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Post by 150FromFundy on Apr 6, 2011 11:26:29 GMT -5
Use a spray bottle to clean the rim in the rearly days. Once you get more confident with the tumbling process, you will let the cycle go for 5 to 7 days without the need to peek. Problem solved.
Darryl.
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Post by 150FromFundy on Apr 1, 2011 6:24:56 GMT -5
An agate by any other name is still an agate? Rose told me that!
Darryl.
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Post by 150FromFundy on Apr 1, 2011 6:21:35 GMT -5
WOW. I can only hope to clean up that good myself at 53. Obviously, a quality product to begin with.
Darryl.
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Post by 150FromFundy on Mar 31, 2011 6:35:25 GMT -5
Similar material is found along the shores of the Bay of Fundy. I agree with tandl that the light green matrix is epidote. Stress fractures from when the continents collided were later filled with silica materials. Looks like a green/blue moss agate filled the fractures in your case.
Darryl.
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Post by 150FromFundy on Mar 29, 2011 18:12:43 GMT -5
Here`s a few photos from Signal Hill in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Cabot Tower – Signal Hill was used to send signals (by flag) to approaching ships in the day of sail. This practice always ensured that an individual shipping line had its stevedores at the ready when the ship made port. This is also the location where Marconi made the first trans-Atlantic wireless communication. Anyone out there relying on wireless communications. Better check your Cell phone. Cape Spear off in the distance is the most eastward point of land in North America. Sorry Maine. This province is famous for the Newfoundland dog and the Labrador retriever. Many battles between the French and English took place for this vital ice free harbour and fishing rights. This is the Big Mac. And this one would be the Whopper. Not much grows here without soil and the salt spray in the air. The glaciers stripped the land of its soil and there is evidence of ice cut valleys everywhere. Mosses and lichen are about all that can survive here. There are a few crevices that appear to be bottomless. You would form a nasty wedge if you ever slipped down this one. Darryl.
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Post by 150FromFundy on Mar 29, 2011 6:33:11 GMT -5
My first tumbler and it has run 24/7 for a little over two years. The palstic barrel lids will wear out after about 1 year, but it should only cost about $3 to replace. The drive belt should be replaced every year whether ir needs it, or not. Another $3 replacement part. The thermal shutdown saves the motor. I've had a few barrel jams (cat related incidents) that have shut the motor down before burn out. Oil the motor bearings about once a month with a light machine oil.
Darryl.
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Post by 150FromFundy on Mar 28, 2011 20:19:34 GMT -5
Given that your viewing my second Newfoundland post, I`m guessing that you enjoyed the first one. I was seriously impressed by this mural. It`s a part of a mural project designed to cover up concrete walls throughout the City. This one captures a past life and reflects the heritage of a community founded upon the cod fishery. The quality of the mural makes you think it is a black and white photo. Excuse the shaking hands. It was cold and the wind was gusting. Wish I had brought my tripod to do this one justice. More to follow. Darryl.
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Post by 150FromFundy on Mar 28, 2011 19:56:49 GMT -5
I just got back from a conference in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Ironically, it was on managing climate change and I was storm stayed by a blizzard that shut the airport down. Huh! I did have an opportunity to tie up the hiking boots and shoot a few pictures. Hope you enjoy the scenery. The Battery – The rock you see exposed here is the upper end of the Appalachian Mountains that run all the way down to Alabama. This upper end has been heavily glaciated leaving little soil. Newfoundland is affectionately known as ‘The Rock’. Any questions. The Battery – The Battery has been carved along the entrance to St. John’s harbour. The homes hang of the cliff face of some of the oldest rock in the world. This rock dates back to 300 million years before the dinosaurs. The Battery – The roads are narrow and difficult to navigate at times. If you look closely, you will see a Newfoundland dog hanging out the passenger side of the car. These passive guard dogs are about 140 lbs. and have a serious drooling problem. Remember Turner and Hooch. The Battery – You have to watch the turns. That rail will hold back a passenger, but will not be so effective for a runaway car on an icy road. Graffiti – The locals one proudly fished, but with declining cod stocks have turned to graffiti. More to follow. Darryl.
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Post by 150FromFundy on Mar 20, 2011 15:01:05 GMT -5
Count me in if anyone is willing to bear the costs of international potage. If not, I`ll understant. It`s expensive.
Darryl.
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Post by 150FromFundy on Mar 18, 2011 12:21:03 GMT -5
Of course he's OK. Think back on all the the stupid things that we survived to make it to adulthood. Chances are, his head is as hard as his fathers. LOL
The only detriment to all of our juvenile injuries and traumas is that most of us became rock hounds as a result of early childhood head injuries.
Darryl.
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Post by 150FromFundy on Mar 15, 2011 16:10:15 GMT -5
After a little diggin’ … I finally found my piece of brecciated jasper from South Africa. This photo also indicates the reason why I haven’t been posting rock hounding photos for the past while. I tried some stamped metal pendant forms plated in silver and a gold-like substance. The cabs started out as standard 38mm circles, but required a little additional edge grinding to make them fit. Silver Plate Gold-Like Substance Plate Darryl.
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Post by 150FromFundy on Mar 15, 2011 16:08:43 GMT -5
I aslo wish you had more. Nice 3-dimensional effect in the way the plumes emerge from within the stone.
Darryl.
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Post by 150FromFundy on Mar 15, 2011 16:02:53 GMT -5
Swimming upstream in a sea of ignorance and innocence isn't a problem ... so long as your not incontinent.
On the question ... When I burnish, I use only borax. Borax is simply a detergent that doesn't produce suds. Ivory Snow powder is similar. Use one, or the other. I don't think doubling up on the detergent will have any benefit.
Darryl.
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Post by 150FromFundy on Mar 15, 2011 6:33:22 GMT -5
It's hard to blame tumbling problems on one thing only. I would suggest you need more time in each cycle, more grit stages, and careful cleaning between stages. I run my cycles for 3 days which is longer than most vibe people do. I burnish between every stage whick is also more than most vibe people do. For me, these extra steps have taken me from "nice" batches to "you could sell every on of those" batches.
Like everything lapidary ... it's about time and patience. Lots of both!
Each cylcle is 3 days SC 120/220 - 3 Cycles Borax burnish - 24 hrs AO 500F with ceramins - 1 Cycle Borax burnish - 24 hours AO 1000F with ceramics - 1 Cycle Borax burnish - 24 hours AO Polish with ceramics - 1 Cycle Borax burnish - 24 hours
Good luck.
Darryl.
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Post by 150FromFundy on Mar 14, 2011 17:09:04 GMT -5
It has been a while since I have run my saw. Here are a few small slices of some Bay of Fundy finds from the beaches around Parsborro, Nova Scotia. Marble Quartz Banded Jasper Agate Red Moss Agate Gold Moss Agate Agate – Tube like or sagenite like. Felsic Breccia – Not sure if it will polish yet. Typical orange and red feldspars in a really neat green to blue matrix. Closer Darryl.
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Post by 150FromFundy on Mar 14, 2011 6:39:01 GMT -5
Tim:
You need more coarse grit (46/70, 60/90) than polish. It may take several weeks in coarse grit, and only a week, or two in polish.
1 lb of grit = 15 tbsp 3 tbsp per week (in a 3 lb rotary barrel) 1 lb should last you 5 barrel changes, or 5 weeks
1 lb of pre-polish (1000F) or polish may last you an entire year.
I bought a barrel for each stage. This allows me to be a little less concerned with barrel cleaning and cross-contamination.
AO is your best general use polish for most rocks. The other polishes are usually reserved for "fussy" rocks that have special requirements.
Darryl.
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Post by 150FromFundy on Mar 13, 2011 18:25:25 GMT -5
The rutile in the last photo is amazing. A few perfect needles in there.
Darryl.
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Post by 150FromFundy on Mar 13, 2011 18:18:55 GMT -5
All these stones were tumbled together in a vibe. The amazonite is softer and tended to chip out. You are seeing only the best pieces in the photos. For every good rock, there is a re-do.
Darryl.
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Post by 150FromFundy on Mar 12, 2011 18:07:31 GMT -5
Here are a few tumbles pulled from my last UV-10 batch. Amazonite Amethyst Brazilian End Cut Brazilian Slabs Carnelian Agate Crazy Lace Agate Feldspar/Epidote Breccia Red Moss Agate – Bay of Fundy Red & Green Jasper Montana Agate Darryl
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Post by 150FromFundy on Mar 9, 2011 21:41:18 GMT -5
One thing to note is that a 3 lb barrel does not hold 3 lbs of rock. 3 lbs is the total load including barrel, rock, water and grit. For a 3 lb barrel, order 2 lbs of rock. That should just fit.
For a 3 lb barrel - fill the barrel 2/3 full of rock - fill the barrel 1/2 full of water - add 3 Tbsp of grit
15 Tbsp of grit weighs 1 lb. That`s the amount for a 15 lb rotary.
Good luck.
Darryl.
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