CLErocks
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2021
Posts: 342
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Post by CLErocks on Nov 24, 2021 11:24:58 GMT -5
I have some sodalite and some quartz I’ve tumbled in the rotary tumbler on the 60/90 media. Ready to move on, is the rotary (lortone 33b) or the vibratory (lot-o) going to be a better, more gentle choice? Or does it not matter as long as I keep like material with like material??
Thanks in advance for your time and experience!!
**edit** or is quartz not that soft??
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on Nov 25, 2021 8:34:17 GMT -5
Quartz is harder than sodalite so the two do not mix well in the tumbler. When running soft stones, it's important to use materials of the same hardness for good results. Some sodalite is of mixed hardness to which complicated the problem. I'd do a short run in rough grind in a rotary to round the stones, then normal runs in fine grid and prepolish in the vibe and try tin oxide as a polish with lots of plastic pellets to cushion the load. That being said, softer stones to me, always seem like a crapshoot and every batch is different.
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CLErocks
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2021
Posts: 342
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Post by CLErocks on Nov 25, 2021 9:38:22 GMT -5
Ok. That’s helpful. I have kept the sodalite & the quartz separate. And plan to keep them that way.
So now they wait their turns in the vib…
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Post by Bob on Nov 26, 2021 21:07:53 GMT -5
With sodalite and crystal quartz I've learned to start them in grit no larger than 80. Even though I start most things in 50 or 60. I do process them together also along with feldspar and glass and obsidian and sometimes aventurine.
Totally agree on crapshoot comment--some pieces just don't go well and I discard. Sodalite drives me nuts sometime. Maybe 50% or less goes well.
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