wid
off to a rocking start
Member since September 2020
Posts: 16
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Post by wid on Sept 23, 2020 21:37:52 GMT -5
Hello there,
My family and I have been trying our hand at Lake Superior agate hunting for the last couple of years, and after some success, we started with a cheap-o tumbler just to see what would happen. We live near the western tip of Lake Superior, so it's a natural tendency for everyone who lives here to try and find agates, I think.
Well...we got hooked, and have upgraded to a Lortone 33B, and while we are still pretty green, we are learning and experimenting with the whole process.
I came across this site while searching for the (seemingly all too common) answer to why our final tumble is not producing the "wet look" that we desire. I haven't come close to scratching the surface on all the information here, but I figured I may as well join up and start digging away!
(Side note - seems that we need to look for a finer polish to use for another round and let it go for longer. 10 days @1400 wasn't enough. We're still newbies!)
Anyway, we are looking forward to learning and talking to y'all.
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Post by tims on Sept 23, 2020 22:01:42 GMT -5
Welcome, looking forward to seeing some shiny lakers. What kind of polish are you using? I like aluminum oxide, pretty versatile and easy on the budget.
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Post by knave on Sept 23, 2020 22:13:11 GMT -5
Welcome from rice lake area
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Post by jasoninsd on Sept 23, 2020 22:15:17 GMT -5
Welcome from South Dakota! I also look forward to seeing pics of your tumbles as well as finds!
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wid
off to a rocking start
Member since September 2020
Posts: 16
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Post by wid on Sept 23, 2020 22:16:29 GMT -5
We did as I suspect lot of newbies do and bought a "kit" of grits that included Aluminum Oxide (1400, I think?). From the reading I have been doing here, it seems to be more of a pre-polish than a true final polish.
So, our first batch looks pretty nice when they are rinsed off, but get pretty foggy when they dry.
I'm shopping around trying to find some 14000 as mentioned in quite a few threads here.
Then of course, after maybe the first year, I want to start looking for more equipment to cut, shape, and polish with!
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wid
off to a rocking start
Member since September 2020
Posts: 16
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Post by wid on Sept 23, 2020 22:17:05 GMT -5
Welcome from rice lake area Small world! My wife is from Rice Lake and I grew up in Birchwood!
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Sept 23, 2020 23:06:50 GMT -5
Welcome from Northern Arizona!
I think most people buy the final polish from The Rock Shed (it's 14,000).
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Post by fernwood on Sept 24, 2020 5:46:13 GMT -5
Warm Welcome from Central WI.
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,711
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Post by Fossilman on Sept 24, 2020 9:33:29 GMT -5
Howdy from Oregon..
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Post by opalpyrexia on Sept 24, 2020 9:55:29 GMT -5
Welcome from Washington.
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Post by Starguy on Sept 24, 2020 10:50:21 GMT -5
Welcome from Idaho, the gem state.
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