Minnesota Daniel
freely admits to licking rocks
A COUPLE LAKERS
Member since August 2011
Posts: 891
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Post by Minnesota Daniel on Nov 25, 2009 2:36:52 GMT -5
Peach Aventurine: This evening's work.  This is after 24 hours in the clean/burnish stage that followed the pre-polish of Al2O3. Now they are being polished with CeO2.  They look pretty good already, but not quite don yet. |
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Post by frane on Nov 25, 2009 6:30:26 GMT -5
Those look great so far! I have always had a problem with aventurine in the final stages. Starts to flake and show pits. I sure hope yours does much better! Maybe it is the polish.
I am looking forward to seeing these babies finished!
Fran
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Post by Toad on Nov 25, 2009 8:09:10 GMT -5
If that close-up is any indication, you'll have a nice batch of rocks.
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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 25, 2009 13:24:21 GMT -5
So far so good!I heard it's tricky tumbling Aventurine but it looks like you got it down.
Mike
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Slydog
has rocks in the head
Member since February 2006
Posts: 555
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Post by Slydog on Nov 25, 2009 15:37:21 GMT -5
I'm loving that color! Wondering where you got the stuff from? Nona...from WI, no beer, no brats, but I'll take the cheese  |
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Minnesota Daniel
freely admits to licking rocks
A COUPLE LAKERS
Member since August 2011
Posts: 891
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Post by Minnesota Daniel on Nov 25, 2009 18:02:17 GMT -5
Thanks for the compliments. I started by useing a small cold chisel and hammer to break apart, in a controlled manner, the ones that were going to break any way. Then I knocked off points and sharp edges, etc. In the middle of the 120/220 stage I used a Dremel tool with a diamond bur and a cutoff saw to grind off a whole lot of surface flaking, flatten out the remaining low spots, and sawed off the pieces that would have impeded a good sanding. I put the "improved" stones back, set aside the "bad" ones. I started using plastic pellets at the 500 grit stage. I don't think much, if any, of the surface flaking that is still present came from the tumbling, it just wasn't practical to grind them all off. These were either missed, or they didn't look like they would cause problems. Here's a pic of the CeO2 slurry. The consistency is more or less between cream and half and half.  I acquired the rough from the Rockshed. |
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Post by montanamuskrat on Nov 26, 2009 1:59:14 GMT -5
Nice batch of Aventurine. We have never tumbled Aventurine, sorry no advice from us. Nice red color.
Debby and Tom
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