tundra
off to a rocking start
Member since July 2010
Posts: 10 
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Post by tundra on Jul 16, 2010 13:37:13 GMT -5
:help: I am new to this site and have been told it is a great place to get good answers. I'm a sculptor and I just tried inlaying some polished geodes into the face of another stone. The second one turned out great, because I learned from the first that it had to be absolutely flush before I epoxyed it in place. So that leaves me the first one -- which had to be ground down a bit to get it flush and now has a few spots of nasty scratches. I went back to a 30 grit diamond sanding disc on my angle grinder and also tried working with some of my tumbler grits, working by hand on the scratches. THat helped some, but it's still not there. Anybody have any advice?
Thanks!
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rons
spending too much on rocks
Member since March 2010
Posts: 450
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Post by rons on Jul 16, 2010 14:18:20 GMT -5
I polish geodes and Thunder eggs on a vib lap..
grits are 80 or 100..than 220..than 400..than 600..
and than polish.....with what your doing it may take a lot of elbow grease....good luck
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tundra
off to a rocking start
Member since July 2010
Posts: 10
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Post by tundra on Jul 16, 2010 15:57:13 GMT -5
I polish geodes and Thunder eggs on a vib lap.. grits are 80 or 100..than 220..than 400..than 600.. and than polish.....with what your doing it may take a lot of elbow grease....good luck |
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tundra
off to a rocking start
Member since July 2010
Posts: 10
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Post by tundra on Jul 16, 2010 15:59:13 GMT -5
I don't know what a vib lap is! Can you elaborate? This piece - big rock with geode inlayed in it is about 70 pounds or so. Can't really move it around too well...
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Post by Tonyterner on Jul 16, 2010 17:50:07 GMT -5
70 lbs! That's a whopper. Have you tried getting one of those diamond disc grinding pads that they have for working counter tops. I'm not really sure of the grits but if you need to remove a lot of material I'd start pretty close.
Laps are machines that have a flat surface that either spins or vibrates. Considering the size of your piece I would think they are out of the question.
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Post by Jack, lapidaryrough on Jul 16, 2010 19:53:46 GMT -5
caution when polishing, lapping on flat plates, doing Geode`s always fill the geode Cavity with soap.
Best way i have found is to grate a bar of soap, an pack the geode, Then rub the geode on a flat surface to true the surface.
I use the highland-park Vibra-Laps and the Vibra-lap Both are 27".
I learned the hard way, That the cement from it drying in the cavity in Mexican Coconuts well not wash out......
Do not use Acid on Mexican Coconuts the changes are there well be some Calcite formation in the Geode.
Oregon thunder eggs the same, as the acid well etch the material.
Tried many other thoughts on keeping the geodes clean,, None other work, only the soap Flakes.. King Soap Flakes were sold decades ago, though i can`t fine that soap.
Lapidaryrough, Oregon
Jack
Roller; Modified on 07-17-2010
Yes the same on all lapidary equipment, just a solution to keep fine micro points clean. And all formation in Geodes.
A lot of Oregon Thunder-eggs have tube agate an Drusy.
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Post by Roller on Jul 16, 2010 21:43:33 GMT -5
How about a geode on a flat lap machine or a flat lap on the side of a cabber ...  will that work ? |
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NDK
Cave Dweller 
Member since January 2009
Posts: 9,440
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Post by NDK on Jul 16, 2010 21:56:07 GMT -5
Possibly inquire at a shop that installs stone counter tops. They should have the equipment to polish it. Otherwise a local rock club may have someone willing to help.
We love pictures too. Please post some of your work, it sounds very intriguing!
Good luck!
Nate
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tundra
off to a rocking start
Member since July 2010
Posts: 10
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Post by tundra on Jul 17, 2010 16:07:36 GMT -5
Thank you for all the suggestions. A countertop polisher sounds like a good place to start. I was hoping there is some kind of polish that I could work away at these scratch spots and get it polished again on my own. If I can figure out how to post a photo, I will  Okay hopefully this worked...I think you can see the rough spots on the geode...Didn't do the best cutting on the inlay, but first try...Oh, and just lifting it up to take the photo, the larger rock is probably more like 35 pounds. The inlay surface is flat tho, so maybe the countertop polisher would work on it...?  Okay, second try - tho this has a bit of space around it. I could have grouted it in, but like that it sort of floats.  |
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Post by Toad on Jul 17, 2010 16:10:28 GMT -5
Interesting sculptures for sure! Nice.
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Post by Jack, lapidaryrough on Jul 17, 2010 19:04:03 GMT -5
How about a geode on a flat lap machine or a flat lap on the side of a cabber ... will that work ? Roller; Modified on 07-17-2010 Yes the same on all lapidary equipment, just a solution to keep fine micro points clean. And all formation in Geodes. A lot of Oregon Thunder-eggs have tube agate an Drusy. « Last Edit: Today at 12:28pm by Jack » |
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spicer m
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2008
Posts: 337
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Post by spicer m on Jul 17, 2010 20:55:14 GMT -5
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NDK
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 9,440
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Post by NDK on Jul 17, 2010 21:52:48 GMT -5
Your sculptures are really cool, Tundra! I can understand you wanting to polish this yourself, seeing as we all do this ourselves lol. If you're not overly concerned about it being perfectly flat, a dremel (or similar moto-tool) with diamond burs or sanding discs may do the trick also.
Nate
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tundra
off to a rocking start
Member since July 2010
Posts: 10
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Post by tundra on Jul 18, 2010 2:04:21 GMT -5
Thanks very much for all the nice response! I like that johnwease website - great resource. I think what they have there looks a lot like a more expensive version of my Metabo angle grinder which I can fit with a flexible 4 1/2" velcro disc to mount the diamond pads on. I have wet/dry pads, but I have a funky jerry rigged way to feed water to the surface. Maybe I just haven't put in enough hours yet, though the granite counter idea sounds interesting...
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NDK
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 9,440
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Post by NDK on Jul 18, 2010 22:35:31 GMT -5
Those diamond pads should clean that geode up pretty quick. It's about the same thing the counter top guys would use. Run it through the successive grits and it'll be cleaned up in no time.
Nate
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Post by christopherl1234 on Jul 19, 2010 1:06:16 GMT -5
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tundra
off to a rocking start
Member since July 2010
Posts: 10
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Post by tundra on Jul 21, 2010 12:20:36 GMT -5
Thanks! They have great prices! I just ordered from there! And even tho they say they won't give advice over the phone, they do -- and lots of it about their various products.
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tundra
off to a rocking start
Member since July 2010
Posts: 10
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Post by tundra on Jul 21, 2010 12:21:47 GMT -5
BTW, finally really hunkered down for a many hours and my geode looks fantastic! Thank you for all your help. What a great website!
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NDK
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 9,440
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Post by NDK on Jul 21, 2010 19:50:43 GMT -5
Tundra - PIX PIX PIX PIX PIX!!!!!! We love 'em!!! LOL
Glad to hear you got the job done!
Christopher, thanks for the link! Lotsa good stuff on that site!
Nate
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will that work ?
