69beeper
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2004
Posts: 377
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Post by 69beeper on Jul 18, 2005 14:14:40 GMT -5
Found some of this local stuff awhile back. Red with white quartz-like shafts and bits all through it. lots of the shafts have a red spot in the middle, not on the ends.   Tried to tumble but I think it is too soft. Went though all 5 stages, 60/90, 120/220, 500, tripoli, and tin ox. batch looks good when wet, but once dried they look terrible.   Out of tin oxide - wet  Finished -  Would like to get this rock to take a polish if possible. Any ideas... or maybe it is just to soft ? Jimmy |
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stefan
Cave Dweller 
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
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Post by stefan on Jul 18, 2005 14:53:52 GMT -5
maybe try some cerium oxide??? Course if tin didn't do it I don't think anything will- cool looking rock too bad it didn't shine-
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MichiganRocks
starting to spend too much on rocks
"I wasn't born to follow."
Member since April 2007
Posts: 154
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Post by MichiganRocks on Jul 18, 2005 15:37:12 GMT -5
Hey Jimmy, that does look like Quartz in the rock. The red part of the rock is probably much softer than the Quartz. That causes a problem in the polish cycle as the hard Quartz will abrade the softer red rock. Sorry, but polishing is probably not going to happen.
Ron
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Post by krazydiamond on Jul 18, 2005 17:44:58 GMT -5
hmmm, i had some really soft dolomite a while back, i tried Aluminum Ox, Titainium Diox, and Tin Ox all to no avail. i put it all in a jar, because it was pretty stuff and i couldn't bear to throw it out. then one day i was light on a load and used that as filler for a batch i ran in CPP for two weeks and lo and behold! it took a shine, not a great shine, but better than i was able to achieve previously.
you may be able to get a piece to shine up on a grinder, if you want to send me a few pieces i'll give it a try, IM me and i'll send you my snail addy.
KD
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Post by Alice on Jul 18, 2005 21:39:13 GMT -5
maybe try putting them into 1000 AO? and then back into polish?
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Post by rockyraccoon on Jul 18, 2005 21:49:16 GMT -5
try the titanium oxide (dioxide).
kim
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fatrichie
has rocks in the head
Member since July 2004
Posts: 651
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Post by fatrichie on Jul 19, 2005 1:38:33 GMT -5
Those came out pretty good, I'd go for some Cerium Oxide too.
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
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Post by stefan on Jul 19, 2005 7:55:24 GMT -5
Hey I never even thought about grinding them- If you want I'll give it a go too (course KD is good at polishing- me well the words "I suck" would be insulting people who suck)
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69beeper
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2004
Posts: 377
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Post by 69beeper on Jul 19, 2005 13:00:17 GMT -5
thanks for the replies everyone...
when a space on the tumblers open up (i really need another tumbler), i'll probably try #1000 in place of the tripoli and either the cerium or titanium.. would like to try titanium oxide (dioxide), never used it before. I have to find a place that carries it first.
this rock comes from rainbow mnt in the alaska range and ranges in color from dark purple to orange/rust.
Jimmy
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Post by Cher on Jul 19, 2005 13:26:11 GMT -5
Sure is pretty, don't blame you for wanting to try and get a shine on it. Hope it works for you, let us know if you try it again.
Cher
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
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Post by stefan on Jul 20, 2005 8:59:59 GMT -5
Jimmy- are you from Alaska? That is one trip I'm taking!
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