Tommy
Administrator
Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,903
|
Post by Tommy on Sept 6, 2016 15:09:52 GMT -5
I've always used small broken up pieces of agates and jaspers as my vibe media but my entire polished stash got taken away from me and made a nice display jar of shiny little rock chips. It's an exhausting process for me to create a new batch meticulously sorted by hardness and to eliminate any holes or pockets that hide grit. Plus I'm trying to elevate my game slightly and maybe run with the big dogs one day. So anyway, I bought a pack of this ceramic media on Ebay. As soon as I pressed 'go' I realized that the ad doesn't say if it's abrasive or non-abrasive. Is this one of those things where if it doesn't say "non" then it probably is? Does it matter? www.ebay.com/itm/182246044530If someone could give me the cliff notes on the difference when it comes to vibe tumbling and maybe even how to spot it in person I am humbled and greatful. Tommy
|
|
zarguy
fully equipped rock polisher
Cedar City, Utah - rockhound heaven!
Member since December 2005
Posts: 1,791
|
Post by zarguy on Sept 6, 2016 15:21:05 GMT -5
They mention polishing & burnishing in the listing. Nothing about abrasion. I think you got the right stuff. Lynn
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 6, 2016 15:27:36 GMT -5
Listing says "polishing"
No clue what that means except its prolly not for earlier stages
|
|
|
Post by captbob on Sept 6, 2016 15:44:47 GMT -5
I would read that as non-abrasive, as it can be used for polishing. Wouldn't want to use abrasive ceramics for polishing.
You could certainly use in earlier steps as a grit carrier / filler, just wouldn't have any "built in" abrasive advantages.
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,562
|
Post by jamesp on Sept 6, 2016 15:54:04 GMT -5
Usually they have black specks(SiC) if they are for faster abrasive cutting. But, ceramic media comes in many formulations: "The density of ceramic preformed shapes is usually determined by the amount of abrasive incorporated into the mix prior to firing - the more abrasive, the higher the density. This is important because the higher the density, the more "aggressive" the ceramic media will be (faster cutting, rougher surface) and the quicker it will wear. Therefore, dense media is only practical where the objectives cannot be achieved any other way or where the reduction in cycle time brings a greater value than the extra cost in media consumption. The type and quantity of abrasive grain can be varied to accomplish particular tasks, depending on the bond selected." Examples from a Florida based manufacturer: DURAMEDIA® C is a coarse grain aluminum oxide, graded to ANSI B74.12 standards, ceramic media providing an excellent cut to wear ratio. Its metal cut to media wear ratio makes it a very efficient media, suitable for a wide variety of applications. (90 lbs. /cubic foot, color: blue) DURAMEDIA® 30 is a fine grain aluminum oxide based ceramic media product that provides a smooth finish while still allowing for fast metal removal with medium wear. (95 lbs. /cubic foot, color: light gray) DURAMEDIA® 20/F is an aluminum oxide based ceramic media that is versatile for general purpose and mildly abrasive mass finishing. This media can offer a low wear rate with a reasonable metal removal rate. (85 lbs. /cubic foot, color: white) DURAMEDIA® 120 is a high-density abrasive-free media. (120 lbs./cubic foot, color: brown) DURAMEDIA® 50/SC is a finely graded silicon carbide based ceramic media that is relatively good wearing and mild cutting. (85 lbs. /cubic foot, color: beige with blue/black grain) And the list goes on and on. Most of it is made out of aluminum oxide. Can be fine or coarse grit aluminum oxide fused together. So if you don't know the name of it there is no telling what you are getting. I have no idea what the effects on different types are on tumbling rocks except the ones with SiC are not for final polish, but for cutting. I have no idea what the best ceramic media is for tumbling. I find the ceramic media subject confusing. Link to Florida Silica Sand Company fsscompany.com/catalog/ceramic-media/ceramic-media-50sc/
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,562
|
Post by jamesp on Sept 6, 2016 16:39:49 GMT -5
Those ceramics above and the one listed below vary in density from 85 to 140 pounds per cubic foot. Guessing the higher the density the less abrasive and longer lasting.
DURAMEDIA®140 is the preformed version of our DURALUM®XM product, which is extruded to shapes and sizes that address applications which seek to minimize lodging. (140 lbs./cubic foot, color: dark brown)
Applications DURAMEDIA®140 is long wearing and provides light radiusing on all metals. It can be used as a burnisher and with chemically accelerated deburring products.
still confused.
|
|
Tommy
Administrator
Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,903
|
Post by Tommy on Sept 7, 2016 9:52:57 GMT -5
Thank you for all the replies - jamesp thanks for the edumacatin. I was planning on running it through all the grits so I guess we'll find out if it works or not LOL. I'll post a closeup picture when I get it.
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,562
|
Post by jamesp on Sept 7, 2016 10:14:54 GMT -5
Thank you for all the replies - jamesp thanks for the edumacatin. I was planning on running it through all the grits so I guess we'll find out if it works or not LOL. I'll post a closeup picture when I get it. Hated not to cover the bases on media. That stuff is simply not that simple. I suppose rock tumbling suppliers know what type to sell to their clients. I use small agates instead of ceramic media, and they come out beautiful and make fine target tumbles. Seems redundant to use ceramics but tumblers like the Lot-O that can do obsidian and other tough tumbles I would use ceramics. your welcome
|
|
Tommy
Administrator
Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,903
|
Post by Tommy on Sept 7, 2016 11:42:14 GMT -5
In hindsight I should have asked for advice and favorites in advance but I tend to act first and axe later when things have gone horribly wrong LOL. Yes I miss my collection of little agate and jasper pieces but they have gone on to bigger and better things
|
|
|
Post by captbob on Sept 7, 2016 12:28:15 GMT -5
Interesting information jamesp , and thanks for the link to the Florida company. They have a location over in Plant City, other side of Tampa from me, maybe an hour away. Might be worth a trip over there to get edumacated by the experts. May have to add a trip there to my To Do List. Could probably buy in bulk - just have 'em dump a front end loader bucket full in the back of my truck! - at a decent cost with no shipping involved. Then resell on eBay. Profit would have to be worth the hassles of storing, weighing, packing and shipping. Things that make me go hmmmmm ...
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,562
|
Post by jamesp on Sept 7, 2016 12:37:02 GMT -5
In hindsight I should have asked for advice and favorites in advance but I tend to act first and axe later when things have gone horribly wrong LOL. Yes I miss my collection of little agate and jasper pieces but they have gone on to bigger and better things Ceramic media is mostly used for a finishing step. Finishing is fast in tumbling biz if you have a vibe. Reruns are short term runs. the time is in roughing.
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,562
|
Post by jamesp on Sept 7, 2016 12:45:04 GMT -5
Interesting information jamesp , and thanks for the link to the Florida company. They have a location over in Plant City, other side of Tampa from me, maybe an hour away. Might be worth a trip over there to get edumacated by the experts. May have to add a trip there to my To Do List. Could probably buy in bulk - just have 'em dump a front end loader bucket full in the back of my truck! - at a decent cost with no shipping involved. Then resell on eBay. Profit would have to be worth the hassles of storing, weighing, packing and shipping. Things that make me go hmmmmm ... I have called a bunch of abrasive companies for samples. They usually send 1-5 pounds for a sample. Got garnets, staurolite, half dozen oxides. Need to take a photo of that shelf of abrasives. But yes, abrasives get polluted all the time in process. Stop by and ask to dumpster dive or better to ask them for reject material. Tell them you want to landscape some flower beds with it. Trade tumbles, you would be surprised how much people want them for kids nieces nephews etc. Industrial rejects are big on my list(fire pits). Florida has a lot of silica based raw material. Edit: May want me to coach you on 'reject acquisition', sometimes acquiring such treasures requires silver tongue approach.
|
|
Mark K
Cave Dweller
Member since April 2012
Posts: 2,768
|
Post by Mark K on Sept 7, 2016 16:25:18 GMT -5
I ended up with 4 good buckets of ceramics out of the lot I bought a week or so ago. Each bucket is heaver than hell. It is like it is full of fluorite tumblers or something.
|
|
|
Post by orrum on Sept 7, 2016 16:39:45 GMT -5
I get my ceramic from The Rock Shed or JSGems. Both r on here, I get half small and half big. Smalls of rovk tend to get stuck in a pile on the bottom of my Loto and stops the rotation of the mass.
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,562
|
Post by jamesp on Sept 7, 2016 17:31:23 GMT -5
I ended up with 4 good buckets of ceramics out of the lot I bought a week or so ago. Each bucket is heaver than hell. It is like it is full of fluorite tumblers or something. Most of that ceramic media is 90-98% straight up fused aluminum oxide. And darn heavy at 4 grams per cubic cm. quartz is 2.7.fluorite 3.2 Aluminum oxide heavier than Silicon carbide, and it is heavy too at 3.4. Zirconium Oxide ceramic media is about heaviest at 5.5 to 6. Heavy is good, presses down harder on target tumbles.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 8, 2016 13:36:14 GMT -5
I get my ceramic from The Rock Shed or JSGems. Both r on here, I get half small and half big. Smalls of rovk tend to get stuck in a pile on the bottom of my Loto and stops the rotation of the mass. Fill that hole with epoxy. Like Jugglerguy
|
|
|
Post by orrum on Sept 8, 2016 18:13:43 GMT -5
It is filled but the whole bottom becomes a pyramid of mud and smalls.
|
|