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Post by BearCreekLapidary on Sept 23, 2004 11:37:24 GMT -5
Hello everyone, Well, I am excited today ... my first batch of wet candy tumble  ;D  came out of the tumbler today. A special thanks to everyone here who answered my questions and gave me specific instructions ... it's because of you, that this batch turned out so nice ... Thanks again! Here was my process: Gy-Roc 10 pound Viberator Tumbler 8 pounds of misc. tumble material (5 pounds when finished) 8/20 - 80 grit 9 tbsp, 2C of water 8/24 - 80 grit 9 tbsp, 2C of water 8/25, 8/26, 8/27 - 80 grit 8 tbsp, 1 1/2C of water re-charging daily 8/28, 8/29 - 220 grit 8 tbsp, 1 1/2C of water (better tumbling action with a little less water) Re-charging daily. 8/30, 8/31, 9/1, 9/2, 9/3, 9/4 - 220 grit 8tbsp, 3/4C of water (really rolling with even less water - boy this stuff is really making the rounds!) Re-charging daily. 9/5, 9/6 - 400 grit 8tbsp, 3/4C of water (re-charging daily) 9/7, 9/8, 9/9 - 400 grit 8tbsp, 3/4C of water (one charge for all three days) 9/10, 9/11, 9/12, 9/13 - 600 grit 8tbsp, 3/4C of water (one charge for all four days) 9/14 - Washed, scrubbed, washed, etc 3 times a piece. As I do not have an extra bowl for this particular tumbler, and I have to use it for the coarse through the polish stages - so I was extra diligent at making sure it was as clean as I could get it. 9/14 through 9/19 - I filled the bowl 5/8 full of plastic pellets, 8 tbsp of Tripoli and a cup of water 9-19 through 9/23 - I flled the bowl 5/8 full of new plastic beads, 4 tbsp Aluminum Oxide, 1C of water and 6tbsp of sugar. I heard that sugar helped with the polish ... so, I tried it. I'm happy. 9/23 - rinse and cleaned and photographed. Here are the photo's:   These are all Plume Agates. I pulled the Plume Agates out of the mix, some of these are absolutely gorgeous. Out of all of the stones, I only ended up with one that broke in two. It was pretty thin to start with.   Here are a couple of Lake Superior Agates and Montana Moss Agates.   Arizona Petrified Wood, Tiger Eye, Dendritic Laguna Agate and a coupld of pieces of Jade. The Jade did not polish too well ... but, I am happy with them.  This is everything laid out together.  Thanks for looking ... well how did we do? Have a great day! John |
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Post by hermatite on Sept 23, 2004 12:12:07 GMT -5
We done GOOD!  A really lovely batch. Congratulations. Have you spent an hour playing with them yet? I get lost in my batches all the time. |
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Post by krazydiamond on Sept 23, 2004 12:34:36 GMT -5
outstanding! don't ya just love a mixed batch! those came out extraordinarily well....i don't no nothin' about vibes (Ms. Scarlett) but that sure seems like a lot of GRIT to go through!
but the results do speak for themselves. what ya gonna do with them now? (buy an old gumball machine?)
thanks for the pics,
KD
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Post by Cher on Sept 23, 2004 13:04:32 GMT -5
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Emerald
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2004
Posts: 417
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Post by Emerald on Sept 23, 2004 13:55:23 GMT -5
Oh John....They're beautiful!
;D ;D ;D
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Post by sandsman1 on Sept 23, 2004 13:55:48 GMT -5
hey john very nice batch great shine -i think my fav is the plume agates but they all came out great
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thewiz
has rocks in the head
"What good is money if you don't spend it"
Member since January 2004
Posts: 735
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Post by thewiz on Sept 23, 2004 14:01:10 GMT -5
sweet
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rollingstone
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since July 2009
Posts: 236
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Post by rollingstone on Sept 23, 2004 15:17:57 GMT -5
I'd have to correct your title because I only see the good, nothing bad or ugly in there. Awesome rocks, awesome job!
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deepsouth
fully equipped rock polisher
He who rocks last rocks best
Member since January 2004
Posts: 1,256
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Post by deepsouth on Sept 23, 2004 15:26:57 GMT -5
Spectacular
Jack
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bwalters
has rocks in the head
Member since March 2004
Posts: 557
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Post by bwalters on Sept 23, 2004 16:25:51 GMT -5
OOOH!!! AAAH!!! Absolutely GORGEOUS, John!!!
Great job!
BE
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Post by cookie3rocks on Sept 23, 2004 17:38:54 GMT -5
Beautiful job! Outstanding results! Doesn't that first wet shiney batch just make you feel wonderful? I think backing down on the water helped, don't you? KD, it's a lot of grit but it's a BIG vibe and the grit breaks down quickly. And it would probably be just as good skipping the 80 all together. I learned the hard way. Ate up my bowl and didn't grind the rock well at all. YUMMY!  cookie |
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Post by BearCreekLapidary on Sept 23, 2004 21:26:26 GMT -5
Hello everyone, Thanks for the compliments. I had two pieces of Jade that didn't polish very well, and two pieces of Plisomelane that were kind of dull, one stone broke ... but over all ... I'm happy! Hermatite - No, I have not really played with them much. I sat down after our dinner and my wife and I picked through them, so she could see if there was anything in particular that she wanted. SHE IS SO SPOILED ;D KD - For the amount of shaping I was needing to acquire, I needed an 80 grit run. I was re-charging almost daily, and then I was advised to not re-charge the 400 and 600 daily - as I should be able to load it and let it run for for days or so ... and then proceed to the next step. It worked out very well for me and I'll most probably try it again on my next batch ... which, by the way ... is already churning! What kinds of rocks ... petrified wood, laguna agates, tiger eye (golden and hawks eye), and a couple of Montana agates. The bowl is really full ... it barely has enough room to roll over ... but they are ... so we are off onto the next batch. Cookie - Your posts for reducing the amount of water in the vibes was the key to this batch. Oh yea, you made the difference Really, I do not believe that this load would have came out as well as it did, if I had not cut the water. I mean the tumbling action went to mediocre to flat getting with it and rolling ... it was great! Hence, that is why I believe that it was the key to this batch coming out so well. So, thank you Have a great evening, John |
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Post by rockyraccoon on Sept 23, 2004 22:44:41 GMT -5
john this is your 1st batch ! awesome job! kim |
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llanago
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2004
Posts: 1,714
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Post by llanago on Sept 23, 2004 23:08:53 GMT -5
Well, I see beautiful, fabulous, incredible, gorgeous, outstanding, marvelous, awesome, spectacular - but no good, bad or ugly. Is that another thread??
That plume agate is so neat! Reminds me of seaweed gently swaying in the ocean The Lake Superior agate is really pretty with all the banding.
The whole batch is beautiful!
llana
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Post by puppie96 on Sept 24, 2004 3:05:22 GMT -5
Those are really beautiful rocks! As usual, I have a question....
Recently I picked up bunches of rock in Wyoming, and although I had a general idea what were the main things to look for at each site, I trust my ID of practically nothing. I've got a bunch of stuff that seems to resemble yours. A lot of it was gathered in a jade area, where there were rocks EVERYWHERE, all the way to the horizon, all kinds of pretty colors, and of course I was picking up everything pretty and definitely everything green. I realize that jade isn't necessarily green, even, but this place was supposed to produce "apple green jade." Anyhow, I do have some greenish pieces that look a lot like what you have there, shape-wise, and mine also didn't polish as well as the rest of the batch. I can't see enough detail in yours to make a good comparison. So can you tell us a little bit about how you identified it as jade? Thanks!
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Post by BearCreekLapidary on Sept 24, 2004 10:02:32 GMT -5
It's me again ...
Kim - this is not my first batch ... it's my first wet candy batch ;D
Puppies - These pieces are scraps of Jade that I cut off of a slab, that I had in my shop. Wyoming has a lot of Jade in a wide variety of colors. I have some rough jade in my shop, I'll see if I can get some photo's for you and get them posted. It'll most probably be on Sunday, as I am getting ready for a show this weekend.
Have a great day!
John
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Post by Original Admin on Sept 24, 2004 15:15:30 GMT -5
Bearcreek -
That Plume Agate is a total catch.
I've hunted round but can't get any - can you sell me some rough and ship it across?
I'll pick up the costs no worries.
4lb I'm after having seen it - not a massive load but definately one for the collection - it looks like fossilized Fern leaves.
Sling me a sticky on here and let me know if you can or can't get some over.
Cheers either way Bear - superb unique stuff.
Andy.
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Post by puppie96 on Sept 25, 2004 3:15:49 GMT -5
John, thanks, it would be great to see some photos of the rough, as I am confoozled. Like always.
The photos make me crazy, every one that I look at I'm nodding my head, saying yup, I've got some of that, and yup, just like the batch I've got going right now, and wow, somebody's been robbing my backyard, but I still can't come up with a named rock!
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MoonStone
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since August 2004
Posts: 202
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Post by MoonStone on Sept 26, 2004 23:36:52 GMT -5
Oh John those were just GREAT! I just fell in love with your Plume Agates! I'm going to see if I can find some to buy. Very nice posting, thanks John! |
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Post by creativeminded on Sept 28, 2004 9:00:53 GMT -5
Those are beautiful. Now I want to get some plum agate.
Tami
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;D 
came out of the tumbler today.
A really lovely batch. Congratulations. Have you spent an hour playing with them yet? I get lost in my batches all the time.
