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Post by Bob on Dec 4, 2020 14:59:22 GMT -5
Well, I've never done a polish run in my 20lb or 40lb barrels. I have done 1,000 and 1,200 grit runs in them and all was fine. But, due to a piece of chert too long for a 12lb barrel I loaded up the 20lb with alum ox and went for it. I scrubbed and I scrubbed to get that barrel clean, even though the last batch was 1,000. And, I use dedicated lid gaskets for each grit level. I make them super cheaply out of mud flaps at the local auto store and they last 2-3 years even with coarse grit grinding away. I have saved one side of the smooth factory gasket for polish, and the other side for 1,000/1,200.
No matter my precautions, I was nervous. Some big rocks and lots of mediums and smalls, some many months in getting ready, and when I flipped that switch I tried to imagine anything I had overlooked. But I could think of nothing. Since I tumble to perfection, no rocks get into late stages with cracks or crevices, so there are almost no unpleasant surprises in polish for me.
Well, I opened it a few days ago, and told my wife it was the most excited barrel opening I've ever done. Wow! Laying those out after the rinse was a lot of polished rocks. All went well and looked ok. However, I can't yet do my week #2 dedicated polish run yet, because about 1/4 of the batch identified rocks (mostly from the beaches of Lake Superior and the Fraser River, though they also aren't granite) are types that won't really shine but just achieve a nice satin finish. I'm always scared to leave such rocks in a polish run. So recharged the barrel to 1,000 grit with fresh material and when that is done, and then week #1 polish done of it, I will have enough for full 20lb polish week #2 run. I will after do a burnish of 3 to 12 hours and after share photos.
I never do any grit or polish stage w/o having done the previous stage before it in that barrel to absolutely minimize any possibility of even one tiny piece of grit or other contamination happening.
With all my precautions though I did miss something and learned a lesson. I only buy the plastic pellets that float, and dealing with them is so easy. When others post here that plastic pellets are a pain, I don't know what they are talking about unless it's the plastic pellets I bought from RS which I threw away after 1 week. I previously had used and now only use the ones from KN that float. I open the barrel, pour off into a wire strainer, pour in more water, do it several times, and doing this enables the pellets to be separated from the rocks super easy.
Anyway, the danger was in the pouring itself. When I tilt a 12lb barrel to pour off the floating pellets, it's easy and the outside of the barrel is clean too. But, tilting a 20lb steel barrel that probably in total weighs at least 30lbs over the edge of a strainer is a whole different matter and test of arm strength and workbench logistics. As I was doing it I realized there might be particle of grit on the upper edge/rubber liner junction fall off, or from all the caked rock dust around the lid bolt clamp brackets. When I should have done is not poured off, but instead used some type of dipping cup. Or, before pouring off tape paper or plastic all around the barrel to seal off everything.
Anyway, had to share my excitement and I think around Christmas I will have a neat photo to post!
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Post by stephan on Dec 5, 2020 16:19:46 GMT -5
What? You’re leaving us in suspense until then?
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Post by Bob on Dec 15, 2020 15:28:35 GMT -5
stephan, it's taken longer to get enough for that 20lb polish run than expected. The last of the 1,000 grit to total enough comes out in 3-4 days and I'll photo the load before it goes in to try to lessen the suspense...
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Post by Bob on Jan 17, 2021 21:04:45 GMT -5
Here's a 20lb load just out in a pile, after 1 week alum ox.
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Post by Bob on Jan 17, 2021 21:06:37 GMT -5
Here's that pile after inspecting and culling. These rocks are dry. About 1% need to go back to 1,000. Ditto on 600. Ditto on do polish week 1 again. Those aren't in the photo. These rocks will go on to polish week 2.
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Post by Bob on Jan 17, 2021 21:09:14 GMT -5
So here's those plus some done a month ago now going into polish week 2. It's actually one of the best batches ever--all rocks are perfect, no crack, pits, etc. Several of the others were perfect after 6 months work, but there was one pinhole pit, so I put them back in 1,000 or 600 because I'm so picky. There is quite a bit of western Oklahoma chert in this, including that rather long one, which is over 6" if I remember correctly.
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Post by greig on Jan 17, 2021 23:16:45 GMT -5
That is a pile of rock. Exciting for sure.
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Post by Bob on Jan 18, 2021 13:34:41 GMT -5
It's actually greig the most exciting polish batch I've ever done. I think long ago I tried a 20lb polish batch with mostly granite cobbles and related from Lake Superior. For filler I probably used plastic pellets but I don't think I used precious pre-polished rocks like this. It was kind of nerve wracking a few days ago to put all these rocks in that large barrel, knowing that if something goes wrong, there could be significant damage. That batch years ago was with cerium oxide and at least that seems to do a little of cushioning slurry it and of itself.
But alum oxide is so thin, like milk. Some of those rocks were more than a year in prep, some two years. When I opened that barrel and saw a lot of shine, relief hit me. There was not a single rock break or damage.
Alum ox has been working so well for me in last 2 years, I've been thinking about seeing what would happen if I retest polishing some granites and other rocks that I never got past a sheen in 1,200 SC.
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Post by Bob on Jan 31, 2021 14:17:54 GMT -5
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Post by Bob on Feb 1, 2021 13:27:53 GMT -5
The burnish run went fine, it was 10 hrs. I took photos but haven't yet been able to post. I also took some photos after sorting the rocks by type. I hope to post photos before end of week.
In the meantime a few comments. If I refer to a photo, it means the ones just above before burnish. As to the nephrite, the burnish changed it not a bit. So unless another polish type works better than alum ox, my experience supports others' posts which is that only hand polishing will work on it. Perhaps half the batch is chert and some of the pieces are just beautiful. The upper center shows the classical raw meat colored look of it. But there are nearly all white pieces too and everything in between. The piece the nephrite is laying on and the with vivid crossbands my index finger points to are some of my favs. Over half the batch, in fact, probably 2/3s of it is Alibates chert and various other cherts (mostly grey or tan) from OK, AR, and MO rivers. Some grey cherts have gorgeous patterns which I hope to point out in the photos coming next.
Due to this barrel having been tied up in this polish for a while, I actually had built up enough ready for 1,000 to start a whole new 20lb barrel full. So there will be a 2nd one of these 20lb batches come out in a few weeks.
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Post by Bob on Feb 2, 2021 15:36:06 GMT -5
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Post by Bob on Feb 2, 2021 15:41:00 GMT -5
I've been having bad photo problems lately. For about 15 years, I owned Lumix point and shoots, not the cheap low end ones, and really had good luck. 3 years ago, I switched to Canon because it seemed the specs on the G9X Mark II with the large sensor were superior. But, I've never been satisified with it and am throwing in the towel. I just ordered a Oly TG-6, both because of its loyal following, the outdoorsy toughness, and the amazing closeup photography it's known for. Hopefully my photos will start getting better again.
There are quite a few I took of after burnish, but so far only these are ready. The first one is of the pile, still a little bit wet in places. All wet okay except for a few pieces of tiger eye in which one corner came out lousy.
This close up is of a couple of my fav pieces. I have no idea whether I found these or bought the rough. The lower one which is out of focus has some neat feathering texture to the interior inclusions.
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Feb 2, 2021 17:40:11 GMT -5
Nice! Looking forward to seeing the rest when you get the pictures up.
Also looking forward to knowing how you like your new camera. I used to have a Lumix point and shoot (on of the first FZ somethings) that I absolutely loved. It took the best close-up pictures. Then I slipped crossing a creek in Sedona and it (and me) took a bath and fried. I've been longing for another point and shoot that takes the same quality close-ups. I have a Canon Rebel but I've never been able to master it.
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Brian
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2020
Posts: 1,512
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Post by Brian on Feb 2, 2021 20:30:02 GMT -5
I've been having bad photo problems lately. For about 15 years, I owned Lumix point and shoots, not the cheap low end ones, and really had good luck. 3 years ago, I switched to Canon because it seemed the specs on the G9X Mark II with the large sensor were superior. But, I've never been satisified with it and am throwing in the towel. I just ordered a Oly TG-6, both because of its loyal following, the outdoorsy toughness, and the amazing closeup photography it's known for. Hopefully my photos will start getting better again. There are quite a few I took of after burnish, but so far only these are ready. The first one is of the pile, still a little bit wet in places. All wet okay except for a few pieces of tiger eye in which one corner came out lousy. This close up is of a couple of my fav pieces. I have no idea whether I found these or bought the rough. The lower one which is out of focus has some neat feathering texture to the interior inclusions. Nice batch! I have the Olympus TG-5 and it is a fantastic little camera. It replaced a Lumix and it was a night and day difference between the two. An artist friend of mine turned me on to it after singing the praises of the Tough series for years. He also shot with much higher end cameras, but he carried the Olympus everywhere.
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Feb 2, 2021 21:03:56 GMT -5
I've been having bad photo problems lately. For about 15 years, I owned Lumix point and shoots, not the cheap low end ones, and really had good luck. 3 years ago, I switched to Canon because it seemed the specs on the G9X Mark II with the large sensor were superior. But, I've never been satisified with it and am throwing in the towel. I just ordered a Oly TG-6, both because of its loyal following, the outdoorsy toughness, and the amazing closeup photography it's known for. Hopefully my photos will start getting better again. There are quite a few I took of after burnish, but so far only these are ready. The first one is of the pile, still a little bit wet in places. All wet okay except for a few pieces of tiger eye in which one corner came out lousy. This close up is of a couple of my fav pieces. I have no idea whether I found these or bought the rough. The lower one which is out of focus has some neat feathering texture to the interior inclusions. Nice batch! I have the Olympus TG-5 and it is a fantastic little camera. It replaced a Lumix and it was a night and day difference between the two. An artist friend of mine turned me on to it after singing the praises of the Tough series for years. He also shot with much higher end cameras, but he carried the Olympus everywhere. Thanks, Brian! I'm going to have a look at them.
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Post by Bob on Feb 3, 2021 11:32:13 GMT -5
I had wonderful experiences with the Lumix cameras starting off with the LX-1 and I think maybe the LX-3 and the LX-4 or 5 after that. But I didn't like the creep each time in size and weight. When I'm traveling in other countries, my camera is around my neck and under my shirt and I whip it out in seconds to take very candid and sudden shots before locals even know what happened. So when I got that Canon, I was looking forward to the weight and size going back down to about the first Lumix I got in maybe 2008 would be my guess. My God it was small, and feature laden.
I have small hands, and even so I find it too small to use effectively. It seems some button gets pressed unintended or the screen gets touched at the wrong time triggering this or that which drives me nuts. In low light, the results are terrible. And the macro is supposed to be fine, but it can't begin to compare to the Lumix. All that for a $500 MSRP camera! The only shots that seem just fine with it are landscapes in bright light. I've carried it through USA, Canada, Ecudaor, and China and really given it a chance. I just am not impressed at all. So was going to go back to Lumix, until I found out about the specs, especially the macro abilities of the TG- 5/6. I'm also excited about the microscope mode as I enjoy taking closeups of spiders and the inside of flowers in the tropics. That it can be used in wet conditions will be a bonus. I've been carrying my cameras in a ziplock bag in the rainforest for so long not having to bother would be really odd for me.
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Post by Bob on Feb 3, 2021 14:58:52 GMT -5
Wow, Brian, that meets or exceeds the last Lumix I had and in a smaller, less expensive, and more portable camera too, so I'm excited. Those two different light ring attachments just increase the possibilities further.
One interesting thing I learned when reading about point and shoot macros, was how in very close-up shots the color of the camera, the shooter's hair, clothing, etc. all can end up coloring the object especially if the object is shiny. The best camera for this therefore is silver, next gray, next black. The red on the red version of the Oly has messed up some macros, so black is recommended. But I have come close to losing black cameras at night when traveling, so I'm getting the red anyway, and if I have to temporary smear it with black magic marker or whatever I will for good close-ups. I'm learning that taking good close-ups of polished rocks in focus isn't easy at all. Everyone writes to not use autofocus, but to focus manually in times like that. Does your TG-5 allow manual focus for macro work?
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Brian
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2020
Posts: 1,512
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Post by Brian on Feb 3, 2021 15:43:46 GMT -5
Bob, my TG-5 does allow for manual focusing in the macro mode. It also has the ability to use focus stacking and focus bracketing, which would probably be best used with a tripod or other support.
The ability to use the light ring attachments is great. I do have both of those as well although I would have to search to find them. (We just moved and the camera equipment is low on the unpacking priority list.)
I should have also mentioned that the image I posted was at normal magnification. The TG-5 has a 4x optical zoom that could bring the subject even closer.
I went with the red version for the same reason you mentioned. I believe you can see some of the red reflected on the right side of the image. With a more reflective subject it may be a bigger issue.
Overall, I think it is an amazing camera for the price. The fact that it is water resistant just makes it even better.
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Post by Bob on Feb 3, 2021 17:06:16 GMT -5
I have not taken a single picture of polished rocks that really look good. I see that autofocus trying but failing. I have never set a point and shoot camera to manual focus mode, even though probably all that I have owned had that mode. This will be a new experience for me. Although I take a lot of photos when travelling, I'm not into fiddling with the settings very much.
This forum has caused me to think that if one could take really good photos of polished rocks, it would be neat over time to document each batch and take at least one good photo of it. I have thought about someday buying one of those fold out "light boxes" that go for $50-$70 on Amazon, and get some decent shots with proper lighting. I've read that putting rocks on a turntable and rotating them 90 degrees for each shot will result on one being best than the others. Of course, the turntable has to support decent weight. These are things I think about too in case I ever want to photograph and sell my large polished rocks on eBay, etc. So I do need to increase my knowledge of this some. I'd rather too just own one camera in my life.
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