Luminin
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2017
Posts: 400
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Post by Luminin on Oct 10, 2017 6:09:00 GMT -5
In the few videos I've watched, slurry is typically very foamy. So I wasn't surprised when I opened my first batch of coarse tumbles to find just that, lots of foam. However, my 60/90 slurry has had NO foam since.
I haven't changed anything except the grit and the rocks. The first grit I used came with my Nat Geo tumbler. It appeared to be 60/90 Silicon Carbide, same as I'm using now, just a different brand (mostly, I had added some of what I'm using now to that batch as I felt there wasn't enough).
It doesn't seem to make a difference, but I don't have enough experience to actually know. Besides, I'm curious as to WHY.
I cheated yesterday and opened my stage 2 barrel to show a friend (didn't dump it, sealed it back up and it's tumbling again) and it had foam!
Do I need to run them longer than a week for the grit to break down more? Do I need to add more/less: Grit, Water, Rocks? Is it the type of material I'm running?
My first batch that had foam had some softer material in it. Since, I've been running 6-7. Now that I think about it, that softer material is in that stage 2 batch that has foam. Is that it? Are the softer rocks are making a "dust" that creates the foam?
Is there any benefit to having/not having foam?
Thanks for reading and probably shaking your head at me! lol
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Wooferhound
Cave Dweller
Lortone QT66 and 3A
Member since December 2016
Posts: 1,426
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Post by Wooferhound on Oct 10, 2017 6:34:03 GMT -5
So what is the problem ?
Did you clean the rocks first ?
Probably leftover soap ?
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,184
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Post by jamesp on Oct 10, 2017 8:06:54 GMT -5
I don't care for foam. Don't care to have air bubbles in slurry. Slurry about like a milk shake. I use clay to intentionally make a slurry. The clay is ph 6.7. My water is 6.7. It is local Georgia red clay and never foams. Can't give you an explanation for the foam. ph difference in rocks and your water could sure be a culprit. ph reactions WILL make foam. Try using rain water next time or bottled water or something other than your tap water. I use creek water, it is ph 6.7. Almost neutral ph. I would guess if you used ph 4 or 5 water you will get a reaction with alkaline rocks. Alkaline rocks would likely have limestone or calcite in them.
You should be able to see coarse grit particles to feel them between thumb and finger in slurry. Best test is to dump contents into a pan and spray clean water on the batch till the water is overflowing clear. Pour water off slowly. Then look for SiC particles settled to the bottom. The SiC is very dense and sinks.
Pieces of metal will make foam. Chunks of concrete will make foam. Glass can make foam. Soft rocks wear fast and could accelerate chemical/ph activity generating foam.
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Luminin
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2017
Posts: 400
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Post by Luminin on Oct 10, 2017 8:36:55 GMT -5
Wooferhound I just rinse them off before tumbling, no soap. jamesp I think Lapis Lazuli is the culprit. It's the only consistent factor. I'll try adding bottled water tomorrow instead of tap. I've seen an image that I think you posted in another thread about PH levels in particular brands of bottled water, I'll go by that. I've only just started recycling slurry, I haven't had a chance to use the recycled cakes yet though. No problem, just something I was curious about. Well, I didn't think there was a problem but I'm not exactly an expert or even experienced tumbler. So I was checking in with you all.
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,184
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Post by jamesp on Oct 10, 2017 10:34:49 GMT -5
Wooferhound I just rinse them off before tumbling, no soap. jamesp I think Lapis Lazuli is the culprit. It's the only consistent factor. I'll try adding bottled water tomorrow instead of tap. I've seen an image that I think you posted in another thread about PH levels in particular brands of bottled water, I'll go by that. I've only just started recycling slurry, I haven't had a chance to use the recycled cakes yet though. No problem, just something I was curious about. Well, I didn't think there was a problem but I'm not exactly an expert or even experienced tumbler. So I was checking in with you all. Between you and I(don't tell anyone), I prefer my consistent old reliable clay for a slurry thickener. Rock slurry could be quite an amalgamation of chemicals. I have had gas created by re-using slurry. our clay is dead consistent. almost always ph 6.7. same as the creek water, exactly 6.7. But, if were to use 6.7 water with ph 9 clay I bet I would get foam. Lapis eh ? what an exotic rock. I have no experience with it. I looked it up. It is Mohs 5 to 5.5. Darn too soft for me to tumble polish. Sure is pretty. The origination of the color is described in the below quote of which I have no concept of what all that means lol "Color: The intense blue color is due to the presence of the trisulfur (S 3) radical anion in the crystal.[11] An electronic excitation of one electron from the highest doubly filled molecular orbital (No. 24) into the lowest singly occupied orbital (No. 25)[12] results in a very intense absorption line at λmax ~617 nm." That was painful.
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Luminin
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2017
Posts: 400
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Post by Luminin on Oct 10, 2017 10:59:11 GMT -5
ROFL! I'm sure it was, jamesp, hurt trying to read it! I tumble the Lapis, it has come out GREAT so far. You could do it, you'd just have to check on it after a week. Which I know is a LOT more often than your norm, but I have faith in you! 😉
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,184
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Post by jamesp on Oct 10, 2017 11:23:23 GMT -5
ROFL! I'm sure it was, jamesp, hurt trying to read it! I tumble the Lapis, it has come out GREAT so far. You could do it, you'd just have to check on it after a week. Which I know is a LOT more often than your norm, but I have faith in you! 😉 Have you completed a polish on Lapis in the past ?
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Luminin
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2017
Posts: 400
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Post by Luminin on Oct 10, 2017 12:46:39 GMT -5
Ha! Ahhh... No. 😂 it's my first batch ever, jamesp. Just now in stage 2. I'll check it tomorrow along with my two stage 1 barrels. Weekly clean out and I'm excited to see! Knowing its soft, I already bought some Aluminum Oxide 1000 grit I think as a step for between prepolish and polish.
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,184
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Post by jamesp on Oct 10, 2017 13:14:45 GMT -5
Ha! Ahhh... No. 😂 it's my first batch ever, jamesp. Just now in stage 2. I'll check it tomorrow along with my two stage 1 barrels. Weekly clean out and I'm excited to see! Knowing its soft, I already bought some Aluminum Oxide 1000 grit I think as a step for between prepolish and polish. I have been frustrated by soft rocks on many occasions. They look great till it came time to polish. Then the rubber hit the road. something about soft rocks, they like to be finicky about taking a polish. Just a heads up. Every one has a different set of circumstances, I do hope you will succeed. Use as many steps as you can 220-500-1000 then polish. Avoid skipping a step. Aluminum oxide is good abrasive.
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Luminin
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2017
Posts: 400
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Post by Luminin on Oct 10, 2017 13:57:55 GMT -5
Roger that. I'm thinking about leaving them in the AO 1000 for a couple of weeks. By my understanding, it breaks down basically into a polish?
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