dakotarocker
off to a rocking start
Member since January 2021
Posts: 4
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Post by dakotarocker on Jan 27, 2021 16:44:53 GMT -5
I am completely new to rock tumbling. I recently received a National Geographic professional model Tumblr for Christmas and have gone through everything in the batch and the last packet of polishing they did not come out shiny. What do I have to do to make them shiny other than licking them… Just kidding. I was told to add mineral oil but will mineral oil only last a little while?
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stewdogg
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2020
Posts: 388
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Post by stewdogg on Jan 27, 2021 17:33:34 GMT -5
The Nat Geo beginner tumbler kit sets people up to fail because they don't provide an actual polish with the kit. What they give you is more of a pre polish and isn't fine enough to actually polish the rock. Still a necessary step, just not supposed to stop there. Almost everyone that starts out with this kit has the same issue and questions that you have.
If you go to therockshed.com and order some of their AO polish you should have shiny rocks after running the polish stage again.
Good luck and welcome to the forum!
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Post by Rocket Rockhound on Jan 27, 2021 17:59:08 GMT -5
I got the National Geographic one for my birthday in the summer and it worked great with the girt that is sold on the rock shed
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rocket
spending too much on rocks
Quality slabs for quality cabs in 2022
Member since September 2020
Posts: 292
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Post by rocket on Jan 27, 2021 22:07:31 GMT -5
Welcome from Maryland...I know what you are going through...and after a year of tumbling I am still trying to figure it out...hang in there...Rocket
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Post by aDave on Jan 28, 2021 12:02:06 GMT -5
stewdogg pretty much hit the nail on the head...the "polish" that is provided with the kit really isn't. Additionally, if you've limited yourself to only working with the rocks that came with the tumbler, those are suspect as well. Based upon descriptions from prior NG owners, it sounds as if some of the material is too soft which means that a glassy polish is not probable. Get your hands on agates and jaspers around 7+ on the Mohs scale where the likelihood of success is greatly improved.
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jlcochran42
starting to shine!
Member since July 2020
Posts: 29
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Post by jlcochran42 on Jan 29, 2021 2:24:38 GMT -5
I am completely new to rock tumbling. I recently received a National Geographic professional model Tumblr for Christmas and have gone through everything in the batch and the last packet of polishing they did not come out shiny. What do I have to do to make them shiny other than licking them… Just kidding. I was told to add mineral oil but will mineral oil only last a little while? I had the same experience and like the others have said with the National Geographic tumbler, and it was only until it shattered that I bought another one. I was almost ready to quit when I started researching and found this forum. Try using the AO 14000 polish along with some borax. Just remember, the more time you put into it the better your finished product will look.
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