buzzbeat
off to a rocking start
Member since May 2017
Posts: 3
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Post by buzzbeat on May 10, 2017 21:41:57 GMT -5
Hi all, For Christmas I bought my son a NatGeo rotary tumbler. A couple of months ago we tackled our first bunch of stones from the kit and followed the directions to a 'T'. The result, dull, lifeless gemstones. I then went online to find out what mistakes we could have made. Here's what we did wrong (to start) 1.) First mistake - the directions didn't have us clean out the slurry completely between stages 2.) We put pitted stones in the stage 4 mix (also not noted) 3.) No plastic or ceramic buffers in stage 4 (not included) 4.) Used the same container as Stages 1-3 (not pointed out / included in the kit) So, armed with what we messed up we got another set of 4 grit packages, reused the same (smooth stones), started over from stage 1 and corrected all of the steps above. The result ... slightly better gemstones that are still pretty lame. See pic below. Taken with an iphone, no flash, florescent lights. Should these look better? If so, any suggestions? I didn't burnish with Ivory soap as it seems like these are so far off that it wouldn't make a major difference. Thanks much!
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Post by pauls on May 10, 2017 21:51:22 GMT -5
Hi buzzbeat, welcome. A bit more information would help us figure where you are going astray. For what its worth your rocks are looking pretty good, we just need to help you get a nice shine on them.
What grits are you using in each stage? how much? what polish are you using? how long are they rolling in each stage.
That'll do for a start and should help us get an idea whats happening.
Paul
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Post by coloradocliff on May 10, 2017 21:57:30 GMT -5
Plus 1 Pauls..info
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buzzbeat
off to a rocking start
Member since May 2017
Posts: 3
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Post by buzzbeat on May 10, 2017 22:10:38 GMT -5
Thanks, very much! For each of the stages we have left them in for about a week. The Coarse stage we did 8 days and the balance were all 7 days. The tumbler was about 3/5 full to start full and the slurry mixture with water was just under the top level of rocks. I believe it is a 1lb tumbler. By the 4th stage the were worn enough to only fill about 1/3 so I supplemented with plastic pellets. Unfortunately, the NatGeo packets don't specify the type of grit - simply notes: "FOUR GRADES OF GRIT: Coarse, Medium, Fine, Polish" - the amazon link is: www.amazon.com/Gemstone-Refill-Tumbler-National-Geographic/dp/B017L46G9G
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notjustone
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2017
Posts: 426
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Post by notjustone on May 10, 2017 22:21:06 GMT -5
how big is the barrel? does it have a capacity in pounds? are you filling the barrel about 75 percent full with rocks? I have found the more smalls you have in the batch the better it works. how long are you running each stage? not having a dedicated polish barrel they should still come out shinier than that. are you washing all the previous grit off the stones and the barrel b4 moving to next step.
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buzzbeat
off to a rocking start
Member since May 2017
Posts: 3
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Post by buzzbeat on May 10, 2017 22:32:56 GMT -5
Thanks, notjustone. Barrel is 1lb. To start it was 3/4 full, then 50% for the next two rounds and for the final I added plastic buffers to bring it up to 50%. Ran each stage about 1 week. Coarse stage was 8 days. As for washing - first time around 'no' but corrected that mistake for both barrel and rocks for the batch in the photo. Yes, I have a separate barrel for the polish stage.
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notjustone
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2017
Posts: 426
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Post by notjustone on May 10, 2017 22:46:35 GMT -5
Thanks, notjustone. Barrel is 1lb. To start it was 3/4 full, then 50% for the next two rounds and for the final I added plastic buffers to bring it up to 50%. Ran each stage about 1 week. Coarse stage was 8 days. As for washing - first time around 'no' but corrected that mistake for both barrel and rocks for the batch in the photo. Yes, I have a separate barrel for the polish stage. I ran plastics in my last 2 stages but don't move them along with rocks. when you clean out stage 3 prepoilish . take them plastics out and label them for use in stage 3 next time. then use new plastics in stage 4 and label them accordingly. I would shoot for 75 percent full with plastics. using less causes rocks to fall and bruise.
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notjustone
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2017
Posts: 426
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Post by notjustone on May 10, 2017 22:51:33 GMT -5
I have switched to a vibe for polishing and don't miss the plastics. don't use ceramics either. I use lots of smalls to make up the 75 percent. plastics or ceramics are wasted space in the barrel as far as I'm concerned.
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notjustone
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2017
Posts: 426
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Post by notjustone on May 10, 2017 23:33:29 GMT -5
ps since they are already rounded and pit free you can skip the first step as course is your shaping stage. if it were me ide start right out and rerun stage 3 and 4.
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Wooferhound
Cave Dweller
Lortone QT66 and 3A
Member since December 2016
Posts: 1,432
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Post by Wooferhound on May 11, 2017 6:25:46 GMT -5
Before starting the 4th stage, I will roll the stones a couple of times in a full barrel of plain water to make sure that they are nice and clean for the polish. I seem to have great results filling up the polish barrel to 80% full with plastic beads.
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Post by pauls on May 11, 2017 15:42:01 GMT -5
All good information there. For your third stage get some Aluminum Oxide 500grit that should put a good pre polish on your stones, you will be surprised how quickly they shine up in the polish. When collecting stones to tumble collect hard stones that dont have pits and cracks and if you break them have a shiny surface, petrified wood and agate are ideal stones to start with, obsidian can be a bit difficult for beginners even if its shiny when broken.
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