bschultz
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2004
Posts: 234
|
Post by bschultz on Jul 12, 2004 16:29:38 GMT -5
I have been saving my polish with the thought of re-using it later. I save it in a sealable container to keep the dirt out but that also keeps the water in and keeps the polish in a liquid state. Should I let it dry out so that I can get it back to a powder? If I leave it a liquid I don't think I will be able to make accurate measurments. I suppose I could take the lid off and replace it with a paper towel and rubber band. How do the rest of you that re-use your polish do it? Thanks, Bob
|
|
|
Post by cookie3rocks on Jul 12, 2004 16:37:09 GMT -5
Bob, I have just fished a batch(or I'll be taking it out tonight) in which I re used the polish. I read somewhere to let it dehydrate so thats what I did. Had to crush it back up (I used a potato masher ;D) and that way I knew it was all polish and the measuredment was relatively the same, just recharged a little . I seems to have done well. I'd like to know how mant times I can re use the same polish.
cookie
|
|
bschultz
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2004
Posts: 234
|
Post by bschultz on Jul 12, 2004 17:28:16 GMT -5
How do you dry it out Cookie?
Bob
|
|
|
Post by cookie3rocks on Jul 12, 2004 17:32:50 GMT -5
I had strained it into a glass bowl through the metal seive, I had added water to the polish so it would silde off the rock, and just set it on the counter for about a week. Never really thought about contamination but I suppose you could put it inside a cabinet.
cookie
|
|
|
Post by sandsman1 on Jul 12, 2004 17:34:49 GMT -5
hey bob when im ready to empty barrel i get a gallon milk jug funnel and strainer and just pour it in the jug then i pour alittle more water from the barrel to rinse barrel and rocks in the strainer ,,then let it sit for acouple days and slowly pour off the clear water maybe let it sit again doit again and you get a thick slurry of liquid polish left,, i just shake when ready to use and pour maybe add alittle water to jug shake again and pour till barrel is full enuff ,,i find it easyer to keep it liquid
i forgot i allways use a lortone 6lb barrel for polish so ya dont hafta worry about how much to use pour it all back in,, most times i hafta add some extra water to fill barrel enuff
|
|
Banjocreek
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since March 2003
Posts: 1,115
|
Post by Banjocreek on Jul 12, 2004 18:07:28 GMT -5
I have to agree with John, here. I keep my used polish in a liquid form. A thick liquid, perhaps, but none the less, it is easy to add a little water, and just pour it in. And I don't add any additional water, just the slurry of polish up to where the water level would be.
|
|
WarrenA
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2003
Posts: 1,530
|
Post by WarrenA on Jul 12, 2004 18:17:15 GMT -5
I have enough barrels that I can leave the polish in the barrel and just keep using it. I pick the rock out with a tongs and knock as much off as will then rinse the rock into another container. add a little polish as necessary
|
|
rollingstone
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since July 2009
Posts: 236
|
Post by rollingstone on Jul 12, 2004 18:27:48 GMT -5
Isn't this risking contamination? Wouldn't the polish contain fine grains of whatever might chip off of your stones? Surely some little bits would chip off somewhere? This might not be a problem if you are tumbling a material of the same hardness next time, but what if you went from polishing jasper to something softer like sodalite or orthoclase? Wouldn't any fine little chips of jasper (Mohs 7) then act like coarse grit to the softer sodalite? Curious 'cause I've never even thought of saving polish....until just now that is.
|
|
WarrenA
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2003
Posts: 1,530
|
Post by WarrenA on Jul 12, 2004 18:31:23 GMT -5
I guess I never considered contamination, the skurry still looks the same, no discoloration but all I have been polishing is agates. If they ever get done I will post some pictures as a couple of them should be awesome
|
|
Banjocreek
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since March 2003
Posts: 1,115
|
Post by Banjocreek on Jul 12, 2004 18:37:25 GMT -5
That's a good point 'Rollingstone'. I should add that I only use reused polish on stones that are a Mohs 6 and above. Otherwise I mix up new polish for the softer stuff, and save it.
|
|
|
Post by krazydiamond on Jul 12, 2004 19:01:18 GMT -5
i've never thought of saving polish for re-use, mainly because of a space issue, i don't have enough for what i have now! i do try and save pellets and consign them to seperate baggies for different phases, but even that is cumbersome at times only because they are such pesky little critters.
maybe if i was using real expensive stuff i'd consider it, but for now i think i will just start fresh, especially considering what rollingstone mentioned as i mix and match my hardnessess a lot.
interesting tho, KD
|
|
|
Post by cookie3rocks on Jul 12, 2004 20:14:39 GMT -5
I should add that for the first couple of days I take a spoon as the polish settles and take the water off so it dehydrates faster. Since I'm using a vibe I don't want any more water in there than necessary so I go back to dry. If anything bigger than the polish is in there I can seperate it out.
cookie
|
|
|
Post by stoner on Jul 13, 2004 0:59:13 GMT -5
Hi all. I noticed one time while I was pouring my saved polish back into the barrel that there was what looked like rough grit(60-90) on the bottom of the container I was storing the polish in. So now when I re-use my polish, I pour it thru a filter(old pantyhose) so only the polish goes back into the barrel. No wonder I've been having problems getting my rocks to polish. just kidding.
Ed
|
|
bschultz
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2004
Posts: 234
|
Post by bschultz on Jul 13, 2004 8:56:02 GMT -5
Thank you all for the huge response. All good points and suggestions. I'll take them all into consideration and come up with some system that hopefuly will work for me. Thanks again.
Bob
|
|