69beeper
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2004
Posts: 377
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Post by 69beeper on Oct 19, 2004 21:06:54 GMT -5
Hi all, Finally finished my first batch!  Turned out pretty good. It's a mixture of local stuff, and a 1 lb bag of "mixed rock" from the RockShed. The 5-6 amethysts that were added also came from RS. They were in the tumbler for six weeks. 3 weeks 60/90 1 week 120/220 1 week #500 1 week AO polish  Local:  Mixed rock from The RockShed  I have learned a lot since the start of my new hobby and already have plans to do lots of things different. This is a great place! You folks sure know your stuff!! Curious, should I do the "burnish" thing? Not exactly sure what to do on that. Does 2 tbls of Borax, add water to bottom of rocks, and tumble for 4 days sound about right?? Thanks for looking.. Jimmy |
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llanago
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2004
Posts: 1,714
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Post by llanago on Oct 19, 2004 21:13:20 GMT -5
Hey Jimmy, those look great! Really nice shine. Can't believe you got such a nice shine on that Dalmation Stone in a mixed batch with AO. You must be doing all the right things - mine came out dull, dull, dull!
Great first batch!
llana
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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 Oct 19, 2004 21:50:38 GMT -5
Wow Jimmy , they do have a great shine alright.  I have just learned from my supplier that if I burnish I should do it with straight liquid soap...sunlight dishwashing..no bleach !! I used to grate a bar of sunlight soap and added water. Then I changed the bar for the liquid , still adding water. My best result was with the straight soap burnish and it made a noticable difference I thought. Made it more sticky , went still very frothy but no problems. I still used plenty pellets as a safeguard. Good luck Jack |
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Post by rockyraccoon on Oct 19, 2004 21:51:36 GMT -5
very nice 1st batch! glad to see some pics. where is cookie with her new camera ;D?
i don't burnish but about 15 - 30 mins. and i always worry in that time that something is gonna chip or fracture. i sure wouldn't go 4 days. but somebody else might say different.
kim
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Post by rockyraccoon on Oct 19, 2004 21:53:02 GMT -5
oh and i've moved to the ivory soap shavings as they foam up and i'm hoping that cushions the rocks in the burnish whereas the borax doesn't foam.
kim
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Post by cookie3rocks on Oct 19, 2004 22:03:46 GMT -5
GREAT JOB! For a first batch you should be very proud. I think I like the local stuff the best, just because there was no gaurantee of how it would do, and it came out great. I also have a weakness for amethyst so I love that too.
I allways burnish between stages, to cleanse and help polish as well. I use a vibe, so I burnish in Borax for about 2 hours. If it needs more, it's not ready to move on. WTG!
cookie
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Post by cookie3rocks on Oct 19, 2004 22:06:54 GMT -5
Rocky, I've been thinking that something with a little more slip value would benefit. I'll have to try the ivory soap shavings. I just know how bad that stuff leaves a residue, but that can be delt with.
cookie
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AgateHunter
starting to spend too much on rocks
LAKE SUPERIOR AGATE Minnesota State Gemstone
Member since September 2004
Posts: 107
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Post by AgateHunter on Oct 19, 2004 22:37:09 GMT -5
Jimmy, They all look Great! Nice Job! ;D
So, do you have the next batch going yet? Hehehe
Chris
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Post by sandsman1 on Oct 19, 2004 23:16:09 GMT -5
hey jimmy great lookin batch nice job --i realy like the green one at the bottom of the first pic with the lines init ---all around great job
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Banjocreek
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since March 2003
Posts: 1,115
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Post by Banjocreek on Oct 19, 2004 23:19:20 GMT -5
Very nice job on that first batch Jimmy.
I use about a tablespoon thingy of Borax and a teaspoon thingy of Cascade powder for about an hour.
You did real well there and judging by the proceedure you followed you did what works best "Keep it Simple".
Bravo!
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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 Oct 20, 2004 0:59:57 GMT -5
Excellent batch! Your turitella agate came out really well -- I had some that had so many softspots and cavities that about 90 per cent of it got yanked out of the tumble after a few weeks in 60/90.
Your local area sure has some nice milky quartz, and you did a great job with it.
Ace job on the puddingstone too -- this is the first time I recall seeing finished Rockshed puddingstone (apologies to other poster's of it that I may have missed), and I always wondered what it looked like up close.
As for the final burnishing, in your case things came out pretty clean looking, so burnishing might not make any difference. But sometimes there is a hazy film of polish on the final rocks, and burnishing removes it and gives a really sharp shine. I think there might be some residual polish in the fractures in some of your stones, and burnishing might or might not get at that. But your idea is right, but I would also add a whole mess of plastic pellets since you aren't trying to grind the rocks in a burnish, just jostle them gently to remove any residual polish. I figure if it doesn't come off in 24 hours of burnish, it isn't coming off. Many people (including me) use burnishing at some earlier stages of grit also, in my case, I start at the 600 grit stage.
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69beeper
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2004
Posts: 377
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Post by 69beeper on Oct 20, 2004 19:58:18 GMT -5
Thanks everyone!! Now you've all went and done it... my head is now to big for my hat! ;D ;D Seriously, thanks to all, couldn't have done it without your expertise! Appreciate the info on burnishing. So, it looks like "burnish" = "wash" ?? I did wash/burnish them with borax before I went to the polish step. I meant to do this at the #500 step also but forgot. I just rinsed them real good. Chris, LOL yep... plus three other barrels with amethyst, prairie, and botswana agate. sandsman1, not sure what that green rock is, but it sure did turn out nice! They are laying all over around here, and now after have seeing them polished, I wish I would have picked up a lot more before winter set in. That rock is definitely on my list for next spring! rollingstone, Here's how that quartz started. andy321.proboards16.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=1094154420I think this is what I will primarily be using for filler in the 60/90 stage. It's plentiful around here. Jimmy |
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Post by Cher on Oct 20, 2004 22:33:39 GMT -5
WOW ... Jimmy awesome shine. Isn't that first batch great, specially when they look like that. You did great, Congrats!! I really like those semi-clear ones with the red & green spots, those are really cool. They all are *smile*. [glow=red,2,300] ~ Cher ~[/glow] ![]() pages.prodigy.net/bestsmileys1/signs/RockOn.gif [/img] |
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Post by creativeminded on Oct 22, 2004 9:59:25 GMT -5
You did a great job on your first batch. Keep up the great work.
Tami
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Turned out pretty good. It's a mixture of local stuff, and a 1 lb bag of "mixed rock" from the RockShed. The 5-6 amethysts that were added also came from RS. They were in the tumbler for six weeks. 
