Post by jamesp on Nov 6, 2014 1:40:53 GMT -5
Nov 6, 2014 0:29:33 GMT -5 @shotgunner said:
Field marker is marble calcium carbonate. The main west coast mine is 40 miles from here.Scott, there was 3 bags at the feed store. Field marker, lime and garden lime. I flipped a coin as to which one to use. After using the lime it was apparent that it was high ph.
Been researching, calcium carbonate is the next purchase, looks like field marker is the game. Not sure the composition of the soft coral coating, obviously heavy in calcium.
That coating has no ph issues. I figure a mild calcium compound will get the job done. i believe white marble is calcium carbonate. I stopped at a abandoned concrete factory
and got a bucket of smaller than pea sized dolomite from the old stock piles. I noticed some of the pieces would scratch glass, it would not be what i want to use for obsidian
or fluorite for that reason, but perfect for adding to agate in the tumbler for coarse grind and 220. Most limes mined around here are guaranteed less than 2% quartz, most of
the lime in the coastal plain is devoid of quartz, some has perfect abrasive diatoms in it. I believe the diatomic is or was used sold under the generic name tripoli. Anyway, the
lime has been running(w/no abrasive added) for 7 days on some polished obsidian and it has not removed the polish. It is a simple test, a damp rag peppered with any crushed calcium
compound and rubbed on glass should indicate presence of quartz if it scratches the glass. the coating on the coral does have silicate particles, it does scratch glass.
I could get the lime so thick that the obsidian almost floated on it. Also so thick that it was a blob that slid in the tumbler barrel, barrel rotating, blob not tumbling, very smooth
PVC barrel afterward. Will be glad to use the lime on the garden and get some quartz free calcium carbonate, stopping by feed store tomorrow to get some field marker to tinker with.
Great heads up on the field marker. Thanks