-1/2 one finger typed words we finally got a load out of that vibe!!!
I'm 65 now and I think we started that load when iwas in my 50's!!! lol
Ya done me proud pilgrim,,,,,done me proud!
Your problem is that you want everything yesterday and easy!!
Pump the brakes a little sister and just let the rocks do their thing!
connrock
connrock
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Post by Bejewelme on Nov 16, 2009 13:59:38 GMT -5
TOM!!!!! You crack me up!!! I think I will be 65 by the time I turn a nice batch out of this darn thing! I am trying to feel the love, but man, it is a bugger-----too, wet,-----too dry. Also I have no clue what Tripoli is, or Rapid 61? I have 3 things, 220 grit, pre polish and polish, all from the rock shed! Thank you for typing all those words, I did save them, so you dont have to keep typing, LOL!!!! Amber  |
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Mudshark
fully equipped rock polisher
Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock. Will Rogers
Member since December 2008
Posts: 1,083
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Post by Mudshark on Nov 16, 2009 15:57:20 GMT -5
Amber,they came out just fine!I started using Tripoli before the polish stage and it's working out pretty good.I start with 220 after rounding the rocks in the rotary,then 500 or 600,then Tripoli for a day then polish until you are happy with the shine.Keep at it and you will start liking that Lot-o more and more.
Mike
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Post by Tonyterner on Nov 17, 2009 11:48:10 GMT -5
Well I think Tom nailed it on the head when he said you want everything yesterday and easy. lol I think they turned out pretty good. She now has a pile of roughed rock from me so I expect her next batch to be even better.
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Post by connrock on Nov 17, 2009 16:19:26 GMT -5
T'Turner,
Yep,,,I had her pegged for bein one of those right off the bat!!
She wants her eggs over easy but won't take the time to flip um,,,then she'll complain they aint done right!!!!!!!
I don't see a single thing wrong with those rocks and let me tell you that I worked hard and VERY long to get a batch to look like that!
T'wern't no interner back then so it was read what you can and have at it!!!
LOL,,,,Try to buy the grit ,polish,etc you needed back then too,,,,especially up here in rockhound hell!!!
Now here comes Miss "I want it yesterday" with a fantasic load of polished rocks,complainin about too wet,too dry and she still aint flipped that egg yet!!!!!!!!
Sheesh,,,women,,,,go figure,,,,,never mind it's waste of time,,,,just go and flip that darn egg for her will ya!!!! lol
connrock
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