nursetumbler
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Post by nursetumbler on Mar 31, 2022 9:11:19 GMT -5
Looking at these two roughs and wondering if I could someday get one polished like images on the internet. Am I delusional? With now 6 barrels (my son gave me another dual setup) can I coarse, and work it all down to polish in less coarse grit, 60/90, 120/220, 500, 1000, pre and polish, or whatever they may be, to get the glassy look? Probably the laugh of your day.
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quartz
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Post by quartz on Mar 31, 2022 22:30:45 GMT -5
It would be helpful to see a pic. of your subject pieces. In all probability they can be polished "like the images on the internet" with practice and lots of patience. Nice that you have several barrels, that way you can dedicate a barrel to a certain grit and not have to be quite so particular about cleanouts, but do be particular about cleaning the rocks between grits.
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nursetumbler
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Post by nursetumbler on Apr 1, 2022 11:22:23 GMT -5
It would be helpful to see a pic. of your subject pieces. In all probability they can be polished "like the images on the internet" with practice and lots of patience. Nice that you have several barrels, that way you can dedicate a barrel to a certain grit and not have to be quite so particular about cleanouts, but do be particular about cleaning the rocks between grits. The morganite I was referring to I seen on twin something roch site. The Amethyst I have about 2 pounds of rough from another lapidary shop. I just look at them and wonder if they gems in the jewlery store start out at rough and they get it gemmy or if the gems are mined that way. Things you thinknof when you have to much extra time on your hands
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stefan
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Post by stefan on Apr 2, 2022 16:37:15 GMT -5
Amethyst is a pretty easy tumble as long as you have patience. Never tried Morganite, but it should behave as well. Amethyst at the top. Nothing special just some Rock SHed stuff I bought years ago.
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Post by jasoninsd on Apr 2, 2022 16:56:54 GMT -5
I've never tumbled Amethyst...but I did do some Chevron Amethyst cabs awhile back. It's finicky material...fractures and pits in the stuff I had. However, I was able to get a few good ones to come out...and those were totally worth it.
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nursetumbler
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Post by nursetumbler on Apr 2, 2022 22:10:50 GMT -5
Amethyst is a pretty easy tumble as long as you have patience. Never tried Morganite, but it should behave as well. Amethyst at the top. Nothing special just some Rock SHed stuff I bought years ago. stefanGorgeous. Did you put it in anything but 60/90, 120/220, pre polish and polish? I have 6 barrels. Do you suggest two other progressive grits? Thank you
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nursetumbler
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Post by nursetumbler on Apr 2, 2022 22:21:58 GMT -5
I've never tumbled Amethyst...but I did do some Chevron Amethyst cabs awhile back. It's finicky material...fractures and pits in the stuff I had. However, I was able to get a few good ones to come out...and those were totally worth it. Hi jasoninsdI have been tumbling with Metamucil in my tumblers like @inhawh posted at one time. Makes a gel giving extra cushion. I have tiger eye back in 60/90 to try to get the gouging out that the broken blue eye created. I have pink quartz and agate in 120/220. My husband cleaned them out today for me because I am 4.5 hours away from my machines and him. I had to come to work and he stayed home. He said they look totally awesome. No chips no cracks. I hope the next stages work out too. I'd love to do chevron Amethyst but missed ordering some at one of the shops, they sold out. I just tumble, no cabbing 🙁 Thank you for taking the time to comment
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Post by jasoninsd on Apr 2, 2022 22:31:42 GMT -5
I've never tumbled Amethyst...but I did do some Chevron Amethyst cabs awhile back. It's finicky material...fractures and pits in the stuff I had. However, I was able to get a few good ones to come out...and those were totally worth it. Hi jasoninsd I have been tumbling with Metamucil in my tumblers like @inhawh posted at one time. Makes a gel giving extra cushion. I have tiger eye back in 60/90 to try to get the gouging out that the broken blue eye created. I have pink quartz and agate in 120/220. My husband cleaned them out today for me because I am 4.5 hours away from my machines and him. I had to come to work and he stayed home. He said they look totally awesome. No chips no cracks. I hope the next stages work out too. I'd love to do chevron Amethyst but missed ordering some at one of the shops, they sold out. I just tumble, no cabbing 🙁 Thank you for taking the time to comment I've got some Teepee Canyon Agate slabs in the vibe right now with a TON of ceramic media for cushioning. I had a little room, so I put a couple pieces of Mexican Royal Velvet Obsidian with them. I pulled them out to look at them after the first day and saw some "pitting" in them. I took mine to the grinding wheels on my cabbing machine (which I know you can't do) and got the pits out. Went over them on the 220 hard wheel, then put them back in the vibe. I had started them in the 120/220 stage, so after that first day running them, the grit was probably closer to 220/440 or so. I ran them another day, looked at them and they're looking great! I'll be switching them over to 500 tomorrow. It'll be the first time I've tried to tumble something as soft as Obsidian, so I'm curious to see how they turn out... I think that's really awesome your husband is willing to take the baton in the handoff!
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nursetumbler
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Post by nursetumbler on Apr 3, 2022 0:22:35 GMT -5
Hi jasoninsd I have been tumbling with Metamucil in my tumblers like @inhawh posted at one time. Makes a gel giving extra cushion. I have tiger eye back in 60/90 to try to get the gouging out that the broken blue eye created. I have pink quartz and agate in 120/220. My husband cleaned them out today for me because I am 4.5 hours away from my machines and him. I had to come to work and he stayed home. He said they look totally awesome. No chips no cracks. I hope the next stages work out too. I'd love to do chevron Amethyst but missed ordering some at one of the shops, they sold out. I just tumble, no cabbing 🙁 Thank you for taking the time to comment I've got some Teepee Canyon Agate slabs in the vibe right now with a TON of ceramic media for cushioning. I had a little room, so I put a couple pieces of Mexican Royal Velvet Obsidian with them. I pulled them out to look at them after the first day and saw some "pitting" in them. I took mine to the grinding wheels on my cabbing machine (which I know you can't do) and got the pits out. Went over them on the 220 hard wheel, then put them back in the vibe. I had started them in the 120/220 stage, so after that first day running them, the grit was probably closer to 220/440 or so. I ran them another day, looked at them and they're looking great! I'll be switching them over to 500 tomorrow. It'll be the first time I've tried to tumble something as soft as Obsidian, so I'm curious to see how they turn out... I think that's really awesome your husband is willing to take the baton in the handoff! jasoninsdI have some Jemez Mountain Obsidian, self collected. Do you think you or anyone else would be interested in that? I don't know the quality, it's been 2 yrs since collected. He is pretty good st the baton handoff BUT when I get home Wednesday night they will be waiting for me in plastic containers of water. He helps as much as he can. Even though he bought me the tumblers and the original rough, he distances himself from them. I spent 6 months in Rosebud, wish I had been tumbling then. I lived in Valentine and spent lots of time in the Niobrara refuge. Found lots of pretty stuff out there but never kept it. Thanks for chatting. Let me know your thoughts on if you think anyone would be interested in that Obsidian. Kelly
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Post by jasoninsd on Apr 3, 2022 8:18:32 GMT -5
I've got some Teepee Canyon Agate slabs in the vibe right now with a TON of ceramic media for cushioning. I had a little room, so I put a couple pieces of Mexican Royal Velvet Obsidian with them. I pulled them out to look at them after the first day and saw some "pitting" in them. I took mine to the grinding wheels on my cabbing machine (which I know you can't do) and got the pits out. Went over them on the 220 hard wheel, then put them back in the vibe. I had started them in the 120/220 stage, so after that first day running them, the grit was probably closer to 220/440 or so. I ran them another day, looked at them and they're looking great! I'll be switching them over to 500 tomorrow. It'll be the first time I've tried to tumble something as soft as Obsidian, so I'm curious to see how they turn out... I think that's really awesome your husband is willing to take the baton in the handoff! jasoninsd I have some Jemez Mountain Obsidian, self collected. Do you think you or anyone else would be interested in that? I don't know the quality, it's been 2 yrs since collected. He is pretty good st the baton handoff BUT when I get home Wednesday night they will be waiting for me in plastic containers of water. He helps as much as he can. Even though he bought me the tumblers and the original rough, he distances himself from them. I spent 6 months in Rosebud, wish I had been tumbling then. I lived in Valentine and spent lots of time in the Niobrara refuge. Found lots of pretty stuff out there but never kept it. Thanks for chatting. Let me know your thoughts on if you think anyone would be interested in that Obsidian. Kelly Hey Kelly, I know that I'm set for Obsidian at the moment. I don't really do a lot of tumbling...or haven't for the last year. Just started back up. I've got enough tumble rock from around here to last me years! LOL - However, if you post it in the Wanted/For Sale section, you might get a bite on someone wanting them - or even use them as trade fodder... I bet you really do wish you'd been tumbling while you were up here! - Heck, you were right down there in the heart of Fairburn country...you might've left here with a pocketful of gems had you been out looking. (Not purposely trying to deepen any regrets, mind you! LOL)
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nursetumbler
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Post by nursetumbler on Apr 3, 2022 19:46:50 GMT -5
jasoninsd I have some Jemez Mountain Obsidian, self collected. Do you think you or anyone else would be interested in that? I don't know the quality, it's been 2 yrs since collected. He is pretty good st the baton handoff BUT when I get home Wednesday night they will be waiting for me in plastic containers of water. He helps as much as he can. Even though he bought me the tumblers and the original rough, he distances himself from them. I spent 6 months in Rosebud, wish I had been tumbling then. I lived in Valentine and spent lots of time in the Niobrara refuge. Found lots of pretty stuff out there but never kept it. Thanks for chatting. Let me know your thoughts on if you think anyone would be interested in that Obsidian. Kelly Hey Kelly, I know that I'm set for Obsidian at the moment. I don't really do a lot of tumbling...or haven't for the last year. Just started back up. I've got enough tumble rock from around here to last me years! LOL - However, if you post it in the Wanted/For Sale section, you might get a bite on someone wanting them - or even use them as trade fodder... I bet you really do wish you'd been tumbling while you were up here! - Heck, you were right down there in the heart of Fairburn country...you might've left here with a pocketful of gems had you been out looking. (Not purposely trying to deepen any regrets, mind you! LOL) 😡
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stefan
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Post by stefan on Apr 5, 2022 16:37:38 GMT -5
My recipe for this was: 60/90 for months (probably 3 months total). 120/220 for 2 to 3 weeks. 500 for 2 to 3 weeks. Tripoli (pre polish) for 2 to 3 weeks. Polish for 2 to 3 weeks (I use AO). Pellets are added from 500 onward. Burnish for 24 hours (borax)
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nursetumbler
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Post by nursetumbler on Apr 5, 2022 18:40:20 GMT -5
My recipe for this was: 60/90 for months (probably 3 months total). 120/220 for 2 to 3 weeks. 500 for 2 to 3 weeks. Tripoli (pre polish) for 2 to 3 weeks. Polish for 2 to 3 weeks (I use AO). Pellets are added from 500 onward. Burnish for 24 hours (borax) Hi They are hard enough to tumble that long in 60/90 without wearing away to nothing or did you start with huge rough? When tumbling for 3 months how often did you change the grit? So I will have to get 500. What is (going to be stupid question) the grit size of AO polish. Thats what I have and my husband said he thought it was 1200 to 1500. I told him others have said AO was 12,000. I don't know. Are you the fourm member that uses Tripoli over and over and over and its thick thick thick? I seems ingawh told me about something/someone that did that. I use what my husband gets because I wouldn't be right anyway. I asked him to join the forum but that was wrong to suggest too. Thank you for showing me your beauties and thank you for sharing how you tumbled them to make them beauties Kelly
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stefan
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Post by stefan on Apr 9, 2022 10:19:07 GMT -5
Amethyst is pretty hard (mohs 7) and as long as it is free (relatively) from fractures it behaves well. You don't "have" to use 500- it is just what I like. I do use and reuse tripoli, but as far as thickness goes it pretty much stays consistent (I let it settle in the bucket then dump off the dirty water and dry it out to reuse) I can't remember what the AO is but for some reason like 8000 sticks in my mind. I usually check my course every 2 weeks and change (recharge) the grit. All the other steps are a 1 and done (that is why I let them usually run for 3 weeks). I would guess I lose about 10 to 15% of the rock size in my tumbles.
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nursetumbler
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Post by nursetumbler on Apr 9, 2022 15:35:21 GMT -5
stefanThank you for the information. I truly appreciate it
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brybry
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Post by brybry on Apr 10, 2022 7:02:56 GMT -5
I have AO 1400 and AO 14000 for pre-polish and polish. Check the Rock Shed. I think they carry AO 500 and up.
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nursetumbler
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Post by nursetumbler on Apr 10, 2022 9:09:24 GMT -5
I have AO 1400 and AO 14000 for pre-polish and polish. Check the Rock Shed. I think they carry AO 500 and up. Thank you brybry. I will have my husband look into it
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