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Post by HankRocks on Jan 19, 2020 9:34:12 GMT -5
There's been a large beat-up Arkansas Quartz Crystal(collected at Ron Coleman's) that has been laying in the bone yard for 3 or 4 years. Have decided to tumble it and document the process. It weighs 1863 grams(4.107lbs). Will tumble it along with about 8 pounds of damaged quartz crystals, some glass clear, along with 3 to 4 pounds of pea gravel and 2 to 3 cups of used slurry. It will run in a Thumler's Model B rotary with 46/70 SiC, about 6 to 7 tablespoons. Probably recharge every 3 days. Unsure of the breakdown rate of the 46/70 and quartz so it will be checked at the first cleanout. Will probably add more pea gravel as the volume decreases and it progresses to the later stages. Will probably polish it in the Rotary. The Crystal has some decent clarity with a couple of cloudy zones. I cut the base of it off and plan to place it on an multi-color-changing LED light stand. The smaller crystals are pretty neat on those LED stand's. Will probably take it to shows as an attention grabber. Putting a glass clear crystal on one of the these light stands is not recommended. The crystal tends to focus/magnify the light too strongly. Here's a couple pictures of it before starting; IMG_0995 by Findrocks, on Flickr IMG_0997 by Findrocks, on Flickr Here's a misc pic of my main workbench area. May need to install a camera to see who coming in at night and messing everything up!! IMG_0998 by Findrocks, on Flickr
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Post by RocksInNJ on Jan 19, 2020 15:36:00 GMT -5
I love these big chunk experiments. Looking forward to the ride and wish you the best.
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Benathema
has rocks in the head
God chased me down and made sure I knew He was real June 20, 2022. I've been on a Divine Mission.
Member since November 2019
Posts: 703
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Post by Benathema on Jan 19, 2020 15:48:00 GMT -5
Niiiice!!!
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Benathema
has rocks in the head
God chased me down and made sure I knew He was real June 20, 2022. I've been on a Divine Mission.
Member since November 2019
Posts: 703
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Post by Benathema on Jan 19, 2020 16:00:11 GMT -5
Really hoping this goes well for you! My brief experience with more crystalline quarts is that it likes to chip and fracture like crazy. I bet the optical clarity of this piece is really nice once the outer layer gets peeled off. That's a wonderful looking piece!
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old hound
starting to shine!
Member since August 2018
Posts: 36
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Post by old hound on Jan 19, 2020 18:14:46 GMT -5
What a great idea waiting to see the end result I have the same gremlins messing up my shop let me know how to get rid of them.
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El JeffA
spending too much on rocks
Member since February 2016
Posts: 353
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Post by El JeffA on Jan 19, 2020 19:56:59 GMT -5
Good luck!
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,158
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Post by jamesp on Jan 20, 2020 3:46:22 GMT -5
You got this Henry.
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gatorflash1
spending too much on rocks
Active in Delaware Mineralogical Society, Cabchon Grinding and Polishing, 2 Thumlers B's and a UV-18
Member since October 2018
Posts: 375
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Post by gatorflash1 on Jan 20, 2020 9:29:42 GMT -5
Looks like fun. I'm anxious to see how it turns out.
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EricD
Cave Dweller
High in the Mountains
Member since November 2019
Posts: 1,142
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Post by EricD on Jan 20, 2020 11:35:51 GMT -5
My 12lb thumler goes through around 3/4 cup of 46/70 in 4 to 5 days, with a tiny bit left over on day 4. So around 2.5 to 3 tablespoons per day. Running quartz and a few granites. I like the 4 day cleanouts, waiting a whole week is too long! Looks like a fun project!
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Post by knave on Jan 20, 2020 11:37:48 GMT -5
That’s a lot of grit EricD!
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EricD
Cave Dweller
High in the Mountains
Member since November 2019
Posts: 1,142
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Post by EricD on Jan 20, 2020 11:55:14 GMT -5
That’s a lot of grit EricD ! My wallet cries every time I pour it in!
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Post by knave on Jan 20, 2020 11:57:54 GMT -5
Lol, hurts like dud Montana’s
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EricD
Cave Dweller
High in the Mountains
Member since November 2019
Posts: 1,142
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Post by EricD on Jan 20, 2020 12:02:47 GMT -5
Lol, hurts like dud Montana’s Much worse as it's an ongoing, never ending expense
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Post by knave on Jan 20, 2020 12:04:01 GMT -5
I’ve been looking at SC igniters. They have sc element with a ceramic base. They go bad a lot. But it’s not enough to supply me lol
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Post by knave on Jan 20, 2020 12:06:12 GMT -5
The good igniters are silicon nitride. For some reason they last way longer.
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petrifried
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since August 2015
Posts: 100
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Post by petrifried on Jan 20, 2020 12:42:42 GMT -5
I've never tumbled quartz crystals, but i like your recipe! That is pretty much the same recipe that i use for tumbling a large agate or pet wood.
Is the used slurry added to cushion the load by thickening things up until the grit and rock breaks down and forms a slurry on its own? Look forward to seeing how it turns out! Can i ask what rpm your model B spins at?
I run a 15lb barrel a lot and it always has 1 big rock or multiple egg sized rocks with lots of smalls. I usually start out spinning slower(27rpm) and speed things up according to sound (33rpm) as a slurry forms. Don't know if that is a good thing to do or not, just my 2 cents.
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Post by HankRocks on Jan 20, 2020 13:32:15 GMT -5
I've never tumbled quartz crystals, but i like your recipe! That is pretty much the same recipe that i use for tumbling a large agate or pet wood. Is the used slurry added to cushion the load by thickening things up until the grit and rock breaks down and forms a slurry on its own? Look forward to seeing how it turns out! Can i ask what rpm your model B spins at? I run a 15lb barrel a lot and it always has 1 big rock or multiple egg sized rocks with lots of smalls. I usually start out spinning slower(27rpm) and speed things up according to sound (33rpm) as a slurry forms. Don't know if that is a good thing to do or not, just my 2 cents. The dried slurry is dual purpose, one to help suspend the SiC grit and the other for cushioning. The cushioning is not as important some loads, agate, wood etc. Quartz and Tiger's Eye, which tend to frost, seem to need the cushioning that the slurry helps provide. I also included the Pea Gravel for more cushioning for the Quartz. With Quartz(the crystal form), frosting is the big bad bear! I usually go with lots slurry and smalls to help cushion. For me the critical stage is the the AO Prepolish. If I can get them out of that with no frosting on the edges, than I am mostly home free. I also save my AO slurry, both the 80 and the 500. It seems to me that the AO enriched slurry helps with the pre-polish. For the Polish stage I have switched to Tin Oxide which I also save after use( you see a trend here). Since I had the good fortune to purchase a large amount at a crazy low price, I use more than than most call for. That along with the Borax and I have a very nice Polish Slurry. I am running this in the faster of my 3 Thumlers. It's usually reserved for all 1st stage Agate and Wood runs. I think it runs at just over 30 RPM's. Have developed a theory that having one larger rock in the barrel helps with the grinding. It serves as a "hammer" for the load. One rock applying more force would seem to be a good idea. Having two hammers would not really be good, one is ok. Like I say it's a theory and I am not really looking to test it. Henry
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,158
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Post by jamesp on Jan 20, 2020 14:08:30 GMT -5
This is the way I go Henry. Just the way you outlined. Except I cheat and use a vibe in the last 2 steps.
Your last comment - I have never had smaller rocks grind so fast in step 1 as when there is a big rock in the batch. Have seen this happen many times. It makes sense to always run a larger rock in coarse grind. Not necessarily real large, but a larger rock. The larger rock will also break down the abrasives down faster. Faster break down = fast shaping.
Interesting idea using your extra tin oxide as a slurry thickener. Seems the finishing steps need some type of thickener or/and more pea gravel to raise the fill level for gentler roll. Pre-polish and polish steps seem the tricky steps when doing the big one. I can't use my clay in finishing steps rotary or vibe because it has so much quartz in it.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,158
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Post by jamesp on Jan 20, 2020 14:10:32 GMT -5
I’ve been looking at SC igniters. They have sc element with a ceramic base. They go bad a lot. But it’s not enough to supply me lol Interesting source of silicon carbide knave. It should be brittle enough to hammer it into small abrasive particles.
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Post by knave on Jan 20, 2020 14:12:02 GMT -5
Yes, if you look at them they break jamesp
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