balddawg
off to a rocking start
Member since June 2018
Posts: 10
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Post by balddawg on Jun 19, 2018 21:02:54 GMT -5
How can I buy polish grit in bulk. Is there anything else that can be used that does the same job but more cost effective and easier to get? Thanks in advance for any help!
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agatemaggot
Cave Dweller
Member since August 2006
Posts: 2,195
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Post by agatemaggot on Jun 19, 2018 22:16:06 GMT -5
Check with Minnesota lapidary supply, they have a type of polish that works well on Agate called TXP. You only use 1/3 the amount that you would normally use, very economical and not awfully pricey. Val Carver is the owner and very rock wise.
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Post by aDave on Jun 19, 2018 23:09:45 GMT -5
How can I buy polish grit in bulk. Is there anything else that can be used that does the same job but more cost effective and easier to get? Thanks in advance for any help! You can buy just about any size grit by bulk. What do you consider a bulk amount, and what size tumblers are you looking to use it in? If you're using rotary tumblers, you can probably cut way back on the polish amount than what is usually stated in the instructions. Many here use the Rock Shed for buying grit, and it can be found in a multitude of package sizes. FWIW, the only time I don't use the Rock Shed is when I'm buying 50 lbs of coarse grit. All other sizes come from them. And, most often than not, the prices can't be beat.
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Post by Jugglerguy on Jun 19, 2018 23:15:37 GMT -5
I’m curious why you want to buy bulk polish. I use very little polish, but lots of coarse grit. I use a Lot-O vibratory tumbler that only uses 1/2 teaspoon of polish per load. I start my rocks in a rotary. I use six tablespoons in my six pound rotary barrels and do quite a few weekly runs for each batch. I order fifty pounds of coarse grit at a time, but a pound of polish will last years.
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Post by aDave on Jun 19, 2018 23:25:58 GMT -5
I’m curious why you want to buy bulk polish. I use very little polish, but lots of coarse grit. I use a Lot-O vibratory tumbler that only uses 1/2 teaspoon of polish per load. I start my rocks in a rotary. I use six tablespoons in my six pound rotary barrels and do quite a few weekly runs for each batch. I order fifty pounds of coarse grit at a time, but a pound of polish will last years. I have to agree with Jugglerguy here, and that's why I mentioned you (the OP) can use far less polish than you might think. I finish my rocks in a 4lb rotary barrel, and I'm using no more than 3 tbsp in that, and I can probably use a bit less. I just haven't played with lesser amounts yet.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,561
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Post by jamesp on Jun 20, 2018 12:27:49 GMT -5
Yep, tumbling rocks uses little polish. Coarse grit is another animal. Stock that one in bulk. If you want cheap (very coarse) silicon carbide there is a type used in melting with steel about 4X cheaper.
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Post by rockpickerforever on Jun 20, 2018 14:14:40 GMT -5
About ready to order another 50 lbs of 36 grit from Kingsley North. Only use 1 cup at a time, but kinda go through it faster when adding it a few times a week.
Still have plenty of Cerium Oxide. Got some rocks from Lavic in the home stretch in the vibe now. A few more days to wait....
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,561
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Post by jamesp on Jun 20, 2018 15:14:53 GMT -5
About ready to order another 50 lbs of 36 grit from Kingsley North. Only use 1 cup at a time, but kinda go through it faster when adding it a few times a week.
Still have plenty of Cerium Oxide. Got some rocks from Lavic in the home stretch in the vibe now. A few more days to wait.... Is it a 12 pound capacity ? So it can spend SiC 36 in 3 days ? With slurry thickener I get 2-3 days and 30 is gone at normal 30 RPM shaft. I add 30 2 to 3 times and pour overly thick slurry off as needed before doing a clean out. To me It's worth opening it up 2 to 3 times a week for the sake of electricity savings. It does use abrasive quicker but if it is spent why spin ?
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Post by rockpickerforever on Jun 20, 2018 15:48:30 GMT -5
About ready to order another 50 lbs of 36 grit from Kingsley North. Only use 1 cup at a time, but kinda go through it faster when adding it a few times a week.
Still have plenty of Cerium Oxide. Got some rocks from Lavic in the home stretch in the vibe now. A few more days to wait.... Is it a 12 pound capacity ? So it can spend SiC 36 in 3 days ? With slurry thickener I get 2-3 days and 30 is gone at normal 30 RPM shaft. I add 30 2 to 3 times and pour overly thick slurry off as needed before doing a clean out. To me It's worth opening it up 2 to 3 times a week for the sake of electricity savings. It does use abrasive quicker but if it is spent why spin ?
Yes, James, 12 lbs. QT12 barrel you graciously gave/sent to me, ring any bells? Lol. Yes, 3 days and SiC36 is gone. I also have the Scott Murray from mohs, it is a little bigger capacity. Same as a Thumbler's B model (liner is exactly the same, anyway), 15 lbs I believe. That one is full of rough, ready for the next batch, but have to wait until I get more 36 grit.
I just did the first cleanout a couple weeks ago. (I don't clean out every week, either.) 30 RPM is about what I'm turning, too. I removed some of the rocks and moved them on to the vibe. The rest of them (hard schtufff) still have another three or four weeks to go yet. Just checked the barrel that's rolling, and the slurry also needed thinning. Poured some off, added more water. There was still some coarse grit left from the last add, so I didn't add any more. Yes, ditto on the opening 2 or 3 times a week and adding grit. Electricity here is expensive enough, why tumble the rocks without the maximum amount of abrasive?
YOU are the one who's advice I am following. It's kind of a no brainer. I am as impatient as the next person, but I'm not going to pull rocks that aren't ready to move on. Sharp edged rocks are not aesthetically pleasing to me. One week in coarse? Getouttahere! Patience, Grasshopper!
All this time I thought I had been using 30 grit, but just got the Summer Kingsley North catalog yesterday, they sell 36. Close enough. Fifty lbs is $92.50 plus shipping, I think last time it came to around $110. Fifty lbs will fit in a LFRB.
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Post by aDave on Jun 20, 2018 16:10:19 GMT -5
All this time I thought I had been using 30 grit, but just got the Summer Kingsley North catalog yesterday, they sell 36. Close enough. Fifty lbs is $92.50 plus shipping, I think last time it came to around $110. Fifty lbs will fit in a LFRB.Next time I order 50 lbs from Kingsley, I'm going to do it over the phone and ask them to reinforce the box with extra tape. Last time I ordered from them, they just taped the top and bottom opening, and the box blew out on a corner. I don't think I lost any grit to speak of, but the PO held my shipment for 3 weeks so its HazMat team could come and inspect it. Kind of sucked, as I had to scramble to find some coarse grit locally just to hold me over.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,561
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Post by jamesp on Jun 20, 2018 16:17:57 GMT -5
Is it a 12 pound capacity ? So it can spend SiC 36 in 3 days ? With slurry thickener I get 2-3 days and 30 is gone at normal 30 RPM shaft. I add 30 2 to 3 times and pour overly thick slurry off as needed before doing a clean out. To me It's worth opening it up 2 to 3 times a week for the sake of electricity savings. It does use abrasive quicker but if it is spent why spin ?
Yes, James, 12 lbs. QT12 barrel you graciously gave/sent to me, ring any bells? Lol. Yes, 3 days and SiC36 is gone. I also have the Scott Murray from mohs, it is a little bigger capacity. Same as a Thumbler's B model (liner is exactly the same, anyway), 15 lbs I believe. That one is full of rough, ready for the next batch, but have to wait until I get more 36 grit.
I just did the first cleanout a couple weeks ago. (I don't clean out every week, either.) 30 RPM is about what I'm turning, too. I removed some of the rocks and moved them on to the vibe. The rest of them (hard schtufff) still have another three or four weeks to go yet. Just checked the barrel that's rolling, and the slurry also needed thinning. Poured some off, added more water. There was still some coarse grit left from the last add, so I didn't add any more. Yes, ditto on the opening 2 or 3 times a week and adding grit. Electricity here is expensive enough, why tumble the rocks without the maximum amount of abrasive?
YOU are the one who's advice I am following. It's kind of a no brainer. I am as impatient as the next person, but I'm not going to pull rocks that aren't ready to move on. Sharp edged rocks are not aesthetically pleasing to me. One week in coarse? Getouttahere! Patience, Grasshopper!
All this time I thought I had been using 30 grit, but just got the Summer Kingsley North catalog yesterday, they sell 36. Close enough. Fifty lbs is $92.50 plus shipping, I think last time it came to around $110. Fifty lbs will fit in a LFRB.
The findings you document are exact same as my findings. I honestly did no creative genius experiments. I just checked(by tedious separation) the SiC 30 or 46 every day for 3 days and repeatedly found it to be spent day 2/day 3. Yes, no brainer, common sense and all that. OK, I had a polish experience with soft rock today. Remember that slab of purplish/pink (lithium ?) ore you sent ? Starts with an 'L' ? Leopardlite ? about as big as a lady's hand. You could almost scratch it with a fingernail, it is waxy like talc. Well, I had some 1 inch chunks running in coarse with glass and they quickly tumbled away being so soft except one that ended up pea sized. I chunked that one pea in with glass on a polish run and darned if it took a polish. So today I diced it on the tile saw(cuts like butter) and put it in for shaping. Less shaping lol. Will go for polish and fingers crossed on some 1 inch ers. It would be by far the softest rock I ever got a tumble polish on.
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Post by rockpickerforever on Jun 20, 2018 16:30:41 GMT -5
All this time I thought I had been using 30 grit, but just got the Summer Kingsley North catalog yesterday, they sell 36. Close enough. Fifty lbs is $92.50 plus shipping, I think last time it came to around $110. Fifty lbs will fit in a LFRB.Next time I order 50 lbs from Kingsley, I'm going to do it over the phone and ask them to reinforce the box with extra tape. Last time I ordered from them, they just taped the top and bottom opening, and the box blew out on a corner. I don't think I lost any grit to speak of, but the PO held my shipment for 3 weeks so its HazMat team could come and inspect it. Kind of sucked, as I had to scramble to find some coarse grit locally just to hold me over. Ouch! I had called them to place the order last time, to be sure they put it in a LFRB, and didn't charge me beaucoup bucks to ship. Calling to ask for extra tape not a bad idea, although mine came last time with no problems. Guess it depends on how rock tumbling friendly your local post office is, lol.
Any heavy box I get, my mailman knows what is in it!
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Post by rockpickerforever on Jun 20, 2018 16:35:31 GMT -5
The findings you document are exact same as my findings. I honestly did no creative genius experiments. I just checked(by tedious separation) the SiC 30 or 46 every day for 3 days and repeatedly found it to be spent day 2/day 3. Yes, no brainer, common sense and all that. OK, I had a polish experience with soft rock today. Remember that slab of purplish/pink (lithium ?) ore you sent ? Starts with an 'L' ? Leopardlite ? about as big as a lady's hand. You could almost scratch it with a fingernail, it is waxy like talc. Well, I had some 1 inch chunks running in coarse with glass and they quickly tumbled away being so soft except one that ended up pea sized. I chunked that one pea in with glass on a polish run and darned if it took a polish. So today I diced it on the tile saw(cuts like butter) and put it in for shaping. Less shaping lol. Will go for polish and fingers crossed on some 1 inch ers. It would be by far the softest rock I ever got a tumble polish on. L-E-P-I-D-O-L-I-T-E. Soft, purple, waxy, talc-ish lithium ore. Did I mention it is soft?
Yes, I believe it would take a polish, as long as you only tumble it with other soft rocks. I know Bob got a polish on the big yard rock using his wet grinder with diamond pads.
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Post by rockpickerforever on Jun 20, 2018 17:18:16 GMT -5
Oops. Just had my first bona fide blowout of the QT12 barrel, with the lid coming loose and dumping rocks out . Guess I was a little hasty closing it when I checked on it this morning. Minor setback. I lifted the barrel off and scooped up the rocks and some of the slurry. Put that all in a bucket with water, so the rocks didn't get dry slurry on them. Next, will have to clean up the mess. But that has to wait until what I have been trying to accomplish this morning (is it afternoon already??) gets accomplished.
Guess I'll be making an unscheduled cleanout. Glad I didn't add any more grit this morning.
I've had leaks before, but nothing on this scale. Live and learn.
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Post by aDave on Jun 20, 2018 17:47:09 GMT -5
Oops. Just had my first bona fide blowout of the QT12 barrel, with the lid coming loose and dumping rocks out . Guess I was a little hasty closing it when I checked on it this morning. Minor setback. I lifted the barrel off and scooped up the rocks and some of the slurry. Put that all in a bucket with water, so the rocks didn't get dry slurry on them. Next, will have to clean up the mess. But that has to wait until what I have been trying to accomplish this morning (is it afternoon already??) gets accomplished.
Guess I'll be making an unscheduled cleanout. Glad I didn't add any more grit this morning.
I've had leaks before, but nothing on this scale. Live and learn. That's not fun. If it got on any of the unlined shaft or bearings, completely take apart the machine and clean those things up. I had a spillage way back when, and I didn't (end up) cleaning as well as I should have. After a period of time, the shafts were actually ground down inside the bearings. Fortunately, the shafts didn't end up keyholing the tumbler chassis.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,561
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Post by jamesp on Jun 20, 2018 17:55:37 GMT -5
The findings you document are exact same as my findings. I honestly did no creative genius experiments. I just checked(by tedious separation) the SiC 30 or 46 every day for 3 days and repeatedly found it to be spent day 2/day 3. Yes, no brainer, common sense and all that. OK, I had a polish experience with soft rock today. Remember that slab of purplish/pink (lithium ?) ore you sent ? Starts with an 'L' ? Leopardlite ? about as big as a lady's hand. You could almost scratch it with a fingernail, it is waxy like talc. Well, I had some 1 inch chunks running in coarse with glass and they quickly tumbled away being so soft except one that ended up pea sized. I chunked that one pea in with glass on a polish run and darned if it took a polish. So today I diced it on the tile saw(cuts like butter) and put it in for shaping. Less shaping lol. Will go for polish and fingers crossed on some 1 inch ers. It would be by far the softest rock I ever got a tumble polish on. L-E-P-I-D-O-L-I-T-E. Soft, purple, waxy, talc-ish lithium ore. Did I mention it is soft?
Yes, I believe it would take a polish, as long as you only tumble it with other soft rocks. I know Bob got a polish on the big yard rock using his wet grinder with diamond pads.
It tastes funny. As far as blow outs you should be past due. I am tumbling a super soft low melt point glass similar to Japanese bead glass called Sabake. Some is full of soft bubbles and it creates tons of gas and has blown cap 3 times in a week. So the glass is soft and it wears quick and exposes bubbles quick. Ala gases quick. But there is a heat thing, I went over to release pressure(2 times a day mandatory) and the contents must have been 130F in the morning shade. The sun had not even touched it. i know the glass is alkaline(soda lime glass and my water and clay is acidic. Maybe the heat is coming from the 2 ph's mixing(and the gas for that matter).
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,561
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Post by jamesp on Jun 20, 2018 18:24:14 GMT -5
Oops. Just had my first bona fide blowout of the QT12 barrel, with the lid coming loose and dumping rocks out . Guess I was a little hasty closing it when I checked on it this morning. Minor setback. I lifted the barrel off and scooped up the rocks and some of the slurry. Put that all in a bucket with water, so the rocks didn't get dry slurry on them. Next, will have to clean up the mess. But that has to wait until what I have been trying to accomplish this morning (is it afternoon already??) gets accomplished.
Guess I'll be making an unscheduled cleanout. Glad I didn't add any more grit this morning.
I've had leaks before, but nothing on this scale. Live and learn. That's not fun. If it got on any of the unlined shaft or bearings, completely take apart the machine and clean those things up. I had a spillage way back when, and I didn't (end up) cleaning as well as I should have. After a period of time, the shafts were actually ground down inside the bearings. Fortunately, the shafts didn't end up keyholing the tumbler chassis. You would laugh at the other-side-from-the-motor bearings on my home made Dave. It is a long shafted tumbler and I had some 1.5 inch solid shafts so that is what it got built out of. self aligning pillar blocks with grease fittings. Bearings are fine, they purr. However where the 1.5 inch shaft fits in the pillar block the shaft is down to about 1 inch in diameter. everything spins smooth, the bearing spin, but it is a 1 inch shaft in a 1.5 inch hole at the bearing. Pretty lame, but it runs smooth.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,561
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Post by jamesp on Jun 20, 2018 18:29:34 GMT -5
rockpickerforever, I was polishing quartz pea gravel in the Lot-O(I get great results polishing glass with pre-polished pea gravel. The lepidolite was chunked in with the polished quartz pea gravel. It sure did the job.
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Post by rockpickerforever on Jun 20, 2018 19:21:31 GMT -5
Oops. Just had my first bona fide blowout of the QT12 barrel, with the lid coming loose and dumping rocks out . Guess I was a little hasty closing it when I checked on it this morning. Minor setback. I lifted the barrel off and scooped up the rocks and some of the slurry. Put that all in a bucket with water, so the rocks didn't get dry slurry on them. Next, will have to clean up the mess. But that has to wait until what I have been trying to accomplish this morning (is it afternoon already??) gets accomplished.
Guess I'll be making an unscheduled cleanout. Glad I didn't add any more grit this morning.
I've had leaks before, but nothing on this scale. Live and learn. That's not fun. If it got on any of the unlined shaft or bearings, completely take apart the machine and clean those things up. I had a spillage way back when, and I didn't (end up) cleaning as well as I should have. After a period of time, the shafts were actually ground down inside the bearings. Fortunately, the shafts didn't end up keyholing the tumbler chassis. Dave, it isn't so bad. Fortunately, I was running the QT12 barrel on the Scott Murray frame, because I've had some belt issues with the other, causing it to stop. It didn't make near the mess as it would have on the Lortone frame. The Scott Murray frame has a deep V in the center of the frame, catching all the slurry. It only got on the roller covers, not the steel shafts themselves, or into the bearings. This is the one Bob manufactured aluminum block ends, and installed real bearings.
Refurbed Scott Murray Tumbler
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Post by rockpickerforever on Jun 20, 2018 19:22:45 GMT -5
L-E-P-I-D-O-L-I-T-E. Soft, purple, waxy, talc-ish lithium ore. Did I mention it is soft?
Yes, I believe it would take a polish, as long as you only tumble it with other soft rocks. I know Bob got a polish on the big yard rock using his wet grinder with diamond pads.
It tastes funny. As far as blow outs you should be past due. I am tumbling a super soft low melt point glass similar to Japanese bead glass called Sabake. Some is full of soft bubbles and it creates tons of gas and has blown cap 3 times in a week. So the glass is soft and it wears quick and exposes bubbles quick. Ala gases quick. But there is a heat thing, I went over to release pressure(2 times a day mandatory) and the contents must have been 130F in the morning shade. The sun had not even touched it. i know the glass is alkaline(soda lime glass and my water and clay is acidic. Maybe the heat is coming from the 2 ph's mixing(and the gas for that matter). James, I wouldn't say I was due for a blowout, I would say I am careful. Well, most of the time. Edit to add - I didn't finish my thought. Saying I was due because I was careful and avoided a blowout is a lot like my car insurance company saying I am due because I've never had an accident, never filed a claim (other than for towing). I'm sure they'd love to get rid of me after all these years and all the money I've paid them. Thinking about leaving them anyway, as the rates keep going up, and they keep changing the rules of the game...
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