lanny
off to a rocking start
Member since September 2014
Posts: 4
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Post by lanny on Sept 15, 2014 14:59:02 GMT -5
This question may have been asked and answered before but the board here is vast.
Can I start off with a course grit and leave it to break down and become finer and finer grit, skipping the clean out and changing of grit coarseness?
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Post by Jugglerguy on Sept 15, 2014 15:34:21 GMT -5
You should be able to do that, but only after you have finished the rough stage. I run my rocks in 60/90 grit for months before they're ready for the next stage. I only take out rocks that are flawless. Silicon carbide grit will break down to smaller and smaller grit over time, so in theory, you should be able to just let it run. One of these days I'm going to try it, but I haven't yet. Look at Krystee's obsidian tutorial pictures to see how the rocks progress in the 500 stage. It does a good job of showing how the grit gets finer and finer and as that happens, the rocks get more and more shiny.
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Post by mohs on Sept 15, 2014 15:42:57 GMT -5
I agree in theory that the courser grain should break down and accomplish eventually what adding finer grains to the mix does
The one problem though is that course grains reach a critical mass and the sharp facets/points round over. Then it like tumbling in hard marbles not effecting much change in the rocks.
Perhaps this is why new finer grains need to added to smooth the stones further?
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lanny
off to a rocking start
Member since September 2014
Posts: 4
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Post by lanny on Sept 15, 2014 15:56:06 GMT -5
You guys are great!
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Post by therockviking779 on Sept 15, 2014 15:57:40 GMT -5
Now this is probably a stupid question but oh well ,I am not the most technologically advanced person on the planet. i am trying to create a thread and post some pics but it says all my pics are to many MB's. how can i down size pics, everybody's pics look no different from mine.
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lanny
off to a rocking start
Member since September 2014
Posts: 4
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Post by lanny on Sept 15, 2014 16:05:35 GMT -5
I think you might have better luck posting this in a new thread or I think that there is a section for "board problems"
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Sept 15, 2014 16:10:45 GMT -5
While what your talking about may be possible in theory I would recommend as newbie you stick to the well proven route so that you get good results sooner. After many batches when you start to get the results your looking for then you can start to experiment and gauge the changes. Trying to cheat the system by doing less work or spending less money rarely ends up with the same results and rock tumbling is certainly no exception. This is one hobby where you will get out of it exactly what you put into it. That's just my .02 cents but I want you to succeed sooner so you get hooked like the rest of us Chuck
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Post by Jugglerguy on Sept 15, 2014 16:13:02 GMT -5
Silicon carbide grit is supposed to break into smaller, but still sharp pieces as it breaks down. I think I've read that this happens every 12-24 hours in a vibratory tumbler, so after 12 hours ( or possibly 24 hours), 220 grit should become 440 grit. Silicon carbide should still be sharp because it breaks into smaller grit at sharp angles.
Aluminum oxide grit, on the other hand, rounds off as it wears down.
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Post by Jugglerguy on Sept 15, 2014 16:14:37 GMT -5
I agree with Chuck that it's probably better to use proven methods first, but I've always wanted to try it out,
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Post by mohs on Sept 15, 2014 17:37:35 GMT -5
Silicon carbide grit is supposed to break into smaller, but still sharp pieces as it breaks down. I think I've read that this happens every 12-24 hours in a vibratory tumbler, so after 12 hours ( or possibly 24 hours), 220 grit should become 440 grit. Silicon carbide should still be sharp because it breaks into smaller grit at sharp angles. Aluminum oxide grit, on the other hand, rounds off as it wears down. Thanks That's really interesting so then the question does get raise why doesn't course grain 60 grit tumbling eventually smooth & polish stone like 1000 grit?
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Post by mohs on Sept 15, 2014 17:50:00 GMT -5
Experiment time need to get some 60 grit slurry that tumbled for many months and get those diamonds under a microscope magnification !
see what condition those facets are in
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,155
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Post by jamesp on Sept 15, 2014 18:24:53 GMT -5
Silicon carbide grit is supposed to break into smaller, but still sharp pieces as it breaks down. I think I've read that this happens every 12-24 hours in a vibratory tumbler, so after 12 hours ( or possibly 24 hours), 220 grit should become 440 grit. Silicon carbide should still be sharp because it breaks into smaller grit at sharp angles. Aluminum oxide grit, on the other hand, rounds off as it wears down. Thanks That's really interesting so then the question does get raise why doesn't course grain 60 grit tumbling eventually smooth & polish stone like 1000 grit? I think starting grit for any grade is some what round. The more it breaks down it gets sub standard in that it is flat or poorly shaped. The crushing process when manufactured some how makes fairly round starts. And sifting helps with weeding bad shapes. That's how the Washington Mills salesman explained it to me.
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Post by pauls on Sept 15, 2014 18:36:32 GMT -5
Yes it will do it, I know someone that only uses 46 grit, they tumble for months and months and at the end their tumbled rocks are as good as anyone could get. I have tried it and it does work but I am happier to put in fresh grits at each stage and clean and check and sort the rocks. Tumbling for months and not picking out the failures early on is just a waste of time in my opinion.
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Sept 15, 2014 18:43:54 GMT -5
Yes it will do it, I know someone that only uses 46 grit, they tumble for months and months and at the end their tumbled rocks are as good as anyone could get. I have tried it and it does work but I am happier to put in fresh grits at each stage and clean and check and sort the rocks. Tumbling for months and not picking out the failures early on is just a waste of time in my opinion. I would challenge your first sentence but I fully agree with your second sentence Chuck
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,341
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Post by quartz on Sept 15, 2014 22:40:40 GMT -5
I'm thinking the notion of running a grit "forever" till it essentially polishes the rocks might work on initially fairly round-smooth rocks, but won't on rough stuff, because the grit breaks down to a finer than grinding ability long before the rocks are smoothed up. Then also, the consideration of power consumption vs. quicker finishing and a shorter overall run time by using regular grit changes. The bigger the tumbler drive motor, the greater the power use.
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tkvancil
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2011
Posts: 1,546
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Post by tkvancil on Sept 16, 2014 10:09:42 GMT -5
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