traviscenters
off to a rocking start
Member since November 2016
Posts: 1
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Post by traviscenters on Nov 11, 2016 13:13:35 GMT -5
Hi Rock Tumbling Community,
I have looked around the forum and you guys / gals have some really cool stuff going on! Some amazing pieces of art.
My small business had used a sand blasting pot and fine 120 grit silicone carbide to media blast Borosilicate glass. I got disabled and can't bend over the Blast Box anymore. I am looking for a way to frost/scratch up the surface of the Pyrex / Borosilicate pieces of glass by using a rock tumbler.
We got a cheap Rotary "Harbor Freight" to test it out before we commit to a better more expencive machine. The fine media is doing a little frosting after a full 24 hours in the 120 grit. I also tried 80 grit aluminum oxide and it done a little better. I want to try the 16 grit Silicone Carbide to see if we can get some good abrasion.
Does anyone recommend anything else to accomplish this task?
I have a few questions also if anyone can answer them. Would you use a Vibe machine instead and also what medias/grits would you use?
Again, we are not wanting to polish them. We want the exact opposite.
Thanks, Travis
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Post by rockjunquie on Nov 11, 2016 14:24:49 GMT -5
Hi there and welcome!
Before I got into lapidary, I was a boro lampworker. I used to use a paste to frost, but if you want to tumble it is probably better if you post this in the tumbling section. You'll have more responses, I'm sure.
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Post by vegasjames on Nov 11, 2016 19:15:00 GMT -5
It should depend in part on how you want the surface. If you want a rougher surface on the glass then a coarser grit would be used. A finer grit would create a finer frosted surface.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on Nov 12, 2016 13:09:49 GMT -5
Easy to frost glass in a tumbler. Try some trash glass first. Similar to the target shape of your borosilicate. 80 grit silicon carbide is much more aggressive than Alum ox 80. Common too, 16 seems like to much.
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