foogy
starting to shine!
Member since October 2012
Posts: 26
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Post by foogy on Mar 29, 2013 7:39:18 GMT -5
Hi there! Another Query that I'm sure someone will be able to help me with! Since I started tumbling stones last year I've been using F80 and F400 grits for the first couple of stages of polishing but on the site that I buy my grit they also sell F220 F600 and F1200 grits so I was wondering if theres any benefits from using the grits rather than what I'm using at the moment or do they have a specific use for certain types of stone?
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,564
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Post by jamesp on Mar 29, 2013 8:26:13 GMT -5
Most common recipe around is probably 60/90,220,400 or 600,then AO polish. I do 46,220,600 AO polish foogy.But substitute 36,54,60,90 for the 46 often because i found a deal on it.I think 220 is a great #2 step grit.I also use all kinds of stuff for #3-400 and 600 in both AO and SiC.AO polish is hard to beat. Basically F80 F220 F600 and then polish is as good a menu as you will find for any mohs 5-7 that i know of.I think 4 steps is the only way i am insured that i will get my final polish.
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Post by Noosh9057 on Mar 29, 2013 8:32:07 GMT -5
Most common recipe around is probably 60/90,220,400 or 600,then AO polish. I do 46,220,600 AO polish foogy.But substitute 36,54,60,90 for the 46 often because i found a deal on it.I think 220 is a great #2 step grit.I also use all kinds of stuff for #3-400 and 600 in both AO and SiC.AO polish is hard to beat. Basically F80 F220 F600 and then polish is as good a menu as you will find for any mohs 5-7 that i know of.I think 4 steps is the only way i am insured that i will get my final polish. Yes I agree with you all the way. Roger
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,564
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Post by jamesp on Mar 29, 2013 10:49:53 GMT -5
It is an old recipe Roger.foogy should be comfortable with our recomendations:>
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Mar 29, 2013 11:36:39 GMT -5
I pretty much use the method James mentioned of 60/90,120/220,600,then AO polish except I do one extra step of 1000 pre-polish between the 600 and A/O polish.
I advise picking one method and sticking with it till you get a feel for what might need tweaked. I do a lot of mixed rock batches with all types of materials and I am never disappointed with the process described above.
this same recipe works in the rotary and vibes with the only change being amount of each grit and amount of time required.
Chuck
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Post by parfive on Mar 29, 2013 11:57:50 GMT -5
“I think 220 is a great #2 step grit.” Why? A 500 grit stage typically removes about 5 percent by weight. If that ain’t enough to remove them "pesky" 60/90 “scratches”, I’m in the wrong hobby. A week in 220 (commonly 120/220) is a waste of time, effort and money.
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Post by susand24224 on Mar 29, 2013 14:01:45 GMT -5
I tend to agree with Parfive. I haven't used 120/220 or 220 in a rotary tumbler for years. 120/220 actually takes you backward, considering the breakdown in 60/90 grit. I also have never used 600 in a rotary or vibe--always use 500, although it probably doesn't make a difference. I've never used 1200, but use 1000 in a rotary for soft stones, and in the vibe with everything. I haven't tried anything *without* 1000 grit in the vibe--I'm just a creature of habit, I suppose.
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snuffy
Cave Dweller
Member since May 2009
Posts: 4,319
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Post by snuffy on Mar 29, 2013 15:11:18 GMT -5
The only grit I use is 60/90 in rotary,and 1000 and polish in Lot-os.I agree the 120/220 is not necessary,havent used it in years. Just my opinion also.Learned that from others on here.
snuffy
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,564
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Post by jamesp on Mar 29, 2013 19:12:39 GMT -5
I will try skipping 220.i will be glad to do away w/it.That is,if i do not have to run 500 for 3 weeks.One week @ 220 One week @ 600 One week at AO polish, is pretty tight schedule. Yes you can remove 50 percent with 500 grit but it will take a long time.So how long do you guys rotary tumble your 500 grit stage?
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snuffy
Cave Dweller
Member since May 2009
Posts: 4,319
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Post by snuffy on Mar 29, 2013 20:18:09 GMT -5
In my 12 lb lortones,most agree the coarse grit is ground down in about 5 days.I run my last coarse charge 2 weeks,thus 9 days with the grit getting finer and finer.I often wonder what it has broken down to at the end of the run.I'm not really cutting down on the tumbling time,but cutting out the unnecessary cost of the 220. Also this works better for me on the larger tumblers than the small ones.
snuffy
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,564
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Post by jamesp on Mar 29, 2013 22:33:09 GMT -5
I had to review my process Par. I run 46 in coarse.But it is a fine slime after 5 days.It would not surprise me if skipping 220 would work fine.I get chips on the sharp edges from running a 'dryer than normal' fast cutting 46 mix.Then use a wetter and more padded 220 mix to smooth the chips.Got to have my 220 more for small chip removal.
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Post by Condor on Mar 30, 2013 22:01:51 GMT -5
For the most part I have used 60/90, 120/220, 400F, then AO. I've had excellent results. All in the rotary. For the vibe I go with 60/90 in the rotary then switch to the vibe afterwards. One week each. I have and do go with 60/90 for three to four weeks then 400F followed by AO. Again, excellent results. So in effect the 2d 120/220 stage can be skipped and you save the cost of that grit. I currently have four tumblers going. On one of them I plan on going with tripoli after the 400F stage followed by the AO. On another I will skip the 120/220. The other two I will go the four stage route. We'll see how they turn out. All are the same kinds of rocks.
Condor
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,352
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Post by quartz on Mar 30, 2013 22:19:09 GMT -5
The difference between the "90" of 60/90 and the "120" of 120/220 is minimal, but the difference of 80 straight grade to 220 straight grade is a bunch in our result. We get straight grade cheaper than mixed here. We run 220 [well padded w/rubber chunks] after the 80, about ten days each, which is usually after a couple of ten-day runs of 16. Then to polish.
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The Dad_Ohs
fully equipped rock polisher
Take me to your Labradorite!!
Member since September 2012
Posts: 1,860
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Post by The Dad_Ohs on Mar 30, 2013 23:34:40 GMT -5
in both my rotaries I run 46/80 or 60/90, depending on which is cheaper when I buy it... I prefer the 46 on agates for 1 week, check & recharge if necessary, 120/220 for a week check and recharge if needed, then 1000 AO pre-polish for 1 week, then AO Polish for a week followed by 2 days of Borax to burnish and have had great results.
For my vibe I start with 120/220 and go 2-3 days, then 1000 AO for 3 days, then AO Polish for 3 days, then burnish for 1 day.
If I can skip the 12/220 and go to a higher grit like 400-500 I'd be happier.. then I would just double my course run time and go to 4-500 then to pre-polish then polish!!
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Minnesota Daniel
freely admits to licking rocks
A COUPLE LAKERS
Member since August 2011
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Post by Minnesota Daniel on Mar 31, 2013 2:48:16 GMT -5
A 500 grit stage typically removes about 5 percent by weight.... In a rotary or a vibe? Where did you get that figure?
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,564
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Post by jamesp on Mar 31, 2013 6:29:52 GMT -5
It can not hurt stepping with more grade sizes of grit.Especially if you consider the concave areas and divots that are hard to reach.Big flat areas too.They need all the help they can get since they get the least contact.If tumbling prerounded rocks and slabs you can get away with a lot less. I am looking forward to testing the diamond segments for coarse grind to begin with..They are aprox. 1" x 1/2" x 3/8" diamond impregnated quarry saw teeth.I will put 40 of them in the rotary with 16 pounds of agate. Anyway,i find odd shapes like this trickier to tumble polish. Attachments:
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True Grit
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since January 2013
Posts: 76
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Post by True Grit on Apr 2, 2013 12:56:21 GMT -5
there are so many ways you can go, I'm finding out. I'll use my rotary for the first 2 stages second stage with 120/220. After that stage I move them to my vibe and do a 500 then maybe move to polish. I have a batch I just moved to 500. But really,.. do what I've been doing and try different ways. heck I may change things later this week or wait till nextweek before i do any thing else. Play, have fun, get dirty,.... That's how my tumbler rolls Tim
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grizman
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since July 2011
Posts: 878
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Post by grizman on Apr 2, 2013 19:03:12 GMT -5
I have read in a couple of different locations, that it is not recommended to use cerium oxide in a vibe for polishing. Being who I am, I had to find our for myself, why not? I used cerium oxide as my polish stage along with a small amount of borax. Guess what? I got a great "glass-like" polish on my rocks. Maybe it was the fact that the batch was made up of agate and Arizona pet-wood? I don't know. I ran another batch to see if my first try with cerium oxide as the vibe polish, and they too, turned out perfect. I am doing all my polishing in my vibe, and my rough cutting, shaping in my rotary. I have tried a few other batches with my experimenting. I get a great polish with just tripoli in my vibe, and wonder why i even go to the next "polish" step. Of course, aluminum oxide works great, as we all know. Remember this is with a Lot-O vibe.
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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 Apr 2, 2013 19:49:35 GMT -5
I don't know why anyone would say not to use cerium oxide in a vibe tumbler other than because it won't usually yield better results than good AO polish, in spite of the fact that it costs a lot more.
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grizman
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since July 2011
Posts: 878
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Post by grizman on Apr 2, 2013 21:42:03 GMT -5
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