donwrob
has rocks in the head
Member since June 2003
Posts: 509
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Post by donwrob on May 8, 2004 17:33:10 GMT -5
Well, it is a long story. Here is the condensed version. Anyhow, I took a trip to visit a good friend last weekend in Eastern PA. Over in Johns direction, off of the PA turnpike to a place near Furnace PA. It is beautiful country, we took our wives arrowhead hunting, mushroom hunting, and drank a barrel of wine probably. A really nice relaxing trip in the PA mountains. While talking to my buddy, he mentioned some old slag glass he picked up in a river, that came from an old iron mill from the mid 16th century around 1750. I was fascinated by the thought of tumbling some, so we took a hike to try and locate a little. The water was up from the spring rains, but we still all managed to pick up a bag of it scattered about here and there. I don't know, maybe it is boring to most of you. But I think it will be cool to try and polish old glass like this with the history that is behind it. Here is a pic of the batch dry, not a real eye catcher, but who knows? It may turn out to be pretty stuff. Talk to you later, Don  |
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Post by sandsman1 on May 8, 2004 17:59:43 GMT -5
hi all---hey don i think your onto something there bet when its done its cool lookin did ya try and break or cut some yet see whats inside, keep us posted after seeyin it my curiosity is up now hahahaha seeya john
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llanago
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2004
Posts: 1,714
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Post by llanago on May 8, 2004 18:31:10 GMT -5
Neat, Don. Can't wait to see how they come out. The aqua colored ones are really neat.
Speaking of glass, I just came across some pieces of glass, called cobbles, I ordered last year for a craft project. I had alot of them left over and wondered what I would do with them. When I ran across them a while ago, I decided I am going to put some in the 3 #r in 120/220 and see what happens.
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Post by creativeminded on May 10, 2004 14:14:43 GMT -5
Those are some nice pieces of glass, the aqua ones will be beautiful polished up.
Tami
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James
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since October 2003
Posts: 876
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Post by James on May 11, 2004 2:19:08 GMT -5
I was born near there. There is an old forge near my grandfathers house were there is plenty of slag glass. Neat stuff. You can find it around railroad tracks sometimes too.
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Post by rockyraccoon on May 11, 2004 9:16:04 GMT -5
neat find - can't wait to see how they turn out. have you already put them in the tumbler?
kim
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donwrob
has rocks in the head
Member since June 2003
Posts: 509
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Post by donwrob on May 11, 2004 16:06:33 GMT -5
Thanks guys, Kim, nope it's not rolling yet. I'm having a problem with the old model 'B'. The poor old thing might have sat idle too long or something. The glass is busted up and ready to go but the tumbler won't cooperate. I'm thinking that stuff may be full of heavy metals and I might have to lighten it up some? I'll keep you posted, later, Don
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donwrob
has rocks in the head
Member since June 2003
Posts: 509
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Post by donwrob on May 26, 2004 9:36:18 GMT -5
Well, here is an update on the old glass. I finally did get it running and it's been in 120-220 for a couple of weeks. It is neat stuff, but there is a lot of porosity in it. While common sense would tell me to quit now, I'm will keep it going. I started in med grit for 2 reasons. #1 - the poor stuff has layed around on a river bank for 250 years or so peacefully minding its own business, I didn't want to shock it, right? #2 - I'm out of 60- 90 grit ;D . Here is the pic, talk to you later, Don  |
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Post by sandsman1 on May 26, 2004 9:48:39 GMT -5
hey don its off to a good start i realy like the ones with the swirls in them, im with you id have to see what they finish like id keep goin too --seeya---john
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bwalters
has rocks in the head
Member since March 2004
Posts: 557
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Post by bwalters on May 26, 2004 23:59:11 GMT -5
Don,
Those appear to be shaping up really nicely. John's right, you hafta keep them going and see how they turn out. Can't wait to see them when you're finished!
Barbara
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Post by creativeminded on May 27, 2004 10:32:44 GMT -5
Those don't even look like slag glass now, they look like real stones.
Tami
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Post by rockyraccoon on May 28, 2004 11:19:23 GMT -5
don that is really looking good - now how did it get in the stream in a rock looking form?
kim
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donwrob
has rocks in the head
Member since June 2003
Posts: 509
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Post by donwrob on Jun 7, 2004 8:16:20 GMT -5
Sorry Kim, I just now saw your post. It is the slag glass from an old iron furnace that was along the river there. I guess they just dumped it in the river and it washed down stream over the years. As far as the rock forms, I would guess when they quenched the iron, the glass slag fractured into the chunks like you see in the top pic? Or it could have still been hot when they dumped it in the river and it fractured then? Not sure though, just guessing.
The glass is in polish now, it was struggling to get a good shine so I added a touch of tin oxide to try and snap it back. The problem is the porosity hole edges many of them have making it hard to get a good shine. I'll post a pic when they are done, shiny or not, talk to you later, Don
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