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Post by tanyafrench on Sept 28, 2010 6:46:38 GMT -5
Is there anyway to polish the face of a Geode without any tools. I really want to polish the Coconut Geode but all I have are tumblers. Is there any way to polish it free hand?
Tanya
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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 Sept 28, 2010 7:59:39 GMT -5
SiC grit (for tumbling) for the rough grinds and then SiC or diamond sand paper w/water on a hard, flat surface using figure 8 and circular motions.
And I hope your young enough to see the final results. ;D
(I could suggest cheap tools for this, but you said NO power tools.)
Good Luck and post pix of your progress.
Dr Joe
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gemhunter
starting to spend too much on rocks
"Rock On"
Member since November 2009
Posts: 243
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Post by gemhunter on Sept 28, 2010 8:13:08 GMT -5
How about a dusk mask, various sand paper grits, and or some wet emery cloth various grits. I really like the wet cloth the best. Ed
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Post by jakesrocks on Sept 28, 2010 8:17:48 GMT -5
Wet or dry SC paper used wet, and lots of patience. It takes a long time to do flats by hand.
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Post by tanyafrench on Sept 28, 2010 8:54:12 GMT -5
Dr Joe, what "cheap" tools would work. I may just have to invest a little.
Tanya
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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 Sept 28, 2010 21:10:22 GMT -5
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Post by tanyafrench on Sept 29, 2010 5:38:15 GMT -5
Thanks Dr Joe. Unfortunately my husband is not a handyman type. I guess I will just send the halves to someone to polish for me. I love to be able to do things myself but I don't have the wherewithall to build something like that. Tanya
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Post by jakesrocks on Sept 29, 2010 9:05:20 GMT -5
Tanya, you need to become the handywoman type. There are plenty of us who can talk you through building a flat lap. It's really not that hard to do. But first you have to become a scrounger. You need to learn how to scrounge the dump and second hand stores for usable motors, pulleys and other parts. That old washing machine dumped by the side of a country road probably has a motor built to run vertical. A must for a flat lap. Parts are wherever you can find them. Don
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Post by tanyafrench on Sept 29, 2010 12:03:26 GMT -5
Don, I am quite a handy woman but I don't think I could come up with the things I would need. I'd need some one with me that knows about the parts needed. Having never seen what it is that I would be building, except on the sale page in RTH, I really wouldn't know what to look or ask for. I'll just send them to you to have you polish them. Thanks so much for offering. Tanya
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Post by jakesrocks on Sept 29, 2010 12:52:06 GMT -5
No problem Tanya. But if you can use a drill, saw and a few wrenches, you really can build your own basic equipment. It may not look as pretty as a store bought machine, but it'll get-r-done. Don
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peachfront
fully equipped rock polisher
Stones have begun to speak, because an ear is there to hear them.
Member since August 2010
Posts: 1,745
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Post by peachfront on Sept 30, 2010 13:02:16 GMT -5
My husband just tried an experiment with one of those Harbor Freight counter polishers. He went straight from slab saw to this...not a great polish, certainly not good enough to re-sell, but for a first try it was suggestive. Possibly there is no way to skip that pesky "sanding" step though. My photo is poor, but there are actually areas of great polish on the slab and other areas that are just scratchy and not good at all -- kind of the "bumpy" type thing you would expect from something not properly sanded before the polish step. He says he has some other ideas but right now he's working on a controller/baby monitor-type program for the slab saw so he can cut rocks and browse the fabulous interweb at the same time. All comments, suggestions, links to similar projects, etc. welcome! Attachments:
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Post by tanyafrench on Sept 30, 2010 14:09:05 GMT -5
Oh he sounds like a Jack Of All Trades. Saw and browse at the same time. I love it. I do see the shine in the slab. Not bad for not sanding.
Tanya
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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 Sept 30, 2010 20:21:26 GMT -5
Polishing with a few grades of diamond paste will shine up those scratches (but not get rid of them). What polish did he use? Buffing pad or wheel?
I've a used a baby monitor, a 2 station intercom (now) and a cheap walkie talkie with a rubber band holding the talk button down on one.
interweb?? Don't you mean World Wide Net? ;D ;D
Dr Joe
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Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Oct 1, 2010 7:17:44 GMT -5
I thought it was the World Wide Wait... I gotta say that one of the things I really like about my gravity feed saw is that I don't have to monitor it very closely. But I'm getting a little off topic... Chuck
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damienlives
off to a rocking start
Member since February 2018
Posts: 1
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Post by damienlives on Feb 11, 2018 23:56:43 GMT -5
Can anyone recommend a cheap way of sanding.? I'm new to the boards and geodes. Taking advice about polishing but I think sanding is in between.. Ty in advance
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Post by spiceman on Feb 12, 2018 0:16:31 GMT -5
A cheap way is by hand. Get the sand paper from harbor freight and use a good flat surface to put the sand paper on. A piece of tile works good. A spray bottle to mist the paper/ Rock. And time. Don't be in a hurry. Rough grit down to very fine grit. The finer the grit the better the shine. Have fun.
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docharber
has rocks in the head
Member since October 2008
Posts: 693
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Post by docharber on Feb 19, 2018 0:58:37 GMT -5
If you're lazy like me you can clean it up and mask the interior as best you can, then careflly aply spray lacquer to the flat surfaces. It will give a decent shine. If you someday find yourself in possession of a flat lap you cn always grind off or dissolve the lacquer.
Docharber
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rainerevamped
off to a rocking start
Member since October 2021
Posts: 4
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Post by rainerevamped on Oct 1, 2021 10:05:26 GMT -5
Tanya, you need to become the handywoman type. There are plenty of us who can talk you through building a flat lap. It's really not that hard to do. But first you have to become a scrounger. You need to learn how to scrounge the dump and second hand stores for usable motors, pulleys and other parts. That old washing machine dumped by the side of a country road probably has a motor built to run vertical. A must for a flat lap. Parts are wherever you can find them. Don howdy. ok teach me Don. would i be able to find a cheap one to start out with? tight on money is a bit of an understatement right now. i have a ton i would like to sand/polish and would like to start yesterday. lol
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Post by Peruano on Oct 1, 2021 20:08:26 GMT -5
Don is not available to respond, but I'd say a drill press, a good mask and various sand paper grits in disk form would set you on your way. Fabricating a flat lap is no easy task but it can be done. Check the DIY lapidary equipment section if you want to explore.
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