rockytumbly
off to a rocking start
Member since December 2010
Posts: 2
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Post by rockytumbly on Dec 20, 2010 20:30:43 GMT -5
Hi all, I am tumbling for my first time. After the first round, the rocks are definitely rounded where they were previously sharp. My concern is that most of them have some dried grit remaining on them. Should I ignore it and move to the next phase? Or is there some way to remove it? Thanks
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Post by cpdad on Dec 20, 2010 21:13:49 GMT -5
dont worry about it...put them back in rough 60/90...run them another 6 to 8 weeks....then post pics...will let you know what to do at that time....kev.
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Post by tntmom on Dec 20, 2010 22:06:13 GMT -5
Rinse well outside with a garden hose in a collander. Do not rinse inside, the grit will ruin your pipes. What type of tumbler are you using? You can also do a Borax wash overnight in either a vibe or rotary and then rinse...helps alot. A couple Tbs in 3lb rotary would be great. DO NOT put residual grit into the next stage!!!!
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Post by johnjsgems on Dec 20, 2010 22:56:54 GMT -5
Grit on surface or grit in pits, cracks, gouges? If just on the surface and you are happy with the shaping, rinse and go to the 120/220 step. You will need to clean better before the 500F step. Rinse right away before grit dries. Once it dries it is hard to remove. You can run a "burnish cycle" overnight using more water than normal and a few spoons of Borax, Tide or other low sudsing detergent. If you have pits, cracks, etc. then you are not ready to move on. You can always run it anyway and see first hand the results. At best you have shiny rocks full of pits, cracks, etc.
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rockytumbly
off to a rocking start
Member since December 2010
Posts: 2
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Post by rockytumbly on Dec 22, 2010 12:01:28 GMT -5
Thanks everyone,
TNTMOM - I am using a Lortone rotary tumbler 3lb.
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jrtrio
has rocks in the head
With10 tumblers tumbling the sound is so delicious!Send me more of those little red fellas, please?
Member since February 2006
Posts: 535
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Post by jrtrio on Dec 23, 2010 1:46:49 GMT -5
And it's certainly not necessary to tumble them for another 6 to 8 weeks! When you tumble you want to turn out polished rocks that are pleasing to the eye which does not mean tumble them until they are perfectly round! Tumble them in the 60/90 grit till they are shaped approximately the way you want knowing that they are going to lose a little more substance and shape. So if you like the rounded bottom and the sharper top then you are done with the first stage and are ready to go on to the second. Which as others have told you, wash them outside...or at least in the garage. I use dedicated brushes for each stage to cut down the contamination of grit from one stage to the next. I also use dedicated barrels for each stage to cut down on cleaning the barrels each time. But, don't go into that expense until you are sure this is a "hobby" you want to continue with. Also, once you have cleaned the stones and the barrel tumble them for at least 24 hrs in a mixture of water, borax and Ivory Snow. Rinse and clean again to make sure they are totally without grit. Then it's on to the next stage. All of this work will help turn out some of the most beautiful stones you've ever seen. And the best part of it all YOU did it! You created them! And then it's on to learning how to make something out of them. Jewelry, book marks, fountains etc. There are countless things you can do with them by using you imagination. Good luck and have fun. One thing to remember is don't get frustrated. You are learning about something you have probably had no exposure to. One thing I learned from my past career as a Surgical Technician is to take copious notes of everything you do with each load of stones. That way if something goes wrong you can see where it was that you screwed things up. OR where you did things right. This helps later on when you are going to tumble a load of stones that are the same or similar, then by looking in your notes you can follow them to get the results you desire. Have fun!!
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Post by tntmom on Dec 23, 2010 19:25:28 GMT -5
I use Lortones too for rotary tumbling. Jrtrio suggested Borax with Ivory Snow. I haven't used the Ivory before but know that a lot of people here really like it. For me, I put 2 to 3Tbs of borax in my barrel after I've rinsed the rocks. Then I fill with water to 2/3 full just like I would do if I was doing a grit stage. I run over night and rinse well then next morning. They get really clean this way! In final stages like the 500 prepolish and later, I will add a tsp or so of borax in with the grit load. For me, I've noticed that borax helps cushion and shine them up even before the final polish. Just so you know when you are rinsing.... Borax kills grass so don't rinse in the yard.
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Post by cpdad on Dec 23, 2010 21:50:13 GMT -5
thats the problem here...to many nice folks....and i shouldnt even post this in this thread...but im gonna. rockytumbly....i dont know anyone that can take rough and turn it into a decent tumble in less than 8 weeks from rough in a rotary....and most cases even longer....at least what would be called a killer batch. sure...i understand most get ansy and want to rush it...but...look at what they should look like...they should have a shape as such before moved on. forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=Pictures&thread=9028&page=1since you are fairly new....i would like to see you show patience....and nail it your first batch out.....yes it will take patience...post pics after 6 to 8 more weeks in rough like i said ;D....im tired of people saying great tumble to people on the board....when its not. i have rough tumbling now.....heading into 6 weeks....its still junk for the most part....nice material also....just not ready....go ahead folks....flame me.....kev.
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Post by susand24224 on Dec 24, 2010 0:33:21 GMT -5
Good advice from cpdad, so long as the rocks you are tumbling are Mohs 7. When I did a fluorite batch, they would have been powdered in this length of time, as would many other softer rocks. Rockytumbly, I don't think you said what you are are tumbling (my apologies if I overlooked it), so the advice to tumble in coarse until the rocks are the shape you want still holds true. My fluorite was done with coarse in three days--but agates and some jasper can easily take the eight weeks cpdad references. Also, if you began with well-rounded beach or river rocks, eight weeks won't be necessary; ditto with slabs. Have we confused you enough? Susan
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Post by deb193redux on Dec 24, 2010 19:19:05 GMT -5
I have thoughts similar to cpdad. I think in general, many people move on rocks that have gotten smother but are still lumpy with some pits and crevases. ... and sure enough more than a few people say "great tumble" or even"beautiful".
IMHO, phrases like "looks like fun", or "where do you plan to go next" would be much better ways to positivly engage than simply blowing smoke.
Pictures are essential. Perhaps even pictures of what you would like things to look like. I saw someone posting about how to polish rocks but leave as much of the natural shape as possible. I had no idea what exactly this meant. Did they have some crust or druse or scaline they wantedt to keep? Well fat chance. Did they mean they did nto want to end up with a perfect egg? Well, plenty of ways to do that.
If we asked more questions, posted more pictures, clarified more goals, and generally blew less smoke than this would be a more useful forum. Still, IMHO it is already more useful than a lot of other forums out there.
The real question here is if the goal was shiney spots or highly shaped polished stones. I also agree with jrtrio that long long rough grinds are not needed - provided the kind of rustic lumpy finished stone is what is wanted. I also agree that with softer stones like florite it does take a lot less time.
we need to ask questions and clarify things so that we can help new tumblers understand the range of possible outcomes, the decisions that will position them within that range, and the limitations that their equipment, or their rough might introduce. We do tend to act as if there was a perfect tumboing recipie and that advice is on size fits all and that anything someone spills out of a tumbler is "wounderful". It is, but that don't mean it is pretty or even what was wanted.
More questions, more pictures, than comes the advice.
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