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 Jan 31, 2011 13:14:20 GMT -5
Right now I am just set up to cab, but I'm also (slowly) gathering stones that I would like to tumble polish in a vibratory tumbler. I am doing a rough shape/grind on a 100 diamond wheel and/or 220 silicon carbide wheel. So it will take me awhile to get enough smooth stones to throw in the vibratory tumbler. (Don't want to get involved with rotary tumbler because of the noise/time it takes issues.) Question: Any reason I should tumble Chevron/dogtooth type Amethyst and Brazilian Agate separately? Or will they work OK together? I have a LOT of both materials so it wouldn't be strictly necessary to mix them. Haven't picked out a tumbler yet but I used Lot O Tumbler back in the day and may well go with them again.
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Post by deb193redux on Jan 31, 2011 15:47:13 GMT -5
Lot-O is quieter than rotary, but other models may not be.
I think if you have the ceramic in there and are beginning with 100g ground shapes then you would be OK - especially in a Lot-O.
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Post by susand24224 on Jan 31, 2011 16:50:47 GMT -5
Amethyst is brittle, agate is not. I would not tumble them together in a rotary, but can't speak to a vibe.
Susan
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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
|
Post by peachfront on Feb 1, 2011 18:51:16 GMT -5
Yeah, I noticed this brittleness in the Chevron Amethyst, when I was making some pre-forms on my 100 grit rough grinding wheel. (Do you call them pre-forms if the plan is to put them in a tumbler?) I think I will go back to the original plan and put the Agates in a separate run from the Amethyst. However, maybe not just Brazilian Agates in the Agate run. I have a few oddball Jasp-Agates that I don't have enough to tumble on their own that I would like to put in the Brazilian Agate run. For example, I have two or three pieces of Montana Blue. It seems really hard and sturdy...am I taking a crazy risk?
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Post by deb193redux on Feb 1, 2011 20:39:04 GMT -5
you can seperate. but brittle and soft are not the same. they are equal in hardness, so as long as there is lots of ceramic they will have equal breakage whether the rest of the load is amethyst or agate.
I am also assuming that the most likely to fracture will be weeded out by the pre-grinding
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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
|
Post by peachfront on Feb 1, 2011 21:00:49 GMT -5
I think you are right, because I have found some cracks and cut them away on the Amethysts. I am going to look for only the best. Chevron/Dogtooth Amethyst is not really my favorite material but lately I've been surprised. There is quality out there, but you have to eliminate a lot of cruft. Of course, this will add to the time it takes before I have enough to tumble but I guess there isn't any tearing hurry.
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Post by deb193redux on Feb 2, 2011 20:35:59 GMT -5
some high quality amy lace might make you forgo amy chevron
with enough ceramic, you can do small loads w/o waiting to fill a barrel
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,095
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Post by stefan on Feb 2, 2011 21:04:00 GMT -5
Go for it. I've tumbled ammy in mixed loads in my rotaries with no more issues than normal. If your preshapping on a 100 wheel most of the problems will have already surfaced
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