scottyh
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2007
Posts: 181
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Post by scottyh on Sept 2, 2016 17:11:35 GMT -5
Never had too much of a problem with grit carry over with these larger pieces as I have a very rigorous cleaning process for them. Between grit stages I water blast larger pieces like this as well as use a spot cleaner pressure gun to clean specific pits and then run a long burnish with sacrificial material (read small agates that are moved back a stage). Hey what's the worst that can happen you have to move back a stage. A piece like this could take 6 months plus to get just right so and extra 2-3 weeks isn't a problem.
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scottyh
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2007
Posts: 181
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Post by scottyh on Sept 1, 2016 0:33:25 GMT -5
Hi all, Just a couple of picks of my next project its a 3.5lb petrified wood cobble from the Waitaki River in Otago New Zealand. I will start this tumbling when I next empty out one of my drums. Will post pictures along the way. won't be perfect as it has a couple of very deep holes in it but will be nice and shiny when finished. Cheers Scott
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scottyh
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2007
Posts: 181
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Post by scottyh on Aug 30, 2016 2:15:09 GMT -5
In my experience if you want to tumble big rocks in a tumbler be prepared to use smaller rocks as cannon fodder. I would find a bunch of really flawed material to use as fodder if you want to tumble a big rock. Mind you what do yo call a big rock?
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scottyh
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2007
Posts: 181
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Post by scottyh on Aug 26, 2016 1:11:12 GMT -5
Right choice, Go for the perfect rocks..... flaws just kill you in a competition I managed to get eleven stones that were of a reasonable size out of the tumble. Here are the rejects right before I sent the entries in. The best were packed and ready to go. Cheers Scott
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scottyh
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2007
Posts: 181
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Post by scottyh on Aug 17, 2016 19:47:57 GMT -5
Hi Greig,
I am one of the brigade that has 1 or two rough barrels running all the time. I just was the drums out every 4-7 days depending on how lazy I feel, pick out the ones that are done and then put very thing back in to keep going. This has worked great for many years. The whole do one batch at a time is a bit start stop I did it when I first started out but then got bored so got a couple of large drums made (1 is 40 lb and the other is bigger) and then just let em roll. Just do what works for you... Each to their own
Cheers Scott
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scottyh
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2007
Posts: 181
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Post by scottyh on Aug 11, 2016 17:44:42 GMT -5
Well I finally managed to get five reasonable stones packed up and ready to go. Unfortunately after I got them packed I realized I didn't have a picture of them. So here is a picture of the packed box ready to go in the post with a bunch of the rejects in front of it. Looking forward to seeing the final three in a whiles time. Cheers Scott
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scottyh
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2007
Posts: 181
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Post by scottyh on Jul 18, 2016 1:33:51 GMT -5
Actually I told a fib.... I could have got a 1/2 pound of aquarium grit
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scottyh
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2007
Posts: 181
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Post by scottyh on Jul 18, 2016 1:32:15 GMT -5
Explains why my rough this year looked like it had been run over with a steam roller Adds to the challenge for sure. Used to be worse. The 2013 contest we had to send in 1/2 pound of finished tumbles not just five rocks. Chuck I couldn't even get half a pound out of the rocks that were sent to me. They were all fractured to the core
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scottyh
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2007
Posts: 181
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Post by scottyh on Jul 17, 2016 19:40:52 GMT -5
Explains why my rough this year looked like it had been run over with a steam roller
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scottyh
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2007
Posts: 181
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Post by scottyh on Jul 11, 2016 1:29:54 GMT -5
I run 80 in the rotary for 3-4 days max before refreshing. If running 60 for 5 days and 30 for 7 days. If you want to go longer then I would run a 60 lb barrel with 60 grit for three weeks then go straight to the polish. Have had really good results with that. However if its competition stuff I will always do a 220 SCI for 10 days and a 10 day 600SCI followed by a 14 day slow rpm tin oxide polish..... just can't help myself.
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scottyh
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2007
Posts: 181
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Post by scottyh on Apr 13, 2016 3:50:55 GMT -5
Well another clean up today.... Still not looking good. Lots of fractures in the material.. have posted photos to show everyone what I am up against. Left hand group are possibles but right hand group not looking good. All together showing the quality of the rough Possible entries Cheers Scott
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scottyh
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2007
Posts: 181
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Post by scottyh on Apr 8, 2016 1:55:57 GMT -5
Should just add that I have another 5 or six pieces that are not far off. Will take another 3-4 rough cycles to get there. Unfortunately all my rough had many fractures going through all the pieces so has been a long road to tumble them out. Really enjoying the process though as it focuses the mind and really makes sure that you are patient with the tumble. Will be tight but still on course to getting the show pieces in the mail for the deadline.
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scottyh
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2007
Posts: 181
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Post by scottyh on Apr 8, 2016 0:26:21 GMT -5
Well... in the clean up today I finally have the first piece of rough finished ready for stage two......... First Picture is wet and the second is taken in a dessert bowl Hoping to get the next two out next clean up Cheers Scott
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scottyh
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2007
Posts: 181
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Post by scottyh on Mar 27, 2016 22:02:44 GMT -5
The old style Land Cruiser motors were really heavy duty... yep the got hot because they weren't meant to run 24/7 however they do work and they do keep going. No one is using newer componentry as it is not heavy duty enough.
Cheers Scott
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scottyh
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2007
Posts: 181
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Post by scottyh on Mar 27, 2016 21:48:58 GMT -5
Opps should have read swear by
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scottyh
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2007
Posts: 181
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Post by scottyh on Mar 27, 2016 21:48:34 GMT -5
Old style Toyota Land cruiser windscreen motors are up to the job. In our club that is what most of the sphere makers swear buy. However one thing they say is that they do run hot.
Cheers Scott
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scottyh
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2007
Posts: 181
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Post by scottyh on Mar 19, 2016 20:06:31 GMT -5
Yep that rough looks way familiar... Hang in there you just never know what could happen. A few year back I had a piece of petrified wood that look like it was going to a junker after the first 7 or 8 rough cycles. However, after another 7 cycles in the rough it was one of the winners (in a set of 5) in the "tumbled stones from any origin" in the New Zealand lapidary contest. Mind you it started of as big as a baseball and ended a lot smaller Cheers Scott
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scottyh
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2007
Posts: 181
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Post by scottyh on Mar 19, 2016 0:55:49 GMT -5
Great job Snuffy,
Enjoy the show over the next while.
Cheers Scott
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scottyh
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2007
Posts: 181
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Post by scottyh on Mar 19, 2016 0:54:16 GMT -5
Agree with the above comments... I always keep the smalls in as they are great grit carriers. I have tumbled leopard skin jasper before... It will come out great but you will need to keep an eye on it as it can have soft spots which pit.
Cheers Scott
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scottyh
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2007
Posts: 181
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Post by scottyh on Mar 18, 2016 2:10:31 GMT -5
Should add that I have some larger Montana agates that I have just started... Should see the results in about 12 months
Patience grasshopper..... That's my motto
Cheers Scott
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