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Post by orrum on Jul 18, 2020 8:58:05 GMT -5
LOL. Love ya trade of a rock Ed. @mohs
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Post by knave on Jul 18, 2020 8:58:29 GMT -5
LOL. Love ya trade of a rock Ed. mohs |
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Post by orrum on Jul 18, 2020 9:02:53 GMT -5
Thanx Knave.
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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 Jul 18, 2020 13:19:32 GMT -5
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Post by stardiamond on Jul 18, 2020 14:04:15 GMT -5
Have your tried opticon? It has been recommended to me in the past. Rocks absorb material differently. I cut a bunch of small Tahoma slabs and they were so stinky, I put them into a box. Other material there is virtually no oil smell after slabbing and light cleaning.
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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 Jul 18, 2020 14:46:22 GMT -5
Have your tried opticon? It has been recommended to me in the past. Rocks absorb material differently. I cut a bunch of small Tahoma slabs and they were so stinky, I put them into a box. Other material there is virtually no oil smell after slabbing and light cleaning. No, I haven't. I'm not really into stabilizing stones. I'm basically just playing around with sodium silicate since it seemed like it would be a fun thing to try, and relatively inexpensive |
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Post by knave on Jul 18, 2020 15:14:12 GMT -5
So it didn’t penetrate. But how about the strength of itt and is it soluble?
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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 Jul 18, 2020 20:57:00 GMT -5
So it didn’t penetrate. But how about the strength of itt and is it soluble? It's strong, like glass. It didn't dissolve in water, but after I went to clean the trim saw every part of the sodium silicate that touched aluminum was like goo. Peeled right off the stone. |
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Post by victor1941 on Jul 18, 2020 21:54:05 GMT -5
EricD, I used a process on some slabs and cabs that was also discussed on RTH that might work for your material. Dissolve both parts of Epoxy 330 into a pint of acetone and dissolve completely. Place material in container and draw a vacuum(Harbor Freight) and then seal. Let stand for 7-10 days and move material in container by turning upside down and rotate each day. Remove material and air dry for about a week on a disposable aluminum try with ridges. Save the liquid for future use in a safe place away from flames. After drying, inspect for and fill any visible cracks with Epoxy 330 and then let dry before cutting. I would also use a thin blade for cutting. Another method that might work is mounting in a Devcon backing like that used on turquoise before sealing the fractures and then cutting into smaller pieces.
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Post by HankRocks on Jul 18, 2020 22:42:28 GMT -5
EricD, I used a process on some slabs and cabs that was also discussed on RTH that might work for your material. Dissolve both parts of Epoxy 330 into a pint of acetone and dissolve completely. Place material in container and draw a vacuum(Harbor Freight) and then seal. Let stand for 7-10 days and move material in container by turning upside down and rotate each day. Remove material and air dry for about a week on a disposable aluminum try with ridges. Save the liquid for future use in a safe place away from flames. After drying, inspect for and fill any visible cracks with Epoxy 330 and then let dry before cutting. I would also use a thin blade for cutting. Another method that might work is mounting in a Devcon backing like that used on turquoise before sealing the fractures and then cutting into smaller pieces. Someone out here posted a link to this method on mindat.org. Been meaning to test it on some very brittle chrysocolla that I can break in my hand. www.mindat.org/article.php/1129/Methods+to+Stabilize+Material+for+CuttingIt's on "The List" !!! |
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Jul 19, 2020 6:57:12 GMT -5
Food processor vacuum bag trick might be a consideration. A surprisingly small amount of Vaseline could visibly be seen thru the bag(exciting) completely coating these tumbles as the the vacuum reached it's maximum point. To reduce viscosity the bag was then dropped into hot water to further the penetration rate since the vacuum forces stayed active. Perhaps 330 epoxy would behave the same. Consider immediately dropping the bag in hot water to increase absorption into cracks as it sets. Be prepared to grind the plastic bag off of the rock surfaces afterward....might be best to seperate the rocks in the bag to avoid glueing them together. Or wrapping each rock in paper to provide a break. Warning, wait till wife is out shopping. They seem protective of their vacuum apparatus.  |
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Post by HankRocks on Jul 19, 2020 7:16:59 GMT -5
Food processor vacuum bag trick might be a consideration. A surprisingly small amount of Vaseline could visibly be seen thru the bag(exciting) completely coating these tumbles as the the vacuum reached it's maximum point. To reduce viscosity the bag was then dropped into hot water to further the penetration rate since the vacuum forces stayed active. Perhaps 330 epoxy would behave the same. Consider immediately dropping the bag in hot water to increase absorption into cracks as it sets. Be prepared to grind the plastic bag off of the rock surfaces afterward....might be best to seperate the rocks in the bag to avoid glueing them together. Or wrapping each rock in paper to provide a break. Warning, wait till wife is out shopping. They seem protective of their vacuum apparatus. Jim, When your wife goes out for a few hours or a couple days, she must spend a hour when she gets back checking the kitchen utensil inventory!! |
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Post by knave on Jul 19, 2020 7:22:18 GMT -5
Watch out for Vaseline chicken!
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Jul 19, 2020 9:09:07 GMT -5
Food processor vacuum bag trick might be a consideration. A surprisingly small amount of Vaseline could visibly be seen thru the bag(exciting) completely coating these tumbles as the the vacuum reached it's maximum point. To reduce viscosity the bag was then dropped into hot water to further the penetration rate since the vacuum forces stayed active. Perhaps 330 epoxy would behave the same. Consider immediately dropping the bag in hot water to increase absorption into cracks as it sets. Be prepared to grind the plastic bag off of the rock surfaces afterward....might be best to seperate the rocks in the bag to avoid glueing them together. Or wrapping each rock in paper to provide a break. Warning, wait till wife is out shopping. They seem protective of their vacuum apparatus. Jim, When your wife goes out for a few hours or a couple days, she must spend a hour when she gets back checking the kitchen utensil inventory!! She just made me add 1300 sq ft to the house. Perhaps to contain me. I have been installing the metal roof myself. It was over 100F w/high humidity for 6 hours yesterday. I finally barfed. I suppose she has delivered due punishment by now Henry. |
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Jul 19, 2020 9:12:03 GMT -5
Watch out for Vaseline chicken! And to think the vaseline chicken is being cooked in the same convection oven that heat treats rocks... That girl gave up on me years ago Evan. Now she has a fetish for driving and loading with the fork lift. I must have scored well. |
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Post by victor1941 on Jul 19, 2020 10:57:49 GMT -5
The method described by Jamey Swisher is what I used. If using the brake bleeder vacuum pump be careful and don't suck the liquid into the pump since the acetone eats the seals. Also know that Jamey indicated that if you use canning jars the acetone liquid will dissolve the inside lid surface, sometimes leak and seal the ring to the jar. This happened to me and made removal difficult. I also did my work during the heat of the summer so temperature was not a negative in drying. I also drew the vacuum several times to make sure I had maximum penetration. The material I was trying to stabilize was bouquet agate cabs with soft spots and related material from Marfa and the Big Bend area. Another separate observation was that after air was removed from the material in the initial vacuum draw the bubbling stopped in the material but then a slight bubbling would then occur in the liquid for a few seconds and then stop. This method did work for my material and should work for your Morgan Hill slabs.
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Nov 15, 2024 17:44:51 GMT -5
Nov 15, 2024 17:44:51 GMT -5
