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Post by Jeff 2 on May 27, 2004 10:39:37 GMT -5
I need some advice from the more experienced folks here, I am tumbling my first batch of rose quartz, and I think green adverntine (green quartz).
After running them through 60 for two weeks, they are nicely shaped, but have lots of white spots, that look like surface fractures.
Could these be caused by them crashing into each other? I am also suspecting that the smaller pea gravel that I threw in the batch as some added "roughage" to get into the nooks of the quartz, might be causing the problem.
Can I move these along to the next stage of medium grit and hope that the white spots will go away, or should I send them back to the 60 grit stage?
All advice appreciated.
Thanks,
Jeff (first post)
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RiverOtter
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2004
Posts: 339
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Post by RiverOtter on May 27, 2004 10:51:34 GMT -5
Jeff, I have ran a batch of rose quartz and have noticed that it is notorious for having cracks to begin with. As suggested before with amethyst, these cracks may be caused when they are removed from the host rock. Depending on how clean your material was to begin with, they may have been there and you just couldn't see them. My suggestion would be to go ahead and move them into 120/220 with pellet. If the dents are caused by the tumblng action of the other stones, runnng them back through 60/90 will probably only compound the problem. The 120/220 will round the corners slightly if the surface fractures break off during this stage. When finished be sure to wash thoughly (I use borax and water) and check carefully. If they have fractured off and you are unhappy with that you can always run them back through with 60/90. I have a pic posted of my rose quartz on the photos page if you want to take a look. You can see all the internal and surface fractures I had. Hope this helps!
Otter
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Post by Jeff 2 on May 27, 2004 11:14:35 GMT -5
Thanks for the reply,
I think you made a good point about putting them back throught the 60/90 grit possibly compounding the problem, I did that before, and the surface fractures seemed to have gotten worse.
I checked out your photos, and see some of the same marks on your first photo, but your completed results look outstanding, and I saw no surface fractures in the polished stones.
Thanks again.
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Post by Ryk on May 28, 2004 21:43:03 GMT -5
Hey guys. It were cool to see what you 2 are babbling about in this convo. On May 6th, I popped in roughly 1/2" to 2" pieces of rocks, into 2 different 3lb barrels for our new tumbler. - Amethyst and Rose Quartz - Rose Quartz and Quarts Yesterday (May 27th), I changed both barrels from Coarse grit (Silicon Carbide) to Medium grit. (Grit sizes aren't marked on the bags of grit that we bought from the local supplier.) I noticed the 'pock marks' in all 3 rock types. I weren't sure whether it were due to my hammering the larger pieces of rocks apart, or not. I had WONDERED about putting both barrels back through Coarse phases again, to help get rid of them. Now, from what the 2 of you've writ, and the wonderful photo series on your Rose Quartz, sir - I'm NOT going to redo them in Coarse. (I cycled the phases at 6 or 7 day periods. The Amethyst / Rose, barrel, HAD been changed to Medium already, on May 14th.) I'll continue with the Medium, through to a 6 or 7 day cycle, and then change them to Fine / Pre-polish. Here's to hoping. This is our (my girlfriend and I) first time with this. And we're both VERY happy that she found this site today. Now - we have to get more barrels, to divide each of our grits, into their own barrels. Oooooooops. Shall be taking pics again (as I have been) after each of the next cycle changes. Here's to hoping they all look swell. (Looking back to paying about $1.50 Canadian for a 1/2" x 1/2" x 1/2" piece of Rose quartz (polished) at stores (as an example) and getting the 6lb. rose quartz chunk from our supplier for about $18 Canadian. Now, to find more suppliers, to make our own with! Woo hoo! How do everybody? Mighty glad to find this place. Take care all, Warmth and Peace, Dolphinicus
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Dolphinicus
off to a rocking start
Member since May 2004
Posts: 2
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Post by Dolphinicus on May 28, 2004 21:44:45 GMT -5
Ooops. Duh. I thought I was logged in. LOL Sorry. New here. Dolphinicus / Ryk
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Post by cookie3rocks on May 28, 2004 21:56:34 GMT -5
I've been trying to do local quatz and have found that I probably havent left them in coarse long enough to get past the external problems. But it's different for quartz I've purchased, it cracks up very easily Dolphinicus even your accent typed out is amussing to we americans. Are you something other than Canadian? Ryk is so much easier to type ;D cookie
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Post by rockyraccoon on May 28, 2004 23:07:44 GMT -5
welcome dolphinicus!
kim
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Post by creativeminded on May 29, 2004 10:42:58 GMT -5
Welcome Dolphinicus, you are going to find alot of good advice, hear about successes and goofs. Tami
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Dolphinicus
off to a rocking start
Member since May 2004
Posts: 2
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Post by Dolphinicus on May 30, 2004 23:18:23 GMT -5
LOL. Hankee grandlee for the welcomes. My accent? Just my methods of speech online and in real life? Perhaps with a little bit of my Scottish / French heritages thrown in? I've endless amounts to learn, but am doing it quite happily. And in time, if'n I'm able to help as well, I shall. <wave wave> Ryk
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