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Jasper
Oct 23, 2004 13:49:19 GMT -5
Post by Al on Oct 23, 2004 13:49:19 GMT -5
I was told that I have a lot of jaspers, mine are mostly dark red and covered with some white stuff. After reading these I will save them til I get some real tumbling experience. I’m asking for a digital camera for xmas maybe you could help me with my rocks then. also I have to say that Ohio has the best schools, period. the only school which failed was the one that hosted that birdseed lady. She is only showing that she has no education at all and it is very sad to see her harassing nice people. shame on you lady. Al
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Mazanec
spending too much on rocks
Member since March 2004
Posts: 355
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Jasper
Oct 23, 2004 14:56:36 GMT -5
Post by Mazanec on Oct 23, 2004 14:56:36 GMT -5
Yes, Rocky, that was what I meant. Thanks for the warning, I will use plastic pellets!
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birdseed
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since September 2004
Posts: 167
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Jasper
Oct 24, 2004 2:45:21 GMT -5
Post by birdseed on Oct 24, 2004 2:45:21 GMT -5
WARNING!!!--> Look out for red jaspers(with white stuff)..They could be mini-gas bombs..Add a box of baking soda with your initial grind.....LOL Thoe Ohio schools were 40th in the nation last year in graduating kids on time...Look at some of these posts and then tell me that people from Ohio can read and write...
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Mazanec
spending too much on rocks
Member since March 2004
Posts: 355
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Jasper
Oct 24, 2004 9:39:57 GMT -5
Post by Mazanec on Oct 24, 2004 9:39:57 GMT -5
Just started polish a few hours ago. Ah, birdseed, you are really starting to puzzle me. For one thing, are your diatribes directed at me or at someone else from Ohio? If directed at me, I can think of three reasons why you might be doing so. First my faux pas earlier in the thread, and the results thereof. I made a reply too hastily and did not realize that it was a comment about jasper and not soley about gas, and I apologized for this to the people concerned. If you have never made a social blunder you are the most unique individual I have known. Second my saying I am getting virtually no gas even after you claim jasper produces enough gas to alarm the EPA. Sorry for disagreeing with you, but that is how it is here. YMMV. Third is imperfections in my posts. Most are because of my mediocre typing ability - are your posts letter perfect? If you are complaining about someone else, please take your differences to private messages. Thank you.
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Jasper
Oct 24, 2004 12:56:49 GMT -5
Post by connrock on Oct 24, 2004 12:56:49 GMT -5
Hi gang, I just read this entire thread for the first time.(I still can't keep up with all the postings) After reading the thread I think I may be able to help a tad. New tumbler barrels seem to create gas for some reason or another so thst's why some of you may be having a gas problem with the same material and others are not.Not to say that different materials act in different ways.After using the tumbler for a while you gas problem may just fade away. Another tip is to preheat your rough and the barrel in hot water before starting it.The hot material and barrel will cause a vacuum while cooling and give more room for the gas to expand.Some of my Lortone barrels have taken a concave "set" at the bottom form doing this. A teaspoon of baking soda or a couple of Tums also will help.I know some of you have had bad experiences with this but if used in proper amounts it does work very well. Plastic pellets used in the roughing stage (on hard materials) only makes the roughing cycle take a longer period of time.The rocks are being cushioned by the pellets instead of "tumbling" onto eachother.I think it was deepsouth who mentioned using driveway rocks and that's a very good idea.Other options are pieces of scrap rocks from the breaking of rough.Don't throw these away and you can use them as filler.I use a lot of flint chips left over from flint knapping and some of "them" come out very pretty as well. I have found that drying my rocks between the grit changes, or any other time during the tumbling cycle only promotes a problem with the tiny inperfections in the rocks holding the grit and or slurry in them.Instead,before a grit change I add a teaspoon of powdered Dreft soap to the load and let it tumble for 10 minuets or so.This helps to dislodge the grit and or slurry that may be in these inperfections.Don't add too much soap or it may blow off your barrel lid. Something I might mention is that the slurry is just about the same thing as concrete and the longer concrete takes to "cure" the harder it gets.The same holds true for the slurry being lit to dry in the inperfections.The longer it stays in there the harder it gets and the more difficult it gets to remove.This will also happen if the rocks are left in water alone without soap so don't leave the rocks in water alone over night or the "concrete" will set in. Way back when,,when we had to make our own shower stall bases we would pour the concrete with pretty colored stones in it and let it "cure" for several days while keeping it wet.This would insure a very hard base that "usually" wouldn't crack. Did you ever wonder why they spray water on concrete being poured for a new highway?? You got it,,,,,it makes the concrete harder!! The softer material found on some tubling rough is the "matrix" which is a softer material that the rock is found in.The more of the matrix that can be removed before tumbling the better.This can also cause a gas problem as tiny organic microorganisms may be present. Trimming and preforming the tumbling rough will speed up the process greatly.This can be done several ways.Using a chipping hammer,grinding with a wheel or Dremel and sometimes just chipping with a small chisel alone will help remove sharp edges.This can be very time consuming especially if you have a large 15 lb tumbler but it is well worth the time and effort. I know i've said this before but i'll say it again.(Llana please don't kill me for this LOL) If you start with junk you'll end up with junk. I know we pay dearly for our rough but there IS a point where we HAVE to put the bad material aside or deal with it later in the tumbling cycle.Dealing with it later can and will be a problem as those "nooks and crannies" will come back to haunt us.They will hold grit and slurry which will break loose during the next step or even in the polishing stage and cause unwanted scratches. I find the best way to avoid this is to inspect the rough before tumbling.I make 3 piles.One pile is the "ready to tumble" pile.The 2nd is "needs to be preformed" pile and the 3rd is "save for filler" pile.You don't want to know what,,,,if at all what the 4th pile is for!! LOL Garden rocks?? Well i've just about worn out my 2 fingers typing this so i'd better stop here. I hope i've helped some of you and invite any comments or suggestions.(I think??LOL) Tom
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Jasper
Oct 24, 2004 21:24:50 GMT -5
Post by Cher on Oct 24, 2004 21:24:50 GMT -5
Thanks Tom, I guess I'll just toss the ones I left out yesterday back in the barrel of rough. I was going to do some shaping but didn't get to so just left them sit. I never thought of this in comparison to concrete setting but it sure makes sense.
Cher
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Jasper
Oct 24, 2004 22:07:03 GMT -5
Post by cookie3rocks on Oct 24, 2004 22:07:03 GMT -5
Hey, Maz well said cookie
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birdseed
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since September 2004
Posts: 167
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Jasper
Oct 25, 2004 1:09:07 GMT -5
Post by birdseed on Oct 25, 2004 1:09:07 GMT -5
Three seeds- up for Tom's comprehensive and through post...EXACTLY TOM....
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Mazanec
spending too much on rocks
Member since March 2004
Posts: 355
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Jasper
Oct 25, 2004 8:44:34 GMT -5
Post by Mazanec on Oct 25, 2004 8:44:34 GMT -5
Well, at least I will have some I can give away!
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Mazanec
spending too much on rocks
Member since March 2004
Posts: 355
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Jasper
Oct 29, 2004 10:12:49 GMT -5
Post by Mazanec on Oct 29, 2004 10:12:49 GMT -5
Just took the stones out of polish. Had a little extra water this time, so the plastic pellets floated on an almost uninterrupted orange field. My first thoought was "Gee, purty!". The stones are lovely. They have different colors in spots, unlike the sodalite which was almost completely blue. I will give some more info when they dry...if I get time, I will even try photographing my most recent loads (apparently somone stole/threw out my first load I left at the nursing home for my Dad).
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Jasper
Oct 29, 2004 10:45:00 GMT -5
Post by rockyraccoon on Oct 29, 2004 10:45:00 GMT -5
oh maz i'm sorry someone took your dad's stones.
would like to see your pics of your batches.
kim
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Jasper
Oct 29, 2004 12:04:19 GMT -5
Post by Cher on Oct 29, 2004 12:04:19 GMT -5
Aww I'm sorry to hear that Maz, what a nasty thing to do. About your pics, yes please, you know how we all love eye candy.
Cher
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Mazanec
spending too much on rocks
Member since March 2004
Posts: 355
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Jasper
Oct 31, 2004 6:23:07 GMT -5
Post by Mazanec on Oct 31, 2004 6:23:07 GMT -5
Well, my father is getting past the stage where he would even know what they are. That is the last valuable gift I am taking there, however! What really hurts is that it was my best load so far. The jasper looks nice if you get a piece/angle that does not show the "gouges". but there aren't many of thise. Some one suggested a grinder, may get one after the holidays at Rocks-n-Chips and get some more Ohio blue flint while I am there. Then maybe you can see how it looked!
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Jasper
Oct 31, 2004 10:55:37 GMT -5
Post by cookie3rocks on Oct 31, 2004 10:55:37 GMT -5
Maz, Youre gonna love the blue flint, it's one of my facorites.
cookie
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Jasper
Oct 31, 2004 11:26:11 GMT -5
Post by tom on Oct 31, 2004 11:26:11 GMT -5
Hi Maz, A good way to separate the pellets from the rocks is to first drain off the water through a colender. Take the colender full of rocks and pellets and submerge the whole thing in a bucket, (or other deep container), of water.The pellets will float to the top and can be scooped out using a plastic soup strainer. These are the ones I use.I cut off the "ears" on the side so I can scoop to the edge of the bucket easier. Hope this helps a little,,,,,,,,, Tom
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