herchenx
Cave Dweller 
Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,358
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Post by herchenx on Feb 29, 2012 15:17:09 GMT -5
I became acquainted with Wolfram Alpha when it first came out. Generally it is a Mathematics and Science resource tool and advanced algorithm calculator (at least that is how I have always thought of it) Well, I keep wondering what the Mohs hardness is of various things I think I might like to tumble, and I keep returning to the same resource. Here is a link to a search for the Mohs hardness of peridot: www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=peridot+Mohs+hardnessIt is a commercial application, which means it can cost money, but there is a free account you can use for easy lookups like these. It is also vastly deeper than this, you can use it to find or calculate all sorts of useful things, but this seemed of potential benefit to other tumblers! |
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Post by geoff on Feb 29, 2012 15:36:35 GMT -5
I love Theodore Gray. I have his Elements app on my iPad, which includes access to the Wolfram app.
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herchenx
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,358
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Post by herchenx on Feb 29, 2012 16:17:03 GMT -5
Yeah I have the WA app on my Android, very convenient.
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Post by connrock on Mar 1, 2012 8:39:23 GMT -5
John something to remember about Mohs scale of hardness is that each umber,,,,1,2---through 10 doesn't give you an actual "progressive' scale,,,,if that what you call it?
What I'm sating is that corundum (ruby/sapphire)is a 9 on the scale and diamond is a 10,,, yet diamond is 10 times harder then corundum.
I don't know the exact specifics of the scale but if you have ,,,,,,lets say a 7.0 and a 7.5,,,the 7.5 can be a lot harder then the 7.0!
In my experience this shows up(in tumbling) mostly in obsidian and I think this is why some people constantly have problems tumbling it.
I was once told to only tumble obsidian found at the same location due to the possibility of different hardness from different areas and we had quite a discussion here about this.
Like many discussions there was no real factual out come and it went from "that is a fact" to "that's a lot of nonsense"! LOL
I tend to believe it as I have had problems with obsidian from different locations.
connrock
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herchenx
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,358
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Post by herchenx on Mar 2, 2012 0:31:38 GMT -5
Thanks Tom, i had forgotten the 10-times thing- sort of like the richter (sp?) scale for earthquakes.
So far all I can do on obsidian is a dull shine.
I am about to get a smaller vibe that I may leave for obsidian and possibly (separately) for some jade I can't seem to get to shine either. I've bought several varieties of grit that are supposed to work on Jade, we'll have to see about the obsidian.
Thanks again
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Steve
has rocks in the head
Member since June 2005
Posts: 506
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Post by Steve on Mar 2, 2012 4:20:44 GMT -5
I've found that roughing obsidian in an overfilled rotary with lots of pellets and finishing in a stuffed vibe with Tin Oxide works quite well. You also have to be careful to not let it keep running after you get the polish otherwise you'll microchip the polish off.
Wolfram Alpha and Mathematica are great tools both for hobby and professional use. In Wolfram Alpha type in Tell me a joke
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Post by connrock on Mar 2, 2012 9:29:09 GMT -5
John,,,
I hope I didn't lead you to thinking that all of the numbers in Mohs scale have a 10x hardness difference.
I don't think that holds true for each "graduation" but I do know it does between 9 and 10 on the scale.
Although I've done my share of obsidian I HAVE to bow to chrystee for doing a bang up job on it!
As a newbie she took off running with obsidian as she did with everything else she endeavors!
Quite a gall we have there!
Not saying I wouldn't try to help you with it.If you want just PM me and off we go!
I don't know anything about tumbling jade as I've never been fortunate enough to have enough of it to do much cabbing with let alone tumble it! LOL
I won a slab of beautiful green jade in a lapidary contest and made a jade ring for my wife with some of it but that's about all the experience I have with jade,,,,sorry!
connrock
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Post by johnjsgems on Mar 2, 2012 10:40:24 GMT -5
Hardness test for tumbling can be as simple as a pocket knife and water. If the knife scratches the stone it likely will not be a good candidate for rotary tumbling. As a secondary test water will bead up on hard rocks but soak into soft, porous rocks.
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Post by jakesrocks on Mar 2, 2012 10:50:58 GMT -5
Sounds like the old spit test John. If I'm picking up tumbling rocks from our gravel roads, I just spit on them. If they dry quick they go back on the road. If not, they go in my pocket.
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LarryS
freely admits to licking rocks
SoCal desert rats
Member since August 2010
Posts: 781
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Post by LarryS on Mar 2, 2012 19:20:12 GMT -5
Hey Don,
Feel sorry for the cop who has to check what's inside your pockets!
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Mar 11, 2012 1:47:40 GMT -5
is MOhs scale logarithmic?
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Post by jakesrocks on Feb 9, 2016 11:00:20 GMT -5
Hey Don, Feel sorry for the cop who has to check what's inside your pockets! LOL. What cop Larry ? Out here on these gravel roads cops are rare as hens teeth. (Or cutting sized rocks for that matter). |
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Post by pauls on Feb 10, 2016 1:59:54 GMT -5
"is MOhs scale logarithmic?"
No.
Its not anything, each number is harder than the one before it, thats all. Its an airy fairy handy wavey sort of scale that is pretty rough.
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Intheswamp
Cave Dweller
Member since September 2015
Posts: 1,910 
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Post by Intheswamp on Feb 10, 2016 8:04:41 GMT -5
Hey Don, Feel sorry for the cop who has to check what's inside your pockets! LOL. What cop Larry ? Out here on these gravel roads cops are rare as hens teeth. (Or cutting sized rocks for that matter). Hey Don...LarryS's post was four years ago.  |
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Post by mohs on Feb 10, 2016 9:45:19 GMT -5
"is MOhs scale logarithmic?" No. Its not anything, each number is harder than the one before it, thats all. Its an airy fairy handy wavey sort of scale that is pretty rough. all my hard work  reduced to airy fairy  scientific age... huh! m  hstly |
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Post by captbob on Feb 10, 2016 10:05:55 GMT -5
LOL. What cop Larry ? Out here on these gravel roads cops are rare as hens teeth. (Or cutting sized rocks for that matter). Hey Don...LarryS's post was four years ago. Note to self: Don't send chain letter to Don |
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Post by jakesrocks on Feb 10, 2016 10:46:28 GMT -5
LOL. What cop Larry ? Out here on these gravel roads cops are rare as hens teeth. (Or cutting sized rocks for that matter). Hey Don...LarryS's post was four years ago. LOL. I know. Must have missed it 4 years ago. Better late than never.  |
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Intheswamp
Cave Dweller
Member since September 2015
Posts: 1,910
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Post by Intheswamp on Feb 10, 2016 14:37:35 GMT -5
Dogged persistence, that's what it is! Knowing there was an unreplied to post is probably why you haven't been able to sleep these last few years...you'll sleep like a baby tonight. <grin>
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Shelbeeray
has rocks in the head
Member since January 2006
Posts: 688
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Post by Shelbeeray on Feb 11, 2016 21:42:42 GMT -5
Wofram's and the Elements and Gem apps are an absolute blast! The MOHS scale is a guide. It's all somewhat relative. It definitely can help people get an idea of how to handle different stones. i.e. don't put angelite in with garnets. LOL It always pays to do research on the specific stone and site.
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hstly 
Bon Appétit 
I have so many secrets that I can't remember most of them. (sorry-2) 