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Pyrite
Jul 31, 2016 0:34:35 GMT -5
Post by tims on Jul 31, 2016 0:34:35 GMT -5
What's the appeal of the shale? I think they're more attractive without the matrix. And i'd have to agree, that example does not look natural.
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Post by tims on Jul 30, 2016 14:45:45 GMT -5
My amateur opinion, the 2 in the first pic look possible. Not sure exactly how you'd ensure a positive ID on dino poo.
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Post by tims on Jul 29, 2016 18:05:41 GMT -5
Thanks for mentioning the wick, I think these originally came with one but I hadn't thought about it and probably would have made a nice mess. I'll try rigging one up. Might also be able to rig something similar under the blade, maybe a sponge in a tray or an aquarium pump or something to try to wet the bottom a bit.
IF IT EVER GETS HERE lol
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Post by tims on Jul 29, 2016 11:23:46 GMT -5
Some pretty stuff there. There used to be several rockhounds living in my neighborhood that have passed, and the new property owners all seem to just disregard the collections that line their fencelines and driveways. I'll see a neighbor put in a new fence and just bury pet wood, jaspers agates etc. as fill. Or walk along sidewalk at the bottom of a little slope and find nice specimens that have washed out and rolled into the gutter. Makes me want to start wandering around with a wheelbarrow and knocking on doors, but I've got my own tonnage of forgotten rocks to deal with at home already. Always nice to see some goodies getting rescued.
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Post by tims on Jul 29, 2016 11:02:39 GMT -5
NOW you tell me I'll play with it (if it ever arrives and I can get it running) and maybe try to rig a sprayer or something on the underside of the blade. If that doesn't work maybe I could rig some kind of clamp and weighted feed system for the tile saw. Just a good solid movable clamp would help alot. My hand cuts are getting better but there's a lot of room for improvement. What if you just added another generous drip right above where the blade contacts the stone? Why isn't lapidary cheap and easy?
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Post by tims on Jul 28, 2016 19:51:48 GMT -5
Eastwind, the custom manufacturer, is actually in Vermont. I messaged them about the 9"x11" sheets and they assure me it's the same diamond infused resin material as the standard disks. I'm really tempted to try their 10" magnetic backed #60 pad ... I bought an ancient B&I Gem Maker 1422 that only includes the original 10" cast iron lap plate, but I'm thinking that would double as a master lap for magnetic-backed discs. Just waiting impatiently for the thing to arrive so I can make sure it still spins OK, then I'll need to get a motor etc. and get it mounted. Really excited though, I should also be able to swap out the lap for my 10" blade and maybe can get better cuts than on my tile saw. And with a lap to get through the first stage I could save my arm for the easy latter stages, or if I get lazy use grit on the lap for several stages.
This thread has really gone lateral from hand polishing but lots of neat ideas and info. If you guys do experiment with any of those diamond resin products please share your results.
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Post by tims on Jul 28, 2016 14:07:42 GMT -5
I hadn't seen those pads, all of the Eastwind products are new to me but they make some really interesting stuff. As far as getting out pits (by hand) I think it would be a ton of work at least on hard material. Just removing saw marks from a flat slab takes alot of time and effort, and it seems like trying to cradle a stone and polish it with a flexible pad would be a much tougher process than the relatively easy motion of sanding on a flat surface. If you had something pretty smooth to start they might be excellent for working up to a polish though.
I'm curious what would happen with like BB sized tumbling media made from the 50 grit diamond resin. It would probably hold up through a lot of tumbles, and your mud would only be coming from the rocks and not so much from the media. Would think it would be easy to clean up and re-use and might make for a quick first stage.
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Post by tims on Jul 27, 2016 23:17:33 GMT -5
Was searching through Chinese manufacturers and ran across some convex polishing pads and drum wheels, just to keep your creativity going. And here are 9" x 11" Diamond Resin Sheets. I think it's the same material, resin bond diamond but in solid sheets for the low low price of $102 per. If you come up with a million dollar product idea i want a prototype to play with EDIT: Heck, these guys claim they'll make whatever you want.
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Post by tims on Jul 27, 2016 22:14:08 GMT -5
On mine the pad material isn't a solid piece, it looks like maybe it was poured into a segmented mold onto the backing material which affixed it to the backing in the process. Or maybe the segments were pre-cut or molded and then attached to the backing with glue or something. It's difficult to tell just looking at them.
My first thought was that they were cut then affixed, like maybe stamped out of a flat roll. If that's the case maybe you could get ahold of some uncut sheets from a manufacturer. But again, I'm just guessing by looking at it. Wish there was a "How It's Made" episode for these things.
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Post by tims on Jul 27, 2016 11:21:02 GMT -5
I missed your initial post, but congratulations! The store looks great. I'd say don't overthink the name but it is important especially if you're going to invest in signage etc. Best of luck and if I ever get back out to the coast would love to check it out in person.
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Post by tims on Jul 26, 2016 14:54:47 GMT -5
I assume those are originally manufactured in sheets, if you could find a way to contact the original manufacturer.
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Post by tims on Jul 26, 2016 10:48:46 GMT -5
Hmmm interesting ideas. It would be an expensive experiment to dice them up for media, but who knows once you had a barrel's worth you might never need grit again. The lined barrel idea would be nice and simple but i don't know how effective it would be without the rocks being able to mix with the tumbling media on all sides. Again though, who knows ... if it did work it might last a good long time.
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Post by tims on Jul 25, 2016 11:20:12 GMT -5
I'm trying to get some fossils out of my shed before it sinks into the earth. Starting with some big specimens, baculite and clams mostly from the Upton quadrangle of the Pierre Shale in northeast Wyoming. There are a few conglomerate pieces with multiple specimens in matrix. This is about 16 pounds that (i think) can be stuffed in a MFRB. $45 includes shipping (US).
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Post by tims on Jul 25, 2016 10:27:26 GMT -5
Thanks, just what i needed. I have a 1/3 hp in mind and found a 1.5" pulley to attach to it. I bought this mainly for the lap but will probably pull the 10" blade off my tile saw and give it a shot as well. It's got the clamp assembly with a weighted auto-feed which hopefully will cut a little smoother than hand feeding the tile saw.
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Post by tims on Jul 24, 2016 23:55:50 GMT -5
Just purchased a model 1422 Gem Maker on fleabay and was wondering if anyone is familiar with these and would have a suggestion for a motor. The manual suggests a 1725 rpm motor but I'm wondering if a 1/3 HP motor would be sufficient, or if I'd be better off getting something with more power. It's driving a 10" cast iron lap wheel or 10" blade. Any other suggestions regarding this venerable machine welcome.
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Pyrite
Jul 24, 2016 23:05:29 GMT -5
Post by tims on Jul 24, 2016 23:05:29 GMT -5
Hardness shouldn't be an issue for cutting pyrite since it's softer than quartz / jasper / agate, but according to an old thread here it sounds like it can make a mess. I've got some chalcopyrite that looks really solid but likes to crumble, but it's not the pure cuboid crystals either so that might depend on the host rock (if any). If it's arsenopyrite i'd be concerned by the arsenic content but honestly don't know if it would be hazardous to cut or not. Good luck with the pics for some better advice.
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Post by tims on Jul 24, 2016 22:12:16 GMT -5
Wow, the triangular pattern on the first one is cool and that's a very picturesque mossy.
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Post by tims on Jul 21, 2016 9:05:17 GMT -5
Coffee cans are great until they get wet. Nice haul
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Post by tims on Jul 15, 2016 6:32:09 GMT -5
Not to threadjack, but would those diamond pads work on a random orbit polisher? I have one for my car, and it's got variable speeds, but I don't know if it would give you ample control or the work piece without ripping it out of your hand. I was thinking it could be clamped into a workmate or something to hold it, and you could work the stone by hand. It could potentially be really nice because it would minimize any markings on the stone. Thoughts? The biggest concern would probably be RPM. If you could slow it down to what, 1200 rpm or so? i'd think it would work ok. Even faster might work fine. Of course you'd need to keep the stone wet somehow. Maybe jamesp could give you a definitive answer; I think he's using these on a grinder but i'm not sure of what speed, if it's a wet grinder, or how he clamps / mounts the grinder or stone. I found a 5" hard backing plate and a shank to use it in an electric drill but haven't tried it on anything yet. I'm thinking the drill will be too low RPM but i'm still tempted to try it for the 50 stage just to save on elbow grease. Honestly once you get past that first stage, the rest is a piece of cake by comparison. If you do try the orbital polisher please share your results.
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Post by tims on Jul 12, 2016 19:55:29 GMT -5
Grrr, thought I could delete the thread but just deleted the original post. Anyway it's going in the "miscellaneous lumpy porous rock" pile for now.
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