one80mike
freely admits to licking rocks
@(-_-)@ Princess Leia!
Member since February 2007
Posts: 908
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Post by one80mike on Feb 7, 2007 7:08:17 GMT -5
Hey folks, If a saw or grinder are totally out of reach due to the price, are there any other tools or drill attachments that are suitable for knocking off the sharp edges on agates and jaspers beofre putting them in a rotary tumbler? I have read about a dremmel on this site. I am a self-proclaimed unhandyman. What is it? What sort of attachments would I need? Is it even worth considering for the sort of stuff I want to do?
Thanks for your time and accumulated experience and wisdom. Have a top day.
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Post by lbowman1 on Feb 7, 2007 11:41:11 GMT -5
I read somewhere about somebody using a orbital sander and a squirt bottle of water for something but now I can't find the thread.
I'm no expert yet but I've been told rotaries round off their own corners on the stones. On the other hand with a vibratory you have to do your own shaping first.
Lori
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one80mike
freely admits to licking rocks
@(-_-)@ Princess Leia!
Member since February 2007
Posts: 908
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Post by one80mike on Feb 7, 2007 18:35:42 GMT -5
You're right Lori, a rotary does take off the sharp edges but I was hoping to speed up the process and end up with a more rounded shape by softening some of the sharp angles before I start tumbling.
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spacegold
has rocks in the head
Member since September 2006
Posts: 732
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Post by spacegold on Feb 7, 2007 20:51:58 GMT -5
Mike, prepping agate and jasper substantially reduces the amount of time needed to achieve coarse grind in a rotary, especially if the rough is blasted, crushed, or (horror or horrors) hammer broken. I have a little 6" one-ended bench arbor fitted with a 100 grit Silicon Carbide wheel that I use for prepping. No shroud, no coolant feed. I keep a squirt bottle of water handy and spritz the wheel and the rock often, to keep heat from building up.
Dremel is the original high speed, hand held, grinding tool. Run an ebay search on the term and you will learn all you ever wanted to know about them. Different models run all the way from 5000 to 30,000 rpm. Warning: Many of the chinese knockoffs are so low powered that they do not function well.
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rollingstone
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since July 2009
Posts: 236
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Post by rollingstone on Feb 8, 2007 3:01:26 GMT -5
Hey Mike, Randy (bikerrandy) used to use the edge of a saw blade to smooth rough before tumbling in a vibratory tumbler, and he got great results, fast. If you are using a vibe, you could search for some of the old threads about that, or send him a personal mail.
In a rotary tumbler, the sharp edges are the least of your concerns. A rotary works by wearing away the high points preferentially, so those sharp edges are stripped down pretty fast. You are much more likely to have problems with blemishes on the face areas (non high-points) on the rock, as those wear down much slower. That's where a Dremel comes in handy, as well as for smoothing out/removing pits in the rock. But Dremel work is quite slow and fussy, and is certainly not something that is needed to turn out nice tumbles. -Don
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Post by Jack ( Yorkshire) on Feb 8, 2007 3:33:37 GMT -5
Hi Mike ,
Are you sure you cant get a cheap Grinder out there ?
I got one made over your way (and up a bit !!) for £20.00 new a grinder Realy helps a lot on rough edges and you can use the comercial stones supplied for the first grind .
PS, But use a dust mask .
Have a good day.
Jack Yorkshire UK
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one80mike
freely admits to licking rocks
@(-_-)@ Princess Leia!
Member since February 2007
Posts: 908
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Post by one80mike on Feb 8, 2007 18:30:25 GMT -5
Thanks for the ideas everyone. Please keep them coming. From the sounds of it, I need to make a trip to the hardware store and have a bit of a look around and see what's on offer.
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snowdog
fully equipped rock polisher
RIP David Fildes, aka: snowdog
Member since January 2005
Posts: 1,527
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Post by snowdog on Feb 8, 2007 22:55:18 GMT -5
HI one80, --- I know you said your not too handy, but, do you have an old electric motor laying around ? ---- something that could be bolted down to a board or work bench . --- if it has a shaft sticking out 2-3 " then you could just slide a stone wheel on it and lock it on ---- I've got a couple old wheels ( green lapidary ) that are getting pretty small but would work for what you want --- just "pm" me with your address and I'll send one ---
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Post by Jurrasic Jonje on Feb 9, 2007 21:37:34 GMT -5
Randy and I use 6 inch bench grinder's with green carbide wheels on it. hook up a shop vac a bam no muss no fuss.
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one80mike
freely admits to licking rocks
@(-_-)@ Princess Leia!
Member since February 2007
Posts: 908
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Post by one80mike on Feb 12, 2007 5:37:50 GMT -5
Thanks again everyone. I went to the hardware store today and found out 2 things. 1) The bits for a dremel are very small and I'm guessing that they would take ages to chew through even the edges of some jasper. 2) grinders are no where near as expensive as I had assumed. I think the grinder might be the way to go. All I need now is a bench to mount it on. (I currently use an old camping table for my tumbler and stuff)
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yogi
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2006
Posts: 175
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Post by yogi on Feb 13, 2007 18:51:01 GMT -5
An old 55gal barrel makes a good stand if you have the room. Easy to move into place and then add some water to make it stay put. Just a thought. Bill
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Post by Jack ( Yorkshire) on Feb 14, 2007 3:41:26 GMT -5
Hi Bill,
Thats a brilliant Idea never thought of that .
jack Yorkshire UK
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Terry664
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since March 2005
Posts: 1,146
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Post by Terry664 on Mar 3, 2007 10:03:18 GMT -5
Well, it seems you already know Mike, but a Dremel set, plus diamond wheels and burs would cost more than a bench grinder with 100 grit SC wheels. Plus if you want to just prepare for tumbling you can use orignal wheels with grinder, and they are cheaper, but chip a lot more and are not good for shaping. Terry
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one80mike
freely admits to licking rocks
@(-_-)@ Princess Leia!
Member since February 2007
Posts: 908
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Post by one80mike on Mar 5, 2007 18:43:20 GMT -5
I've got the grinder and have started a new thread for grinder tips. Feel free to pass some of your experience and knowledge onto me there. Thanks for all of your responses folks. Mike
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