herchenx
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Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,360
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Post by herchenx on Jan 19, 2012 10:44:11 GMT -5
I put together my machine last night and cut a slab out of a piece of river rock I'd found earlier this week. I worked it up to about 800 grit and needed to get to bed, but I wanted to show my measly first attempt: It isn't done, but I was surprised this morning to see it not looking completely horrible. I will finish with a couple rounds of diamond polish tonight or this weekend, but I was excited enough I wanted to share it with you folks who have been so helpful. Sue on the other thread said it might be Unakite. I took the above photo indoors with natural daylight so it should be easier to ID, wondering if anyone has any ideas. ****************************************** UPDATE: After digging it looks like it is indeed granite made of Feldspar (red) quartz (white) and mica (black/metallic) Also, scroll down into comments to read how things ended and see the "after" pics. ****************************************** If you want a longer back story, I posted the gory details in tumbling pics: forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/index.cgi?board=trtphoto&action=display&thread=50013Thanks all
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Post by frane on Jan 19, 2012 11:04:30 GMT -5
Looks like a wonderful first! I am not so sure about Unikite, although it does have similar coloring. I really can't tell by the picture but it does look like feldspar in there but I would lean more to a granite because it does look mixed. Some of my best first cabs were granite that I found. Tricky stuff sometimes because of the different harnesses. Keep up the great work! Fran
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herchenx
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Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,360
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Post by herchenx on Jan 19, 2012 11:14:31 GMT -5
Thanks Fran, yes I initially thought granite - and it was tricky - I kept undercutting but I think I found a nice pattern to get it to start smoothing consistently.
It doesn't have any of the characteristic green of the unakite I've seen, and I was thinking granite as well - although Sue did say Unakite was a form of granite.
Thanks for looking!
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NDK
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Post by NDK on Jan 19, 2012 15:57:11 GMT -5
Nice work John! Looks great.
Nate
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Post by frane on Jan 19, 2012 16:41:30 GMT -5
Yep, granite does undercut a lot, then you finally get to a point that it stops and starts looking great. Unakite has feldspar and epidote in it and I have seen pieces that have mostly pink/red and other areas with mostly green where they just didn't mix well but mostly, it will have at least a spot or two of the epidote in it. No matter what it is, it is sure starting to shine already! Fran
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herchenx
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Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,360
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Post by herchenx on Jan 19, 2012 17:11:33 GMT -5
Thanks all, I can't wait to polish it!
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herchenx
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,360
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Post by herchenx on Jan 20, 2012 1:05:53 GMT -5
Well, in spite of reworking the stone and working up to 14000 Mesh Diamond on a leather pad, the best I could get was a satin finish. As I was ready to pull it away from the pad I lost my grip and the wheel slung it down into the basin, when I picked it up it had a chip out of the bottom: I had decided to rework it, because in spite of pre-polishing for a very long time at 1200 mesh, there were hairline cracks that showed: I couldn't get rid of them, even after going back to 400 and working my way back up, so rather than burn more hours I decided to call this "my first cab" and move on. I spent about 20 minutes cutting a slab of obsidian then shaping it - and I am already 1000 times more excited. Thanks all for all your help.
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Post by FrogAndBearCreations on Jan 20, 2012 8:25:24 GMT -5
Cool first cab!
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unclestu
Cave Dweller
WINNER OF THE FIRST RTH KILLER CAB CONTEST UNCLESTU'S AGUA NUEVA AGATE
Member since April 2011
Posts: 2,298
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Post by unclestu on Jan 20, 2012 10:03:42 GMT -5
Hi, That looks like a great first attempt. Looking at it reminded me of my fist cab, so I looked it up and it looks very similar to yours. Right down to the little scratches on top. I think those scratches are very common on first cabs. I guess it is because we get so excited by seeing the transformation from slab to cab occur before our eyes that we become a little impatient. Funny my first even looks to be of a very similar stone as well. I don't know exactly what it was as it came from a pile of Ralph and Mary Ann's saw scrap. LOL Here are some pictures of my first: Keep up the gpod work. You will be amazed at the the level of improvement that you will see. After doing your 5th cab compare it to your first one and you will see what I mean. The only bad thing is that as you do more and get better the addiction becomes stronger and you want to spend more $LOL Stu
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herchenx
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Member since January 2012
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Post by herchenx on Jan 20, 2012 10:16:49 GMT -5
Thanks for that Stu! Yes even though I am very green the addiction has already set in. My wife sees it too, "how many rocks are you going to order?" - my response "All of them!" - well in my head anyway. I just smile.
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unclestu
Cave Dweller
WINNER OF THE FIRST RTH KILLER CAB CONTEST UNCLESTU'S AGUA NUEVA AGATE
Member since April 2011
Posts: 2,298
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Post by unclestu on Jan 20, 2012 10:48:23 GMT -5
Thanks for that Stu! Yes even though I am very green the addiction has already set in. My wife sees it too, "how many rocks are you going to order?" - my response "All of them!" - well in my head anyway. I just smile. LOL it was my wife that got me started. She is into metaphysics and buys crystals and different stones which got me interested in tumbling. Although I never got a tumbler. I am still trying to figure out how I managed to go from a couple of hunfred dollars to get started tumbling to buying a 6 wheel diamond cab machine and a trim saw for close to $1,500. I guess she got blinded by the rocks LOL She stopped asking about my spending habits for slabs . She just makes sure she outspends me with her mineral specimen purchases.LOL Hey it beats her spending all that money on yet another paire of shoes not to mention she has offered some of her larger stones to be cabbed. Though that will involve the purchase of another toy for me. Yea a new slab saw. I will do that when it gets warmer outside. In the mean time I am waiting on my new Forham flex tool. Rocks are great ;D
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herchenx
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Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,360
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Post by herchenx on Jan 20, 2012 11:27:08 GMT -5
Hey Stu, how large a diameter is your trim saw? My lortone combination unit has a 6" blade and I already have rock big enough that I can't slab it.
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Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Jan 20, 2012 12:33:29 GMT -5
Two observations: 1. Some rocks will never polish to a high shine because they're not hard enough, they have mixed hardness, or because they have pits, cracks, etc. It's better to just move on, just as you did.
2. If you see parallel scratches, like in Stu's photos, you have to go back to your 220 soft wheel/expanding drum to remove them.
It's like anything else, you have to develop your skill. I'm still developing mine and really admire the work of some of the masters on this board.
Chuck
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unclestu
Cave Dweller
WINNER OF THE FIRST RTH KILLER CAB CONTEST UNCLESTU'S AGUA NUEVA AGATE
Member since April 2011
Posts: 2,298
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Post by unclestu on Jan 20, 2012 13:16:18 GMT -5
Hey Stu, how large a diameter is your trim saw? My lortone combination unit has a 6" blade and I already have rock big enough that I can't slab it. Yea mine is a 6" also. When they say trim saw they mean it it basically good for only cutting out you template from a slab. At best it can cut a rock of about 2" into a slab. That is why I am a slab junky and have only been buying slabs. LOL My wife said when I get a big boys saw I can only cut while she is awake. This way I won't cut up any of her specimens when I am a rock hound in the heat ;D I would really like that vintage highland park saw that is for sale but it is in TX and I am in NJ. By the way I live one block from the ocean so I guess NJ does have something going for itsel. Especially when the stripers are running ;D Later Stu Stu
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herchenx
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Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,360
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Post by herchenx on Jan 20, 2012 13:52:45 GMT -5
Thanks Chuck
I did have parallel scratches and worked those out. Every part of the stone except the mica vein polished evenly, the mica kept flaking and those scratches just wouldn't leave.
I am working on obsidian now and it has no such issues - and I am loving it!
Stu, re: slabs I like the idea and have bought a number already slabbed, but the price and variety of rough is so great it makes it seem preferable. Of course as we are seeing, there are cost concerns there as well and you need the space!
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Post by susand24224 on Jan 20, 2012 16:05:10 GMT -5
Admirable first effort. Actually, anything tolerable with certain granites is more than admirable. Some scratches never go away, no matter what. As you work with more, you will learn (slowly, if you are like me) which scratches can be conquered and which simply procreate right before your eyes.
Keep up the good work!
Susan
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Post by talkingstones on Jan 20, 2012 21:29:49 GMT -5
Where did you get that rock? Just askin.... I found one that I'm starting that is hauntingly similar....................
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herchenx
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Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,360
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Post by herchenx on Jan 25, 2012 0:00:43 GMT -5
Oops just saw your question talkingstones, I picked it up here in Fort Collins, Co, along the Cache la Poudre River.
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