geoff59
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2022
Posts: 280
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Post by geoff59 on Jan 4, 2024 12:19:52 GMT -5
Fresh out of polish last night, washed for an hour in warm water and ivory soap flakes. I don’t own a vibe, these were done entirely in a 3 lb. Lortone drum. Lots of reflections! I think we should rename them to Alligator tears, or just ‘gator tears for short. Not sure why.
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hplcman
spending too much on rocks
Just getting into this....
Member since August 2022
Posts: 414
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Post by hplcman on Jan 4, 2024 12:39:11 GMT -5
Beautiful batch! May I ask what polish you used on those? Aluminum oxide?
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chris1956
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2022
Posts: 1,258
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Post by chris1956 on Jan 4, 2024 16:09:38 GMT -5
Those are great!
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khara
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2022
Posts: 1,751
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Post by khara on Jan 4, 2024 16:15:36 GMT -5
Those are gorgeous.👍 And nice to know you just used a small rotary.
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geoff59
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2022
Posts: 280
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Post by geoff59 on Jan 4, 2024 18:27:19 GMT -5
Beautiful batch! May I ask what polish you used on those? Aluminum oxide? Yes, 4 1/2 tbsp of TXP for 9 days.
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adam5
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since August 2023
Posts: 146
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Post by adam5 on Jan 4, 2024 20:32:02 GMT -5
They look awesome!
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johnthor1963
starting to spend too much on rocks
Cattle dogs rock
Member since June 2023
Posts: 139
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Post by johnthor1963 on Feb 1, 2024 16:15:53 GMT -5
Wow awesome very nice looking stones ( glass). I recently tumbled some and I feel a sleep at the tumbler and left them in stage 1 &2 much longer than I should have. But you nailed it I’m pretty sure nice size and shine. Love them.
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dillonf
fully equipped rock polisher
Hounding and tumbling
Member since February 2022
Posts: 1,595
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Post by dillonf on Feb 1, 2024 20:19:30 GMT -5
Excellent job! They look amazing!
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zebra61
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since January 2024
Posts: 117
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Post by zebra61 on Feb 2, 2024 8:55:01 GMT -5
I don’t own a vibe, these were done entirely in a 3 lb. Lortone drum. And done beautifully I would have never guessed they were fully finished in a rotary. That's very impressive geoff59 and thanks for sharing!
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Post by velodromed on Feb 2, 2024 15:32:02 GMT -5
Fresh out of polish last night, washed for an hour in warm water and ivory soap flakes. I don’t own a vibe, these were done entirely in a 3 lb. Lortone drum. Lots of reflections! I think we should rename them to Alligator tears, or just ‘gator tears for short. Not sure why. WOW! Those are absolutely beautiful. Good job with a relatively difficult thing to tumble.
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Post by rockjunquie on Feb 2, 2024 19:34:08 GMT -5
Dang! Those came out perfect. Very nice and impressive that you did it in rotary. They look Lot-Ofied.
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Post by jasoninsd on Feb 2, 2024 23:00:45 GMT -5
geoff59 - I don't know how I missed this! Those are PERFECT! Seriously great example showing a vibe isn't exactly "necessary"!
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johnthor1963
starting to spend too much on rocks
Cattle dogs rock
Member since June 2023
Posts: 139
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Post by johnthor1963 on Feb 4, 2024 10:45:07 GMT -5
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johnthor1963
starting to spend too much on rocks
Cattle dogs rock
Member since June 2023
Posts: 139
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Post by johnthor1963 on Feb 4, 2024 10:51:27 GMT -5
Decided to share my tears. I really like the size of yours compared to mine. When I got them out of stage 2 I knew what I did. lol they took a fun polish and next time I’ll pay attention. Non the less I’m shoot to turn out a barrel like yours.
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Post by aDave on Feb 4, 2024 17:02:30 GMT -5
Fresh out of polish last night, washed for an hour in warm water and ivory soap flakes. I don’t own a vibe, these were done entirely in a 3 lb. Lortone drum. Lots of reflections! I think we should rename them to Alligator tears, or just ‘gator tears for short. Not sure why. Very nicely done. Care to share your recipe? I bet plenty of people would benefit, as a good rotary finish on obsidian is a unicorn for many.
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geoff59
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2022
Posts: 280
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Post by geoff59 on Feb 7, 2024 4:46:53 GMT -5
Fresh out of polish last night, washed for an hour in warm water and ivory soap flakes. I don’t own a vibe, these were done entirely in a 3 lb. Lortone drum. Lots of reflections! I think we should rename them to Alligator tears, or just ‘gator tears for short. Not sure why. Very nicely done. Care to share your recipe? I bet plenty of people would benefit, as a good rotary finish on obsidian is a unicorn for many. Honestly, there is more of an “those look about right to move on to the next step” ideology, than there is an actual recipe. Like when I cook, I don’t actually follow to the T any recipe, so no 2 batches are ever entirely the same. I use 60/90, but typically only for about 5 days, before going to #220. They might stay in 220 for a couple of charges…when they look right, they advance to #500 AO, then to #1000 AO, a week in each. Then to final polish. I use a lot of small ceramic pellets, fill the drum half way with Apache tears, then bring it up to 80% or even a smidge more using small ceramics, I have a baggie or 2 of small ceramics that I only use with obsidian. I will tumble them when new, for 24-48 hours, in a tbsp or so of #220 to smooth them up. I keep my water level up to completely cover the contents. Just under the brim. I think this is something I took off of rocktumbler dot com, out of their library. It works well. I think the extra water helps with cushioning and preventing damage. And use more prepolish and TXP, I add extra, 4-5 tbsp in a 3 pound drum. Thicken your slurry by adding more prepolish/polish, nothing else. Cleanliness too, is essential, you have to be obsessed with getting all traces of grit/slurry off. Obsess with obsidian! I rinse off every batch of rock in a stainless strainer over a 5 gallon bucket. With a 3 lb drum of obsidian/Apache tears, I will end up filling the bucket 1/2 to 2/3 full of rinse-water. As I spray I constantly move the load around, about like “folding” a dough. The drum itself, a drop of dish detergent and hot water and scrubbed with a sponge. I use a toothbrush on the inside edge of the rim that the drum lid sits on. You have to be meticulous and be sure every trace of the last slurry is gone.
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Post by velodromed on Feb 8, 2024 16:08:37 GMT -5
geoff59Mind if I ask where you got your material? Looks extremely good quality. Many thanks!
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geoff59
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2022
Posts: 280
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Post by geoff59 on Feb 8, 2024 20:34:22 GMT -5
geoff59 Mind if I ask where you got your material? Looks extremely good quality. Many thanks! PM sent.
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