grizman
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since July 2011
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Post by grizman on Apr 7, 2015 17:48:59 GMT -5
I have mentioned previously that I use the old slurry from my previous tumbles after it has dried out in my dump bucket. I then add that to my courser grinds, usually the 46-70, 60-90, and 100 grit. I think it is serving the same function as the clay that is being used? Does anyone else have any feeling about using the old slurry as your thickener to help suspend the grit in your tumbler? I guess I believe that it serves the same purpose as the clay. I don't have any easy access to clay, but I sure have lots of dried slurry.
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Apr 7, 2015 19:02:52 GMT -5
I have mentioned previously that I use the old slurry from my previous tumbles after it has dried out in my dump bucket. I then add that to my courser grinds, usually the 46-70, 60-90, and 100 grit. I think it is serving the same function as the clay that is being used? Does anyone else have any feeling about using the old slurry as your thickener to help suspend the grit in your tumbler? I guess I believe that it serves the same purpose as the clay. I don't have any easy access to clay, but I sure have lots of dried slurry. Yes sir. Similar situation. Rock particles in suspension. Slurry good for kick start if it does not create gas. Have heard complaints about gas buildup on some slurries. Probably happens with clays too. not so far here, but chemistry causing gas can be complicated. |
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Apr 13, 2015 3:27:27 GMT -5
I've enjoyed the mud for slurry idea and follow that it helps suspend the heavy grit for better grinding. Very interested to follow how it works in the polish stage. Can't help but think that some part of what makes up your clay will be coarser than the polish thus negating the polish. Seems to me that this would be like mixing polish with a grit. Do you have a feel for what you would compare your clay slurry to grit slurry wise? Good luck and please keep us posted. This was strange captbob. Left a barrel full of coral, clay and garnets running for 2-3 days after the SiC 30/60 grit broke down. Proportions are about 65% coral and 35% 5mm almandine garnets BY VOLUME. Pretty thick clay slurry. The coral had a bit of a polish. Never seen such with that coarse of a grit. Pretty sure the garnets did it. I would say they ran 7 days, 3 to break down the grit, and the remaining 4 days were the effect of the garnets. Though the volume percentage is 65/35, the weight percentage was 50/50. Density of coral about 2.5, garnets about 3.9. I ran in to this issue when cleaning garnets like you tumbled your ceramic filler. I filled a 14 pound barrel with 5mm garnets to 'clean' them and it weighed 24 pounds. Very little void volume with the small garnets. Barrel noticeably heavier, as if full of iron. Maybe the hard coral and garnets pulverized the silica in the clay to nothing. Anyway, it surprised me that the coral had a sheen on it. |
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Post by captbob on Apr 13, 2015 9:41:53 GMT -5
I would think that the garnets would help (speed) the grinding action on any material softer than the garnets. Find it curious that they would aid in polishing. Wondering whether the broken down grit along with the clay slurry might have been the polishing agent in this case.
This may be an example of the one step tumble. Once you have your shape where you want it to be, a recharge with a health dose of 30/60 left to run would seemingly continue to break down finer and finer. Maybe to the point of polish given time.
Have you tried the polish in clay yet? Still of a mind that your (virgin) clay is going to be much coarser than your polish, negating the effect of the polish. But, maybe a broken down clay would work??
How far has your clay broken down? To the point of something as fine as a sugar slurry?
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Apr 13, 2015 11:06:47 GMT -5
The garnets alone put a semi gloss on agate chips it the vibe. No shaping, just a gloss. Just saying, they removed agate enough to gloss it.
The garnets are basically #5 grit, but oddly they serve as little semi polishers.
Yes, you have a point, a one step after the rounding is finished.
Have not polished with clay, but keep in mind that semi gloss with clay and garnets imparted to the coral.
I agree about the clay particles damaging polish. Unless the sharp particles break down or round off too.
Man, that clay breaks down to what seems very fine. It is approaching an indescribable texture. I would say that it would make a good ladies facial.
Yea, like a ladies liquid foundation that they use under their make-up so my wife says. If overly thick, it takes a long time for a rock to sink in it.
Remember the pearl in Prell shampoo old fart ? Like that. You can make it any consistency. Only a cup to 1.5 cups in 10 pounds of rock.
You can make it thick enough to where the rocks do not spin as fast as the barrel. I guess normal tumbling slurry is the best way to describe it.
It's not like sugar slurry. It seems (and about has to be) heavier. more protective. Much less rattling on the PVC barrel than sugar.
Like lime, I think they mine clay that has >1% pure silica particles. I know that Georgia kaolin clay(kaolinite/china clay) is rich in aluminum oxide.
Not sure what all this means:
" The chemical formula for kaolinite as used in mineralogy is Al2Si2O5(OH)4,[3] however,
in ceramics applications the formula is typically written in terms of oxides, thus the formula for kaolinite is Al2O3·2SiO2·2H2O.[10]
Cement chemist notation is even more terse: AS2H2, with the oxides represented as A = Al2O3, S = SiO2, H = H2O."
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Post by gingerkid on Apr 13, 2015 11:53:08 GMT -5
Pretty cool that the garnets placed a semi-polish on your coral tumbles, James. Man, that clay breaks down to what seems very fine. It is approaching an indescribable texture. I would say that it would make a good ladies facial. Yea, like a ladies liquid foundation that they use under their make-up so my wife says. LOL, jamesp!! Jewelry Televison used to sell makeup, cleansers and creams that were made with crushed gemstones (gemstone 'dust,' lol). The only problem with using the GA clay for foundation is that it will dry and crack, but you might could add something to it so it won't dry. www.jtv.com/blogPost?pid=12089 |
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Post by captbob on Apr 13, 2015 12:09:22 GMT -5
The only problem with using the GA clay for foundation is that it will dry and crack, Think I found a Ga clay user...  |
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Apr 13, 2015 13:37:44 GMT -5
Ha, is that her secret.
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Apr 13, 2015 13:38:56 GMT -5
You may not want to know what they use in make up gingerkid. |
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Post by gingerkid on Apr 13, 2015 17:55:24 GMT -5
With all the rain we've been receiving, you could just add your tumbles to a mud puddle and stir 'em with a stick, jamesp. Instant tumbler. |
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Apr 13, 2015 18:30:44 GMT -5
With all the rain we've been receiving, you could just add your tumbles to a mud puddle and stir 'em with a stick, jamesp. Instant tumbler. Never seen so much rain in spring or winter. You ? |
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Post by gingerkid on Apr 14, 2015 7:42:34 GMT -5
Sure haven't, jamesp. It's expected to rain every day this week. Water-logged. The humidity was pretty bad when the sun came out for a brief moment on Sunday. |
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Apr 14, 2015 17:36:35 GMT -5
Running SiC 220 with clay slurry on granite and it is looking great from a thickener and grit carrier. Not experiencing any concretion, just some settling that seems to go away shortly after rotation begins. No rattling sounds whatsoever. May look into pure sand free platelet type clay for 1000 and polish. Potters clay is supposed to be platelet clay to aid in strength by orienting platelets flat. gingerkid-please do a rain dance, to make it stop. Supposed to be cloud free next week. |
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Post by gingerkid on Apr 15, 2015 15:16:16 GMT -5
Is your Hogg mine rose quartz still being tumbled? Are they with your granite tumbles, jamesp? |
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Apr 15, 2015 19:42:08 GMT -5
Is your Hogg mine rose quartz still being tumbled? Are they with your granite tumbles, jamesp? Yes, rounding much slower than the granite, but also running labradolite using the clay slurry. the best labra I ever did, hardly any undercutting. |
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