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Post by broseph82 on Oct 7, 2015 9:09:04 GMT -5
10-7-15 Wed Going forward with half a barrel of "ready rocks" to put into the 500g. Ceramic filler with them. When cleaning my barrel out I found this sweet little piece: Currently in a borax wash. After borax wash: Added 1Tbs borax, 1tsp 500g, 1/2tsp polish
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Intheswamp
Cave Dweller
Member since September 2015
Posts: 1,910
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Post by Intheswamp on Oct 7, 2015 9:22:12 GMT -5
That's some brilliant colors, Jimi. Was that only just revealed in the last stage or did you have an idea it was coming up?
That's really nice!
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Post by broseph82 on Oct 7, 2015 11:11:19 GMT -5
That's some brilliant colors, Jimi. Was that only just revealed in the last stage or did you have an idea it was coming up? That's really nice! That's not petrified wood. It's a price of labradorite. Ha ha. It's softer and no harm came to it (yet) being in with something harder. The final stage hasn't happened yet. Just 500grit.
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Post by broseph82 on Oct 9, 2015 8:49:28 GMT -5
10-8-15 Friday: 2 days in the 500grit and this is what one of them looks like DRY. The batch is currently in a burnish. Debating on whether or not to throw them in a full polish. Here is a video of a piece: http://instagram.com/p/8nsdI0iYXr I added some more pet wood, 2 Tbs gemmy garnets, some Missisippi agate (banded pieces so I can tell the difference) and 2Tbs of 120/220 and 1Tbsp borax.
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Intheswamp
Cave Dweller
Member since September 2015
Posts: 1,910
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Post by Intheswamp on Oct 9, 2015 9:28:16 GMT -5
What are you burnishing them with? Normally, the burnish comes after the polish stage, doesn't it? It's looking nice, Jimi...but I know you wanta send it on through the polish,...don't you? ETA... I thought they were finished a while back as they were looking mighty good even then!!!!
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Post by broseph82 on Oct 9, 2015 9:33:39 GMT -5
What are you burnishing them with? Normally, the burnish comes after the polish stage, doesn't it? It's looking nice, Jimi...but I know you wanta send it on through the polish,...don't you? Check out the video I just posted above you. I don't think I need to proceed any further. If you look I added 1/2tsp of polish when I did the 500grit. I think it did a great job as-is. Seems like when you do too much something backfires and you have to go back a step or two. I think I'll call these good. And no a burnish isn't always after a polish. A burnish consists of more water and borax or dish soap to get all the grit off the rocks and out of the barrel. If you want them super clean after each stage then that is how you do it. No contamination that way
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Intheswamp
Cave Dweller
Member since September 2015
Posts: 1,910
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Post by Intheswamp on Oct 9, 2015 9:57:18 GMT -5
Ok, I understood about a wash between stages, just wasn't sure about burnishing but it appears to be about the same thing.
I'll go back and look at the video...might have to wait till I get to the shop as my lowly DSL here is sloooowwwwww.
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Post by broseph82 on Oct 13, 2015 10:18:43 GMT -5
I'm going to spare the specifics from here on unless I do something totally different (just because I'm cleaning out every 2 days and don't want it to be too repetitive). I believe my shine came out rather nice and best to stick to simple and not over think anything (like I tend to do). So here's the pet wood and agates dumped from the vibe: as you can see there are tiny little garnets all over Spread out a little Close up of the agates/jasper That long yellow one on the right sure is grinding down nicely. It's shown in every other photos and those holes and pits have shrunk tremendously The possible gold streak culprit Garnets and little chips of wood and moonstone And the pieces I pulled out to go into the 500g. The white reflective pieces are the moonstone pieces flashing. They will sit in a small bowl of water and dawn until I get enough to fill the bowl for 500g. Added more pet wood and agates.
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Intheswamp
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Member since September 2015
Posts: 1,910
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Post by Intheswamp on Oct 15, 2015 11:24:59 GMT -5
Those are looking nice, Jimi.
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,159
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Post by jamesp on Oct 15, 2015 17:28:18 GMT -5
Lookin good Jimi
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Post by broseph82 on Oct 16, 2015 21:41:32 GMT -5
That lil pyrite/mica piece really did a number in 2 days. Most rocks now have gold scribbles on them. Even ones that didn't before. Last couple days really did a number on em. Way worse and way more in person than shown.
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Intheswamp
Cave Dweller
Member since September 2015
Posts: 1,910
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Post by Intheswamp on Oct 17, 2015 9:15:18 GMT -5
Wow, that is a lot of marks. Are you going to try and remove the scratches? What tumble stage would you go back to to remove marks like these? I think the prospectors overdid the waypoint marking... So, it appears I need to beware of rocks with "metallic glitter" (pyrite) and remove them from the load when I see them? Thanks for posting these images, the progression from rough to polish (and even the problem of the pyrite) are very helpful for this newbie!
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Post by broseph82 on Oct 17, 2015 19:28:36 GMT -5
Wow, that is a lot of marks. Are you going to try and remove the scratches? What tumble stage would you go back to to remove marks like these? I think the prospectors overdid the waypoint marking... So, it appears I need to beware of rocks with "metallic glitter" (pyrite) and remove them from the load when I see them? Thanks for posting these images, the progression from rough to polish (and even the problem of the pyrite) are very helpful for this newbie! Make sure to wash them first and then see. All the sand in these parts glitter on the rocks. I'll keep them in the 120/220. Not too worried about it. Just won't make the mistake again. I'm not selling these so it's not that big of a deal. They stones will still look nice when finished.
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Post by broseph82 on Oct 20, 2015 13:29:35 GMT -5
Tonight was going to be the official time to take out this batch and check, but I decided to go ahead and rinse and recharge. Well, there was one particular rock that hadn't been in the previous batches and it came out with golden streaks on it. I still have a rock that's doing it. None of them look as if they have pyrite on/in them. It's weird. And I don't think the moonstone could be the culprit. Dunno on this one. I took only a handful out this time to get ready for the next stage. I did however add some larger almandine garnets to the mix to see how they came out. Here's what they liked like: The one on the bottom is probably the size of a quarter Update on the larger blue/gray rock above: none of those golden scratches were present when I rinsed them all out.
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Post by broseph82 on Oct 23, 2015 8:49:46 GMT -5
Most of these rocks are rounded nicely. Some have minor vugs or crack lines that need attention. So I thought I'd add a bunch of small tumbler pieces from the rockshed. Boy did this screw things up. Made the rocks not want to move around. Yes, I added too many. Have taken most of em out, do a partial clean out, and added some more 120/220. DOH! Gotta learn somehow.
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