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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Jan 19, 2014 20:14:33 GMT -5
This has been a crazy weekend of filling orders and trying to stock up on a few new items. These wraps are the end of about 20 hours of working on rocks between Saturday and Sunday. This set of wraps are the first I have done with dead soft wire so I need know a few things about tumbling them to harden the wire. I have one pound of stainless steel shot and a 3 pound rotary barrel but I am not sure of how many wraps to put in at a time and how much water to add. I also though I heard mention of adding dish soap to the mix? Any help on this would be great! The copper ones will get a patina added after I figure out the tumbler question. Teepee canyon agate   Unknown material (maybe a chrysocolla variety?)  Pudding stones     Thanks for looking Chuck |
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Post by rockjunquie on Jan 19, 2014 21:12:44 GMT -5
Not bad especially for the end of the day! You're a speed demon now.  For the tumbler I use dawn dish soap, it helps lubricate the steel and suspend the gunk in water not on your jewelry. Just a squirt will do. I put the steel- about a lb- in the tumbler fill with plastic pellets and then top with water almost to the lip. Tumbling will harden silver more then copper. It won't turn soft copper into 1/2 hard, but you have already work hardened the copper to about half hard, so tumbling will bring it just about there. You can tumble without the pellets. I have put up to 4 or 5 pendants in at time depending on the pieces, of course. Don't tumble lots of pieces with loose curls and such. They might snag on each other and pull. |
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Post by pghram on Jan 19, 2014 22:42:34 GMT -5
Nice set, I especially like the Teepee canyon.
Rich
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Jan 20, 2014 8:44:28 GMT -5
For the tumbler I use dawn dish soap, it helps lubricate the steel and suspend the gunk in water not on your jewelry. Just a squirt will do. I put the steel- about a lb- in the tumbler fill with plastic pellets and then top with water almost to the lip. Tumbling will harden silver more then copper. It won't turn soft copper into 1/2 hard, but you have already work hardened the copper to about half hard, so tumbling will bring it just about there. You can tumble without the pellets. I have put up to 4 or 5 pendants in at time depending on the pieces, of course. Don't tumble lots of pieces with loose curls and such. They might snag on each other and pull. Thank you Tela, That was just what I needed to know. |
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Roger
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2013
Posts: 1,487
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Post by Roger on Jan 20, 2014 13:07:24 GMT -5
Not bad especially for the end of the day! You're a speed demon now. For the tumbler I use dawn dish soap, it helps lubricate the steel and suspend the gunk in water not on your jewelry. Just a squirt will do. I put the steel- about a lb- in the tumbler fill with plastic pellets and then top with water almost to the lip. Tumbling will harden silver more then copper. It won't turn soft copper into 1/2 hard, but you have already work hardened the copper to about half hard, so tumbling will bring it just about there. You can tumble without the pellets. I have put up to 4 or 5 pendants in at time depending on the pieces, of course. Don't tumble lots of pieces with loose curls and such. They might snag on each other and pull. Can you use a 3lb Lot-O vibe? I have been holding off on this step because I don't have a small rotary.. |
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Post by rockjunquie on Jan 20, 2014 16:14:10 GMT -5
Not bad especially for the end of the day! You're a speed demon now. For the tumbler I use dawn dish soap, it helps lubricate the steel and suspend the gunk in water not on your jewelry. Just a squirt will do. I put the steel- about a lb- in the tumbler fill with plastic pellets and then top with water almost to the lip. Tumbling will harden silver more then copper. It won't turn soft copper into 1/2 hard, but you have already work hardened the copper to about half hard, so tumbling will bring it just about there. You can tumble without the pellets. I have put up to 4 or 5 pendants in at time depending on the pieces, of course. Don't tumble lots of pieces with loose curls and such. They might snag on each other and pull. Can you use a 3lb Lot-O vibe? I have been holding off on this step because I don't have a small rotary.. I've never used one myself, so I don't know. I have heard some people say not to use a vibrating tumbler and some who say it is ok. I would say --- try it Just use some things that you don't mind messing up. If you do try it, post your results, I'm sure others have the same question. |
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