|
Post by greig on Oct 25, 2016 9:56:36 GMT -5
I have some larger rocks containing silver ore that I would like to polish the outside. I have one running right now in my 12 lb rotary tumbler, 2/3 filled with walnut shell. It is just an experiment and has only being going for 3 hours so far. I checked it a couple of times and seems to be working, but not very fast. Anybody else tried something like this? I was wondering if I should add a few smaller rocks to get a rubbing action or even some water to make it a bit sticky? Looking for all and any ideas.
|
|
salpal48
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2015
Posts: 136
|
Post by salpal48 on Oct 25, 2016 19:11:44 GMT -5
From What You said , It's working and it is only 3 Hours. . . My suggestion. , Leave and Check in another 3 Hours... If its not Broke don't Fix it Sal
|
|
|
Post by Jugglerguy on Oct 25, 2016 21:04:38 GMT -5
I tumble soft Petoskey stones in dry corn cob media in a Lot-O tumbler. The idea is to get them to float around in the media without touching each other. I run my Petoskeys for two days in 500 AO and two days in AO polish.
I don't think you should add water. I'm not sure why you think they should be much different after three hours, but I would expect it to take a lot longer, especially in a rotary tumbler. I have no experience dry tumbling in a rotary tumbler, so you should probably seek additional input.
|
|
SirRoxalot
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since October 2003
Posts: 790
|
Post by SirRoxalot on Oct 28, 2016 17:45:29 GMT -5
What exactly is your silver ore? Veinlets of native silver in calcite? Sulfides?
The sulfides from Cobalt Ontario are hard and take a superb polish in slabs or cabs; native silver veinlets in white calcite or black matrix also polish nicely.
Tumbling is possible, but doesn't always yield a good result due to the mixed hardnesses.
You should figure out what you have, and if you must tumble it, start with coarse grit and lots of small rocks to grind your stuff down, follow the usual tumbling steps.
Better to slab or grind it on a cabbing machine or flat lap.
|
|
|
Post by greig on Oct 28, 2016 19:47:45 GMT -5
What exactly is your silver ore? Veinlets of native silver in calcite? Sulfides? The sulfides from Cobalt Ontario are hard and take a superb polish in slabs or cabs; native silver veinlets in white calcite or black matrix also polish nicely. Tumbling is possible, but doesn't always yield a good result due to the mixed hardnesses. You should figure out what you have, and if you must tumble it, start with coarse grit and lots of small rocks to grind your stuff down, follow the usual tumbling steps. Better to slab or grind it on a cabbing machine or flat lap. Thanks for the advise. I have plenty of everything you describe above.
I have had success tumbling with small silver or nickel rocks in rotary and vibrating tumblers. In this case, I was hoping for an effective way to expose some silver on the outside of a much larger rock, to better understand what might be inside, without having to cut into the stone. I stopped my experiment dry tumbling the big rock. It kind of worked, but not with the speed and results that I was hoping for. Next, I think I might try sand blasting with walnut shell to see if that is better.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 28, 2016 22:05:30 GMT -5
My gut says walnut shell blast will be a good rough cut. Make surface prime for prepolish and polish...
But have nothing but instinct to back it...
ππ
|
|