LazerFlash
Cave Dweller 
The more they over-think the plumbing, the easier it is to stop up the toilet.
Member since September 2021
Posts: 550
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Post by LazerFlash on Mar 11, 2022 0:00:08 GMT -5
I've decided to give ceramic filler a try in my later stages, hoping that - among other things - it will help reduce some of the "bruising" that I'm getting.
My question is, how do those of you who use it, "prep" it for use? I know enough that I shouldn't just throw it in 'raw'. But, I have a few questions...(1) How long should I run it in the tumbler? (2) How full should the tumbler be? (3) Is it better to have just water to make a slurry or is more water better? (4) Should I throw in a small amount of coarse (60/90) grit?
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hypodactylus
spending too much on rocks
Member since July 2021
Posts: 474
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Post by hypodactylus on Mar 11, 2022 0:30:24 GMT -5
I personally don't 'prep' ceramic media for use; I usually add it to stage 2 and keep running it in each subsequent step. This has worked well for me.
However, I keep a separate stash of ceramic media that has been through the polish stage; in case I need to add more during the later stages.
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waterboysh
spending too much on rocks
Member since April 2021
Posts: 386
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Post by waterboysh on Mar 11, 2022 10:05:04 GMT -5
No need to prep it. Just add it in starting with medium grit and carry it along with your rocks all the way to polish. You just don't want to add new ceramic to the pre-polish or polish stages because you want the edges to be rounded off, which the medium grit stage will do just fine.
Don't add more water. That makes your slurry thinner and actually cushions less. It's a little counter intuitive.
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hypodactylus
spending too much on rocks
Member since July 2021
Posts: 474
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Post by hypodactylus on Mar 11, 2022 16:01:29 GMT -5
I've never found slurry thickness to make much difference, but that is purely anecdotal; I have no real data to back it up.
[Edit: This is for rotary tumblers, not vibratory tumblers (with which I have no experience)]
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Post by victor1941 on Mar 11, 2022 22:12:39 GMT -5
LazerFlash, I start new media in the first stage and carry it all the way to the end polish in a UV-18 vibe. I include enough trims and other scraps to use as filler after the first tumble to always keep the volume constant. The first few loads get new media so leveling material is always available for future tumbles. Keep the water and add in's as usual. I generally am not working rough rock but preformed cabbed material or small slabs.
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Post by rmf on Mar 12, 2022 4:34:19 GMT -5
I have used few ceramic bits. However, One fun experiment was a customer provided broken porcelain dishes for the purpose of making cabs from flowers fired on to the surface. I was allowed to keep the scrap porcelain and hammered it smaller and found it worked well as ceramic filler. thinking out side the box. you may be able to pick up some "ceramic filler" at the local thrift shop. Of course your mileage may vary.
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