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Post by tims on Oct 19, 2019 22:13:25 GMT -5
Well, the decent rocks took a decent polish. I need to find a way to stop rolling junk lol. It's weird doing a cleanout after a day rather than a week, the vibe is really nice for getting things done.
I'll be at this batch with a toothbrush all night. Will get better pics in the tumbling photos page soon i hope, but here are a couple quick pics that kind of show the result:
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Post by tims on Oct 19, 2019 2:43:14 GMT -5
To ball up the ends of the second wire did you use a torch and melt them? The addition of that second wire wrapped almost perpendicular to the bail adds a really pleasant discord to the piece.
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Post by tims on Oct 19, 2019 2:27:47 GMT -5
That dead camel is lovely.
Hopefully i never utter those words again.
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Post by tims on Oct 18, 2019 22:35:41 GMT -5
Rattlesnake agate, new to me but yeah they look cool PS Pics are after pre-polish, they're in polish now.
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Post by tims on Oct 18, 2019 17:25:41 GMT -5
Here are a few dry pieces after pre-polish. Everything looks as good as can be expected with the mix i always end up rolling ... the good stuff looks ok and the bad stuff is a chip and fracture-fest:
If your Harley isn't loud enough buy a Viking.
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Post by tims on Oct 18, 2019 13:06:30 GMT -5
Thanks again. I hope to get into a routine similar to yours, using rotary for the heavy lifting then vibe to finish. I got the vibe several years ago before i'd ever tumbled, tried running a batch from scratch, and learned the hard way that stage 1 isn't ideal in a vibe. That's when i bought the QT12 rotary and since it's so easy (less babysitting) and i can run it indoors i've been using it exclusively. I'm feeling alot more comfortable with the vibe already after it survived the night ... as you mentioned i spritzed it a bit extra before bed and everything is still churning along nicely today. I'll do a cleanout shortly and move to polish. AO, probably a couple teaspoons?
PS what is that monster in your profile pic?
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Post by tims on Oct 18, 2019 1:09:06 GMT -5
I run a second state of 120-220 SiC for a couple of days. I have had good results in my UV-18 using 9 TBL of 500 or 600 SiC for 1-3 days for my stage 3. That is 1/2 TBL per pound. I continually monitor to be sure my slurry isn't getting too thick. If it is I add a little water until it seems the right consistency. After one day I pullout some stones and wash them. If they are starting to shine I go a second day. An extra day or two won't hurt anything. I give my rocks and barrel a good super-wash before starting the pre-polishing stage and again before going on to the polishing stage. I think your AO 500 would work fine. So you run all stages in the vibe? I've been doing all stages in rotary and was planning to switch to the vibe just for polish. But leaving my vibe running outside unattended overnight bugs me enough that it's just sat unused for at least a year. Maybe 3. The way this rotary batch fouled kind of forced me to dust it off and give it a try.
Anyway it's running with approx. 11 pounds of rock and filler and i used 1/3 cup of 500 so that should be pretty close to your 1/2 TBL per pound method. I'm taking notes as this progresses so TYVM for specifying your ratio. I'll take a good look at a few pieces tomorrow after 24 hours and go from there.
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Post by tims on Oct 17, 2019 13:19:32 GMT -5
Just found some leftover AO 500 so i think the correct grit must be AO 500. Will post some pics if all goes well or if it's a trainwreck.
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Post by tims on Oct 17, 2019 3:38:42 GMT -5
Thanks for the amounts for pre and polish. I need to re-read the tutorials here just been pressed for time.
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Post by tims on Oct 16, 2019 22:18:53 GMT -5
What's a good guestimate on grit and amount for a 15# 14# vibe for a pre-polish stage? I'm thinking 500+ AO, maybe half a cup? 48 hours or so. Just shooting for ballpark, yell if that sounds disastrous.
I usually run a 3 stage 80sic / 80ao / ao polish in rotary so i don't have any intermediate grit, but i know someone local that might have a cup to lend if i can figure out what i need. Trying to save a botched rotary batch before it snows ...
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Post by tims on Oct 9, 2019 19:39:18 GMT -5
you forgot the 2 buckets, 4 old coffee cans, 2 window screens and 8 rolls of paper towels i always find necessary.
JK, that's a nice haul and should be everything he needs but the time. I sent my brother a 6# lortone and instructions last Spring and he still hasn't touched it, and i've wondered if maybe i should have at least included some grit. That kit looks ready to roll.
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Post by tims on Oct 6, 2019 16:33:48 GMT -5
Do you guys run polish with ceramics?
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Post by tims on Oct 5, 2019 21:00:58 GMT -5
That's a fun wrap. Until you get to that stage It looks great on the cab though, hope you finish it up.
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Post by tims on Sept 29, 2019 19:34:44 GMT -5
Nice score.... Have a few in my collection also, of calcite or barite crystals... One is hollow with crystal inlays.. Your in a good zone it looks like... You find any busted Ammonites like that yet? I find many with the chambers filled with crystal, some completely solid and some only partially filled. I have a few pieces that seem to be a chalcedony replacement. This is the only piece i've come across that has the crystal growth exclusively on the exterior, and i haven't seen the individual rhombic crystals or the bladed cluster formations before.
Here are a few more out of this bucket:
This one might be chalcedony and it's hard to see in the pic but the chambers are completely empty, with only the delicate thin outer walls intact:
Not sure on this, probably barite and maybe calcite.
This one may have been going to chalcedony
This one is more indicative of the crystal fill i usually see, though this one has a big blocky crystal in it also
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Post by tims on Sept 28, 2019 19:48:57 GMT -5
Really cool, inventive wraps.
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Post by tims on Sept 28, 2019 19:42:05 GMT -5
I like hunting baculite, and often see pieces that have undergone mineral replacement or have chambers filled with calcite or barite crystal. This is the first piece i've found that hosts interesting crystal formation on the exterior. Still trying to ID the crystals, but am guessing barite for the yellow bladed stuff and maybe calcite for the small white rhombic crystals.
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Post by tims on Sept 20, 2019 12:28:43 GMT -5
Cool batch. Don't think i've seen plasma agate before, where's it from?
Do you run a burnish stage after polish? It helps get some of the residue out of my pitted / fractured / vuggy stuff but i still end up having to go after most of them with a toothbrush.
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Post by tims on Sept 20, 2019 12:19:22 GMT -5
What's the material in the container diagonally left of the rose quartz?
Great display. I'm going to my first show in October for our fledgling NE Wyoming club and just seeing a great display like yours gives me some ideas for setup. Thanks for sharing.
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Post by tims on Jun 26, 2019 14:50:21 GMT -5
Nice wrap, lots of personality.
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Post by tims on Aug 25, 2018 14:31:45 GMT -5
What kind of agate is that? Beautiful colors and pattern.
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