zero
off to a rocking start
Member since October 2009
Posts: 10
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Post by zero on Mar 14, 2010 15:37:10 GMT -5
I wrapped up my first ever batch of apache tears and I'll have to say that I'm not too pleased with the results. They turned out to be nice and smooth, but they aren't polished very well. The rock on the left is how they looked before I started tumbling them. The three rocks on the right was the final result : gi156.photobucket.com/groups/t17/NWSRN9PNZH/IMG_0889.jpggi156.photobucket.com/groups/t17/NWSRN9PNZH/IMG_0887.jpggi156.photobucket.com/groups/t17/NWSRN9PNZH/IMG_0890.jpgI did the 4 step tumbling: course, fine, prepolish, polish. I actually attempted to polish them for 14 days instead of the normal 7 because I didn't like the way they turned out after the first 7 days of polish. I even used plastic pellets and mixed in 1 tablespoon of sugar for each tablespoon of polish during the polish and pre-polish phase. What I did notice is that the apache tears really didn't change much after the course phase. The course phase rounded them out pretty nicely, but they rocks pretty much stayed the same with each consecutive phase. Does anyone have any ideas what I am doing wrong? I still have several batches of apache tears to tumble, but I don' want to attempt them until I can figure out how to get them more polished.
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Post by susand24224 on Mar 14, 2010 20:24:16 GMT -5
The Apache tears that I have tumbled have taken an extraordinary amount of time to polish--three to four weeks with AO polish. I considered taking them out and trying another polish, but each time I looked at them they were slightly better, so I let them go. I do all stages with at least 1/3rd ceramics (mixed sizes), and I use Ivory Snow/Borax to thicken rather than sugar. I have no idea if the IS/Borax is better as I have never tried sugar.
Susan
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on Mar 14, 2010 21:11:02 GMT -5
You know, I've had bad luck with Apache tears. I occasionally have one in with a mixed load and it comes out fine. Then when I try to do a straight batch, go to five steps and everything, they come out crappy. I'm convinced I have an obsidian curse....Mel
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firewalker45
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since August 2006
Posts: 929
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Post by firewalker45 on Mar 14, 2010 21:40:28 GMT -5
Hi Zero and welcome to the board. My take on what you did wrong is in your fine step. Any step after the course stage you need to cushion them well. Use 1/2 to 2/3 plastic pellets to tears. My guess is: in the fine stage without cushioning, they beat themselves up to the point that the pre polish and polish stage were unable to overcome. Hope this helps, Daniel
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zero
off to a rocking start
Member since October 2009
Posts: 10
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Post by zero on Nov 27, 2010 17:42:56 GMT -5
Old message, I know. Thought I'd post a follow up though. Anyway, I've tried various methods on tumbling my apache tears. I even tried tumbling them in the polishing phase for 3 months. In the end, they always came out with a matte finish. Well, I found the problem -- reusing my plastic pellets! If I used brand new plastic pellets or no pellets at all, the rocks came out nice and shiny! Talk about a lesson that took over 6 months to learn. Ugh.
I wonder if I can re-tumble some of my older apache tears with the matte finish and have them polish up.
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drjo
fully equipped rock polisher
Honduran Opal & DIY Nut
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,581
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Post by drjo on Nov 27, 2010 18:24:17 GMT -5
Thanks for the follow-up. You were re-using the plastic pellets from one stage to the next? Yes you can polish the dull ones, just go back to the last grinding stage and then move on. Well...at least you can learn Dr Joe .
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Sabre52
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Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on Nov 27, 2010 18:55:38 GMT -5
I just finished my first real successful batch of soft stone, apache tears and mixed obsidian with some feldspar and sodalite. Finally got that mirror finish but it did take a five step process and a vibe tumbler. If you run them too long in polish, they stay frosted because they knock together more in a longer run, especially in a rotary rig. A week should be plenty of time in polish and you need lots of plastic pellets to cushion the load. I used 500 grit as an extra step between fine grind and prepolish with tripoli.....Mel
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Post by tkrueger3 on Nov 27, 2010 21:52:28 GMT -5
I'm glad you did finally have some success. The only obsidian of any kind I ever got a good shine on, was stuff I used as "filler" in a load of other things!
Tom
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MikeS
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2009
Posts: 1,081
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Post by MikeS on Nov 28, 2010 12:54:21 GMT -5
when I've had luck with them I did them in a vibe with cerium oxide and lots of vinyl tile spacers, ran them in the polish stage for about 3 days....and NO burnish stage....every time I've gotten a good shine on them, they go hazy again if I burnish them....
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zero
off to a rocking start
Member since October 2009
Posts: 10
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Post by zero on Nov 28, 2010 13:24:10 GMT -5
Thanks for the follow-up. You were re-using the plastic pellets from one stage to the next? . I should correct this. I didn't reuse pellets from one stage to the next. I did reuse pellets from different rocks in the same stage. This seemed to matter when it came to tumbling apache tears.
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chassroc
Cave Dweller
Rocks are abundant when you have rocktumblinghobby pals
Member since January 2005
Posts: 3,586
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Post by chassroc on Nov 30, 2010 9:27:20 GMT -5
I noticed you do not mention medium grit(120-220). I would go back and try medium for a week then fine(500) for a week, prepolish(1000AO) for a week, and finally polish for a week. You are using pellets for cushioning. I'd use it from medium (or at least fine) on. I'm trying to remember what polish I've used with Obsidian...cannot remember but when I have trouble polishing I come back to tin oxide i would try to be cleaner than usual between cycles Charlie
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chassroc
Cave Dweller
Rocks are abundant when you have rocktumblinghobby pals
Member since January 2005
Posts: 3,586
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Post by chassroc on Dec 1, 2010 12:48:44 GMT -5
Researched polishes and it looks like cerium oxide is recommended for obsidian and softer stones Charlie
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slabcabber
has rocks in the head
Member since April 2010
Posts: 590
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Post by slabcabber on Dec 15, 2010 21:16:57 GMT -5
Hello, Can anyone tell me for sure if this will work for slag glass as well???
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on Dec 15, 2010 21:46:33 GMT -5
Yep, obsidian and glass will work up with the same process and stages.....Mel
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slabcabber
has rocks in the head
Member since April 2010
Posts: 590
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Post by slabcabber on Dec 16, 2010 8:45:32 GMT -5
Thank you Mel. I will be giving this a try soon. I just received 580 pounds of slag glass...I need to get started...
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Post by gr on Dec 16, 2010 10:09:37 GMT -5
Better get a bigger tumbler or two
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finkenov
off to a rocking start
Member since September 2020
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Post by finkenov on Sept 30, 2020 15:57:13 GMT -5
Ten years on... I'm carefully studying this information. Thanks!
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Post by Bob on Oct 1, 2020 16:14:16 GMT -5
Thanks for the follow-up. You were re-using the plastic pellets from one stage to the next? . I should correct this. I didn't reuse pellets from one stage to the next. I did reuse pellets from different rocks in the same stage. This seemed to matter when it came to tumbling apache tears. I'm confused. Do you mean that in polish, you first tried used plastic pellets you had used only in polish before? I have used polish-only use pellets that are at least 4 years old and product fantastic results, though I have not yet tried with obsidian. I used to even keep used pellets from different types of polish separated, but no longer bother with that. I do however keep pellets used with the first week of polish separate from pellets used with the second week of polish (which also has a polish dedicated only to that second week). Also, are using the white flattish pellets like sold at Rock Shed or the roundish black pellets like sold at KN? In my opinion, they are very different.
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