lizmom
off to a rocking start
Member since May 2012
Posts: 17
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Post by lizmom on May 23, 2012 16:37:05 GMT -5
I use a vibratory to polish mostly ohio flint, plus some quartz/jasper/agate and some obsidian. My two grit kits are missing 500 grit, which I am ordering. I don't know the pros and cons of the two main types: silicon carbide and alum oxide.
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Post by johnjsgems on May 23, 2012 16:39:01 GMT -5
I don't think it matters in the 500 and finer stages but I've never used the aluminum.
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Post by Bikerrandy on May 23, 2012 18:54:07 GMT -5
I use 500 grit aluminum oxide in my UV-10, but I don't think that it matters either.
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on May 23, 2012 19:35:34 GMT -5
last time I ordered 5 lbs of 500 from the rock shed for my rotary tumbler Shawn told me to get the aluminum oxide. I guess maybe give him a call since he sells both he should know the difference and which suites which jobs better.
When I asked the difference at our rock club I was told that silicon carbide is harder then alum. oxide but that also makes it brittle and that it breaks down faster because of that.
Chuck
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Post by tntmom on May 23, 2012 19:48:29 GMT -5
I don't know much about the difference between 500 sic versus ao with harder stones.... I ALWAYS USE 500 AO in my vibe for obsidian though. Never had a problem with AO doing softer stones...
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charles kuchar
spending too much on rocks
getting ready for the second coming
Member since November 2010
Posts: 300
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Post by charles kuchar on May 23, 2012 20:28:38 GMT -5
i use both in my vibe. i have had good results using 1/2 tsp of ao500 and 1/2 tsp of sic500 in the same batch. let the lot-o run for two days and if you are busy with something else, let it run for another day or two. i do had soap in the batch also. that helps. charlie
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Post by NatureNut on May 23, 2012 22:49:58 GMT -5
I use 500 grit SIC in mine. I think it would only matter for use with specific stones that are tricky, like obsidian. There was a chart floating around on here somewhere that tells what stones respond to which polish. The other reason people use alternate polishes is cost. I think John at JS Gems as well as some other respected members here could give a more thorough answer than I can. I found this chart made by Covington. www.covington-engineering.com/Acrobat_Files/Buff%20and%20Polish%20Chart.pdfIt's not the one I was thinking of, and it is for hand cabbing, but the information is still pretty interesting. Hope this helps. Jo
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