edrush1968
off to a rocking start
Member since May 2010
Posts: 2
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Post by edrush1968 on May 14, 2010 19:58:53 GMT -5
I am fairly new to this hobby. I recently purchased a Lortone Model QT66 and have polished a couple of good barrels of mixed rocks. I decided to try a batch of nothing but tigers eyes and I cannot get them to polish.
The first 3 stages went great. I did one week in 60/90 grit, one week in 120/220 grit, and one week in prepolish (500 grit). I cleaned the rocks for 1/2 day before the prepolish and for a whole day before the polish using crushed up ivory soap with water. The rocks looked really good and I thought the rocks were going to come out great. I polished for one week and .......
nothing!!!
There was a slight shine and I noticed that some of the rocks had started to develop cracks that weren't there in the earlier stages.
I polished again for 4 more days and the rocks were no better than before and there were even more rocks with cracks.
Does anyone have any experience with tigers eyes. I thought they would be fairly easy to polish, but apparently not.
One thing is that I am not using any plastic pellets, but I did put in 4 teaspoons of sugar to cushion the rocks. I was told that this would work instead of the pellets.
Thanks in advance.
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Post by deb193redux on May 14, 2010 20:59:29 GMT -5
No, you will need the pellets.
You likely lost volume as you ground the rocks, so the barrel will tend to be a little underfilled, and rocks would be able to fall instead of slide.
Also, the appearance of the cracks is pretty good evidence that they are getting banged up.
It is possible that the cracks were there and only show as the white polish works its way in, but since you report more cracks with longer time, I think they were not there to start.
Also, be sure it is cracks, and not mineral fibers (which tigereye has) pulling out. You wil recognize that broken comb pattern if you see it.
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edrush1968
off to a rocking start
Member since May 2010
Posts: 2
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Post by edrush1968 on May 14, 2010 21:09:41 GMT -5
OK, I am ordering some plastic pellets now. How many do you suggest I need? Also, should I start back from step one, or just go back to the prepolish? Should the pellets be put in just the prepolish and polish stages?
Thanks for your help!
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Post by jakesrocks on May 14, 2010 21:46:42 GMT -5
Use the pellets in your last two stages. Be sure to use separate pellets for each stage. If you look at tiger eye under magnification, you'll see that it's made up of very tiny needles. It's possible that the cracks that you're seeing are actually needles that have peeled away. I'd suggest not using sugar. Depending on the mineral makeup of the rocks you're tumbling, the sugar may start to ferment in the tumbler. This will form gasses that will blow the lid right off your tumbler barrel. I've had it happen to me. Don
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Post by captbob on May 17, 2010 20:38:32 GMT -5
uh....
ONE WEEK in 60/90 ??
Tiger Eye is a 7 in the Mohs hardness scale. The last batch I did of tiger eye / tiger iron I went a couple months on the 60/90 stage.
Your rocks need to be in the final shape that you want them as a finished stone before you move beyond the rough grit stage, as the latter stages are just to smooth out the scratches left by the previous grit.
I'd love to see a picture of your batch after one week in 60/90, but I pretty much know what I'd see unless you ground the heck out of each stone on a wheel before you started.
Without seeing your batch, I think you need to go back to step one. I think the total on my tiger eye tumble was 4 months plus, but they are perfect... a good tumble takes TIME.
Actually, were it me, I'd start a second tiger eye batch and then pick out the best of both batches as you move on. If you are going to invest a third of a year on a batch of stones, they may as well be worthy of your effort.
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Post by gaetzchamp on May 18, 2010 0:07:06 GMT -5
I agree with Captbob.....one week in coarse is not nearly enough time to get them appropriately shaped and prepared for the next run. My personal guideline is just when you think they look good enough to move on, leave them in another month just for good measure.
Good luck and hope you can post picts.
gaeter
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kevinstalcup
off to a rocking start
Member since October 2016
Posts: 4
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Post by kevinstalcup on Oct 6, 2016 16:11:19 GMT -5
I am fairly new to this hobby. I recently purchased a Lortone Model QT66 and have polished a couple of good barrels of mixed rocks. I decided to try a batch of nothing but tigers eyes and I cannot get them to polish. The first 3 stages went great. I did one week in 60/90 grit, one week in 120/220 grit, and one week in prepolish (500 grit). I cleaned the rocks for 1/2 day before the prepolish and for a whole day before the polish using crushed up ivory soap with water. The rocks looked really good and I thought the rocks were going to come out great. I polished for one week and ....... nothing!!! There was a slight shine and I noticed that some of the rocks had started to develop cracks that weren't there in the earlier stages. I polished again for 4 more days and the rocks were no better than before and there were even more rocks with cracks. Does anyone have any experience with tigers eyes. I thought they would be fairly easy to polish, but apparently not. One thing is that I am not using any plastic pellets, but I did put in 4 teaspoons of sugar to cushion the rocks. I was told that this would work instead of the pellets. Thanks in advance.
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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 Oct 6, 2016 16:56:08 GMT -5
Yep, Tiger eye bruises easily especially on the edges so you need to do two things. #1 lots of coarse grind to really round off the stones before moving on as the edges will get lots of little micro fractures causing them to look cloudy. Cure: eliminate edges. #2 lots of pellets and lots of small filler ( I use previously ground smalls and plastic pellets in last three stages, full load,smalls, and plastic in coarse). This cushions the load, prevents the tiger eye stones from knocking together hard and increases surface to surface contact. Maybe its just me but I find it harder to process tiger eye than obsidian but at least with tiger eye, I can use AO polish instead of the expensive tin oxide I seem to need with obsidian....Mel
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Oct 6, 2016 17:30:45 GMT -5
I am fairly new to this hobby. I recently purchased a Lortone Model QT66 and have polished a couple of good barrels of mixed rocks. I decided to try a batch of nothing but tigers eyes and I cannot get them to polish. The first 3 stages went great. I did one week in 60/90 grit, one week in 120/220 grit, and one week in prepolish (500 grit). I cleaned the rocks for 1/2 day before the prepolish and for a whole day before the polish using crushed up ivory soap with water. The rocks looked really good and I thought the rocks were going to come out great. I polished for one week and ....... nothing!!! There was a slight shine and I noticed that some of the rocks had started to develop cracks that weren't there in the earlier stages. I polished again for 4 more days and the rocks were no better than before and there were even more rocks with cracks. Does anyone have any experience with tigers eyes. I thought they would be fairly easy to polish, but apparently not. One thing is that I am not using any plastic pellets, but I did put in 4 teaspoons of sugar to cushion the rocks. I was told that this would work instead of the pellets. Thanks in advance.
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