danb
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2011
Posts: 107
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Post by danb on Mar 19, 2013 0:29:43 GMT -5
After getting the rocks soapy when cleaning between grit changes, does it hurt if there is a little soap residue left on the rocks when you start up again? Also, I would love to hear how you guys (and gals) change grit/clean up without making a complete mess. How many tubs, etc... Helpful hints. I know there has got to be a better way...
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Minnesota Daniel
freely admits to licking rocks
A COUPLE LAKERS
Member since August 2011
Posts: 891
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Post by Minnesota Daniel on Mar 19, 2013 14:07:46 GMT -5
To what exactly are you referring when you say cleaning between grit stages? I only barely wash stones between the various stages of SiC.
There is a caveat however: I do not grind rock with pits or cracks that I believe will still hide grit after the 60/90. I either first cut those out with my tile saw, clean them out with my Dremel tool and diamond bur, or I don't even try to tumble them. Any rocks that do still hold grit after the 60/90 either get the above treatment at that time, get set aside for the next 60/90 run, or they go into the garden. I've learned from experience not to hold back on the last option.
Now, having removed the grit holders from the process: I keep my rocks in each SiC stage long enough so that I can no longer feel any grit in the slurry. The SiC particles, all still there of course, are already as small or smaller than the grit size for the next stage. It shouldn't matter if there is any grit residue on the rocks between the SiC stages, so it isn't necessary to rinse out all the soap.
Washing between the SiC and the polish is very different however. Polishes are a different hardness than SiC, the particles are a different shape, and they break down differently. SiC in the polish interferes with it. You do need to get all the SiC residue off the rocks and keep it out of the polish stage. SiC is in the soapy residue, that's how soap works. I make sure the rocks are slippery clean between the last SiC and the polish stage.
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Post by Jugglerguy on Mar 19, 2013 16:54:09 GMT -5
In between stages, I dump about a half cup of hot water in the Lot-O and run it for 5-10 minutes. Then I put a colander on top of a five gallon bucket and pour water over the rocks. I shake it around a bit to get them all rinsed. I usually dump about a half dozen Lot-O barrels to clean them off.
I do the same thing before polish, but then run the clean rocks for about five hours with some Dreft before switching to a separate polish barrel.
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Mattatya
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2012
Posts: 452
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Post by Mattatya on Mar 19, 2013 18:02:00 GMT -5
I've been meaning to post a pic of my slurry buckets. I use the 5 gal Home Depot or other 5 gal buckets and also buy the lids for it. I then cut a circle hole out of the lid. After that I cut a larger in diameter piece of 1/4 in mesh found in roofing supplies to lay on top the lid. The lid holds the mesh nicely. I also buy a roll of window screening and cut a circle out to lay on top the 1/4 mesh when I am working with smaller rock, ceramic and plastic beads. I have on of these lid setups for ever grit and polish stage. It works very well for me and the Window screen is strong enough to roll the rocks up in and carry them to the work bench and slide them off the mess gently.
I use a separate bowl for polish only and some members fill the bottom hole of the barrel with and opoxy as ceramic and small rocks lodge in there. I haven't done it yet but plan to.
Hope that helps, Matt
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Minnesota Daniel
freely admits to licking rocks
A COUPLE LAKERS
Member since August 2011
Posts: 891
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Post by Minnesota Daniel on Mar 19, 2013 18:32:22 GMT -5
Matt has made his own clarifying screen, great idea. I just bought mine. Clarifying screens for washing gravel are made to fit over 5 gallon buckets. They come in several stainless steel mesh sizes. I use 1/12 inch. I got mine from the Rock Shed. What I used before that was a hand held colander - not really very easy to use.
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Mattatya
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2012
Posts: 452
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Post by Mattatya on Mar 19, 2013 19:09:15 GMT -5
Your totally spot on, I didn't think about it tells you mentioned it. I have a bunch of those screens and pans when I go river gold prospecting at our family cabin. It's all placer gold but I bet those pan screens would fit perfectly on top the buckets. I have two of the larger ones but I'll stock to using them for panning. I got to keep these crazy hobby activities in check. My luck I'll be panning and forget the clarifier in top a grit bucket at home lol.
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Minnesota Daniel
freely admits to licking rocks
A COUPLE LAKERS
Member since August 2011
Posts: 891
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Post by Minnesota Daniel on Mar 19, 2013 19:45:04 GMT -5
That's funny Matt. They are made to fit over a 5 gallon bucket. I've been to hardware store more than once looking for a tool to fix something, only to be shown what I need, and then realize I already have one.
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danb
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2011
Posts: 107
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Post by danb on Mar 20, 2013 0:37:45 GMT -5
How long do you end up reusing your water in the five gallon buckets? Where do you dispose of your old grit? More silly questions to come!
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keystonecops
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since October 2010
Posts: 957
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Post by keystonecops on Mar 20, 2013 9:56:22 GMT -5
Dan, Sent ya a pm, come on over. I'll show ya my system for rotary, will work for the lot-o. Ya come over in next few days, my tumblers all need recharging. I'll put ya to work LOL Later Clyde
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Post by Jugglerguy on Mar 20, 2013 20:13:22 GMT -5
I'm not sure what you mean by reusing the water in five gallon buckets. The buckets just catch the dirty water. Don't put it down your drain, because it will turn to concrete and ruin your plumbing. I made a box in the woods behind my house to dump it in because I was afraid to track grit into the house. I was afraid that the water would freeze in the winter, but it never did. The box is about two feet deep so it's probably below the frost line, but I didn't think the inch of wood on top would insulate it. At first, I was stirring up the grit so it would all go in the box, but now I'm just dumping the water and letting the grit dry out in the bucket. I bang it on the floor a couple times and dump it in the garbage.
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Minnesota Daniel
freely admits to licking rocks
A COUPLE LAKERS
Member since August 2011
Posts: 891
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Post by Minnesota Daniel on Mar 21, 2013 12:33:48 GMT -5
Don't dump it on the ground because, as Rob points out, you'll track it in. Borax, if you use it, is a problem too. Boron is a plant micro-nutrient actually, but borax binds to the soil, so eventually it builds up to toxic levels. You'll have to remove contaminated soil to grow plants there again.
To manage my slurry, I've dug a 2 foot diameter hole about three feet deep -- down to where it's sand and gravel at my house. I cover it with a garbage can lid. I use lots of borax, but because it binds to the soil, it doesn't move laterally, a good thing. Most roots are not down that deep either. I have lawn and hostas growing a foot away from my slurry hole and after three years of use they've never shown any signs of stress.
When the slurry muck gets about 6 or 8 inches deep, I use a post hole digger to remove it from the bottom of the hole. It's not hazardous waste, so I just put it in plastic bags and dump it in the garbage.
This summer I'm going to dig the hole out larger and use a large waste basket or a small garbage can with the bottom cut out as a casing for the hole. I've been thinking of using a fake landscape boulder as a cover.
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