tarylina
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since May 2004
Posts: 84
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Post by tarylina on May 25, 2004 22:00:22 GMT -5
Help! My tumbler instructions say leave in pre-polish for three days, but is that long enough? I have them in a sugar filler but they still seem to be getting smaller. I'm discouraged and this is only my first batch. How do I tell when they are ready to move to polish? I have one really pretty, very small rock I don't want to lose.
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donwrob
has rocks in the head
Member since June 2003
Posts: 509
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Post by donwrob on May 25, 2004 22:37:24 GMT -5
Hi Tarylina, yes that does seem short. I take it, it is a vibe? I usually run pre for 5 to 7 days in my vibe. Maybe I'm over doing it? You will eventually be able to look at them and tell if they are ready to move on. Rocks out of pre-polish should be very smooth with a kind of semi-gloss finish on them. Reflective, but not a deep shine. I hope this helps, it is still up to you how long you run them. Good luck with the batch, talk to you later, Don
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Post by cookie3rocks on May 25, 2004 22:40:27 GMT -5
Hi Taryl, I would say, if you feel some stones are ready and others not, pull some out and bulk up the pellets. I think you and I made a beginers mistake, we really don't know hardnesses and what should be tumbled (or not) with what. Seems like the instructions don't mean as much as getting a "feel" for what is right and that takes time. My first and second batch have been disapointing,but it's all a learning experience. You and I are on the same page, let's learn together! (I just decided that was a good idea because I've been feeling bad about this last batch and I tried so hard. Hope you don't mind the inferance.) ;D Good luck and listen to the pro's, they know best. cookie
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tarylina
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since May 2004
Posts: 84
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Post by tarylina on May 25, 2004 23:17:31 GMT -5
Don - no, I have the smallest, most basic model of Thumbler. So far I have some pretty rocks, they're just shrinking!
Cookie - you're exactly right. I threw in a hodgepodge of rocks and have no idea what I'm doing - I didn't even have a full barrel to start with, which I'm finding out is a BIG mistake. Those instructions really do bite! I think tomorrow I will take the prettiest stone out (which of course is the smallest) and wait to polish it. I will post pictures when I am done and I want an honest opinion, and feedback on how I can improve.
Thanks for all the help, everyone! This really is a great message board. I've learned so much in just a few weeks!
Taryl
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Banjocreek
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since March 2003
Posts: 1,115
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Post by Banjocreek on May 25, 2004 23:25:07 GMT -5
I run mine in prepolish about 7 days (rotary) and move them to polish when they look like they are in need of polish. Sounds simple I guess, but I go along with Don, they look like they could have shine but just not quite, and they are just crying to be polished. The finish looks like a very poor polish job. That's time to get them in the polish and let it do the rest of the work. It will be much easier to polish if thay are that far along then. If I don't have that sort of matte shine, then I probably didn't leave them in the 500 grit long enough, and so on. Soon you'll be able to feel them and know when to scoot them along. For what its worth...
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WarrenA
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2003
Posts: 1,530
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Post by WarrenA on May 25, 2004 23:41:44 GMT -5
Do not be discouraged tumble some more rock read as many posts here as you can stand tumble some more rock they won't mind its just rock. you will develope your own "style" of tumbling. you will also find that there are a few rocks that won't shine no matter what you do.
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Post by rockyraccoon on May 26, 2004 0:57:28 GMT -5
i'm thinking cookie is probably right and that you must have a soft stone if it's still losing mass in pre-polish.
kim
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Post by puppie96 on May 26, 2004 1:30:14 GMT -5
Tary, Cookie, et.al., I'm hardly a pro, but I've had results that made me happy right from the start. At first I was worried about the hardness issue until I was talking with a friend and tumbling came up in the conversation -- I never knew it but he had been majorly into it in his teens -- he told me not to worry about it, that the hard rocks would polish and if they were too soft they just wouldn't. He said in pretty much every batch there would be at least one stone that refused to polish and sometimes for no apparent reason. So, he just felt that it wasn't a problem, just throw back the unpolished ones and try them with softer rock when you have enough. Works for me! I have always followed the manufacturers' directions as closely as possible. The most important thing I've learned is patience with the rough grind and be prepared to continue it in 60/90 sometimes for 3 or 4 weeks. I'm in a "redo" phase right now, going back and rerunning nicely polished rocks that I think I rushed and their shapes show it, or else spalling on the surface or flaws and such, even though the polish is great. I'd like to see just how good these can get with patience. It may be that I'm setting the bar too high for the material I'm tumbling, but it remains to be seen.
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James
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since October 2003
Posts: 876
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Post by James on May 26, 2004 4:13:18 GMT -5
It must be Tripoli because those are same direction that come with the Tumlers tumblers. Thumlers come standard with tripoli pre-polish. I'd recommend just to let them go for 5-7 days. It will not grind away any of the rock as the pre-polish is too fine.
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