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Post by paulshiroma on Nov 6, 2016 22:47:38 GMT -5
I must defer to the guy who can get it to work for him. I know I didn't have luck. The good news is that I am pleased with the results I get from 46/70 and kitty litter. That tip has made my slurries better. We all settle on what works with what we've got available. There has been a movement to 46/70. And 30. I got really frustrated when the grit would not break and the rocks were not shaping. The coral's coating made a super slick velvety slurry in the beginning. It opened my eyes. I did research and it took me a long time to find out what a 'slurry thickener' was or that it even existed. I did have experience drilling wells and knew the process well. They called it drilling fluid thickeners and used bentonite clay. The concept is not necessarily accepted. Not many tumbling instructions say a word about thickeners. Cat litter may be a fine one, may not. I would guess there is a lot of different kitty litters. Kaolin is the leading thickening agent for inks, paints, make-up, mining slurries. And Georgia just happens to be world leader in kaolin mining and processing. I used to take dates in high school and college for mud bathes in the blinding white kaolin mines. Never knew I would be tumbling rocks in it. Kaolin mines are insane moonscapes. Freaky place. Interesting, jamesp. I never considered trying out a thickener. I've been using the 46/70 (I keep wanting to type ".45-70" but that's a whole different conversation) for a while as I too was disappointed by how slowly the 60/90 worked. Haven't tried 30 but given the results I'm seeing, I may give it a try. Thanks for the extra intel. Paul
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Post by paulshiroma on Nov 6, 2016 22:49:18 GMT -5
How long were they running at 30? Paul Thanks Paul. From my notes, they started on Sept 27 Sept 27 start Oct 1 add grit Oct 3 add grit Oct 7 pulled big Rio added grit + added Stone Canyon Oct 14 add grit Texas trip happened - load ran 15 days, way too long, without new grit Oct 29 add grit + 2 Zapata Rio agates Nov 5 add grit No clean outs yet, just checking on progress and adding grit. Still have a thin slurry after adding all that grit! Always 30 grit and either a cup or 1 1/2 cup each time. Will switch to finer 60/90 grit sometime this week. And (hopefully) rapidly progress through the grits to polish. Thanks for the recipe, captbob! I'm always on the lookout to try something new. It tend to let my barrels go too long as I usually only have time on weekends to get around to changing things.
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Nov 7, 2016 2:48:57 GMT -5
Only one or two "kitty litter" mfg in the world. All the rest are very tΓ³cate label. The biggest, I am told by an employee, is in Victorville, CA. He is a customer and described dozens of train loads daily, in and out. All kaolin. Not the definitive word. But good info nonetheless. Worked for me a few weeks earlier this year. Soon will be playing again. For many years they mined Florida gumbo clay for kitty litter. Many pits all over the Hawthorn formation in central Florida, namely Marion County. Hunted many a shark's tooth in abandoned pits. Kitty litter pits are popular Florida fossil hunting spots. Ah, found a company where my Florida camp is located. 97% calcium carbonate: www.constructionequipmentguide.com/MFM-Scoops-Up-Profit-With-Successful-Cat-Litter-Biz/15721/"The MFM Group of Companies (the company was originally named Mid Florida Mining) in Marion County, Fla., consists of MFM Limestone LLC and MFM Industries Inc. and was founded in 1964. At the beginning, the company produced absorbent clay products for agriculture and many other uses, including cat litter. In the mid-70s, the focus changed completely to cat litter." βToday, 85 percent of our business on the cat litter side is private label, for stores such as Publix, Winn Dixie, Dollar General,β Elliott Mallard, president of MFM noted. βWe mine and produce the actual cat litter clay. Weβre predominantly in the eastern United States, but we do have some national accounts that we ship to. The cat litter business has been a good foundation for the MFM Group.β Colloidal clay based cat litter will be your best bet. I don't think Florida calcium carbonate is necessarily colloidal. Where kaolin is. Kaolin probably the best particle suspension agent known. Suspend them grits !!
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Nov 7, 2016 3:10:53 GMT -5
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Post by MrMike on Nov 7, 2016 6:06:49 GMT -5
Although I'm still relatively new at it I've found that shale makes a good slurry. Breaks down to a fine even suspension. Had better luck with it than with red clay.
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Post by Garage Rocker on Nov 7, 2016 7:52:09 GMT -5
This is still a link to the box of litter. Got that article?
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Post by Garage Rocker on Nov 7, 2016 7:54:32 GMT -5
Although I'm still relatively new at it I've found that shale makes a good slurry. Breaks down to a fine even suspension. Had better luck with it than with red clay. I've got access to plenty of that. Next time I go pick up geodes I'll grab some to try.
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Post by MrMike on Nov 7, 2016 7:55:29 GMT -5
Although I'm still relatively new at it I've found that shale makes a good slurry. Breaks down to a fine even suspension. Had better luck with it than with red clay. I've got access to plenty of that. Next time I go pick up geodes I'll grab some to try. Yeah lots around here too
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Nov 7, 2016 8:36:05 GMT -5
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Nov 7, 2016 8:38:08 GMT -5
Although I'm still relatively new at it I've found that shale makes a good slurry. Breaks down to a fine even suspension. Had better luck with it than with red clay. Excellent idea Mike. What is shale ? Need to look it up. Dang, a potential source of kaolin according to Wiki. Great find Mike. Kaolin = colloidal "Clays are the major constituent of shales and other mudrocks. The clay minerals represented are largely kaolinite, montmorillonite and illite." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shale
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Post by Deleted on Nov 7, 2016 10:09:12 GMT -5
Perfect slurry is the key?! Great news!!! This article offers zero advice on what that is or how to get it!!
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Post by MrMike on Nov 7, 2016 10:21:30 GMT -5
Thanks jamesp, I premix slurry to the right consistency then add it to the rocks. For me the slurry was hit or miss adding water then the dry shale to the rocks.
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Post by Garage Rocker on Nov 7, 2016 10:23:50 GMT -5
Source for shale:
Also good for:
And:
Could be worth another trip over there. Thanks for the heads up MrMike.
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Post by captbob on Nov 7, 2016 10:39:19 GMT -5
Perfect slurry is the key?! Great news!!! This article offers zero advice on what that is or how to get it!! I only skimmed the article, but I thought it said that thin pancake batter for rotary tumblers and thick batter for vibes. Thing is, that's one person's opinion in a world of many. I think it's a matter of trial and error to find what works best for you. My opinion would also include what grit is being used as to how thick I want my slurry. As well as what rocks are being tumbled - some I want more cushioning. Experimenting is part of the fun here. jamesp must be having more fun than anyone in the rock tumbling world with all the experimenting he does! Some things work, some not so much. All about learning, and what did a mistake cost - a few days time? No biggie. Clay, sugar, cat litter, rice husks, various filler media (ceramics, plastic pellets, tile spacers ...), add smalls, big rocks only .... the list goes on and keeps growing. At times I find this all fascinating, at other times amusing. I enjoy being both fascinated and amused - hope the mad scientist experimentation never ends!
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Post by Deleted on Nov 7, 2016 10:47:27 GMT -5
captbob100% agree experimenting a huge part of the fun, and Jim is #1!!
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Nov 7, 2016 10:55:38 GMT -5
Unfortunately I settled on a darn clay that not many have access to. I wish it was a store bought item so that others could give it a go.
Not only are you guys amused I am amused, perhaps treatment is required. Others experiment and effect is the same. Cutting rocks on a saw is a bit cut and dry, tumbling another animal.
Tumbling in it's own right is pretty funky. A challenge too. Like being a kid again.
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Nov 7, 2016 12:05:53 GMT -5
Perfect slurry is the key?! Great news!!! This article offers zero advice on what that is or how to get it!! It is nebulous other than mentioning (I think it is insinuating or maintaining) a thicker than water slurry.
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Nov 7, 2016 12:07:00 GMT -5
At least a two week supply...
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Post by MrMike on Nov 7, 2016 18:31:51 GMT -5
At least a two week supply... You would probably need twice this amount to run all the Rios. Heres a simple test you can do to try and get your slurries consistent, it's called an efflux viscosity: Take a plastic funnel, put a screw through the plastic a couple of inches below the rim. Put another screw just above the start of the stem. The points of the screws are on the interior of the funnel. Place funnel in a holder and stopper the stem. Add slurry until it's above the upper screw tip. Looking down through the funnel pull the stopper. Start a stopwatch when you see the tip of the upper screw then stop timing when you see the bottom screw. Garage Rocker, have you checked out that railroad ballast? Just don't take too much from under the tracks....
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Post by Deleted on Nov 7, 2016 19:49:31 GMT -5
MrMikeWell done on the qualitative viscosity test easily done at home. Well done. Note to self, pay attention to Mike's methods and procedures.... ππ
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