jamesp
Cave Dweller 
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,607
|
Post by jamesp on Aug 29, 2014 19:18:13 GMT -5
These from Dave1. Nice progress. Rolling them w/small glass. Heavy pre-shaping, scratches deep.  After 7 days of 30/60 at 60 RPM  Up close  Nice surface frost visible dry, scratches from pre-shaping gone. Filler blue glass size shown. No deep frosting on edges. All looks good.  Wet, nice obsidian  Mix ratio exactly 1/3 small glass filler and 2/3 obsidian nuggets. Tree frog supervising  The whole batch wet  Supervisor Ribbit  Doing another 7 days in 30/60. Then to 220 for a week, then check surface while dry. This is homemade 6 inch barrel. Rubber cap secured with double band clamps. Must be burped every 2 days to release gas build up. Rubber cap bulging from pressure after 2 days.  |
|
|
|
Post by Toad on Aug 29, 2014 19:36:43 GMT -5
They're coming along nicely. You sure another seven days won't be too much??
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,607
|
Post by jamesp on Aug 29, 2014 19:43:01 GMT -5
They're coming along nicely. You sure another seven days won't be too much?? I see some slight divots. You think it will grind too much off them ?? Never done obsidian. They are kinda big. |
|
|
|
Post by rockpickerforever on Aug 29, 2014 19:46:15 GMT -5
They look good, James. I haven't tumbled obsidian in years. it's kinda fussy.
(One more post!!!!!)
|
|
|
|
Post by Jugglerguy on Aug 29, 2014 19:47:35 GMT -5
Obsidian grinds pretty fast. I think a lot of your stuff will be ready to go in another week. It's coming along nicely.
|
|
|
|
Post by Toad on Aug 29, 2014 20:20:22 GMT -5
Haven't tried it yet. I've just heard stories...
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,607
|
Post by jamesp on Aug 30, 2014 5:00:33 GMT -5
Haven't tried it yet. I've just heard stories... As long as it does not frost Toad. Lots of filler seems to protect it. Filler filler filler and barrel filled to 7/8. Like Rob says, it grinds fast and even at 7/8 full barrel it does grind fast. That blue glass comes from a glass recycler in the industrial district about 8 miles from here. It sells for $70/ton. That place is a trip. They got a pile of large glass chunks that is considered a problem since it does not fit in their crushers. So they set it aside. Crushers produce 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 inch glass for remelt. Segregated by color. Biiig piles. Ha, shaping obsidian easy, getting a wet shine is another story. Prepared for heart break. May use AO 220, AO 600 and then Rock Shed AO polish. Heavy sugar in 600 and polish. Any suggestions welcome. I want Rob's avatar. |
|
|
|
Post by orrum on Aug 30, 2014 6:11:57 GMT -5
I like the bigger size. Nice pic barrel too!
|
|
1nickthegreek
spending too much on rocks
Member since February 2014
Posts: 383 
|
Post by 1nickthegreek on Aug 30, 2014 6:53:17 GMT -5
Haven't tried it yet. I've just heard stories... As long as it does not frost Toad. Lots of filler seems to protect it. Filler filler filler and barrel filled to 7/8. Like Rob says, it grinds fast and even at 7/8 full barrel it does grind fast. That blue glass comes from a glass recycler in the industrial district about 8 miles from here. It sells for $70/ton. That place is a trip. They got a pile of large glass chunks that is considered a problem since it does not fit in their crushers. So they set it aside. Crushers produce 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 inch glass for remelt. Segregated by color. Biiig piles. Ha, shaping obsidian easy, getting a wet shine is another story. Prepared for heart break. May use AO 220, AO 600 and then Rock Shed AO polish. Heavy sugar in 600 and polish. Any suggestions welcome. I want Rob's avatar.Buy a Lot-O-Tumbler and follow tntmom's recipe for final polish!!! www.certifiedrockhound.com/otr.pdf |
|
|
|
Post by snowmom on Aug 30, 2014 8:41:03 GMT -5
this is very helpful. I have a small box of it and have set it aside until I gather the information and experience to do it right. I'd never forgive myself if I ruined it.
|
|
|
|
Post by connrock on Aug 30, 2014 8:48:39 GMT -5
They're coming along nice James.
Looks like the frog has to go at least another week in rough.A lot of tiny "bumps" on the surface! LOL
connrock
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,607
|
Post by jamesp on Aug 30, 2014 9:02:37 GMT -5
Nick, the Lotto is sure the cat's meow for finishing.
Orum, those ole PVC's work pretty good.
Deb, I have no idea what I am doing other than a fun experiment.
|
|
1nickthegreek
spending too much on rocks
Member since February 2014
Posts: 383
|
Post by 1nickthegreek on Aug 30, 2014 9:04:04 GMT -5
this is very helpful. I have a small box of it and have set it aside until I gather the information and experience to do it right. I'd never forgive myself if I ruined it. Best thing about Obsidian is that it is very plentiful so you can always get more and continue learning if you burn a batch!!!! Shoot me your address and I can send you some more anytime you would like  |
|
|
|
Post by snowmom on Aug 30, 2014 9:10:38 GMT -5
Thanks Nick, I'm terrified of the stuff at the moment, still working on my first real batch of tumbles (in a vibe only) so have a long way to go, but i'll keep this post as a reference and maybe i'll take you up on it eventually! |
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,607
|
Post by jamesp on Aug 30, 2014 9:16:45 GMT -5
They're coming along nice James. Looks like the frog has to go at least another week in rough.A lot of tiny "bumps" on the surface! LOL connrock Mr. Tom, I am impressed with the small filler. I am missing the middle sized stones. I received all large stones and you and I do not have luck making them smaller so I left them big. I seem to get a polish on the hardest stones in past batches. So I used glass filler with about equal hardness. Does that make sense ? Or will hard ceramic filler work fine ? The slurry after 7 days was some real thick paste, so I knew a lot of material was removed. |
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,607
|
Post by jamesp on Aug 30, 2014 9:19:13 GMT -5
They look good, James. I haven't tumbled obsidian in years. it's kinda fussy. (One more post!!!!!) When did they invent tumblers ? |
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,607
|
Post by jamesp on Aug 30, 2014 9:22:16 GMT -5
Obsidian grinds pretty fast. I think a lot of your stuff will be ready to go in another week. It's coming along nicely. I agree Rob, it sure does grind fast. Does unakite grind fast ? |
|
|
|
Post by rockpickerforever on Aug 30, 2014 9:43:46 GMT -5
They look good, James. I haven't tumbled obsidian in years. it's kinda fussy. (One more post!!!!!) When did they invent tumblers ? Early to mid fifties, is what I found. rocktumbler.com/tips/history-of-rock-tumbling/Tumbled Stone Popularity Explosion The early success of Swoboda Jewelry and Craftstones fueled public interest in tumbled stones throughout the United States. This inspired many other ingenious people to develop rock tumblers. By 1955 at least a dozen companies were offering tumblers, "polished baroques", bell caps and tumbler plans through ads in Lapidary Journal magazine. By the 1960s rock tumblers were being manufactured in the United States by a large number of companies. The first one I had was a birthday gift from my parents, sold by Sears, in about 1966. |
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,607
|
Post by jamesp on Aug 30, 2014 10:28:04 GMT -5
I think I got on when I was about 12, say 1969. It had bloodstone, crazy lace, red jasper and various agates with it. My Dad bought 'Lapidary Journal' home and I mail ordered a pound of Brazilian carnelian, crazy lace, and bloodstone. Later 3 pounds of green amazonstone(felspar?). Still got some of those tumbles. Lapidary going full bore at that time.  |
|
|
|
Post by 1dave on Aug 30, 2014 11:02:07 GMT -5
|
|
