fayte
off to a rocking start
Member since August 2020
Posts: 5
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Post by fayte on Aug 13, 2020 9:29:42 GMT -5
Does anyone have any advice for a good polish to use? Especially for labradorite, I have several huge chunks I am trying to turn into cabochons and turn into jewelry but I can never seem to get the surface to shine.
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nik
spending too much on rocks
Member since May 2019
Posts: 315
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Post by nik on Aug 13, 2020 15:55:17 GMT -5
I've had good luck with tin oxide on leather. What sort of machine are you using?
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Post by pauls on Aug 13, 2020 17:04:18 GMT -5
Tin Oxide works with Feldspar. I usually use Tin Oxide on felt, but leather is good too. Feldspar takes a brilliant shine.
But First tell us what you are doing before you get to polish, Often a poor polish is caused by insufficient preparation. So, not enough time spent on previous stages to remove micro scratches and micro pits. Tiny tiny scratches and pits will break up reflected light and lead to a matt finish.
What grit stages are you going through, what type of sanding, silicon carbide or diamond? What are you using for a polish now?
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fayte
off to a rocking start
Member since August 2020
Posts: 5
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Post by fayte on Aug 13, 2020 23:02:03 GMT -5
I’m using silicone carbide grit and doing the coarse, medium, and fine / ore polish stages. I’m also using ceramic media. I don’t think I am getting rid of enough of the small marks in the stone. What I think I’m doing wrong is when I clean it before the polishing tumble I may have accidentally left a few specks of grit in the tumbler that are creating scratches and pock markes. Picture it having tiny little indentations. I’m definitely gonna try the technique for polishing you suggested! How would I get rid of the micro scratches first?
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Post by pauls on Aug 13, 2020 23:35:43 GMT -5
Hang about, are you talking about tumbling?
Tumbling is a different ball game, this is posted in the cabochon section.
What grits are you using to tumble your stones? Coarse medium and fine will do if that's what you have been sold.
What are you using to polish? 14000 Al oxide is what is usually recommended here, Though I use Tin Oxide. I am getting a feeling from your post "(coarse, medium, and fine / ore polish stages)" that your fine stage is your polish stage. If that's the case then you are yet to polish your rocks.
I will let others comment on your ceramic media, I don't use it.
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Post by rmf on Aug 14, 2020 10:02:03 GMT -5
I’m using silicone carbide grit and doing the coarse, medium, and fine / ore polish stages. I’m also using ceramic media. I don’t think I am getting rid of enough of the small marks in the stone. What I think I’m doing wrong is when I clean it before the polishing tumble I may have accidentally left a few specks of grit in the tumbler that are creating scratches and pock markes. Picture it having tiny little indentations. I’m definitely gonna try the technique for polishing you suggested! How would I get rid of the micro scratches first? Just for the record nobody tumbles with SIlicone Carbide ... ever. silicone is soft and they make fake boobs out of it. Silicon is an element in the periodic table of elements and is hard and when fused to carbon makes SiC ... Silicon Carbide. Sorry this is my pet peeve the news media is really bad about not knowing the difference.
If you are going through the trouble to cut a nice cab why finish in the tumbler?
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fayte
off to a rocking start
Member since August 2020
Posts: 5
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Post by fayte on Aug 14, 2020 10:36:21 GMT -5
This is a new hobby for me. Please don’t come for my life. I’m just trying to figure out what I’m doing, or what I’m doing wrong. I apologize if I’ve wasted your time.
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Post by stardiamond on Aug 14, 2020 16:06:50 GMT -5
People here want to help and it is easier when a person gives as much information as possible with their request.
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Post by stephan on Aug 14, 2020 18:41:34 GMT -5
I’m using silicone carbide grit and doing the coarse, medium, and fine / ore polish stages. I’m also using ceramic media. I don’t think I am getting rid of enough of the small marks in the stone. What I think I’m doing wrong is when I clean it before the polishing tumble I may have accidentally left a few specks of grit in the tumbler that are creating scratches and pock markes. Picture it having tiny little indentations. I’m definitely gonna try the technique for polishing you suggested! How would I get rid of the micro scratches first? Just for the record nobody tumbles with SIlicone Carbide ... ever. silicone is soft and they make fake boobs out of it. Silicon is an element in the periodic table of elements and is hard and when fused to carbon makes SiC ... Silicon Carbide. Sorry this is my pet peeve the news media is really bad about not knowing the difference.
If you are going through the trouble to cut a nice cab why finish in the tumbler?
Silicon carbide has a hardness of 9.5. You can't just go by half the chemical formula. Similarly, aluminum is pretty soft (4-5), but aluminum oxide is far harder (9). *** NVM. I misread your answer at first |
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