NMRockhound
starting to shine!
Member since October 2004
Posts: 48
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Post by NMRockhound on Mar 31, 2005 23:41:13 GMT -5
A few weeks ago I finished my second batch of agate, jasper and quartz from a site near Los Lunas, NM. I really didn't do anything new with my formula: 60/90 - 2 weeks 120/220 - 1 week 600F - 1 week Polish (aluminum oxide) - 1 week I'll probably take a break from tumbling for a little while. My family and I are in the process of house hunting, but once I'm all settled, I'll be back at it again. I have some petrified wood and rose quartz waiting in the wings, and some collecting sites just begging for a visit. Hey, I might even have to get another tumbler to make up for lost time!  Enjoy! - Robert   |
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Post by Cher on Mar 31, 2005 23:50:12 GMT -5
Very nice, you have some lovely pieces and colors in there. Jewelry next?
Cher
PS ... Good luck on the house hunting.
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Post by creativeminded on Apr 1, 2005 9:37:27 GMT -5
Those turned out great.
Tami
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Post by rockyraccoon on Apr 1, 2005 9:51:57 GMT -5
very nice and aren't you lucky to have those nearby! here's what i want to know. your shapes are fabulous for 2 wks in course grind. were they fairly well shaped starting out?
kim
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stefan
Cave Dweller 
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
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Post by stefan on Apr 1, 2005 10:51:25 GMT -5
WOW THat stuff came out great- Are you sure about those times? I mean start to finish was only 5 weeks!
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Post by cookie3rocks on Apr 1, 2005 18:07:47 GMT -5
I am assuming you have a vibe. 5 week runs are not unusual if that's the case. But they are well shaped, too. Thy are beautiful, btw cookie |
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Post by sandsman1 on Apr 1, 2005 18:23:39 GMT -5
lookin good NM great color and shape
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NMRockhound
starting to shine!
Member since October 2004
Posts: 48
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Post by NMRockhound on Apr 1, 2005 18:55:52 GMT -5
Thanks for all the kind comments. Well, I'm reasonably sure about the times...though I misplaced my log for this batch.  I probably let some of the stages go a day or two longer. Also, I did a cleaning step between the 600 and the polish and a burnishing step after the polish. So the total time was probably closer to 6 weeks or so. The 60/90 grind consisted of two separate charges, as opposed to charging and letting the batch run two weeks. One thing I did a little differently is I put in a bunch of the tiny fragments left over from breaking up the rocks. I think this helped the shaping and improved the consistency of the slurry. Kim, at least half of the rocks were pretty well shaped to start with. In fact some were actually quite rounded, like the stones you find in streambeds. The rest had to be broken for size or to get rid of junk. - Robert |
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llanago
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2004
Posts: 1,714
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Post by llanago on Apr 1, 2005 19:50:54 GMT -5
OWWWWW, Robert, those are NICE! Great shape and beautiful shine.
Ya' get a big ATTA BOY from me!
llana
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Post by Alice on Apr 1, 2005 20:53:21 GMT -5
They look great NM! Great shine too!
Looking at these rocks, I'm thinking that a good hunk of my rocks from Iraq are jasper. They look really similar.
Jaspers are the non-see through ones right?
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I probably let some of the stages go a day or two longer. Also, I did a cleaning step between the 600 and the polish and a burnishing step after the polish. So the total time was probably closer to 6 weeks or so. The 60/90 grind consisted of two separate charges, as opposed to charging and letting the batch run two weeks.
