Sarah
off to a rocking start
Member since May 2015
Posts: 8
|
Post by Sarah on Jun 1, 2015 12:37:43 GMT -5
Hello I'm weeks into my very first tumble (moonstones) and I'd like some advice, please. I've been pulling out rocks every few days when I'm happy with how smooth they are (I'm being VERY fussy) and I'm now left with *just* over half a barrel that still need a little more work. Here's what the barrel looks like now: The remaining rocks are just under the surface by about 1cm and I don't know what to do. I don't want to mix more rough in with them, because that'll mean ordering and breaking open a new batch, which will ultimately lead me back to this same situation. What are my options if I want to bring the remainder of this batch up to readiness for stage two? I have a box of beach pebbles that I can use to make up the volume. Is that wise? I also have more plastic beads - which I threw into this batch to help get into the curves of a couple of shapelier rocks. Thank you so much!
|
|
|
Post by captbob on Jun 1, 2015 12:47:33 GMT -5
I'd get some ceramic media. The Rock Shed will have it. Plastic pellets are good filler when you need cushioning. Ceramic media is used as filler when grinding/shaping. I'd use more plastic pellets if you have to before the beach pebbles as the beach stones may be quite a bit harder than your moonstone. You definitely need to bring the level up in that barrel. Use plastic pellets until your ceramic media arrives. ETA: And, welcome to the forum!
|
|
Sarah
off to a rocking start
Member since May 2015
Posts: 8
|
Post by Sarah on Jun 1, 2015 12:56:28 GMT -5
Wonderful. I shall acquire ceramic PIPS immediately. Thank you, Captbob! And thank you for the welcome, too
|
|
|
Post by captbob on Jun 1, 2015 13:19:57 GMT -5
Plastic pellets and (although less likely) ceramic media can carry grit over to the next stage if moved along with the rocks. You should have PP & CM dedicated to each tumbling stage.
I just use cheap (or free) tupperware type containers to store these fillers for future use in their proper step. Might want to keep that in mind.
|
|
|
Post by orrum on Jun 1, 2015 13:57:11 GMT -5
I use pebbles, aquarium gravel, broken glass, driveway gravel, wine corks, ceramic media and never plastic beads. I just don't like keeping track of them. I only rotary tumble the rough 46-70 or;60-90 stage, after thst it's off they go to the Loto vibe.
Good to be very fussy! Welcome fellow rock addict!
Bill
|
|
Sarah
off to a rocking start
Member since May 2015
Posts: 8
|
Post by Sarah on Jun 1, 2015 14:09:59 GMT -5
Captbob, that's a great pointer about dedicated filler. Thank you! I'm already equipped with dedicated tumbler barrels, but I'll prep tubs for filler, too (Love your signature, by the way. LOVE IT!) Bill, wine corks are such a great idea. I'm pretty sure I've got a few of those around here somewhere *coughs* Aquarium gravel is a good one, too. I can probably pick that up locally in larger amounts, which is a bonus. I'm curious to know if there would be any discernible difference in these different fillers, in terms of the effect on the rocks...?
|
|
tkvancil
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2011
Posts: 1,547
|
Post by tkvancil on Jun 1, 2015 15:32:16 GMT -5
Be aware that moonstone is a "soft" rock. It is a 5.5 on the mohs scale. Same relative hardness as glass. Quartz, agate, jasper and the like are 7 on the mohs scale. You'll want to use the plastic, ceramic or more rock of similar hardness as filler. I've tumbled moonstone with glass pieces as well. Problem there is glass tends to make gas and can potentially pop the top off your tumbler.
Plastic pellets are for cushioning. They help protect delicate or fragile materials from being damaged in the tumbling process. They can, however, slow the tumbling process down and may require longer runs when used.
Ceramic is filler for grinding. It will act much the same as small rocks helping to improve surface contact and distributing grit.
I have used pea gravel once as filler. Never again. So much soft rock in it that my slurry got overly thick as it ground down. Some of my good stuff got chipped. Many use it with success though.
Aquarium gravel may have quartz in it. The quartz being harder than the moonstone could cause chips or fractures, Personally I wouldn't use it unless tumbling agate, jasper or the like.
|
|
|
Post by captbob on Jun 1, 2015 16:21:11 GMT -5
Good answer to her question Ken. Saved me a bunch of typing!
|
|
Sarah
off to a rocking start
Member since May 2015
Posts: 8
|
Post by Sarah on Jun 2, 2015 12:13:50 GMT -5
You guys are so great. Thank you, Ken, for the extra info! So, I'm in the UK and ordering from The Rock Shed isn't a good option for me, but I found ceramic media from somewhere here in the UK that I've ordered from before. It's triangular in shape though and I just wanted to check that's okay. I hope this isn't a naughty thing to do, but here's a link : www.ukge.com/en-gb/Lapidary/Lapidary-Grits/Ceramic-Shapes-Triangles__p-14-243-957.aspxHow does that look?
|
|
|
Post by captbob on Jun 2, 2015 12:34:09 GMT -5
That looks fine Sarah. Some ceramic media had abrasives in it, which you don't want for your purpose. The stuff in your link doesn't seem to. 500 grams won't go far, you might want to order a few so you don't have to do it again and pay shipping twice once you see how little that is.
|
|
Sarah
off to a rocking start
Member since May 2015
Posts: 8
|
Post by Sarah on Jun 2, 2015 12:47:54 GMT -5
I'm on it, Captbob. Thank you!
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 3, 2015 6:18:19 GMT -5
Greetings [kyelani] Sarah the ceramic you linked is abrasive being grey in color it works ok if you run it through all stages first, but there is not much ceramic media left by the time you are in polish, alteratively you can use broken tiles. You should be filling the barrel by volume not weight I would fill the barrel to just 2cm below the inner lip with rock, media and water. Please check out my Sticky's below. -- Please click images to open larger images in a new Tab, same with everything that is Underlined! I currently have a 3lb Beach (UK), Lortone QT 12/66 (USA) rotaries & 2x Viking Vibrasonic (Diamond Pacific) (USA) virbrating tumblers, with Silicon Carbide grit F80, F220, F600, F1200, with Tin Oxide (1.0 micron) & Aluminum Oxide (1.0 micron & 0.3 micron) polishes. I hail from (The Barony of Seabegs) Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire, U.K, where aliens (15mb) sometimes come for a visit & about 4 miles west from that monstrosity & 7 miles west of this new monstrosity! Sticky's: their contents are resource information 1#: Vendors worldwide (2mb), 2#: How to use the forum, 3#: How to identify rocks & minerals, 4#: Save money on expensive grits & polishes, 5#: Aussie Lapidary Forum: Rock Tumbling Guide!
|
|
Steve
has rocks in the head
Member since June 2005
Posts: 506
|
Post by Steve on Jun 3, 2015 11:15:20 GMT -5
I fopund some pea gravel at Home Depot many years ago that had a very high percentage of jasper and agate, called crushed Montana river rock. I ran a few barrels of this stuff through rough grind to get rid of the soft stuff. Now I have a lot of good cheap filler.
|
|