jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Mar 31, 2018 19:28:48 GMT -5
It's only used for AO 14,000 polish so I see no need to fill the divot in the bottom. Going to cut down a large funnel to get the rocks and media into the opening easier.
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Mar 31, 2018 20:50:17 GMT -5
Canning funnels work perfect. I use a collapsible one I got from walmart for a a couple bucks. Chuck
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Mar 31, 2018 22:02:42 GMT -5
Canning funnels work perfect. I use a collapsible one I got from walmart for a a couple bucks. Chuck A new one on me. Thanks Chuck.
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Post by grumpybill on Apr 1, 2018 3:01:06 GMT -5
Yep. A canning funnel for filling, a plastic food storage bowl to hold the barrel upright during filling, and a tea strainer to keep the small stones from coming out between your fingers when you drain off the water.
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Apr 1, 2018 6:49:31 GMT -5
Yep. A canning funnel for filling, a plastic food storage bowl to hold the barrel upright during filling, and a tea strainer to keep the small stones from coming out between your fingers when you drain off the water. Most of the glass is 3/4 and larger. The pea gravel media is smaller than 5/8. A 5/8 mesh classifier over a 1/4 classifier is a one dump wash out. Stackable old miner's classifiers from Ebay. I bought them originally to sort scrap glass into melt sizes. The price has dropped a lot since the oversea boys started making them This is an example listing, I have been getting specific meshes: www.ebay.com/itm/GOLD-RUSH-SCREEN-KIT-3-Large-Screens-1-20-1-50-1-100-Classifiers-Sifting-Fine/152955397708?hash=item239cda264c:g:B7kAAOSwH1VatCuN
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Apr 1, 2018 7:07:49 GMT -5
Running two vibes now. Needed more quartz pea gravel for the Lot-O. Verified an observation that has slowed vibe polish down on rocks and glass in the past.
It went like this:
Simply used unpolished quartz pea gravel with a load of glass in the Lot-O with AO 14,000 polish. Polish time was over 48 hours.
Did it twice to make a spare load of media. To build inventory of polished quartz pea gravel for the Lot-O. Both times the unpolished media took over 48 to polish the glass.
So after those 2 runs I had a spare batch of polished quartz pea gravel media. Mission accomplished.
Now it takes less than 24 hours to reach wet polish starting with polished media. It is the polish on the media that speeds the polish time.
Makes sense, quartz is way harder than glass. Unpolished quartz will tear up a glass polish.
So this issue should fall true for softer stones. And best to have close to polish media for Mohs 7 stones.
I never let the quartz pea gravel media used in the vibes dry out. It is stored in a jar of water. AO has a way of concreting when drying. anal
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Post by orrum on Apr 1, 2018 10:53:57 GMT -5
Jim I tilt the barrel when filling to help stop chipping and breakage. Use a empty peanut container to stand the barrel in and also like the canning funnel for filling.
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nchillbilly
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Post by nchillbilly on Apr 1, 2018 11:12:42 GMT -5
Running two vibes now. Needed more quartz pea gravel for the Lot-O. Verified an observation that has slowed vibe polish down on rocks and glass in the past. It went like this: Simply used unpolished quartz pea gravel with a load of glass in the Lot-O with AO 14,000 polish. Polish time was over 48 hours. Did it twice to make a spare load of media. To build inventory of polished quartz pea gravel for the Lot-O. Both times the unpolished media took over 48 to polish the glass. So after those 2 runs I had a spare batch of polished quartz pea gravel media. Mission accomplished. Now it takes less than 24 hours to reach wet polish starting with polished media. It is the polish on the media that speeds the polish time. Makes sense, quartz is way harder than glass. Unpolished quartz will tear up a glass polish. So this issue should fall true for softer stones. And best to have close to polish media for Mohs 7 stones. I never let the quartz pea gravel media used in the vibes dry out. It is stored in a jar of water. AO has a way of concreting when drying. anal I recently finished a load of mahogany obsidian, and the final polish was done in 24 hours. They had previously been run in 1000 a/o. My media of choice in the vibe was 4mm ceramic spheres sourced from an ammo reloading supply company in Fla. I used 14000 a/o slurry, 2 tbsp of 14000 a/o polish, ran 24 hours, and the shine was incredible. The spheres were used (less than 5 hours run time), and ran and cleaned by myself before using for final polish.
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Apr 1, 2018 11:26:11 GMT -5
Running two vibes now. Needed more quartz pea gravel for the Lot-O. Verified an observation that has slowed vibe polish down on rocks and glass in the past. It went like this: Simply used unpolished quartz pea gravel with a load of glass in the Lot-O with AO 14,000 polish. Polish time was over 48 hours. Did it twice to make a spare load of media. To build inventory of polished quartz pea gravel for the Lot-O. Both times the unpolished media took over 48 to polish the glass. So after those 2 runs I had a spare batch of polished quartz pea gravel media. Mission accomplished. Now it takes less than 24 hours to reach wet polish starting with polished media. It is the polish on the media that speeds the polish time. Makes sense, quartz is way harder than glass. Unpolished quartz will tear up a glass polish. So this issue should fall true for softer stones. And best to have close to polish media for Mohs 7 stones. I never let the quartz pea gravel media used in the vibes dry out. It is stored in a jar of water. AO has a way of concreting when drying. anal I recently finished a load of mahogany obsidian, and the final polish was done in 24 hours. They had previously been run in 1000 a/o. My media of choice in the vibe was 4mm ceramic spheres sourced from an ammo reloading supply company in Fla. I used 14000 a/o slurry, 2 tbsp of 14000 a/o polish, ran 24 hours, and the shine was incredible. The spheres were used (less than 5 hours run time), and ran and cleaned by myself before using for final polish. With glass and obsidian the preliminary steps are important. The AO 1000 step is a big help nchillbillyMess up the 220 and 500 and it can prevent final polish too. Aside from abrasives, if you bruise it any where along the way you will ruin final polish.
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nchillbilly
starting to spend too much on rocks
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Post by nchillbilly on Apr 1, 2018 20:58:16 GMT -5
I am preparing to do another load consisting of mahogany, silver sheen, and rainbow obsidian, and feel like now that my plan of attack has been proven, should turn out some really awesome tumbles. The one thing I did with my last load of mahogany that I won't do again is take them out of the initial grind too soon. I ended up having a number of pieces that had some small crevices that trapped the polish and when they dried out, it really detracted from the overall finish. I'll probably throw those back in with the others when I run the next batch.
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Post by grumpybill on Apr 2, 2018 3:59:46 GMT -5
I ended up having a number of pieces that had some small crevices that trapped the polish and when they dried out, it really detracted from the overall finish. When I do cleanouts between Lot-o stages I inspect every stone and take a sonic toothbrush to any that have cracks or pits that went unnoticed out of the course tumble. I do the same after the final polish stage. Adding a drop of dish soap and filling the bowl nearly full with water for the last 15 - 30 minutes of each cycle really helps, too.
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Apr 2, 2018 5:37:05 GMT -5
I am preparing to do another load consisting of mahogany, silver sheen, and rainbow obsidian, and feel like now that my plan of attack has been proven, should turn out some really awesome tumbles. The one thing I did with my last load of mahogany that I won't do again is take them out of the initial grind too soon. I ended up having a number of pieces that had some small crevices that trapped the polish and when they dried out, it really detracted from the overall finish. I'll probably throw those back in with the others when I run the next batch. "my plan of attack has been proven" With obsidian a process that works is best remembered and repeated verbatim. I have gone into production tumbling glass most of which tumble polishes easier than most obsidian excepting mahogany. Mahogany seems to be the hardest of the obsidians apparently due to it's natural composition. I produce about 60 to 80 glass pendants per day ranging in weight from 8 to 18 grams. A smidgen over 2 pounds per day using a modified vibe for pre-polish and a Lot-O for polish. Several rotaries. Thankful semi-retired and this keeps me busy. I run many alternate methods to streamline process. I also am now making most of my own glass using 2 kilns. 4 to 5 pound melt slab ready today. 13" X 17", about 1/4 inch thick mostly scrap fuse able glass.
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Apr 2, 2018 5:52:38 GMT -5
Glass and obsidian varies in porosity grumpybill. Most of it has many more bubbles in it than imagined at micro level. Seems my loads vary in final polish quality a fair amount from a great polish to exceptional. Not a problem from a quality standpoint but a consistent situation. If I use remelted glass or brick mold glass I get way more bubbles and those loads seem to suffer. High pressure machine formed glass is way less porous. Harder in most cases and polishes with ease.
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