dmharrisn
off to a rocking start
Member since March 2010
Posts: 14
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Post by dmharrisn on Apr 30, 2010 16:12:52 GMT -5
OK, I did the coarse grit two weeks, changing it half way through. I now have lots of amethyst and jasper, and some agates ready for finer grit, but still have quite a few that need to go again in the coarse. But I don't have enough of either to fill our large(6) barrel. I have plastic pellets that I added after the first week, I have new ones for the finer grit, but I only have about 1/4 capacity of rocks. Should we do a load of first grit with some new rocks added in? And then when we have enough, finer grit? I am trying so hard to do it right this time....Thanks so much.
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Post by NatureNut on Apr 30, 2010 16:20:17 GMT -5
Welcome to the board! Yep, the best thing to do is to keep running the first stage of similar rock to make up a full load for the following stages, adding pellets and ceramic for cushion/filler. Best to use plenty of smaller rocks and plenty of plastic pellets for cushion when running Amethyst with Jasper. Best of luck with this batch! Keep up the good work! Jo
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dmharrisn
off to a rocking start
Member since March 2010
Posts: 14
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Post by dmharrisn on Apr 30, 2010 17:00:31 GMT -5
Ah, the rock shop told me amethyst and jasper went fine together. I am still learning. We have red jasper and it isn't too pretty. It just looks one color, should we tumble it more? or is that what it should look like in the end? Thanks!
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Post by susand24224 on Apr 30, 2010 20:37:49 GMT -5
Hi!
Your red jasper will keep being red jasper--it will polish beautifully, though. Amethyst and jasper are the same hardness, but the amethyst is more brittle than the jasper. So, it is more subject to chipping and cracking. I have seen many, many photographs on here where people have tumbled amethyst with other less brittle stones, and the amethyst polishes beautifully. It seems whenever I put amethyst in with a less brittle, equally hard stone, I get chipping and internal fractures.
Regardless, if you use a lot of pellets it will help prevent fractures and chips--cheap insurance!
Susan
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Post by Jack ( Yorkshire) on May 1, 2010 0:46:16 GMT -5
Hi Susan & Dnrharrisn,
As regards Fracturing Amy do you do a slower polishing cycle after the first stage ?
My Tumbler runs around 42 RPM and I dont get any fractures or chipping
I once had a batch smashed to gravel running my (homemade )Tumbler so I learned the hard way
In Stage one I run a "Assembly Line" system,
I will explain, I wash up once a week take out what is shaped up OK and add new rock to fill the barrel to the 2/3rd required level recharge and off she goes for another week !!
Have a good day And long week end (May bank holiday here)
Jack
Yorkshire UK
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Post by susand24224 on May 2, 2010 19:46:52 GMT -5
Hi, Jack,
I have not done slower speeds for polish with amethyst, as my tumblers don't adjust. I am too mechanically challenged to figure out a way to slow them down.
However, my Lortones are slower than my Thumler, and recently I have started polishing everything in the Lortone (my only reserved "polish" barrel is a Lortone barrel). I have noticed that some things that are tricky seem to be doing better, so it is certainly worth giving it a try with amethyst.
Thanks for the suggestion.
Susan
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