Mazanec
spending too much on rocks
Member since March 2004
Posts: 355
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Post by Mazanec on Jun 16, 2004 11:27:54 GMT -5
I plan on tumble polishing some sodalite for my second batch (just love the color blue). Anything I should know about this stone?
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SirRoxalot
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since October 2003
Posts: 790
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Post by SirRoxalot on Jun 16, 2004 13:34:13 GMT -5
It's a bit soft and fragile, use lots of plastic pellets to cushion and keep an eye on things. I left a batch in 500 for too long and more or less wrecked it.
A couple days ago I visited the Princess Sodalite Mine, in Bancroft, Ontario, where the best sodalite in North America is found. Great fun, seeing hundreds of pounds of deep blue gem sodalite in situ.
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Skipper
spending too much on rocks
Member since March 2003
Posts: 258
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Post by Skipper on Jun 16, 2004 14:44:48 GMT -5
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Post by krazydiamond on Jun 16, 2004 15:24:49 GMT -5
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Post by Jeff 2 on Jun 16, 2004 15:31:02 GMT -5
I had the same experience, I left in 500 with some Quartz for too long apparently (10 days), and it developed lots of fractures, and deep gouges, I have no idea why they did not develop in the 60 grit?
You can eat through this stuff so fast, that I cant even send it back through 60 to remove the the deep veins that had developed because it would eat away at it too fast.
I'm not even sure what kind of shine it will take. I am a novice at rocks altogether, only 3 months of tumbling experience, and still no polished stones...
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Post by krazydiamond on Jun 16, 2004 20:00:53 GMT -5
are you using any media (platic pellets, cushioning) in you final stages, Jeff? if your slurry is too thin and your barrel is not loaded properly (especially with softer rocks) you can do damage to your nearing finished rocks.....
KD
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Post by sandsman1 on Jun 17, 2004 0:47:05 GMT -5
sir rox im wit rollinstone id like to see your pics too if you got some sounds like a cool day out did ya fill your pockets hahaha id have left about 50lb heavier
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Post by Jeff 2 on Jun 17, 2004 11:23:41 GMT -5
Kd - as a matter of fact, my slurry was too thin, and it was only about 1/3 full, so my rocks were "crashing" and I guess I underestimated the amount of damage it would do.
I was cutting a few corners, by re-using a barrel that had just completed a run.
Thanks for the tip
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Mazanec
spending too much on rocks
Member since March 2004
Posts: 355
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Post by Mazanec on Jun 17, 2004 12:07:07 GMT -5
How much plastic should I use to fill 2 6-lb barrels with sodalite (enough to prevent clevage but not too much for the motor like I did on my first batch)? Also, I spoke to Dave and he said a lot of sodalite is mostly white. Any experience with Berg's or the Rock Shed? Their pictures look pretty blue, but are their stones that blue?
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Post by krazydiamond on Jun 17, 2004 16:15:51 GMT -5
the sodalite i got from the rockshed had some white veins (see KD other rocks in member photos) but were mainly blue, some light blue and some so dark it looked black.
i tend to "top off" my barrel with pellets to about 75% full, so as my stone volume reduces volume my proportion of pellets goes up. i reuse my pellets but DO keep them separate for each stage.
good luck! KD
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Post by sandsman1 on Jun 17, 2004 20:04:08 GMT -5
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Mazanec
spending too much on rocks
Member since March 2004
Posts: 355
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Post by Mazanec on Jun 25, 2004 10:35:23 GMT -5
The box arrived at work yesterday. An employee set it aside and I had to call up to find where it was. There were some pieces of candy in the box as well...is this normal Rock Shed policy?
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Post by rockyraccoon on Jun 25, 2004 11:21:06 GMT -5
yes that's normal rockshed policy. a little personal touch along with their great service.
kim
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rollingstone
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since July 2009
Posts: 236
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Post by rollingstone on Jun 25, 2004 11:26:03 GMT -5
Was the candy blue with white streaks?
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Mazanec
spending too much on rocks
Member since March 2004
Posts: 355
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Post by Mazanec on Jun 25, 2004 11:34:21 GMT -5
A tootsie roll, a hard fudge and an A&W.
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Post by rockyraccoon on Jun 25, 2004 12:05:17 GMT -5
what's an a&w mazenec?
kim
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RiverOtter
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2004
Posts: 339
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Post by RiverOtter on Jun 25, 2004 12:18:09 GMT -5
It's a hard candy that tastes like A&W root beer.
Otter
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Post by krazydiamond on Jun 25, 2004 19:45:19 GMT -5
did you know that root beer is a mainly American flavor? it is American indian in origin, akin to birch beer? most Europeans think it tastes like medicine......
just a side bar here....
KD
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Mazanec
spending too much on rocks
Member since March 2004
Posts: 355
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Post by Mazanec on Jun 30, 2004 9:34:22 GMT -5
Progress report: Bad news is I seem unusually absent minded. I am under medication for Asperger's and my father has Alzheimer's, maybe this is why. I poured a little slurry down the sink before I remembered and almost forgot the grit and the outer lid. I will put the strainer over a tub rather than a sink and organize my tumbling site better to avoid this problem in the future. Good news is that the stones are coming along MUCH faster than my flint/agate load. They are noticably smaller and very smooth. I almost went on to the fine grit, but on closer inspection I saw a few faint nicks still present, so I'll do a few more days of recharged coarse grit. Weird news is that there was quite a layer of clay at the bottom. Since the barrels are vertical while the machine tumbles I would expect gravity and maybe a little centrifugal force to put the clay at the sides. Any comment?
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Post by sandsman1 on Jun 30, 2004 12:10:38 GMT -5
hey maz i was haveing the same prob the brokedown grit and what was grinding off the rocks where laying on the bottom of the barrel like clay, i was just adding grit when i checked and wasent cleaning and rinsing the rocks and barrel and when i scratched into the muddys stuff there was all the new grit i had added stuck in the muck, it stopped when i started rinsing and adding alittle more water to the mix hasent happend in awile so i think thats what it was--seeya---john
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