highplainsdrifter
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since December 2008
Posts: 1,266
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Post by highplainsdrifter on Feb 28, 2009 20:18:38 GMT -5
I regularly use Opticon to seal fractures in slabs and cabs. I wanted to post a quick thread to show the results. I guess I should have used the same color background, but oh well... Blue Mountain Pre-opticon Blue Mountain Post-opticon Opal Butte Pre-Opticon Opal Butte Post-Opticon
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Post by johnjsgems on Feb 28, 2009 20:58:46 GMT -5
Thanks for sharing. A lot of people have switched to cyanoacrylate glues for fracture sealing but Opticon was the standard for years. When my customers ask I tell them the people that follow directions love the stuff and the ones that don't say it doesn't work. It certainly looks like it works for you. Could possibly tell how you use it exactly (cleaning stone, heating, curing, etc.)?
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highplainsdrifter
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since December 2008
Posts: 1,266
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Post by highplainsdrifter on Feb 28, 2009 22:09:24 GMT -5
Thanks for sharing. A lot of people have switched to cyanoacrylate glues for fracture sealing but Opticon was the standard for years. When my customers ask I tell them the people that follow directions love the stuff and the ones that don't say it doesn't work. It certainly looks like it works for you. Could possibly tell how you use it exactly (cleaning stone, heating, curing, etc.)? The technique I use depends a bit on the size of the piece. 1. Scrub with hot water and soap. 2. Clean with acetone. 3. Place in mason jar with resin and close. I put the jar on a coffee cup warmer and put on high setting. Leave like this overnight. For larger pieces I use an old toaster oven. 4. Remove and wipe off excess resin. 5. Mix some of the hot/heated resin with hardener (8:1 ratio). Put rest of unused resin back in container. 6. Coat only area of specimen you want to seal with this. 7. Let sit for one hour. 8. Wipe entire specimen clean. 9. Let sit ten minutes. 10. Clean specimen lightly with acetone and let sit over night. 11. Clean again with acetone to remove all unreacted resin. 4.
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Post by johnjsgems on Mar 1, 2009 10:48:50 GMT -5
Thanks for taking the time to give details.
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Mudshark
fully equipped rock polisher
Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock. Will Rogers
Member since December 2008
Posts: 1,083
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Post by Mudshark on Mar 1, 2009 14:42:17 GMT -5
Thanks for posting this and those slabs are awesome. Mike
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