jpb007
off to a rocking start
Member since August 2009
Posts: 9
|
Post by jpb007 on Dec 10, 2009 7:16:48 GMT -5
I am getting back into tumbling. I haven't done it much since I was a kid. Much older now & have a question. I have some amazonite & amethyst I've done recently that does not have the high gloss I was expecting. I was going to attempt some wire wraps to make some items for my wife.
I used SiC for the first two stages 60/90 & 120/220 & AO for the third & fourth polish stages 500 & 1000. I ran each grit for 7 days. I use a Thumler AR-2 & have four separate barrels, one for each grit to cut down on cross contamination of grit. I'm using beads dedicated for each stage so no cross contamination there either. After each grit, I also run Borax for several hours as a wash. So I am at a loss why it didn't come out better.
Is there a recommended spray to achieve the high gloss that will fair well as a piece of jewelry to be worn such as a pendant? And if using a spray, is it recommended to only do the rock or the whole setting.
I appreciate any input for better results. Thanks for the group.
|
|
Sabre52
Cave Dweller 
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,494
|
Post by Sabre52 on Dec 10, 2009 8:02:21 GMT -5
Howdy, The amethyst, if tumbled well, should be taking a very glassy polish. You might try tripooli for the prepolish and finish with a longer run in AO with plenty of plastic beads. I'm getting ready to redo some amazonite as soon as I get a small barrel freed up. It should be run by itself with plastic pellets in all stages and is a bit of a booger to polish ( at least for me). This time I'm either going to do a real long run in fine grind or use a fifth step with 500 grit SC before prepolish. There are sprays like kryolon that will shine stuff up but most spray finishes will not take abrasion and will dull or get scratched quite quickly and make your item look pretty bad ....Mel
|
|
|
|
Post by tkrueger3 on Dec 10, 2009 10:39:08 GMT -5
I don't know if you tumbled the amazonite and amethyst together or separately. I've added a bit of amazonite to a tumble that was amethyst (quartz) and crazy lace (agate), and the 2 harder types pretty much destroyed the amazonite.
If you are tumbling them separately, if you can do your final polish using tin oxide for the amazonite, and cerium for the amethyst (along with staying in the polish step for a longer time), you should see a better shine on the end results.
So, that's my $0.02 - YMMV!
tom
|
|
|
|
Post by johnjsgems on Dec 10, 2009 10:45:04 GMT -5
You mentioned four steps to 1000 AO. What final polish did you use? 1000 is only a prepolish.
|
|
|
|
Post by Toad on Dec 10, 2009 10:46:25 GMT -5
I don't know if AO is as goood as SiC for grinding. The SiC is constantly breaking and creating sharp edges to speed grinding. I think the AO just rounds off, so isn't effective for as long. Maybe switch to SiC for as many stages as you are using and then switch to AO for polish.
|
|
jpb007
off to a rocking start
Member since August 2009
Posts: 9
|
Post by jpb007 on Dec 11, 2009 8:01:46 GMT -5
Thanks so much for the input. See - I've learned something already. I thought the 1000gt was the polish. Remember, I've not done this since I was a kid and my dad was doing most of it. I'd ask him if he was still with us.
I didn't tumble the amazonite with the amethyst.
Question: What is the difference between the tin oxide & cerium polishes?
What types of rock require the different polish? I notice one is quite a bit more expensive than the other.
|
|
JEFFD
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since December 2004
Posts: 242
|
Post by JEFFD on Dec 11, 2009 11:03:24 GMT -5
Tin oxide is expensive and polishes most rock well.
I prefer AO polish from the Rockshed. It gives as good or better shine for less $$$.
Never used Cerium
|
|
|
|
Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Dec 11, 2009 13:21:49 GMT -5
As Toad mentioned, you may be happier with SiC 500.
You can stop after the AO 1000, but you will get a better shine with a polish. You can save and re-use your polish, so in the long run it's not as expensive as it appears.
Hope that helps,
Chuck
|
|
