beckajf1
off to a rocking start
Member since July 2021
Posts: 4
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Post by beckajf1 on Jul 5, 2021 14:06:24 GMT -5
All, I am very, very new to this hobby, just bought an old Lortone 33B yesterday with three rubber barrels, and I have a few bags full of garnet taken from mica schist in a road cut in Chester/Delaware County, PA. I'm aware that this garnet is not going to be high quailty, but you know how it is when you first get started on something new. My garnets are all pea size, some larger, many smaller, and all are covered with this yelow-brown-shiny mica that, if you try hard with a dental pick, you can remove. I was thinking that maybe tumbling could remove the mica coating, but I know next to nothing. The lapidary guy that I bought the Lortone from said I might first try with 220 grit to see if that will knock off the mica. That's where I am now - started my first tumble about 22 hrs ago and will be checking at the 24 hr mark. Am I on the right path? Any advice? It's all experimental right now. I just want to get a few garnets to give to my wife / maybe make a necklace. Thanks for any help you can provide!
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Post by greig on Jul 5, 2021 14:53:01 GMT -5
Best bet is soak in water for a week to make the mica expand and then remove mechanically. I tried some from River Valley (Ontario, Canada) in a tumbler and it also rounded the garnet. I tried both git and jewelry mix. Someone suggested aquarium gravel works, but I haven't collected more to try (yet).
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Post by pauls on Jul 5, 2021 17:14:39 GMT -5
I think you are on the right track, even running the Garnet by itself would probably work. I used the small garnets as filler in my barrels with other rocks, I used it in all stages except polish and it was really good, I took it out before polish because I thought some of it was still a bit rough and might ruin the polish. They went in by themselves and polished up really nicely.
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,095
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Post by stefan on Jul 6, 2021 15:31:36 GMT -5
I have done this before. Your on the right track. I used some sand to remove the mica. then ran the garnets like normal. Turned out better than expected.
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beckajf1
off to a rocking start
Member since July 2021
Posts: 4
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Post by beckajf1 on Jul 7, 2021 19:52:18 GMT -5
Guys, Thanks for the shout out and advice! Here's a look at the garnets at Tumble start + 72 hrs: Schist is being removed with the 220 grit - I think I will check it again at the one week point. Now I can see what the experts have said about garnets coming out of mica schist being very flawed with inclusions and impuities. My next question is after schist removal - continue with medium grit, or start a normal cycle with course grit? I'm thinking stay with medium grit since the garnets are alreadt close to teh size/shape I want them to be. What do you all think?
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,095
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Post by stefan on Jul 10, 2021 14:04:26 GMT -5
Tough call. I would be inclined to take them back to course.
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catskillrocks
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2008
Posts: 1,270
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Post by catskillrocks on Jul 11, 2021 21:00:07 GMT -5
I agree with stefan; start a normal cycle in coarse grit.
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beckajf1
off to a rocking start
Member since July 2021
Posts: 4
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Post by beckajf1 on Jul 12, 2021 7:28:19 GMT -5
Thanks guys - I will be taking the rocks out tonight and starting a course grit run. I will send a picture again of what they look like after 8 days with the 220 grit.
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Post by Starguy on Jul 12, 2021 10:37:31 GMT -5
beckajf1I’ve tumbled my fair share of garnets. They are pretty hard and very durable. Sometime tumbling them without grit will clean them up considerably.
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Post by greig on Jul 12, 2021 14:13:20 GMT -5
My River Valley garnet didn't like coarse grit and make a thick clay slurry. If I had more, next time I would start in stage 3 and if not satisfied would move them back to stage 2. I look forward to hearing your experience and results.
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beckajf1
off to a rocking start
Member since July 2021
Posts: 4
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Post by beckajf1 on Jul 20, 2021 17:15:03 GMT -5
Here are a few pix of how they looked after 7 days in the 220 grit. Most of the schist was gone off of the garnets, with some schist pieces still tumbling around - but mostly clean! In one photo, I segregated them into three size groupings. The other photo shows the bigg boys (for me) with the Lincoln penny. I've started all these together in a course grit Step 1 on 7/14. I'll get to take a peak at them tomorrow night.
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