zapins
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2016
Posts: 116 
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Post by zapins on Apr 9, 2016 23:48:32 GMT -5
Is there a way to polish a rock but keep the texture and lumpiness of the rock intact?
I collected some rocks that have 1 inch garnets coming out the sides and I'd like to shine up the non-garnet rocks but keep the garnet nodules as well.
I have a wet sander machine with diamond pads, but it works better for flat surfaces.
Any ideas?
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Post by Rockoonz on Apr 9, 2016 23:57:14 GMT -5
A dremel or flex shaft with burrs and sanding / polishing ends like a jade carver might use.
Are you sure the host rock will take a polish?
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unclesoska
freely admits to licking rocks
All those jade boulders tossed in search of gold!
Member since February 2011
Posts: 934
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Post by unclesoska on Apr 10, 2016 1:51:47 GMT -5
It sounds like you'd like to preserve w/ a little shine? Many mineral specimens are coated with a lacquer to preserve them. Krylon and Rustoleum both have spray lacquers and enamels in different sheens. I spray the backs or outsides of polished thunderegg halves, for example. Other more experienced hounds will chime in with their process. Edited- I just took this photo of a botroyodial Hematite chunk that I drilled and sprayed as opposed to lapidary polish procedure. I did it when I 1st started out.  |
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zapins
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2016
Posts: 116
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Post by zapins on Apr 11, 2016 22:18:38 GMT -5
I've got quite a few pieces of rocks like this that I'd like to try polishing up. Some are more textured than this one since I ground it down quite a bit. So just putting lacquer on it makes it shiny? I collected it from an old garnet mine up in new york state. I think I remember reading the hardness of the garnet itself is 8+ and the surrounding rock is 7 ish. So I think it should polish.    |
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller 
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,722
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Post by Fossilman on Apr 12, 2016 9:06:42 GMT -5
On my petwood that I don't want to polish (with bark on) ..I use a clear polyurethane finish,works great......(no it doesn't yellow,after time)..
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Post by greig on Aug 29, 2016 22:04:46 GMT -5
I have quite a bit of similar rock from an old iron mine, skarn deposit in southern Ontario (Marmora) - they crystals are a bit smaller, but there are lots of them. Just for fun, I was about to tumble some of it, just to see what happens. Unfortunately, I probably won't know for another month.
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dottyt
spending too much on rocks
Member since July 2016
Posts: 305 
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Post by dottyt on Aug 29, 2016 23:25:39 GMT -5
I've got quite a few pieces of rocks like this that I'd like to try polishing up. Some are more textured than this one since I ground it down quite a bit. So just putting lacquer on it makes it shiny? Yep. If it is very porous you might need several coats. I have also found that polyurethane does yellow, although it may take many years. I haven't had lacquer yellow. You can also paint on many layers and it will stay crystal clear (I have done this more on wood than rocks, but I think lacquer is the tops). It can dry too fast if it is hot out and this can be a pain if you are doing a larger area, that is the only thing I don't like about it. If you are doing a several coats, sandpaper using a very fine grit between coats. I use brushing lacquer in a can, but spraying would probably also work and be more convenient. |
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zapins
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2016
Posts: 116
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Post by zapins on Aug 30, 2016 0:35:27 GMT -5
greig, any chance of a photo of your rocks? Are your garnet crystals intact or shattered as well? What I ended up doing is grinding down the surface of the rock with a diamond grinding bit. I got it into an interesting and attractive shape. I didn't have the time to use my diamond polishing pads to get it up to a mirror finish. But that is on my list of things to do. The rock and garnets surprisingly held together quite well with the aggressive diamond wheel. I expect they'll take a really nice high polish finish without trouble. This is what the garnets I found look like in the sun before I ground them to a rough finish.  |
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