69beeper
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2004
Posts: 377
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Post by 69beeper on Dec 8, 2004 13:58:51 GMT -5
Hi all, I was turned on to these. Not sure "exactly" what I have here. They came in two bags, one marked sapphire and the other ruby. They were all brown and embedded in dirt/matrix. I found a place online that told me to tumble them dry to clean them up. 7 days later and a toothbrush this what I ended up with. Not quite what I expected.    What do I have and what can I do with it? Tumble? (evil laugh) 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 Dec 8, 2004 14:07:03 GMT -5
Just keep on tumbling them. Sapphires, emeralds and rubies are HARD and it takes a really, really long time. I have been tumbling some off and on since January! Two sapphires in particular have been in almost every 60/90 barrel I start. They are just now getting close to where I want them.. With these babies you really have to have patience!
llana
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Post by docone31 on Dec 8, 2004 19:22:14 GMT -5
Tumble those puppies! It will take forever but I see several stones that look like they have stars. They are hard, as hard as the grit itself. Actually the grit is made from the same material and mohs.
Some in time will look real well.
Good luck.
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Post by creativeminded on Dec 12, 2004 9:36:40 GMT -5
You all know I have been thinking and this post has brought the thought to the front of my brain. What are beaches made out of, teeny, tiny pieces of rock, and since the ocean is the largest rock tumbler. Why not use sand on some of those rocks that are giving you fits because they are as hard as the grit? With this batch you are working on I would suggest you put some sand in the tumbler along with the grit.
Tami
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Post by Toad on Dec 12, 2004 19:26:22 GMT -5
You all know I have been thinking and this post has brought the thought to the front of my brain. What are beaches made out of, teeny, tiny pieces of rock, and since the ocean is the largest rock tumbler. Why not use sand on some of those rocks that are giving you fits because they are as hard as the grit? With this batch you are working on I would suggest you put some sand in the tumbler along with the grit. Tami I don't think that rocks are as hard as the grit, unless the rocks you are using are diamonds. I believe the silicon grit is 9+ on the moh's. So beach sand probably wouldn't work on sapphire (corundum) which is a 9. |
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Post by krazydiamond on Dec 12, 2004 20:26:34 GMT -5
tumbler fodder, keep them going for ever..........sooner or later you are gonna get some great stones. just think of them as BIG grit and just don't mix them with less than 7 MOH. can't wait to see them in a few months!
KD
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