mudd1973
starting to shine!
new member of Culver City Rock and Mineral Club
Member since May 2003
Posts: 33
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Post by mudd1973 on Sept 3, 2003 12:43:24 GMT -5
First, I love this site. Stop by to catch up with new messages every day. We need more people to submit pictures. I was a the Oceanview Tourmaline Mines in Pala ,CA this weekend. I found a few tiny pieces of pink tourmaline and some larger black tourmaline (shorl) that I plan to tumble someday when I get enough for a load. But my question today is about how to "harden" and stabilize the purple lepidolite I found. I have several dozen pieces from olive size up to palm size that I either want to tumble or carve. I tried polishing a small piece on a flat lap at my rock club's shop. The color is amazing and even on the first rough 100 grit it sparkles. But the edges crumble easily so it didn't really hold a shape. There have been several messages about Opticon, Canadian Balsam and CA (whatever this is). Can any of these be used to treat lepidolite so I can shape it without the crumbling edges? I am really new to rocks and tumbling and appreciate all the info on this site. Ellen in Los Angeles AKA Mudd1973
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Robert
off to a rocking start
Member since April 2003
Posts: 15
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Post by Robert on Sept 4, 2003 0:11:23 GMT -5
I have been to the Tourmaline Queen mine in Pala and like you I picked up a few very small crystals(of no value) and several pieces of Lepidolite(a very pretty lavender color). The black Tourmaline I found is quite soft and even tho the crystals were formed in white quarts I don't belive they will polish. The Lepidolite is very porous and I could never do anything with it except appreciate it's beauty. Good luck with your seach and project The black Tourmaline I found in a small pit I dug in one of the Pala mountains. The Pala area has a lot of neat stuff.
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Djinjuice
starting to shine!
Member since March 2003
Posts: 47
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Post by Djinjuice on Sept 4, 2003 23:53:08 GMT -5
When I went gem mining in North Carolina, I got some black tourmaline, at least that's what I was told. But this stuff is extremely hard!! I did a 1st stage tumble on it, but it looks exactly the same as when I put it in the barrell !! Wish I had a digital cam so I could put a picture up...
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Post by docone31 on Sept 6, 2003 20:00:19 GMT -5
I do not know how Canadian Balsam tumbles, however, I have had good results with Opticon, and CA, cyanoacrolate ester. I too have had edge crumbling. It is miserable, expecially when the piece becomes a lot smaller than quoted to the customer. With Opticon, I let the piece soak for a long time in the epoxy, thinned with alcohol. With the CA, I just let it soak untill I am fairly sure it has penetrated into the stone. I especially like it in emeralds. Canadian Balsam I use after the cabbing, or faceting. Opticon, and CA, I use before facetine. The CA takes a long time to cure I have had pieces surface cure, and still have veins of CA active upon faceting! It makes a mess out of the lap, and takes some time to clean. Fingernail polish remover does the job, or running a clean stone over the lap. Opticon cures completely, and on the surface. CA cures over time inside the stone. I fill a small container with multiple tubes of the stuff. They sell six 1/2 oz. tubes for a dollar at the market I am in, I empty all of them in a plastic container and set the stone in the liquid. I go away and do other things. Days later, I check the stone. Sometimes It is completely cured. Sometimes it is still liquid. Cyanoacrilate needs an alkaline base to cure, sodium bicarbonate will accelerate the process. Be careful!! Sodium bicarbonate,(baking soda) and cyanoacrilate(CA) will produce on flesh, a 1400 degree flash heat up. Also, everything in the world will stick to your fingers. I learned the baking soda trick while building scale gliders. I would use baking soda and CA to fill gaps. The baking soda initiates cure when it won't stick. I do not reccomend it for filling gaps in the stones. It makes a glassy white fill. Soak the stone, and let it cure. Be patient, meaning, days. I have tumbled cured CA stones, and they polish real well. They also facet well. Works best in a semi-transparent stone. Great with jasper, turquoise, malachite, and petrified wood. I use it with emeralds, and saphires. The stones are not total gem quality and my facets are not expert. I still miss meet lines a little. The finished product looks good, and sells well.
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WilliamC
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2003
Posts: 416
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Post by WilliamC on Feb 21, 2005 19:51:16 GMT -5
Greetings All, I'm thinking of breaking down and buying some cryanoacrylate for filling gaps in my tumble stones, especially since I'm tumling some big stones and d*mned if some of them have fractures/pits that just won't stop Up 'till now I've sort-of thought of it as cheating, but I've got rocks that have been through 8 60/90 grinds and are nicely shaped 'cept for a thin fissure or such. If I keep's a tumbling them they won't be much left of them. Ever since I broke down last time and purchased enough grit to keep my 4 QT12's/QT66's runnin' full-time I've been building up more and more nice stones that will never be perfect. I don't have the patience of a glacier or seashore so I suppose it's time to resort to some chicanery instead. Hummmmm Kingsley North will sell me 24 ounces for ~$66, and from Ebay I can get 144 tubes of 0.3 grams each, or ~43.3 grams for ten bucks. Methinks I'll be Ebaying this one...seems the seller only wants Paypal though. I have been needing to set up an account with them. Anyways I thought I remembered you sharing this tip with us along time agone Doc, so I went ahead and dredged up the thread. Hey, this can be a new board game, reserect old threads. With pertinent posts of course, wouldn't want just any old reason to bring up the past Later... WilliamC
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MichiganRocks
starting to spend too much on rocks
"I wasn't born to follow."
Member since April 2007
Posts: 154
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Post by MichiganRocks on Feb 22, 2005 10:01:00 GMT -5
Hey William, good to hear from you. I've been wondering what you've been up to. I have tried the Opticon stuff just once. I had a buautiful Agate that had a couple of pits that I just couldn't get rid of. I put some Opticon in a cup and set it under a 100 watt bulb till it was good and warm. Meanwhile, I was warming the Agate on my coffee cup warmer. I then put the Agate in the Opticon and kept it under the light for a few hours (between 3 and 4). I then removed it and let it cool overnight, with the Agate still in the Opticon. I then removed the Agate and wiped off the excess Opticon and then applied the hardener. It really worked well. I'd take a picture but it doesn't show anything because you can't see the pits.
Ron
ps. Been told that if you do this in a Mason jar and let it cool with the lid on, that the rock will tend to suck the Opticon deeper into small cracks, but I have never tried this.
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Post by connrock on Feb 22, 2005 18:22:43 GMT -5
Ron, By putting the lid on and letting it cool it creates a vacuum which helps the Opticon get sucked into the tiny cracks and pits. You can also make your own little vacuum system with a piece of plastic pipe and a small air pump.It's a little more detailed then that but it's really easy and does a great job on those stuborn but pretty rocks. When tumbling some people use very hot water just for this purpose.It really helps to seal a stuborn tumbler lid. Tom
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kd7cot
having dreams about rocks
Having too much fun!
Member since January 2005
Posts: 64
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Post by kd7cot on Feb 23, 2005 11:33:14 GMT -5
Here is a link to an artical on fillers, listing advantages and disadvantages of each and at the bottom is a refractive index. It's primarily focused on Emeralds - but applies because of the detailed information www.bovagems.com/eclectic/HTML/19990201_EMER9902.htmlHope this helps some one - it did me! Jeff
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chassroc
Cave Dweller
Rocks are abundant when you have rocktumblinghobby pals
Member since January 2005
Posts: 3,586
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Post by chassroc on Feb 23, 2005 12:40:15 GMT -5
Grams vs Ounces... Don't get fooled by EBAY. Those 144 0.3 gram packages together total just 1.521 ounces so for $10.00 the price is $6.57/oz. Kingsley is offering 24ounces for $66.00 and the price is just $2.75/oz...of course if you just need a little bit, go to any local hardware, drug store, walmart, dollar store, etc
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