electrocutus
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2020
Posts: 331
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Post by electrocutus on Aug 30, 2022 13:22:19 GMT -5
I bought some pieces of fluorite recently at a rock show. They are not great quality so they were not very expensive, but I liked the colours and wanted to see if I could tumble them. I have a Lortone 33.
Knowing it is a fairly soft stone, would I be able to get good results taking them through all stages with my rotary tumbler, or should I just do the first few stages to shape them, and then polish them manually?
I've only tried soft stones a few times and never managed to get good results.
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Post by HankRocks on Aug 30, 2022 13:48:04 GMT -5
If it was me, I would reduce the grit size for the first stage, maybe 220? also reduce the amount of grit. Fluorite should grind pretty fast. And I would check after a couple days to see how much is being ground away. You can always extend the period, the amount of grit and even the size if 220 is not making much happen.
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nursetumbler
Cave Dweller
Member since February 2022
Posts: 914
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Post by nursetumbler on Aug 31, 2022 21:27:08 GMT -5
electrocutusI have tumbled orchid calcite. I took it through all the stages wet EXCEPT polish. I dry polished it in corncob and polish. There is a lady on YouTube that did a full video on dry polishing. She found the instructions or got the instructions from the rockshed. I think she polished flourite that way too.
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nursetumbler
Cave Dweller
Member since February 2022
Posts: 914
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Post by nursetumbler on Aug 31, 2022 21:38:21 GMT -5
Her name is Crystal Wisdom
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electrocutus
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2020
Posts: 331
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Post by electrocutus on Sept 1, 2022 10:25:47 GMT -5
Her name is Crystal Wisdom Thanks! I watched her Fluorite tumbling and dry polishing videos and they are very informative. I'll give that a try.
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nursetumbler
Cave Dweller
Member since February 2022
Posts: 914
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Post by nursetumbler on Sept 1, 2022 10:32:04 GMT -5
Her name is Crystal Wisdom Thanks! I watched her Fluorite tumbling and dry polishing videos and they are very informative. I'll give that a try. electrocutusI coaxed a very nice shine on the orchid. I posted a photo of it in my original post. Because I didn't need the barrel I let it tumble,I think, for 3 weeks.
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,094
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Post by stefan on Sept 3, 2022 9:26:35 GMT -5
DO NOT use 60/90. I tossed in some with a thought of just shaping it. 2 weeks later all I had to show was a very thick slurry and no flourite! I should have known better.
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electrocutus
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2020
Posts: 331
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Post by electrocutus on Sept 13, 2022 13:59:15 GMT -5
DO NOT use 60/90. I tossed in some with a thought of just shaping it. 2 weeks later all I had to show was a very thick slurry and no flourite! I should have known better. I did a 60/90 step because my rough was really rough and with top cracks, but I didn't leave it very long. The stones shrank quite a bit, but it was needed to get them to a decent state.
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afterburnt
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since June 2021
Posts: 152
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Post by afterburnt on Apr 8, 2023 12:29:55 GMT -5
DO NOT use 60/90. I tossed in some with a thought of just shaping it. 2 weeks later all I had to show was a very thick slurry and no flourite! I should have known better. 60/90 is probably not the problem, I think it's more likely 2 weeks.
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