jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,182
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Post by jamesp on Oct 3, 2014 12:17:20 GMT -5
The gift is well received and will get utmost attention by mad hacker lapidarian. I hope they turn out nice. I figure they are old stock. Glad you caught the 'many many' to set it straight. Figured that may happen. There is all kind of weird sheens radiating forth from those. a few brecciate obsidians, what's w/that ? It is fun playing w/this fast tumbling material. Man they make the gas during the coarse grind. The glass filler helps w/that. Pretty much burb them every day. I add untumbled glass during the coarse grind since it reduces fast and gives me a rounded filler for finish stages. Actually removing the round stuff and stock piling, and adding sharp glass mid coarse grind.
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Post by rockpickerforever on Oct 3, 2014 12:46:41 GMT -5
Yes, I agree with old stock assessment. But someone other than me has been hoarding them all these years, lol! I can't think of a better person to manipulate them...
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,182
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Post by jamesp on Oct 3, 2014 13:25:14 GMT -5
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,182
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Post by jamesp on Oct 4, 2014 4:47:52 GMT -5
In using the diamond cup on agate from the Rio Grande yesterday for about the first time I found they grind completely different from glassy coral and obsidian. They grind fast and do not chip so much allowing a facet type cut. Which should allow a coarser diamond grit. Instead of the common coarse 30/40 mix, go to 24,20 or even 16 may not damage these type agates. Which would greatly speed up material removal. Cut a wide variety of mosses, plumes, fortification agates yesterday on the flat face of the diamond cup with low pressure. The agate from volcanic bubble fills have totally different texture. Now looking at a cover guard that sits 1/8" above the face of the diamond cup of butcher block 1/2" nylon plate with an access hole cut in it about 2-3 inches in diameter. So the only section exposed to the rotating diamonds is a hole. Perhaps several holes of different sizes for different sized rocks. For safety and hand rest. Guard a work in progress. Note lack of chipping on the back side of the 'facets' Cut from the below pictured pebbles that had some serious surface defects. The remaining faceted stones have about zero defects. Defects that could not have been removed by tumbling for months. The round agate cobbles and pebbles were common in the Rio area, as in many river deposits. They all had a fractured and bleached coating that was easy to remove w/the cup. These pebble agates seem to be the hardest, as mother nature seemed to have removed all the soft material from them during the wear process to make pebbles of them. Started a couple dozen or so in the tumbler yesterday. Jasper, wood, moss, fortification. Coral too. Most of them 1.5- 2.5 inches across. some w/ facets, some w/facets rounded of. ETA about 20 days with three 30/60 grit changes to finish coarse grind. Squirrel cage fan completely displaces dust by blowing. Could also purge by putting the suction side at the dust exhaust. And ducted to the outside on to the lawn. Squirrel cage blower w/motor isolated from dust flow, good for strong suction and handling dirty air, mine is 1/4 HP: And this for a point source dust removal, but not duct able for suction @ $60 on Amazon:
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,182
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Post by jamesp on Oct 4, 2014 10:09:25 GMT -5
Put a swing away guard that made operation very much safer. Gives control and lets you use the hole in the guard as a rock rest as rotated. Hole at diamonds still needs some enlarging. Various removable guards/rests can be fitted. Pirated wife's butcher block. Do tell. Guard simply pins in place with lower left hand screw. 30 seconds worth of grinding on some weird sun bleached pebble. Splatter on wall is from wetting rocks for color exposure. avoid water and avoid splatter.
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Post by captbob on Oct 4, 2014 10:55:12 GMT -5
Where are you sitting when using this? The blue thing is a fan/blower? When facing the grinder and wall behind it, the debris goes to the right? thanks-
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Post by MrP on Oct 4, 2014 11:58:44 GMT -5
OK last time I checked there were 24 hours in the day. Where are you getting the extra hours? Love watching all the things you do. Great job on the grinder..........MrP
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,182
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Post by jamesp on Oct 4, 2014 16:21:28 GMT -5
Where are you sitting when using this? The blue thing is a fan/blower? When facing the grinder and wall behind it, the debris goes to the right? thanks- Yep, just like that captbob, when using the front of the wheel closest to you, put the rock on the far right side of wheel it goes away from you. So it depends what part of the wheel you use as to what direction the dust goes. It spins counter-clockwise. Sitting on the board, a 2" X 10", so your left knee is pointing at the blue fan.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,182
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Post by jamesp on Oct 4, 2014 16:24:42 GMT -5
OK last time I checked there were 24 hours in the day. Where are you getting the extra hours? Love watching all the things you do. Great job on the grinder..........MrP Thanks MrP. I really like tumbling. This grinder helps shape stuff. Hope this thing is about done and get back to the rocks.
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Post by rockpickerforever on Oct 4, 2014 18:26:17 GMT -5
Where are you sitting when using this? The blue thing is a fan/blower? When facing the grinder and wall behind it, the debris goes to the right? thanks- I done told ya he wuz riding it!
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,182
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Post by jamesp on Oct 4, 2014 18:29:56 GMT -5
Get him Jean
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Post by rockpickerforever on Oct 4, 2014 18:35:46 GMT -5
Geez, some people just don't listen! Just kidding, Bob. (James made me do it!)
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,182
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Post by jamesp on Oct 4, 2014 18:42:49 GMT -5
James in enough trouble. I put a spell on you.
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Post by rockpickerforever on Oct 4, 2014 18:53:32 GMT -5
I was mesmerized...
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,182
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Post by jamesp on Oct 4, 2014 20:56:19 GMT -5
Margariticized ??!!
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Post by rockpickerforever on Oct 5, 2014 6:23:55 GMT -5
Ah, you know me too well, James. Yes, that may have been it. Took a trip to Margaritaville, lol.
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Post by mohs on Oct 5, 2014 12:44:03 GMT -5
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,182
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Post by jamesp on Oct 5, 2014 13:17:28 GMT -5
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,182
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Post by jamesp on Oct 5, 2014 13:19:28 GMT -5
Ah, you know me too well, James. Yes, that may have been it. Took a trip to Margaritaville, lol.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,182
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Post by jamesp on Oct 5, 2014 16:29:11 GMT -5
Some rounded and faceted obsidian, thanks Dave1 and rockpicforever. Average 1.5 inches, chips less after surface ground. To feed tumbler. Grind time 45 minutes. One and two pound chunks of obsidian is easy to saw on cheap tile saw. Seems to have no effect as far as wear on diamond cup. Used fairly light pressure.
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