omygdnes
off to a rocking start
Member since March 2022
Posts: 6
|
Post by omygdnes on Mar 13, 2022 10:24:46 GMT -5
What is the best way to clean and polish the outta shell off? A vibrating tumbler? What type should I buy please? I hope I’m saying it right. I’m new here. Thank you?
|
|
Tommy
Administrator
Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,685
|
Post by Tommy on Mar 13, 2022 11:27:42 GMT -5
What is the best way to clean and polish the outta shell off? A vibrating tumbler? What type should I buy please? I hope I’m saying it right. I’m new here. Thank you? Hi there, you posted this in our technical help area so I'm going to move it over to the tumbling area so it will get the attention it needs. If it were me dealing with shells that are a lot softer than rocks I would say a vibe loaded with small ceramic media (maybe 75% media?) would be a great start. Literally check it ever few hours because I think it's going to go pretty quick. This is a sincere offer - not being funny - if you want to send me a small bag of the shells I can test them for you in my Lot-O vibe tumbler and see if that points you in the right direction.
|
|
quartzilla
Cave Dweller
Member since April 2020
Posts: 1,223
|
Post by quartzilla on Mar 13, 2022 11:54:47 GMT -5
Sorry couldn’t stop myself. Quahog lol.
|
|
|
Post by Peruano on Mar 13, 2022 12:26:00 GMT -5
Being originally from the Midwest, and having lived most of my life in the SW, I had to google quahog clams just to see what the shell was like. Tommy is likely correct that they will be softer than most rocks we like to use for lapidary, however that is not a guaranteed result. I have worked alot with shell/mollusc products collected on Mexican beaches and some of them are quite hard. Your clam shells have lots of growth rings/grooves and the ridges will probably polish faster than the valleys. However its a wide open field and you probably have lots of shells with which to experiment. The vibratory tumbler you would use would be partially determined by how big the shells are. Some vibes have a center post in the middle of the bowl like an angel food cake pan. Thus a bowl 6" in diameter only has a space of around 2.5" all around that post, the result being that things bigger than 2.5" might lodge, fail to move adequately, and even wear a hole in the bowl due to constant contact with one particular spot. So consider size limitations when you select. I get some pretty big stones or shells in my Raytech Vibe 5, but the bigger model might be needed for your use. I like the Vibe 5 because its about the cheapest of the real vibes (cerca $100). The minisonics might do -- they don't have a central post and large material oscillates pretty well in them. In terms of technique, I'd not use anything coarser than 100 grit, use something to cushion the action enough (ceramics, or even pistachio shells). I normally don't recommend plastic tile spacers but they might be perfect for you if your shells are soft. I find my mollusc material takes a great shine after only a couple of stages in the vibe (say 600 grit) and then being hit with a zam (chromium oxide) muslin buffer wheel. The zam is the chrome oxide in a wax base and can be aggressive so pay attention to heating up on the wheel (I touch the shell to my cheek for temp check). These are the stones as they come out of the vibe and after a zam polish. The ones below may not have seen the zam treatment yet. You can probably see where ridges have been worn away on my material (by the ocean's action - not by my vibe), but the polishing does highlight the shells detail and microcrystaline structure. Your results may vary. I can say mine to from batch to batch and shell to shell. I will say that many folks caution against breathing the dust from shells so dispose of your vibratory water and rinses to avoid ingesting them by breathing or ingesting. I'm not sure its harmful but urban legends have legs even when not based on facts. Please keep us informed of your results. Curious minds want to know.
|
|
|
Post by Peruano on Mar 13, 2022 12:32:02 GMT -5
I also meant to add that you should monitor your material frequently when you first start out. If it is soft, the slurry will thicken quickly and the action will lock up requiring you to add more water to loosen the action somewhat. Almost all vibes can be run without the top in place allowing better observation of the action; however they tend to dry out a bit more sans top (at least in the arid SW USA they do). Again good luck.
|
|
brybry
Cave Dweller
Enter your message here...
Member since October 2021
Posts: 1,206
Member is Online
|
Post by brybry on Mar 13, 2022 13:21:05 GMT -5
If your shells are larger, 3 inches and above, look at a UV-18 or UV-45. Vibes won't shape as much as a tumbler would but would be better at smoothing softer stuff without affecting overall shape.
|
|