vayank5150
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since January 2017
Posts: 118
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Post by vayank5150 on Nov 10, 2018 16:49:27 GMT -5
My wife named her Amber as my wife has been into crystals and such for many years. However, now that Amber and I tumble, I was wondering if there are forms of Amber out there that can be tumbled in a Lortone rotary tumbler? Does anyone have info on this? Any personal experience with Amber? Thinking of a cool Christmas present.
Thanks in advance.
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Post by vegasjames on Nov 10, 2018 17:04:42 GMT -5
I don't think amber will tumble. Amber is a resin and resins and water do not mix to begin with. And the grit would likely get stuck in the resin. Amber with a cloudy surface is made shiny and clear by heating in oil. I don't know the details such as type of oil or how hot the oil is made. I assume mineral oil.
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Post by vegasjames on Nov 10, 2018 17:14:30 GMT -5
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vayank5150
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since January 2017
Posts: 118
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Post by vayank5150 on Nov 10, 2018 17:30:20 GMT -5
Wow. Thank you for the info. It does not appear that Amber is typically tumbled. I am glad I asked. Now to find a different Christmas present. Thank you again, vegasjames. While I'm on the subject, where do most of you all buy rough from? Initially, I wanted us to only tumble stones locally found, but Virginia granite is not the prettiest stone in the world, so maybe I should branch out a bit...
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Post by vegasjames on Nov 10, 2018 20:13:11 GMT -5
Wow. Thank you for the info. It does not appear that Amber is typically tumbled. I am glad I asked. Now to find a different Christmas present. Thank you again, vegasjames . While I'm on the subject, where do most of you all buy rough from? Initially, I wanted us to only tumble stones locally found, but Virginia granite is not the prettiest stone in the world, so maybe I should branch out a bit... I personally collect almost everything I work with. Occasionally I trade, but mainly for specimens not more lapidary material. Some slabs I won at raffles for our gem club. Very rarely do I buy slabs since I am already overloaded with lapidary materials.
There is a sales section here on the board where members offer some of their materials for sale. You can also post what you are looking for such as jasper, agate, particular colors in stones, tumbling material, slabs, rough etc. Between everyone here I am sure they can offer you whatever you are looking for.
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NRG
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2018
Posts: 1,630
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Post by NRG on Nov 12, 2018 12:42:45 GMT -5
If I wanted to shape Amber pieces I would use sand paper. Maybe 220 grit or so. It's soft.
Then I would devour all the material James gave us!
ETA
I bought "Amber" at Quartzite a while back. It was fake plastic shit. $5 wasted
A red hot pin touched to the material should yield a piney odor. If this is positive, then acetone on the piece will tell the difference between copal and Amber. Amber is unaffected by acetone. Copal gets sticky
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metalsmith
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on Dec 3, 2018 1:49:21 GMT -5
Amber is so soft it can be cut by hand quite easily. #600 or finer will do it and keep it cool. I wouldn’t be too afraid to tumble finish it but it’s so easy to do it by hand and get the instant gratification of seeing things progress all the way through to being finished.
If it was to go in the tumbler I’d use the very fine slurry I have including #3000 diamond paste I saved from a previous RTH competition and / or a really soft medium such as walnut shells as is typically used in polishing silver ( hardness 2.5) might be a perfect filler. I haven’t tried it, mind...
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Post by greig on Dec 3, 2018 10:31:34 GMT -5
It would have made your rock tumbling life much easier if you wife had simply named her "agate" or one of the quartz varieties. LOL It is so nice that you are developing a hobby with her. Good luck on your projects.
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