Thunder69
Cave Dweller
Thunder 2000-2015
Member since January 2009
Posts: 3,104
|
Post by Thunder69 on Mar 13, 2015 16:49:41 GMT -5
[/quote]To rest well I like your 3 checks a day routine. The(1/3 HP)motor in my vibe is directly under the hopper and heats up the load. Dries it out quick. Reaching into the rocks is like pulling the warm guts out of a deer on a cold day TMI ha. Worse on hot days.
That slight film from the Borax does not seem to be a problem as far as leaving spots.
If you wash sugar tumbled rocks in hot water they get sticky as they dry. Best thing with the sugar was to leave the rocks out in the rain and weather for a month.
[/quote] James thats why I like borax ..a good rinse and done ...That deer reference is funny... but also spot on..lol.. I am running a load right now with pea gravel and some preforms and end cuts. I noticed that the preforms were not coming around like normal and I added a little borax to the 120 stage and it got a grip on them and started bringing them up .. the pea gravel is good but it needed a little bigger mix of rock with it so I added some petwood pieces and a few Brazilian agate slices to scoop it all around... Also taking pics and video showing what is happening each time... john
|
|
azgnoinc
spending too much on rocks
Member since March 2014
Posts: 484
|
Post by azgnoinc on Mar 13, 2015 18:13:19 GMT -5
Great shine & thank you for the added info on how things worked for ya, may have to give the sugar thing a try on my next batch of Lakers. az, I ran that sugar real thick at a cup or two for 14 pounds of rock. It may have done better with a half cup. Who knows. Recipe has a lot to do with that slurry. Agate is kinda bulletproof. The real test will be obsidian and rhyolite. I have some really soft heated rhyolite. No matter what I did with sugar it would not take a fine polish. I will rerun that particular rhyolite. If the Borax polishes it then it is the way. Excellent one to test the Borax on. I've got some Picasso & Aguila marble that I may have to give a shot based on your results with your rhyolite, so let me know how it works out for ya.
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,562
|
Post by jamesp on Mar 14, 2015 2:33:38 GMT -5
Thunder69- I had trouble with mixing when using a bunch of small flat knapped agate chips for filler. Hard to beat a range of sizes AND shapes. Looking for video.
|
|
|
Post by iant on Mar 14, 2015 4:40:23 GMT -5
Spectacular! They look so shiny. Love them all but have a soft spot for those botryoidal borax benefited beauties.
|
|