djaxon
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since February 2015
Posts: 159
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Post by djaxon on Nov 7, 2018 17:07:54 GMT -5
Going through old cuts, left overs, end pieces and found a piece of plume agate from several years ago. I would like to polish the flat surfaces to make a specimen but want to clean the 'crevice." Have read that CLR might work. Any tips, hints, or is it possible to clean this sort of area in a rock? Thanks so much |Don|
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Post by miket on Nov 7, 2018 17:35:03 GMT -5
Not sure if it would work on this, but I like to use Iron Out.
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djaxon
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since February 2015
Posts: 159
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Post by djaxon on Nov 7, 2018 17:46:15 GMT -5
Thank you Miket I'll try both.
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Post by miket on Nov 7, 2018 17:54:25 GMT -5
Thank you Miket I'll try both. You're welcome and good luck!
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Post by vegasjames on Nov 7, 2018 17:55:50 GMT -5
Depends on what is being cleaned out. If iron staining then there are various things that can be used such as oxalic acid and citric acid. I like muriatic acid (hydrochloric acid) for carbonates.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Nov 7, 2018 19:07:56 GMT -5
If it is dried-on cutting oil + rock dust, then you can soak in very warm soapy water (people around here seem to have preferred Dawn in the past) then attack with a toothbrush with some Comet or Ajax scouring powder. An old Water-Pik type jet (or a couple cycles in the dishwasher with the heated dry turned off) can get into particularly fine cracks where bristles won't reach.
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mossyrockhound
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2011
Posts: 1,278
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Post by mossyrockhound on Nov 7, 2018 19:51:36 GMT -5
I use a textile cleaning gun with warm water and a few drops of dishwashing soap in the container - works great, just don't let it hit your fingers! It's about 1600 psi if I recall correctly.
It doesn't work on iron stains though.
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djaxon
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since February 2015
Posts: 159
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Post by djaxon on Nov 8, 2018 19:14:17 GMT -5
I use a textile cleaning gun with warm water and a few drops of dishwashing soap in the container - works great, just don't let it hit your fingers! It's about 1600 psi if I recall correctly. It doesn't work on iron stains though. Thanks for this . I'm not familiar with a textile cleaning gun - is it a pressure washer? dj
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djaxon
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since February 2015
Posts: 159
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Post by djaxon on Nov 8, 2018 19:15:23 GMT -5
Depends on what is being cleaned out. If iron staining then there are various things that can be used such as oxalic acid and citric acid. I like muriatic acid (hydrochloric acid) for carbonates. Thank you. I'll try this! dj
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Post by greig on Nov 8, 2018 23:09:11 GMT -5
All good suggestions. My only advice is to be careful with acids as they may dissolve carbonite rock that you intend to keep. SIO is not a bad first choice after trying soap and water. If you have access to a textile gun, they are great. HCL (muriatic) can be intimidating and if you have time, white vinegar will work just as well but takes longer. If you decide to try HCL, use it outside and dilute it. Let us know what works (and doesn't work) for you.
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mossyrockhound
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2011
Posts: 1,278
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Post by mossyrockhound on Nov 9, 2018 1:14:59 GMT -5
I use a textile cleaning gun with warm water and a few drops of dishwashing soap in the container - works great, just don't let it hit your fingers! It's about 1600 psi if I recall correctly. It doesn't work on iron stains though. Thanks for this . I'm not familiar with a textile cleaning gun - is it a pressure washer? dj Yes it is a hand-held pressure washer. The spray is about the diameter of a pencil lead. If you can hit it, you will clean it. EBay has them for about $55. First saw one being used to clean polishing compound from spheres at Richardson's Rock Ranch.
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djaxon
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since February 2015
Posts: 159
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Post by djaxon on Nov 10, 2018 17:34:53 GMT -5
Thanks for this . I'm not familiar with a textile cleaning gun - is it a pressure washer? dj Yes it is a hand-held pressure washer. The spray is about the diameter of a pencil lead. If you can hit it, you will clean it. EBay has them for about $55. First saw one being used to clean polishing compound from spheres at Richardson's Rock Ranch. thanks much. I'll look on eBay. (sorry for the delay, router fried yesterday) . Is there a brand you recommend? dj
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mossyrockhound
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2011
Posts: 1,278
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Post by mossyrockhound on Nov 10, 2018 18:30:02 GMT -5
Yes it is a hand-held pressure washer. The spray is about the diameter of a pencil lead. If you can hit it, you will clean it. EBay has them for about $55. First saw one being used to clean polishing compound from spheres at Richardson's Rock Ranch. thanks much. I'll look on eBay. (sorry for the delay, router fried yesterday) . Is there a brand you recommend? dj I imagine they are all made by the same company. I've had mine over a decade and haven't even had to replace the spring. Mine was called a "Bab's spot cleaning gun". There's a bunch of them on Amazon at this website: www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=spot+cleaning+gun&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=1. Mine looks like the first one on the page.
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djaxon
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since February 2015
Posts: 159
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Post by djaxon on Nov 10, 2018 19:10:22 GMT -5
All good suggestions. My only advice is to be careful with acids as they may dissolve carbonite rock that you intend to keep. SIO is not a bad first choice after trying soap and water. If you have access to a textile gun, they are great. HCL (muriatic) can be intimidating and if you have time, white vinegar will work just as well but takes longer. If you decide to try HCL, use it outside and dilute it. Let us know what works (and doesn't work) for you. Thanks, I will try the white vinegar first and then muriatic acid. Also just ordered a textile spot cleaner. Great advice all.
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djaxon
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since February 2015
Posts: 159
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Post by djaxon on Nov 10, 2018 19:16:29 GMT -5
Thanks to all for advice on cleaning the stones. I have taken notes and ordered a textile spot cleaner. Will post results when I can. Thanks again.
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Post by greig on Nov 22, 2018 13:24:21 GMT -5
Thanks to all for advice on cleaning the stones. I have taken notes and ordered a textile spot cleaner. Will post results when I can. Thanks again. Good luck! Hope it works out.
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victor1941
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2011
Posts: 1,979
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Post by victor1941 on Nov 22, 2018 13:44:47 GMT -5
I use a Bab's spot cleaning gum to clean crevices and crystal pockets on plume from west Texas and can yell you that if it can touch it it will clean it. Don't let it touch your skin too long because it definitely give you a stinger. If the powder has dries it may take a second pass.
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NRG
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2018
Posts: 1,630
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Post by NRG on Nov 22, 2018 13:49:36 GMT -5
If that were mine, I would make a bucket of baking soda water and soak the piece in pool and spa acid. Straight up. Once cleaned of iron muk then using tongs dunk in baking soda water to neutralize.
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Post by stephan on Nov 22, 2018 22:58:58 GMT -5
A few words of advice on working with muriatic acid, if you go that route:
1. Wear good rubber gloves. 2. Wear tight-fitting goggles (not just safety glasses. 3. Work in a well-ventilated area 4. If using concentrated acid, add acid to water, not the other way around.
Note that pool acid is usually a 10-20% solution, which is pretty potent, and will do a number on skin or eyes, if you're not careful. It's not full-strength, though, so a bit safer
Good luck
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Post by spiceman on Nov 22, 2018 23:16:11 GMT -5
I have had good luck with the flush used for car radiators. let it soak in the solution just like the directions say.
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